Dougster

Stopped at a relatively large, multi-brand tractor dealership on my way home from my little Vermont mini-vacation. Without getting into the various brands carried, it suffices to say that the dealer's brand new "rolling stock" on the lot was down more than 66% from when I visited the same dealership last summer. Implements, attachments, trailers et al were down as well but not quite as much... maybe 40-50%. I went inside to get some prices on a few odd implements and parts... and struck up a conversation with the parts and sales folks. I damn near went into shock and almost fell on the floor with the story they told me!

Contrary to the usual tales of "doom and gloom" I've been hearing lately from everyone else in any kind of business (other than foreclosure & bankruptcy attorneys, of course), they told me that business was "booming in all departments" and that they couldn't keep enough stock on the lot! They said new tractors were on order to replace all that had been sold lately, but the manufacturers just couldn't supply them fast enough with the high demand they were experiencing!

So what do you think? Was I being fed a total line of BS??? Or should I get my butt going and try to rekindle my long abandoned dream of owning & operating a successful, big money making tractor dealership!

Dougster™

gunmaker

Doesn't sound right to me, at least not in my area. Some dealers aren't stocking, they will order for you. My local Kubota dealer doesn't appear to have moved a piece of equipment in 2-3 months. Three local JD dealers all tell the same story of sales drop-offs. One local place that specialized in used equipment, has let his lot go almost empty. Even Lowes and Home Depot seem to be overloaded with lawn tractors.

JD 2520 w/46bh, 200cx loader, meyers 6ft plow
jd 425 w/54"mmm& 54"plow

Dougster

I've got to believe they were BS'ing me good... but I must admit it: the coordination of story and straight-faced delivery by both individuals was extraordinary. They must have practiced in front of mirrors a long time!!!

Dougster™

Ducati996

For a second I thought you were going to say "small excavation company" or a local Starbucks franchise - LOL <j/k>

But some places are still busy, and others very, very busy with no signs of a slowdown

jobs are good by me, along with home sales and values (yes they took a hit but they are still good)

New to the Fold: Kubota L39 w/grapple, pallet forks, BH QA buckets, and more!
JD 2520, 210Cx, 46BH, 60" Box Blade-Mid West, 52" Mid West aerator, 52" first choice Tiller, 5' Fontier blade, 42" pallet forks, Green MFG PHD, Mid West York Rake w/guage wheels, Cub 3204 with Blower & Simms Cab, Mowers (44",48",50"),Ford 2006 F550 turbo diesel 4x4 w/11' mason dump, 16' 10k Doolittle trailer, Southwestern enclosed trailer, Wright Stander RH 52", Better Outdoor Product Quick 32" WB mower, and more !!

irwin

I don't know how good tractor dealers are doing, but some businesses are flat out busy, others not so much. Strange unpleasant times, maybe some people are thinking November is getting closer.
Maybe folks are thinking better to have good tools for tough times ahead, I know I'm thinking that.

.... Tim

Dougster

Already got the "small excavation" thing goin', but jobs are damn few and far between. Nobody wants to spend one thin dime they don't absolutely have to. And we all know that Starbucks Coffee is quickly going down the drain.
Things aren't so good around here Duc. Seems that the local Kubota Palace must be moving units at something close to its normal pace (so far as I can tell)... but everyone else seems to be hurtin' bad. MA just increased unemployment benefits from 30 weeks to 39 weeks (Yes, I should try to reapply) and a group of house lots we looked at in Southern NH for potential development were literally surrounded on all sides and down the street by homes put up for sale... one right after another. Not a good sign that things are starting to improve or even stabilize around here in the housing market.

Dougster™

Dougster

My tree guy is doing really well... or so he says. I'm guessing it has to do with the many years of healthy growth without a hurricane. Trees are growing large enough around here to threaten houses almost everywhere... and, in fact, more than a few have been taken down lately by high winds associated with these "pop-up" thunder & Lightning storms.

Dougster™

Chris2520

I would tend to think it was BS , I mean i just heard today.
general motors was closeing 15 truck and Suv plants , and was
going to lay off like 16000 workers all over the country.
we are talking about the largest industral company in the world.
thay could buy Kubota and John deere and not think twice about it.
and there hurting real bad. i just cant believe the tractor bissiness is booming. when i went to my JD dealer witch is one of the biggest in the south. thay sale farm and commercial. it looked like a gost town.
i mean thay said thay sold a few lawn tractors , but that was about it.
he said if it was not for the parts department and service department.
thay would be in real trouble. The real truth is the reson you did not see alot of tractors and attachments. was cause bissiness is slow as Chit , and thay dont want all that over head laying around.. now i bet thats the real truth.

Chris...

John Deere 2520 , R4's , 200CX loader with 61 inch bucket and JD Tooth Bar. And Markham 7 tooth. Tooth bar. 46 Backhoe with 16 inch bucket. with Custom made Street Flip pads off a 448 hoe. Foward work lights. Dual rear work lights. Heavy duty Alternator. I-Match , Ballast Box , Frontier BB2060 box blade , Frontier pallet Forks , JD 3 point reciever hitch. and soon A lot more.. and for grass cutting , John Deere GX 255 with 48 inch deck.

Mickey

IMO much of GM's problems is due to having their eye on the wrong ball. Same can be said for the other 2 US auto Co's. For Several decades every chance they got they went with large vehicles while foreign Co's covered a broader segment of the market. Heard on the news yesterday, GM is getting close to running out of cash, another couple of yrs at most. Replacing the large vehicles they are dropping will be re-badged imports.

I can't believe GM is currently advertising one of their advances is having the trans shift to Neutral while stopped. Anyone believe this is a big fuel saver?

Numerous Co's are hurting for various reasons but some Co's that specialize in niche markets are doing well. Was an article in the paper a couple days saying the 2 aircraft Co's in Bend Oregon have backlogs. My youngest works for a Co. that does custom interiors for aircraft with a speciality of doing med evac interiors. They have backlogs and future looks bright for them.

Bad management decisions account for a lot of the problems we're seeing today. Far too many US Co's only pay attention to short term profits and when times change, they are up the creek for some period of time. No doubt energy costs are hurting a lot of other businesses and individuals.

1970 Bolens 1257 w/tiller
2005 Cub 3204 48" deck
Yanmar Fx24D
5' Howse rotary mower
RSB 1300 Yanmar tiller

Chris2520

We got to stop sending out manufacturing over sea's.
and put our people back to work again.....
then the economy will grow again.
we use to be industious. now we just want to manage
and let forgieners do the work. this is Crap.
do you really think a china man can make a gun as well
as Gunmaker , Hell know , thay just dont have the pride.
we use to take pride in our products. now we just accept
what we get. its sad really.

Chris...

John Deere 2520 , R4's , 200CX loader with 61 inch bucket and JD Tooth Bar. And Markham 7 tooth. Tooth bar. 46 Backhoe with 16 inch bucket. with Custom made Street Flip pads off a 448 hoe. Foward work lights. Dual rear work lights. Heavy duty Alternator. I-Match , Ballast Box , Frontier BB2060 box blade , Frontier pallet Forks , JD 3 point reciever hitch. and soon A lot more.. and for grass cutting , John Deere GX 255 with 48 inch deck.