Lost another AGCO dealership...

The only AC related parts dealer when have in our area is the big Butler machinery dealer and by every word of the guys at the parts desk they did not want the job.  

For 10 years I was a salesperson at the only dealer in KY. that sold both JD and Kubota. Rule of thumb: if a 100 Hp. JD tractor would do the job then you need a 120 Hp. Kubota to do the same work. The mechanics always said the Kubota had a Volkswagon clutch in them. I've been gone from that job for 8 yrs. now(thank goodness) and now tend my farm with a 200 and a D-17. Starting to see several new Kubotas (90-120 Hp.) around here and most farmers who buy them trade them in after 1 year for the next size bigger. Makes you wonder if they are such a good deal after all.

bryani289swmi wrote: A friend of mine just had his Kubota dealership terminated here in Michigan after more than 30 years. They want all big dealerships like JD and the rest of them. I have had several Kubotas over the years and liked them. Turned into an ugly situation, sounds like a few of the other Michigan small dealerships are worried about getting the ax too. My buddy is now Yanmar, as will be my next hydro type tractor. Thanks. Bryan

What Kubota dealer?

Who has the longest drive to their dealer?

Imagine it is already a 100 mile trek to your small Kubota dealer.
Then they get the corporate boot. Now you have to deal with the big dealer
200 miles away. That is bad bad news. Remember when every small town had
three tractor dealers?  And tractors are just a part of it, I have spend more for implements
in the last 5 years than for tractors. And even a small dealer is good for that.

I'm 25 miles from a Massey dealer, CIH dealer, New Holland dealer, 2 Mahindra dealers and surrounded by 3 big Deere dealers. I've seen a couple new Massey or Challengers around but Deere dominatest around here with probably 90% of the equipment being theirs. I know people though who are running to all those stores and more to track down parts during a breakdown which still takes up alot of time. Last week on my way home I was surprised to see a S77 Gleaner in a field. The nearest Gleaner dealership to where that farm was would be over an hour.

BrianC wrote:  Remember when every small town had three tractor dealers?

I'm not positive, but I think there are more Kubota dealers in Colorado then any other brand.  With the Case/NH dealership in northern Colo loosing the NH line, people have to drive near a hundred miles for parts.  Supposed to be an other dealer taking up NH but that was supposed to happen over a month ago.  A salesman at the dealership told me the Kubota line they sold had much better prices, financing and less customer complaints then Ford.  He really misses the NH haying line though, going to push the Case and Kubota brands more now.  I think the CaseIH haying equipment is NH painted red anyway but they don't have bale wagons or big balers.

I know they are the same company but they have different management for the brands. The Ford/New Holland group pulled the dealership from G & M Equipment with three stores in Northern Colorado.  The Case/IH group is still happy with G & M.  I heard from a salesman that F/NH was unhappy because they weren't selling enough tractors, even tho they were the biggest NH hay equipment dealer in the state.  They took on Kubota maybe 15 years ago and sell two or three times more Kubota's as they do Case/NH-F/NH.  Now that Kubota has bigger tractors, I suspect they will sell even more unless Fiat decides to make better deals on their machines.