(800) 853-2651
SHOP NOW

My experience at the local Kubota Dealership

L

LJS30

Member
First off, by no means am I disrespecting the Kubota enthusiasts out here. However since I was a kid my Grandpa only used Fords and Massey Ferguson's on his ranch because in his opinion, they were the toughest tractors on the market. So, I guess you can say I'm a bit bias.
On Friday I went to my local Kubota dealer in order to order a new lawnmower blade when on my way out I decided to poke around at the cool little tractors they had out in front. As a was examining the little rear tires, small little motor and hydraulics, a guy came out of the dealership. He first started our interaction with the following statement, "these are good machines meant for heavy duty work", "what type of work are you looking to do?" Well, I told him I was just looking at the tractors and am in the process of doing some discing on my property. Suddenly the guy begain extolling the virtues of his powerful little Kubota tractor when I suddenly hopped on one to check it out more closely. He then said the following statement, " these tractors are best for experienced drivers and perhaps something smaller would be what I want". At that moment I slowly stepped off the tractor and proceeded to tell the man the following, "Sir, I drove this kind of tractor when I was six years old, in fact, I NEVER operated something this tiny.....I drive Massey Fergusons...you know, REAL tractors for men". At that moment he said, "oh", and proceeded to go back inside. :lol: :lol:
 
hehe, I don't think he'll be making a commission! Its getting to be
a common trend around here, sales persons at dealers who don't
know a thing about using tractors.
 
Perhaps you should go talk to the owner of that dealership and tell him this story and also forward a copy to Kubota.
 
A newbie once asked me what I thought of a Ford 8N and I told him it would be okay for a girl but not for "real work."

Please note sarcasm.
 
I had a similar experience when I was looking for a car after I had been out of college for a few years. The salesman HAD to go with me on the test drive, which was okay, but he did the driving!!! The car had a manual transmission and he was sure I didn't know how to drive a stick. That is what I LEARNED to drive. Grew up on a farm and the only automatic we had was a car at that time, and I probably didn't drive that for a few years after I learned on the pickup and tractors. Needless to say I have never been back to that Dodge dealership.
 
H*ll,I had the OWNER of a Wheel Horse dealership say the wrong thing to me one time. It was a big dealer,sold a lot of boats as well. The wife had just taken a shower,left home with her hair wet,no makeup. I was in my bibs. Stopped in just for the heck of it. He was on the showroom floor. I asked him if he had any good used John Deere trade-ins. He looked us up and down and said "not that you can afford". I left without saying a word and went to the Deere dealer and bought one. Never stopped in there again. They're out of business now,so I never will.
 
LJS30,

I had a somewhat similar experience at a Buick dealer in 1968. My 23 year old wife and I (also 23 years old) went into the Buick dealer to buy a new station wagon. The salesman dismissed us being too young for a station wagon and especially an expensive one. We left and went to the Ford dealer and bought a new station wagon. Our two children and my wife and I enjoyed the Ford station wagon for many years.

Tom in TN
 
I bought my Kubota 22 hp w/FL 13 years ago. It's been a great little machine for it's size.
I put 180 hours on in the first 2 months (lot of backed up projects & time)and the dealer knew this and called to see if he could stop by with company reps, so I said yes. I was surprised when he came with 5 Japanese company engineers who asked me my opinion on that tractor

They looked on in horror when I told them it needed ROPS lights for night use of the FL, a tool box, more insulators for quiet running, and rear hydraulics. Their main focus was if it had enough power (they were proud of that) I pointed to dad's 2N stating it had the same HP as their tractor "horsepower ratings are a misleading sales tool", I told them, "and if they are the same, why can't this Kubota pull 2 plows, and the Ford can??" I brushed off their explanation on the formula (same one I learned in HS shop class)and said goodbye to them, and went back to work on cutting the lawn
You know? I never did hear back from them
 
Fellers,

I think you know...without me saying so....but, most of the folks going and buying those souped up lawnmowers are weekend warriors involved in the lawn wars of suburbia.

Back during the Ice Age, when I was a boy, dad finally bought a riding lawnmower. It was a Simplicity 5 horsepower with a 28" cut. It did a fine job mowing those 2 acres of grass the old man had and was light years ahead of the push mower I had labored behind every Saturday since I was 9 years old. It didn't seem underpowered....it plowed right through and if the grass got a bit tall...I put it in low gear and went on...it had all of 2 forward speeds.

The man across the way, had an 8 horsepower mower and he was faster and so.........we see how the weekend lawn wars, began. That was 40 years ago. Today..in order to impress Joe the Plumber and Frank the pharmacist.....you need 25-30 horsepower liquid cooled diesel, either zero-turn (the current rage) or a 4 wheel drive mini tractor. But, when you boil all the fat out of it....they're still........lawnmowers......riding grass whackers. The thing is....they are high profit machines for the makers and the market is maybe 500X (or more) what the ag market is.

So, some slick tongued salesman is ready to pounce on the green eyed lawn warriors when they come through the door. And...they sell lots of machines. For Norville......lawn king of 263rd Street...it's a giant step up from the Toro Turfmaster...which lies deserted out back, next to alley. NOW...he can show Johnson across the street what a REAL lawn TRACTOR is!

Now...us hayseeds get a grin from watching this BS play out, but boys will be boys....regardless of their toys.

I don't suppose it's any different when the man who spends his day in the seat of a 300 horse articulated snickers at the feller on his 80 horse utility.........to him..that's nothing more than a manure scraper.

Kubota builds a decent machine and I doubt a letter stating that Massey's are real tractors would get more than a chuckle from them.....more like a yawn.
 
In 1974, I had an insurance payout that put more than enough cash in my pocket to go buy me a new pickup with.

I started at the Ford dealer cuz he was the closest. I walked in and said "I want a 1/2 ton, small V-8, three speed, basic pickup. No trim options, rubber floor mats. An AM radio would be okay, but I ain't payin' for nothin' fancy."

Long story short, the Ford, GMC, Chevy and Dodge dealers ALL tried to talk me into their version of a high-end Cowboy Cadillac with 6-way power ashtrays.

Hit the Dodge dealer last, and when he started his spiel, I stopped him cold, pulled a wad of $100's out of my pocket, flapped it in his face and said "You see that burgundy D100 over there? Either name me a price on it, or I'm walking."

Took him 2 or 3 false starts, but he finally got it through his thick skull that it was sell me the stripper or No Sale.
 
After a lifetime of dealing with one of 3 dealerships, (a Massey Ferguson dealer, a Ford/New Holland dealer, and a John Deere dealer) I decided to give a look at a NEW John Deere dealership that recently opened near here. They had an assortment of farm tractors, but mostly, they catered to the ranchette/homeowner types. Lots of lawn mowers, compacts, lightweight implements, ect.

And then I met their salesman. He sauntered out like he was JOHN DEERE himself. This "kid" obviously thought he knew it all. I'd imagine he went through a Deere sales training course or something simular. He automatically assumed that since he knew so much, no one else knew ANYTHING. I was looking to buy a specific model of tractor. I knew what I wanted. It took all of 5 minutes for him to discourage me from spending my money there. I look at this guy as a direct reflection of the DEALERSHIP, but not that of John Deere or their products.

I took my business back to the dealer where I'd been trading for 40 years. The "kid" managed to insure his employer of missing out on a $145,000 sale.
 
We work with a few Kubota dealerships at work. One of them is very good because it is a mom and pops kind of place. The second one we deal with is quite different. They are more or less a bunch of snobs there. They like to sell tractors just to horse farms that pay with cash. A dairy farmer went there to buy a smaller size tractor to clean barns with and asked about financing. He more or less got laughed out of the dealership. Not a good way to run a business.
 
MY APOLOGY FOR KUBOTA. I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE YOU WERE PRICING AND HIRING THE RIGHT SALES PEOPLE
IS A CHALANGE. BEEN SELLING THEM FOR 28 YEARS AND EACH CUSTOMER IS DIFFRENT. IF YOU GET SERIOUS GIVE ME A E-MAIL AND I WILL DIRECT YOU TO THE BEST DEALER IN YOUR AREA. THANKS JERRY WATKINS
 
(quoted from post at 17:53:10 04/06/09) I bought my Kubota 22 hp w/FL 13 years ago. It's been a great little machine for it's size.
I put 180 hours on in the first 2 months (lot of backed up projects & time)and the dealer knew this and called to see if he could stop by with company reps, so I said yes. I was surprised when he came with 5 Japanese company engineers who asked me my opinion on that tractor

They looked on in horror when I told them it needed ROPS lights for night use of the FL, a tool box, more insulators for quiet running, and rear hydraulics. Their main focus was if it had enough power (they were proud of that) I pointed to dad's 2N stating it had the same HP as their tractor "horsepower ratings are a misleading sales tool", I told them, "and if they are the same, why can't this Kubota pull 2 plows, and the Ford can??" I brushed off their explanation on the formula (same one I learned in HS shop class)and said goodbye to them, and went back to work on cutting the lawn
You know? I never did hear back from them
Click to expand...

I remember when I was a kid some Kubota rep coming out, with his little toy tractor, to our ranch in order to give us a demonstration. Even as a youngster, I knew the Kubota was not up to the task of discing our orchard. The rep drives it off the truck, attaches our discer, the proceeds to stall five times before giving up and leaving. Again, I know they have their role, but they'll always be toys to me.
 
(quoted from post at 17:21:45 04/06/09) Perhaps you should go talk to the owner of that dealership and tell him this story and also forward a copy to Kubota.
Click to expand...

Oh, it was the owner. The guy is always less then pleasant when dealing with customers because he's the only game in town. He slowly pushed out every other lawnmower/tractor retailer.
 

You need to pay a visit to a dealer that handles the full line up of Kubotas. Believe me, there is some serious iron available.
 
Kubota makes all kinds and sizes of machines. You have to watch you are getting the one suited to your needs. Most just shop by price and go with the cheapest.

Anyhow I'd go to www.kubota.com and send them an email just to tell them what a d%#k head this guy is.

Kubota quailty has come up from where they once were, Deere and the others have gone down, so now thay are likely about all equal. Ford/NH and Massey included.
 
The comments I made were mostly because I was able to deflate the reps bloated egos about the tractor.

I chose it ONLY because Cub Cadet, Deere and Ford were more expensive,not as heavily made.

This machine maintains an old 5 family farm estate of lawn and gardens, and was my best choice.
 
Someone once said, "Samson was a piker. He only slew a thousand men with the jawbone of an a$$. Every day ten times that many sales are killed with the same weapon".

Makes sense to me.
 
When we got the first kubota, the dealer was run
my two guys, probabally 30 or so.

Tractor they sold us was a B3030. Peice of junk.
Sent back several times for transmission work.

Decided we'de never get another kubota and went
to a NH/kubota dealer near here. They had
everything from 300hp monsters to riding lawn
mowers. They were friendly and understood our
situation really well. Test drove two kubotas, a
NH and a JD.

Got another kubota now.

60 something hours on it and still really
pleased. It pulls a 2x14 really well, moves snow
like theres nothing there and doesnt feel like a
lawnmower.

Kubota has some good stuff, and some not so good
stuff. Dealers are the same way.
 
He was hoping to steer you into buying a machine that too small for what you wanted to do, so you'll upgrade soon afterwards to something bigger, that way he could really make a fortune, not just by selling you two brand new tractors, but also he'd make a bunch of money on your slightly used trade in.

I'm sure he has done that over and over again with country wanna be's, which is the majority of Kubota's market share.
 
Your first mistake was stopping by the Toy Department if you want to look at real tractors, do that don't insult the Salesman by looking at toys.
Walt
 
I had a similar thing happen to me 5 years ago. I wanted to buy a new 85 hp tractor. I about 150 miles from any dealership. We have had nothing but John Deeres since we started buying tractors in the 40"s. I called two different Deere dealers they weren"t interested in bringing me a tractor to try out or even rent for a month. On the other hand a McCormick dealer brought us a tractor and we it never left the ranch.

The Deere dealer treats me a little differently now. I am looking to replace a tractor now. The Deere guy really wants us to buy a green one now instead of a red one.
 
They do make great, dependable machines and were making
compact tractors pretty much before everyone else. I think
they're on par with John Deere, slightly ahead of New Holland
and Ago, but at a slightly cheaper price. I'd have one in the 35
horse range if I had the money. One thing most of them do is
make them to light. The 9n mentioned below only had what 13-
14 horse at the drawbar? But weighed 3,000 lbs? Newer
compacts have 30+ horse but only weight 3,200 lbs. I think
that's the main difference in today's machines, they have too
much power for the weight. I always wondered why lawn
tractors now have 26 hp engines, weigh 600 lb, but can only
drive a 40" deck?
 
That may be the case for some, but there is a tractor size for every job to be done. John Deere proved that with about 20 variations of tractors in 1945.
As far as a weekend warrior, My friend bought a Kubota, same size as mine with a backhoe/FL, and mows his lawn in between using it to do landscaping in tight quarters. He did enough down spouts and heavy land scape work to pay for it in 1.5 years.
It just depends on where you live and meeting your needs.
 
"He slowly pushed out every other lawnmower/tractor retailer."

--------------------------------------------------

They must have really suxed if that kind of service put them out of business.
 
What size tractor was it? HP and model?

Some of the sales clowns are total dorks.

I consider a "real" tractor that is somewhere in the 35 and up HP range (diesel of course), and weighs over 3000 pounds. Meant for Real work, like digging ditches, grading gravel drives, large field cutting with a rear brush hog and the once in a while post hole digger
The "tractors" sold at home depot are just junk for homeowners.
 
Doesnt it pi$$ you off that a new tractor dealer wont give you the time of day.....Unless you wave cash in their face. Its funny that after you bought the red one he realized that you werent full of BS and actually had money to spend.

Before I bought my Deere I went through some crap with a Massey dealer, he didnt think I was serious, so I bought the Deere.
 
I had a similar experience at a large lawn/garden place in Michigan. This big hillbilly comes out with his silly cocky attitude and I just said thanks, I need to look around. They lost a sale. When sales guys are complete a$$es then the dealer loses, always.
 
yep your exactly right. I boughta a Toro zmaster in 99, after 3 years of commerical use, we wernt happy with it. I asked the dealer were I bought it how the Exmarks were, since he sold both brands, his response, Exmark dosent have anything over Toro. Well thats fine and dandy, but that isent what I asked him. So I went to another exmark dealer and now I buy from him.
 
My Kubota story:
I was at an auction a coupla miles down the street, saw a Kubota L2122 or some number like that, now havinG some experience As a youngsTEr, Working on the turf fArm, I recognized that it was similar to the L 185, and similar Kubotas that the cans were tearing up, and I had to keep runnin on the turf farm, but I knew it was the tYpe that was imported here used, a gray market deluxe. The auctioneers couldn't get it to start, it was kinda nippy that day(LOL), and they couldn't figger out which button was the pre heater. After I bought it for $1500, I had it started in about 1 minute, kinda upset that auctioneer, cause I know the market around here would be higher than that for a low hour 22 HP tractor with a 16 speed tranny! Now let me tell you about our local Kubota dealer, he is the most expensive, arrogant south end of a northbound mule I have ever run across. I knew he would never have the few parts that I needed, if I told him that it was for a gray market Kubota. So, I checked out the parts pile at the ole turf farm, having left there on good terms, got a couple that I needed, found out what parts I needed, went down to the flabby tower of dung of a Kubota dealer, got the parts I was needin, paid for them, then, on the way out told him they were for a gray market, he about blew a gasket himself! I walked out grinnin, a few people in line behind me were laughin at the owner. I'd tell you the name of the business, but I already have, You just have to connect the dots in this post, so to speak...He's a sue happy ignoramus, so I'll let you capitalize on this information, yourselves.
 
We have some really good dealers around my location. (east central Wis) Problem is they're all, except for NH, located about 25 miles away. They sell every brand imagineable but the ones who sell Kubotas sell more Kubotas than anything else with the exception of those located in areas where the 200+ HP models are the rule. That's where you see IH and John Deere literally "horizon to horizon". Some neighborhoods are predominately green, others red. And others blue. It just seems that they could make more money selling lawnmowers so I'm happy that they all welcome farmers in. My closest John Deere dealer told me that one minute he had sold someone a leaf blower for $89.95 and within about a half hour he sold another guy a self propelled chopper for $250,000. I'm looking for a 100+HP tractor right now (new or near new) and the dealers are all very nice to me. Some nice iron to pick from, too.
 
This is quoted from the above post. Obviously this person has not used one of the John Deere compact 650,655,670,750,755,790 utility tractors that were made by Yanmar for Deere. I have one that has been used for many things, harrowing rotary tiller, post hole digger,box blade with rippers, pull behind land leveler front end loader with buckets and forks and a 5' flail mower. It is much tougher than it looks and is not just a pushover. I have spent very little on it in the way of maintence except for the one time I got in a hurry to crank it with a weak battery and sprayed it with ether and popped the head off a piston. don't sell the compact tractors short. Fellow across the road pulls side delivery rake ahead of his baler with a 950.

"I consider a "real" tractor that is somewhere in the 35 and up HP range (diesel of course), and weighs over 3000 pounds. Meant for Real work, like digging ditches, grading gravel drives, large field cutting with a rear brush hog and the once in a while post hole digger "
 
Last time I bought, I stopped at the Chevy dealer at Kings Auto Mall near Kings Island. I told the salesman all I needed in an S-10 was A/C and cloth seats. So he showed me $15,000 sport trucks. When I told him that's not I'm looking for he showed $18,000 extended cabs. I ended up getting what I wanted for $11,000 at the Chevy dealer down at our county seat.

I told the salesman there what I wanted and he recommended getting it with a factory radio to avoid paying for separate speaker installation, and what color do you want? He was ready to sell me what I wanted, and he did.
 
Most of the models you listed have glow plugs.

In case you didn't know/learn it is a no-no to use either in an engine with glow plugs. I guess the end result is what happened to you ?
 
Remember the civil war ! Bloodiest battle ever. More Americans killed then all the other wars combined. And these were killed by Americans ! How easy to forget ! Nobody left alive who went through it. You still likely hate that one ( bataan march ) because you may of been through it ?

And lets not forget the efforts of "Hanoy Jane Fonda" look at what she got away with !
 
(quoted from post at 03:39:43 04/07/09) Remember the civil war ! Bloodiest battle ever. More Americans killed then all the other wars combined. And these were killed by Americans ! How easy to forget ! Nobody left alive who went through it. You still likely hate that one ( bataan march ) because you may of been through it ?

And lets not forget the efforts of "Hanoy Jane Fonda" look at what she got away with !
Click to expand...

The only tractors I'll use are called Massey Ferguson or Ford.
 
Several years ago I wanted to buy a Massey Ferguson with a cab, loader, disc etc 4 WD., I live about 250 miles from the farm so I went to a local dealer and had a hard time convincing him I wanted to buy a tractor. He sort of looked at me like whats an old man like you wanting such a big tractor for . After much talking he gave me a price which was outrageous so I went up to the farm area and bought an even better model for 6000$ less.When I saw the local dealer he wanted to know if I was ever going to buy a machine, I whipped out the bill of sale and showed him. He said, why didnt you come back, I could have done better. Told him I dont chew my cud twice. He is now out of business. Henry
 
(quoted from post at 05:33:52 04/07/09) Several years ago I wanted to buy a Massey Ferguson with a cab, loader, disc etc 4 WD., I live about 250 miles from the farm so I went to a local dealer and had a hard time convincing him I wanted to buy a tractor. He sort of looked at me like whats an old man like you wanting such a big tractor for . After much talking he gave me a price which was outrageous so I went up to the farm area and bought an even better model for 6000$ less.When I saw the local dealer he wanted to know if I was ever going to buy a machine, I whipped out the bill of sale and showed him. He said, why didnt you come back, I could have done better. Told him I dont chew my cud twice. He is now out of business. Henry
Click to expand...

That guy deserves to be out of business, what a tool.
 
Amazing how little some of these guys know about salesmanship. Our local Kubota dealer sells a zillion tractors a year, gets all kinds of awards, and their salesman is something to watch. Friendly, never met a stranger, but you can see he's selling from the handshake on. Looking for verbal and non-verbal cues- are you looking at little, but would rather go big? Or looking at big but scared of price and could be talked into little? Need big, can't afford it, so lets sidle on over to the used section? Experienced? Inexperienced? Customer is always right. He doesn't care a whit what he sells you- as long as he sells you something, and you go away feeling good about it. I can't believe how much stuff goes out of that place.
 
When it comes down to it, the people that work at dealerships are people. The company doesn't seek out pricks to be in sales or to run the place, it is also kind of funny that often they move from one brand to another.

That said the only Massey I would drive is a Harris, a '44 to be exact. 8)

I hate dealerships in general, I only go to one myself when I can't get aftermarket parts somewhere else for my 50yo+ equipment.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

super99
Lost my phone
2
Replies
29
Views
2K
wp6529
W
K
Do you ever get over Lyme disease
2
Replies
25
Views
1K
olgentdc
olgentdc
Blackhole49
300jk
Replies
1
Views
205
300jk
3
M
Kubota tractors
Replies
17
Views
1K
Frank(Mi.)
F
P
Rifle on a tractor again
2
Replies
20
Views
1K
the tractor vet
T
Tractor Parts Tractor Manuals

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Copyright © 1997-2024 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters
Website Accessibility Policy

Back
Top