Dealership loyalty

Carolina start up · Mar 9, 2026

so we just bought a brand new skid steer we went with a kubota just because I liked the financials on it. I went an hour out to purchase the machine because my local dealer was about 15k higher on the machine and the payment was about 120 higher a month. They took it personal but to me it’s just business I called 4 Kubota dealerships within an hour and they were all higher then all of them and they wouldn’t budget on price at all. So I guess that’s the question I have at what point is it screw your local dealer because they are higher then everyone else or you support “local”

Steve Frazier · Mar 9, 2026

$15K is a big number!! It would seem to me they ought to be within a few hundred of each other or at least want to work with you for your business.

Have you bought from the local dealer before or is this the first opportunity?

KSSS · Mar 9, 2026

Yea, I am all about supporting the local dealer, but there has to be respect from both parties. 15K higher on a skid steer is ridiculous and to the point of being disrespectful. I have used one dealer for the majority of my new purchases during the last almost 30 years. I still price check them, and call BS in the service dept when it is due. I also help them sell machines, tell them who is interested and so forth, mutual respect, trust, but verify. If my dealer was 15k higher on a ssl for no good reason, 30 years or not, I would not buy from them and they would know exactly why.

LN Pipeline · Mar 10, 2026

The dealer who gave you a $15,000 discount is who you should be loyal to.

smifwal · Mar 10, 2026

Did they not even attempt to match it? Or add some incentives

Truck Shop · Mar 10, 2026

15K is a lot for a small business. My old company dropped the regular dealer on this last batch
of new trucks, 3-three axle and 7-four axle. Quoted a 7K difference each on 10 trades and 6K
on overall price. Labrador Retrievers are loyal, people are not and shouldn't when it comes to
costs.

Carolina start up · Mar 10, 2026

Steve Frazier said:
$15K is a big number!! It would seem to me they ought to be within a few hundred of each other or at least want to work with you for your business.

Have you bought from the local dealer before or is this the first opportunity?

I’ve bought a tractor and a zero turn from them along with 80% of my hand tools. Now I’ll say I’ve been a tire kicker out there before to so maybe they thought I was doing it this time to but still

Carolina start up · Mar 10, 2026

KSSS said:
Yea, I am all about supporting the local dealer, but there has to be respect from both parties. 15K higher on a skid steer is ridiculous and to the point of being disrespectful. I have used one dealer for the majority of my new purchases during the last almost 30 years. I still price check them, and call BS in the service dept when it is due. I also help them sell machines, tell them who is interested and so forth, mutual respect, trust, but verify. If my dealer was 15k higher on a ssl for no good reason, 30 years or not, I would not buy from them and they would know exactly why.

Well here’s the thing to my local dealer is suing the dealer I got it from because they are selling it at msrp vs markup

Carolina start up · Mar 10, 2026

LN Pipeline said:
The dealer who gave you a $15,000 discount is who you should be loyal to.

Plan on it they are an hour away called them because the final drive has a leak on it and they are sending someone out no fuse no problem or nothing

Carolina start up · Mar 10, 2026

smifwal said:
Did they not even attempt to match it? Or add some incentives

Nope I went to 4 dealers one was 5k cheaper and I asked them to price match that one before I called the other two they told me I better go buy from them then. So called the other two the one was 15k cheaper so went with them

Carolina start up · Mar 10, 2026

Truck Shop said:
15K is a lot for a small business. My old company dropped the regular dealer on this last batch
of new trucks, 3-three axle and 7-four axle. Quoted a 7K difference each on 10 trades and 6K
on overall price. Labrador Retrievers are loyal, people are not and shouldn't when it comes to
costs.

I’m not brand loyal or anything but id rather use the local dealer but I anit trying to make it where I feel like im getting shafted

IceHole · Mar 10, 2026

Steve Frazier said:
$15K is a big number!! It would seem to me they ought to be within a few hundred of each other or at least want to work with you for your business.

Have you bought from the local dealer before or is this the first opportunity?

What I was thinking too. That's a difference of a machine being $60,000 or $75,000!

Carolina start up · Mar 10, 2026

IceHole said:
What I was thinking too. That's a difference of a machine being $60,000 or $75,000!

90 vs 76k

MG84 · Mar 10, 2026

As far as Kubota goes, I buy *most* of my equipment from our local dealer but not always. I have a good working relationship with them and they understand this. I do buy all my parts, fluids/filters, and accessories there regardless of where I bought the machine. I have bought a CTL, 5-ton mini ex, compact tractor and several implements and attachments there in the past 3yrs. I also have bought equipment from a couple other dealers about an hour away. When shopping for a new machine I'll call every dealer within 100-150mi and get the best price possible. Then I'll go back to my local dealer and see if they can match it or beat it, usually they can or at least come close. If they're better or reasonably close I'll go with them.

As for pricing, I have never paid MSRP for a piece of Kubota equipment or even close. If you shop around and drive a hard bargain you can usually get at ~10% off MSRP based on the Kubota build your own website price. I have gotten as much as 13% off MSRP on Kubota equipment over the year.

smifwal · Mar 10, 2026

My only concern with stepping out of my local market is field service, I add travel in to my warranty and I was told that is a dealer option not the manufacturer. I call them out for squeaks and rattles. They may be blowing smoke, I will dig deep in to this when it comes time to upgrade. But I just bought out my lease and put a transferable aftermarket market (through the dealership) for 5 years 1000 hours power train and hydraulic. I was going to order a new machine but it doubled my payment and it was near $100k for something that doesn't make me anymore money than the machine I have now. So I bought the grader blade instead

Carolina start up · Mar 10, 2026

MG84 said:
As far as Kubota goes, I buy *most* of my equipment from our local dealer but not always. I have a good working relationship with them and they understand this. I do buy all my parts, fluids/filters, and accessories there regardless of where I bought the machine. I have bought a CTL, 5-ton mini ex, compact tractor and several implements and attachments there in the past 3yrs. I also have bought equipment from a couple other dealers about an hour away. When shopping for a new machine I'll call every dealer within 100-150mi and get the best price possible. Then I'll go back to my local dealer and see if they can match it or beat it, usually they can or at least come close. If they're better or reasonably close I'll go with them.

As for pricing, I have never paid MSRP for a piece of Kubota equipment or even close. If you shop around and drive a hard bargain you can usually get at ~10% off MSRP based on the Kubota build your own website price. I have gotten as much as 13% off MSRP on Kubota equipment over the year.

Well like I said before when the one dealer was 5k cheaper the payment was like 20 dollars cheaper and when I asked if that would match it they wouldn’t budge so I called the next dealer. Then luck gave it saw a Facebook post for the dealer I bought the machine from and they were just that much cheaper. I can’t imagine asking them to go 15k lower if that wouldn’t budge on 5k.

Carolina start up · Mar 10, 2026

smifwal said:
My only concern with stepping out of my local market is field service, I add travel in to my warranty and I was told that is a dealer option not the manufacturer. I call them out for squeaks and rattles. They may be blowing smoke, I will dig deep in to this when it comes time to upgrade. But I just bought out my lease and put a transferable aftermarket market (through the dealership) for 5 years 1000 hours power train and hydraulic. I was going to order a new machine but it doubled my payment and it was near $100k for something that doesn't make me anymore money than the machine I have now. So I bought the grader blade instead

In North Carolina everything is still so spread far apart so most dealers from my town are 45-1 hour no matter so I think most dealers cover wherever if it’s reasonable here

Carolina start up · Mar 10, 2026

Carolina start up · Mar 10, 2026

Carolina start up said:
View attachment 357067

But we are enjoying this machine

CM1995 · Mar 10, 2026

Carolina start up said:
Well here’s the thing to my local dealer is suing the dealer I got it from because they are selling it at msrp vs markup

Reminds me back in the '90's when Perimeter Bobcat in Atlanta was selling skids way cheaper than our local dealer. IIRC they got in trouble for that too.

Congrats on the new machine!

Dealership loyalty

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