[AT] Cub - Update

[Spencer Yost]

Two notes on this:

The national right to repair movement is worth supporting. It’s endorsed and fought for by several organizations. You might want to look into it and see what you can do to help.

As for the JD dealerships, I know exactly what you mean. We had a local John Deere dealership here in our little town of Pfafftown. Smitherman’s. They basically had to sell out to James River equipment or lose their John Deere dealership, which was everything to them.

I hate to see what kind of deal they got since they were over the barrelhead.

As for the JD dealerships, I know exactly what you mean. We had a local John Deere dealership here in our little town of Pfafftown. Smitherman‘s. They had to sell out to James River equipment (big regional) or try to make it on their own on the few lawn equipment lines they carried in addition JD Ag and lawn and garden.  It was a no-win deal for them I am sure. They had no choice but to sell I feel certain.

They have one or two of the old staff but most left within the first few years.  Everyone lost in that deal except James River.   I wouldn’t patronize them except I realize it’s not really James River’s fault either. They were bigger than everyone else in region and were probably hand picked by Deere to take it all over.  They had a golden opportunity and took advantage of it.  I’m pretty sure I probably would have done the same as much as I hate to admit it. Plus the closest non-James River John Deere dealer is way too far away to drive. So I’m pretty much stuck with them.  Especially when you consider I could probably ride my bike to the James River dealer here in Pfafftown.

http://www.jamesriverequipment.com/locations/pff.aspx


Spencer

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 9, 2020, at 3:06 PM, Mark Johnson <markjohnson100 at centurylink.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> Where Deere & Co. lost me has nothing to do with antique tractors at all, but rather with their service and maintenance policy for today's highly software-driven ag machinery. They have effectively put a 'No User-Serviceable Parts Inside. Warranty void if seal is broken' sign on their tractors, and with the destruction of the network of small local (some would say mom-and-pop) dealers, a simple failure can be a multi-day adventure in high-tech repairs. I'm not sure if it is true for the whole country, but this policy has been upheld by courts in California.
> 
> One of my sources works for one of those now-former JD dealers. Deere offered to buy back their inventory, with a one-time deal, and told them that they didn't *have* to sell everything back (tractors, implements, and parts) but that they would get no factory support for anything they sold after the cutoff date. The 'word on the street' is that Deere & Co. wants to have regional dealers with at least 6 outlets, and that more than that is even better. At the same time they got bought out, the big regional dealer in Missouri (Sydenstricker) merged with Nobbe...the combined dealership has locations in 26 towns in Missouri and Illinois. It's virtually impossible to avoid them in central to north/eastern MO and southwestern IL. [That said, I've never tried to deal with them myself...]
> 
> Mark J
> Columbia, MO
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