I have been posting on this board since shortly after I purchased a new Kubota L4701 tractor with LA765 Front-end Loader and BH92 Backhoe on July 3rd, 2015. I have repeatedly tried to get help from Kubota Corporation, here in the U.S., above the local dealer.
I have been argued with, berated, disbelieved, made to feel stupid, and now, completely ignored. I've gone through every conceivable line of communication with Kubota's Regional and Corporate reporting structure, with the simple intent of receiving a phone call from someone saying "we understand you have been having problems with your tractor and are not happy with our product; because I have the authority to do so, and because you have had your tractor in 5 times for service in less than 18 months, here is what I am going to do for you in order to resolve your issue(s) immediately.
I thought I had my L4701 problems taken care of after having taken it to a different dealer this past December for its 5th service trip, but after the weather broke and I worked the tractor, I realized the hydraulics for the FEL and Backhoe were no better off (at no fault of the second dealer; at this point I chalk it up to a defective piece of Kubota equipment altogether that I simply want to get rid of).
I have written countless e-mails, and I mean countless, to Kubota here in the U.S., above the dealers, in hopes of getting resolution. As I mention in my most recent communication below, if Kubota has one fatal flaw, it is that they don't have an escalation path above the local dealers. Ironically, my e-mail below, which was also sent to the Regional Sales Manager and 2 top level Executives @ Kubota in Grapevine, TX, on May 8th, has yet to be answered (important to note that the Regional Sales Manager authorized another $1,000 on trade through the dealer, but I have had no communication with him directly).
I'm certain there are many other 10,000 foot view customers like me who feel the same way about their Kubota product, but get tired and weary of pursuing. Why - because Kubota does an absolute stellar job of not allowing a client to work with Kubota above the local dealer.
I'll be the first to admit that Kubota does have a superior product (much like a Toyota car or forklift), but their arrogance about their products' superiority leads them to forget about their bread-and-butter, who are the people like me spending $5-$50,000 on one trip to the local Kubota dealers.
Kubota will continue to ignore me, my warranty will expire in less than 2 months, and I'll trade my L4701 in on a different piece of equipment, from a different manufacturer, altogether. That, and I'll never buy another piece of Kubota equipment, and I will never recommend Kubota to another friend or family member for the rest of my life because it's not the sale, it's the service afterwards that keeps the customers coming back (and the best revenue stream).
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E-mailed to XXXXXX XXXX @ Kubota in Groveport, OH, on 05/08/17:
XXXXXX,
I contacted you back in January of this year regarding problems that I had with my L4701 Tractor with front-end loader and backhoe; specifically, hydraulic problems that I have had since the day I purchased the tractor from XXXXXXXXX in Greencastle, IN (July 3rd, 2015). After the 4th trip for hydraulic service to XXXXXXXXX I went to my local dealer in Danville, IN, "XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX," who are great people. They changed a valve on the backhoe, which cost me $1,226 out-of-pocket, as the implements are now out of warranty (not the tractor itself), but the tractor is still plagued with hydraulic problems on both the front-end loader and backhoe. Frankly, I suspect that when XXXXXXXXX hung the backhoe onto the unit they messed the hydraulics up.
Because this last trip to XXXXXXX was my 5th for the same hydraulic repair, I decided it was time to trade the tractor in for a Kubota 47L TLB, which XXXXXXX has on their lot. However, we're about $11,000 off, which is the difference in me buying and not buying the 47L TLB.
I'm sending this to you, personally, because I want Kubota to stand behind their name and their brand and come up with an additional $6,000 in trade-in value on my L4701 (with 130 hours on it). If you'll do that, I'll make up the difference of $5,000 in cash out of my own pocket, so I can keep my payment down to $500 per month. I think this is an extremely reasonable offer on my part as the L4701 spent at least 3-4 months in the shop since I purchased it 21 months ago.
When I contacted you via e-mail in January of this year, you turned my query over to a regional service person. That gentlemen called me after a few days but I forgot his name, as he was more interested in how I got your contact information. As well, he would not give me his phone number or e-mail address, and he asked me to give my word that I would never contact you again, because in his words, "Mr. XXX handles 30,000 ft. view problems, and I take care of the 10,000 ft. view problems." Which leads me to believe that my initial $50,000 dollar purchase didn't mean a whole lot to Kubota.
Kubota has a great brand name and product, which is why I want to purchase the 47L TLB from XXXXXXX in Danville, IN. That, and XXXXXXX themselves is a great dealer and representative of Kubota. But if Kubota has one HUGE flaw, it's that they don't listen to their 10,000 ft. view customers or take them serious enough to help them out. Specifically, you have no escalation path for problems other than to go through a dealer, or to contact a regional service representative who won't give out their phone number or e-mail address for correspondence purposes. A person simply can't pick up the phone and call Kubota in Groveport, OH, California, or Texas, or send them an e-mail when they have a problem with a dealership (XXXXXXXXX, in my case) or regional service representative.
If you check the service records on my L4701 purchased from XXXXXXX on July 3rd, 2015, you'll know that I had hydraulic problems from day one, and those hydraulic problems never went away.
I'm not asking you, nor Kubota, to reimburse me for everything, simply enough (again, an additional $,6000 in trade-in value through XXXXXXX) so that I can throw-in an additional $5,000 out of my own pocket to keep my monthly payment down to $500 per month on a new 47L TLB. I've already put a cash deposit of $17,000, and paid and additional $10,465.77 in payments, on my L4701 these past 21 months, only to have it sit useless behind a barn because of plagued and recurring hydraulic problems.
I'm asking for your help XXXXXX, and willing to give Kubota a second chance, so please do what's right for your company and it's brand. If you don't care about your 10,000 ft. foot customers, then please give me the name and number of someone within Kubota who does, because XXXXXXX in Danville, IN, represents Kubota in a stellar manner.
Please feel free to call or e-mail me any time.
Sincerely and with best regards,
XXXXX X. XXXXXXX (Mr.)
Honorably Discharged Military Veteran - U.S.A.F. (Germany & Wright Patterson AFB, OH) | Pilot | 3 x Cancer Survivor | Licensed Customs Broker | 54 year old Husband, Father, and Grandfather
(XXX)XXX-XXXX / Danville, IN
XXXXXXXXX@gmail.com
Below message is an e-mail that I sent to XXXX XXXXXXX, of XXXXXXX Equipment, earlier this week, after I looked at the 47L TLB on his lot.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
L4701 Tractor - Serial Number 53296
Engine - Serial Number 7E50777
LA765 Loader - Serial Number A3911
BH92 Backhoe - Serial Number A5526
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: XXXXX X <XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX>
Date: Mon, May 1, 2017 at 6:09 AM
Subject: Re: L4701 Tractor / New Quote
To: XXXX XXXXXXX <XX_XXXXXXX@XXXXXXXXX.XXX>
XXXX,
Regarding the 47L TLB that I looked at Saturday, April 22nd, I do very much like the unit. The only things missing on the quote were the better or heavier duty fork tines.
Before I get started, XXXXXXX has been good to me these past 12-13 years. I've purchased, and paid cash for, my JD 4300 back in 2004, cash for a multitude of implements (JD FE Loader, Land Pride RTR 2064 Tiller, Land Pride Scraper Blade, Land Pride Grader Box, etc.), cash for my Honda push mover, and, most recently, cash for my Ferris IS3200ZTR that I purchased from you, personally, this time last year. In all, well over $30-$35,000 dollars.
I'm bringing this up because frankly, I now need your help. I realize the issues that I have had with my Kubota L4701 have absolutely nothing to do with XXXXXXX, but it does, however, have to do with Kubota as a Corporation.
I greatly appreciate the generous trade-in offer ($29,000) that you made for my L4701 with front-end loader and backhoe, but honestly, after 5 service trips for hydraulic problems, four within the first 5 months of purchase (all completed by XXXXXXXXX), and 3-4 total months in the shop, Kubota Corporation (not XXXXXXX), should reimburse me for the total amount of these three items, which comes out to $40,165 dollars. However, I know Kubota Corporation isn't likely going to do this, and I wouldn't expect them to at this point, since I've had the tractor almost 22 months, and logged approximately130 hours on it.
Moreover, I wouldn't expect Kubota to take back the additional implements (Grader Box, Post Hole Digger, and Fork Tines) with the possible exception of the quick attach mounting kit, which is still in my garage on the skid that it was delivered on (has never been used, installed, or outside).
Frankly, any reputable manufacturer, especially one like Kubota, should have swapped out my equipment altogether, or given me a full refund, after the third trip for service (to XXXXXXXXX). Indiana doesn't have a lemon law against tractors or farm equipment, if it did, I would have pursued it after the fourth and final time that I took the unit in to XXXXXXXXX for hydraulic service/repair.
That's why I'm hoping Kubota will stand behind their name and their product and do what's right. And if they have questions about my L4701, all they have to do is look at the service history and they'll know it's been plagued with recurring hydraulic problems since the day I purchased it (July 3rd, 2015).
I'm writing this in hopes that you can work with Kubota in Groveport, OH, or California/Texas, to see if Kubota Corporation will stand behind their name and make a more formidable offer to take back their defective piece of equipment.
As we've discussed, I've already spent over $27,000 ($17,000 cash deposit and $10,465.77 in payments) out of pocket on my L4701 these past 21 months. I don't mind taking a hit on the grader box and post hole digger as noted above, because I would like to keep them if I purchase the 47L TLB, but I can't afford to spend any more money on something that hasn't worked properly since the day I purchased it.
I also can't afford to refinance $19k in negative equity. If the L4701 performed as it was supposed to, I wouldn't even be considering getting rid of it, but I really don't have a choice any longer as I need a dependable piece of equipment.
Please know that I still very much believe in the Kubota brand, I just think something went wrong when XXXXXXXXXX installed the backhoe and related hydraulics before they delivered it. I say this because the hydraulics never worked correctly on either the backhoe or front-end loader since the day I purchased the L4701.
Resolution / Offer:
I'd like to buy the 47L TLB on your lot, as quoted on 04/19/17 by you (and with the heavier duty forks and rubber pads on the struts). Before I can do that though, I need to figure out how to resolve the L4701.
The only way that I believe we can do this together is to get the price on the L47 LTB down $11,000, which probably isn't going to happen, or the trade-in value on my L4701 up, another $11,000.
Having said this, if Kubota will up their trade-in offer on my L4701 from $29,000 to $35,000 (an additional $6,000), I'll make up the difference by throwing in $5,000 cash myself. By the time we add what's left on my existing loan (approx. $19,358.35), and depending on what's taxable and what's not, that should put me right at $35,000 on a new loan, give or take a few hundred dollars.
If Kubota will refinance the 47L TLB for 72 months instead of 60 based on these figures, my monthly payment should be between $489 and $510 dollars, which is within $10 dollars of my current payment, and one that I can afford (I need to stay at $500 monthly).
Again, thank you very much for everything that you, XXXXX, and the rest of the XXXXXXX Team have done for me these past 12-13 years. I hope we can find an amicable resolution to my still warranted L4701. I look forward to doing business with XXXXXXX for many more years to come.
Any help or consideration you can give is appreciated.
Sincerely and with best regards,
XXXXX XXXXXXX
(XXX) XXX-XXXX / Cell
XXXXXXXXX@gmail.com
I have been argued with, berated, disbelieved, made to feel stupid, and now, completely ignored. I've gone through every conceivable line of communication with Kubota's Regional and Corporate reporting structure, with the simple intent of receiving a phone call from someone saying "we understand you have been having problems with your tractor and are not happy with our product; because I have the authority to do so, and because you have had your tractor in 5 times for service in less than 18 months, here is what I am going to do for you in order to resolve your issue(s) immediately.
I thought I had my L4701 problems taken care of after having taken it to a different dealer this past December for its 5th service trip, but after the weather broke and I worked the tractor, I realized the hydraulics for the FEL and Backhoe were no better off (at no fault of the second dealer; at this point I chalk it up to a defective piece of Kubota equipment altogether that I simply want to get rid of).
I have written countless e-mails, and I mean countless, to Kubota here in the U.S., above the dealers, in hopes of getting resolution. As I mention in my most recent communication below, if Kubota has one fatal flaw, it is that they don't have an escalation path above the local dealers. Ironically, my e-mail below, which was also sent to the Regional Sales Manager and 2 top level Executives @ Kubota in Grapevine, TX, on May 8th, has yet to be answered (important to note that the Regional Sales Manager authorized another $1,000 on trade through the dealer, but I have had no communication with him directly).
I'm certain there are many other 10,000 foot view customers like me who feel the same way about their Kubota product, but get tired and weary of pursuing. Why - because Kubota does an absolute stellar job of not allowing a client to work with Kubota above the local dealer.
I'll be the first to admit that Kubota does have a superior product (much like a Toyota car or forklift), but their arrogance about their products' superiority leads them to forget about their bread-and-butter, who are the people like me spending $5-$50,000 on one trip to the local Kubota dealers.
Kubota will continue to ignore me, my warranty will expire in less than 2 months, and I'll trade my L4701 in on a different piece of equipment, from a different manufacturer, altogether. That, and I'll never buy another piece of Kubota equipment, and I will never recommend Kubota to another friend or family member for the rest of my life because it's not the sale, it's the service afterwards that keeps the customers coming back (and the best revenue stream).
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
E-mailed to XXXXXX XXXX @ Kubota in Groveport, OH, on 05/08/17:
XXXXXX,
I contacted you back in January of this year regarding problems that I had with my L4701 Tractor with front-end loader and backhoe; specifically, hydraulic problems that I have had since the day I purchased the tractor from XXXXXXXXX in Greencastle, IN (July 3rd, 2015). After the 4th trip for hydraulic service to XXXXXXXXX I went to my local dealer in Danville, IN, "XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX," who are great people. They changed a valve on the backhoe, which cost me $1,226 out-of-pocket, as the implements are now out of warranty (not the tractor itself), but the tractor is still plagued with hydraulic problems on both the front-end loader and backhoe. Frankly, I suspect that when XXXXXXXXX hung the backhoe onto the unit they messed the hydraulics up.
Because this last trip to XXXXXXX was my 5th for the same hydraulic repair, I decided it was time to trade the tractor in for a Kubota 47L TLB, which XXXXXXX has on their lot. However, we're about $11,000 off, which is the difference in me buying and not buying the 47L TLB.
I'm sending this to you, personally, because I want Kubota to stand behind their name and their brand and come up with an additional $6,000 in trade-in value on my L4701 (with 130 hours on it). If you'll do that, I'll make up the difference of $5,000 in cash out of my own pocket, so I can keep my payment down to $500 per month. I think this is an extremely reasonable offer on my part as the L4701 spent at least 3-4 months in the shop since I purchased it 21 months ago.
When I contacted you via e-mail in January of this year, you turned my query over to a regional service person. That gentlemen called me after a few days but I forgot his name, as he was more interested in how I got your contact information. As well, he would not give me his phone number or e-mail address, and he asked me to give my word that I would never contact you again, because in his words, "Mr. XXX handles 30,000 ft. view problems, and I take care of the 10,000 ft. view problems." Which leads me to believe that my initial $50,000 dollar purchase didn't mean a whole lot to Kubota.
Kubota has a great brand name and product, which is why I want to purchase the 47L TLB from XXXXXXX in Danville, IN. That, and XXXXXXX themselves is a great dealer and representative of Kubota. But if Kubota has one HUGE flaw, it's that they don't listen to their 10,000 ft. view customers or take them serious enough to help them out. Specifically, you have no escalation path for problems other than to go through a dealer, or to contact a regional service representative who won't give out their phone number or e-mail address for correspondence purposes. A person simply can't pick up the phone and call Kubota in Groveport, OH, California, or Texas, or send them an e-mail when they have a problem with a dealership (XXXXXXXXX, in my case) or regional service representative.
If you check the service records on my L4701 purchased from XXXXXXX on July 3rd, 2015, you'll know that I had hydraulic problems from day one, and those hydraulic problems never went away.
I'm not asking you, nor Kubota, to reimburse me for everything, simply enough (again, an additional $,6000 in trade-in value through XXXXXXX) so that I can throw-in an additional $5,000 out of my own pocket to keep my monthly payment down to $500 per month on a new 47L TLB. I've already put a cash deposit of $17,000, and paid and additional $10,465.77 in payments, on my L4701 these past 21 months, only to have it sit useless behind a barn because of plagued and recurring hydraulic problems.
I'm asking for your help XXXXXX, and willing to give Kubota a second chance, so please do what's right for your company and it's brand. If you don't care about your 10,000 ft. foot customers, then please give me the name and number of someone within Kubota who does, because XXXXXXX in Danville, IN, represents Kubota in a stellar manner.
Please feel free to call or e-mail me any time.
Sincerely and with best regards,
XXXXX X. XXXXXXX (Mr.)
Honorably Discharged Military Veteran - U.S.A.F. (Germany & Wright Patterson AFB, OH) | Pilot | 3 x Cancer Survivor | Licensed Customs Broker | 54 year old Husband, Father, and Grandfather
(XXX)XXX-XXXX / Danville, IN
XXXXXXXXX@gmail.com
Below message is an e-mail that I sent to XXXX XXXXXXX, of XXXXXXX Equipment, earlier this week, after I looked at the 47L TLB on his lot.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
L4701 Tractor - Serial Number 53296
Engine - Serial Number 7E50777
LA765 Loader - Serial Number A3911
BH92 Backhoe - Serial Number A5526
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: XXXXX X <XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX>
Date: Mon, May 1, 2017 at 6:09 AM
Subject: Re: L4701 Tractor / New Quote
To: XXXX XXXXXXX <XX_XXXXXXX@XXXXXXXXX.XXX>
XXXX,
Regarding the 47L TLB that I looked at Saturday, April 22nd, I do very much like the unit. The only things missing on the quote were the better or heavier duty fork tines.
Before I get started, XXXXXXX has been good to me these past 12-13 years. I've purchased, and paid cash for, my JD 4300 back in 2004, cash for a multitude of implements (JD FE Loader, Land Pride RTR 2064 Tiller, Land Pride Scraper Blade, Land Pride Grader Box, etc.), cash for my Honda push mover, and, most recently, cash for my Ferris IS3200ZTR that I purchased from you, personally, this time last year. In all, well over $30-$35,000 dollars.
I'm bringing this up because frankly, I now need your help. I realize the issues that I have had with my Kubota L4701 have absolutely nothing to do with XXXXXXX, but it does, however, have to do with Kubota as a Corporation.
I greatly appreciate the generous trade-in offer ($29,000) that you made for my L4701 with front-end loader and backhoe, but honestly, after 5 service trips for hydraulic problems, four within the first 5 months of purchase (all completed by XXXXXXXXX), and 3-4 total months in the shop, Kubota Corporation (not XXXXXXX), should reimburse me for the total amount of these three items, which comes out to $40,165 dollars. However, I know Kubota Corporation isn't likely going to do this, and I wouldn't expect them to at this point, since I've had the tractor almost 22 months, and logged approximately130 hours on it.
Moreover, I wouldn't expect Kubota to take back the additional implements (Grader Box, Post Hole Digger, and Fork Tines) with the possible exception of the quick attach mounting kit, which is still in my garage on the skid that it was delivered on (has never been used, installed, or outside).
Frankly, any reputable manufacturer, especially one like Kubota, should have swapped out my equipment altogether, or given me a full refund, after the third trip for service (to XXXXXXXXX). Indiana doesn't have a lemon law against tractors or farm equipment, if it did, I would have pursued it after the fourth and final time that I took the unit in to XXXXXXXXX for hydraulic service/repair.
That's why I'm hoping Kubota will stand behind their name and their product and do what's right. And if they have questions about my L4701, all they have to do is look at the service history and they'll know it's been plagued with recurring hydraulic problems since the day I purchased it (July 3rd, 2015).
I'm writing this in hopes that you can work with Kubota in Groveport, OH, or California/Texas, to see if Kubota Corporation will stand behind their name and make a more formidable offer to take back their defective piece of equipment.
As we've discussed, I've already spent over $27,000 ($17,000 cash deposit and $10,465.77 in payments) out of pocket on my L4701 these past 21 months. I don't mind taking a hit on the grader box and post hole digger as noted above, because I would like to keep them if I purchase the 47L TLB, but I can't afford to spend any more money on something that hasn't worked properly since the day I purchased it.
I also can't afford to refinance $19k in negative equity. If the L4701 performed as it was supposed to, I wouldn't even be considering getting rid of it, but I really don't have a choice any longer as I need a dependable piece of equipment.
Please know that I still very much believe in the Kubota brand, I just think something went wrong when XXXXXXXXXX installed the backhoe and related hydraulics before they delivered it. I say this because the hydraulics never worked correctly on either the backhoe or front-end loader since the day I purchased the L4701.
Resolution / Offer:
I'd like to buy the 47L TLB on your lot, as quoted on 04/19/17 by you (and with the heavier duty forks and rubber pads on the struts). Before I can do that though, I need to figure out how to resolve the L4701.
The only way that I believe we can do this together is to get the price on the L47 LTB down $11,000, which probably isn't going to happen, or the trade-in value on my L4701 up, another $11,000.
Having said this, if Kubota will up their trade-in offer on my L4701 from $29,000 to $35,000 (an additional $6,000), I'll make up the difference by throwing in $5,000 cash myself. By the time we add what's left on my existing loan (approx. $19,358.35), and depending on what's taxable and what's not, that should put me right at $35,000 on a new loan, give or take a few hundred dollars.
If Kubota will refinance the 47L TLB for 72 months instead of 60 based on these figures, my monthly payment should be between $489 and $510 dollars, which is within $10 dollars of my current payment, and one that I can afford (I need to stay at $500 monthly).
Again, thank you very much for everything that you, XXXXX, and the rest of the XXXXXXX Team have done for me these past 12-13 years. I hope we can find an amicable resolution to my still warranted L4701. I look forward to doing business with XXXXXXX for many more years to come.
Any help or consideration you can give is appreciated.
Sincerely and with best regards,
XXXXX XXXXXXX
(XXX) XXX-XXXX / Cell
XXXXXXXXX@gmail.com
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