Quality Control Problems with BX Series?

Just following up on this. After more than a month of waiting, my dealer is saying that Kubota still can't even tell him when they'd be able to start shipping the BX23S again. I find it pretty surprising that they can get held up for so long on what appears to be one of their most popular models, due to some problem with the seat.

My dealer is getting a BX23S transferred from another location. It has the pin-on bucket and I wanted the quick attach. So it sounds like my dealer is just going to order the quick attach plate and bucket and swap it before delivery, and eat the cost. I wish he didn't have to that, as we're still negotiating pricing on some implements and that probably doesn't help the deal.

I've been telling myself that at least with the long wait, I'd be getting a brand new machine that hasn't been sitting on a lot (I plan to baby my tractor). My dealer says the one I'm getting has only been on the lot since September, and will still be nice and shiny.

Jmfc606 said:

They really must be selling in your area or the dealer didn't plan his inventory very well. In my area the dealer I got mine from has quite a few BX23S models,and I was just to a dealer in Salem NY yesterday to pick up a used plow and they had a dozen shiny new BX23's in front of the place. Well good luck to you you'll love it. I've had mine for 2 years now and have had 0 problems.

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I'm in a moderately small area (200k people in my county, one Kubota dealer) and I think the demand for large equipment is high, but I'm not sure about the demand for sub-compacts. When I first looked at them, there were two BX23S's on the lot, and they were both gone a month or two later. Based on the entirety of their inventory, I just don't think they would ever have a dozen of anything at one time. My salesperson did sound like he sold the BX pretty regularly though. He seemed pretty surprised that Kubota couldn't get him new stock within a few days of an order.

An update on my tractor order: My dealer finally got a BX23S transferred over from another location. The deck is in and they've got the thumb and third function installed. He says there was a "small leak on the valve for the backhoe" that they're checking out under warranty and maybe they'd need to replace a seal or something. Should I be worried about this? Is it an indication of anything, or just 'shit happens'? It's a new machine that was on the other lot since September.

Stopped in at my dealership today to check things out. My dealer wasn't in, so I couldn't get exact details on the backhoe leak, but I was able to look over everything.

Regarding the SSQA bucket, they actually decided to just swap the pin-on setup on my BX23S for a SSQA off of a BX2380. They'll just sell that BX2380 with a pin-on bucket. So, the swap isn't really costing them anything other than labor. Seems like they could have just swapped the whole loader, but then I guess the labeling would be confusing as the BX23S is an LA340 whereas the the other BX's get LA344 loaders. Maybe would have caused some serial number problems too. I'm glad they're just swapping the buckets.

They've got a start on the third function plumbing, but haven't yet switched the loader handle out for the one with the button yet. They had the handle sitting in a box and I was glad I could confirm for the 5th time that I was getting the OEM third function kit and not something else. Curious question on the third function stuff - should I ask to keep all the original parts? Or is it assumed that the dealer gets to keep them? I'm not really sure if it is just the handle or what.

The tractor is a bit dirty as they've been working all over it and they've got some stuff on the ground to absorb oil, which is getting tracked all over. Seems in good shape though. I did notice a scuff or smear or something on one of the rear fenders which I'm hoping isn't permanent.

I kinda wanted to turn it on, but neither myself, nor the guy who showed it to me, really knew what state the tractor was in, so I figured best leave it alone.