Local Dealer vs Online

[rleggitt]

Hi All,

Let me jump into this and say that I was fortunate to have gotten the parts manual and if I have a big order I simply use a fax/answering machine and make a copy and hi-lite the parts I want and give to the
parts man and ask him to order on his "stock order". Then when I get
the parts back I can cross-reference the parts and check off and add
the price by each part. This helps me to keep us with the cost and
helps me to know about what a restore/refurbish would cost on a tractor
that I am looking at for purchase.

I have used three different dealers in a 75 mile radius this way and I have never had a bad experience. By-the-way, all of them stock 2150
red in pints and gallons as well as spray cans. Also, they have the grey
undercoating in gallons as well as the white and yellow. I think I would
talk to some of them about the possibility of stocking some of this for
other "Red Power" Resotrers/Refurbishers.



They all seem to go out of their way to help me when I help them.

[parts man]

I have to say that our local dealer is excellent!! The parts man is polite and knows his stuff. Some of the previous guys in his job were less than enthusiastic. Thankfully they weren't there long!! This dealership has been running for around 40 years under the same ownership/ management, and Bill runs a tight ship! One thing that does come to mind though is, we have been buying all of our tractors, and all of our new farm machinery from them for as long as he's been open, so they da** well better be happy to see us coming!

I've been on the other end of the equasion as well, I don't know how many times I've had people ask me for a part for a IH, Ford, MF, etc tractor, when I ask what model I get this glazed look, and "UH,,, I'm not sure,,, I think it's from the 50s somewhere." Make sure you have as much info as possible,, parts numbers are SUPER!! If you don't know the parts #s, have your tractors serial#, and any casting codes form the part that you can find. It makes a huge difference!!
For the most part,, if you try to help the parts man do his job, he'll be helpful to you. (exceptions to every rule!! )

[ChickenWing]

Reading about the differences with dealers reminded me of another local deal I went to the first time. I call them local, but they are both 50 miles away. They are the closest. Anyway, the first one I went to , right after I got my cub, was a real experience. When I pulled in, it was a dirt trail surrounded by unorganized junk back to an old garage. This was the dealer. Inside looked like an old garage as well. All the stock was just sitting on wooden shelves and pallets. I was there to buy a carb rebuild kit. So he dug it out of the back and wrote up the invoice. It was about $50. So I handed him my credit card and he looked at me like I was trying to rob him. He said "we don't take plastic. We haven't needed it for 40 years. " Well, being a man of the 21st Century, I don't usually carry $50 around, I use debit and credit cards for anything over $20. So I had to drive 3 miles to an ATM and go back. Everything about that place was done in antiquated ways. They looked up the parts in the books, There were no computers, and reciepts were handwritten.

Then I went to the other dealer. It was nice organized blacktop parking lot with nicely displayed tractors and implements. The inside was clean and organized like you would expect a modern dealer. They had lots of help behind the desk, and computers and probably running water LOL. They were happy to take my debit card as payment as well. The little things really make a difference.