John Deere reducing dealerships

[Dealer]

Thats just drivers ability to adjust to a new machine

Anyone that has not been in a modern tractor for even 10 years will be in the same position for any brand.

Jumping into the latest machine that you have spent the last 5 years on is going to be easier than jumping into a new brand.

 

[mf7480]

Thats just drivers ability to adjust to a new machine

Anyone that has not been in a modern tractor for even 10 years will be in the same position for any brand.

Jumping into the latest machine that you have spent the last 5 years on is going to be easier than jumping into a new brand.

I don’t agree. Just about anyone could jump into a new John Deere (granted perhaps not a command pro) and do a days silage hauling without any tuition. Everything is logical and there are no bizarre sequences to unlock functions. The buttons just work.

 

[Matthew Britton]

Thats just drivers ability to adjust to a new machine

Anyone that has not been in a modern tractor for even 10 years will be in the same position for any brand.

Jumping into the latest machine that you have spent the last 5 years on is going to be easier than jumping into a new brand.

Normally I would agree with you. However, having been quite interested in the modern Deutz due to a dealer change I can safely say that the are probably the most unintuitive tractor I have ever sat in. I was a very loyal customer to that dealer but as much as I wanted to like his choice of new brand to sell I couldn’t get my head around it, they just don’t fit. Each to their own I guess but not for me. I understand that reliability is a bit of a problem now too.

 

[Cowabunga]

Momentum or lack of it.

To sell large numbers of units you need a large dealership, otherwise it takes a long time for small dealers to grow, fear from potential buyers as the innovators need to buy before the followers will.

In Germany deutz is third behind fendt 1st and deere 2nd.

Given that lots of other manufacturers are and will be using deutz engines then you would ask why more aren't sold.

Weak dealer network is the main cause I feel.

The product can't be that bad compared to the main 3 sold in the UK.

The dealer network is weak because of marketing decisions made by the mothership that decided to dump Same, their volume selling brand, and push Deutz, particularly the German made machines. While they might have succeeded if the product was right, initially it wasn't with the Mk1 Agrotrons being deficient in many areas. I had an early six cylinder 110 hp one for assessment [not demo but specifically an assessment] and I think I wrote eight sides of A4 of things that were deficient or needed improvement, from the linkage stabilisers to the reach needed to shift third gear, to the steps, ventilation and lord knows what else. All sorted on the Mk II to some extent. Unfortunately they had a high turnover of dealers and dealer mechanics, so there was no continuation of knowledge about previous models in use in their locality, which meant a poor customer experience. Little apparent backup from the importer's head office or Germany either, especially as volume sales declined. Once the Big Man [I've forgotten his name] left, it went downhill fast and has never really recovered nationally. I'm sure there are some motivated dealers about regionally that shift volumes of Deutz but they are rare and annual sales figures tend to confirm this. They are down there with McCormick and Zetor in the UK.
I'm sure that they are great tractors, but if the backup isn't there, they are just too expensive to risk for most people in my opinion. There is potential there, because it is relatively easy to increase market share from a low point compared to from a high point, and especially considering the success they have in Germany. However, the German's tend to buy German. They don't buy so many Claas, for instance, because although it is a German company, farmers all know that they are designed and built in France.

 

[Cowabunga]

I don’t agree. Just about anyone could jump into a new John Deere (granted perhaps not a command pro) and do a days silage hauling without any tuition. Everything is logical and there are no bizarre sequences to unlock functions. The buttons just work.

That's a very important point actually and one that I've emphasised on a manufacturer [to no avail] for many years.

 

[Barleycorn]

In my experience, Deutz are great tractors, but try to get parts, even with all serial numbers etc and you are on a hiding to nothing. The UK importers are absolute crap.

 

[som farmer]

in the post today, jd dealer smarts, have sold to newforest machinery. Smarts were biggish dealers, newforest opened up a big 'garden machine depo' locally, 18 months ago, how long has that takeover been planned.

 

[Ducati899]

The “rumours” were doing the rounds well over 12 months ago that it was happening

 

[som farmer]

The “rumours” were doing the rounds well over 12 months ago that it was happening

12 months ago, when asked, serious denials from them.

 

[mf7480]

The deal is apparently 3 years in the making

 

[bumkin]

at what point does it become taking advantage though ? Dodgy insulation salesman befrend and take advantage of little old ladies that don’t get out much and take their money and I don’t think any of us would say that’s ok, at least said little old dear had someone to talk to !

any “friendship“ built around sales is shallow at best really surely ?

I am not sure if it's friendship
, more of a relationship built on trust and respect.

 

[Alistair Nelson]

I don’t know the situation in this case but in a lot of cases it is sort of enforced succession planning by the major franchise on the dealers if you look at a lot of these big mergers purchases there either isn’t a next generation or they aren’t coming up to the plate fast enough or viewed as safe hands.

 

[starkey92]

In my experience, Deutz are great tractors, but try to get parts, even with all serial numbers etc and you are on a hiding to nothing. The UK importers are absolute crap.

Wouldn't entirely agree with that, Brads here in Suffolk seem to be good at finding parts. I've got an old M660 plot combine that must be from the 80's and they can still find the parts for that from my ancient parts book....the price of the parts is more worrying than finding them!!

 

[Brisel]

The deal is apparently 3 years in the making

New Forest knew they had to merge with one of the bigger franchises a lot more than 3 years ago. They just couldn’t decide east or west. They chose east and went with R Hunt.

 

[Tompkins]

Compass/ Redlynch?

 

[puntabrava]

New Forest knew they had to merge with one of the bigger franchises a lot more than 3 years ago. They just couldn’t decide east or west. They chose east and went with R Hunt.

I would of said this was what finished them.

 

[Tractorstant]

I would of said this was what finished them.
View attachment 939726

Ouch, some big numbers there, question is how???

 

[will86]

Ouch, some big numbers there, question is how???

Because it’s easy to get finance!

 

[Brisel]

I would of said this was what finished them.
View attachment 939726

Ouch. That’s a big hit. I didn’t know they were hit by the failure of @Tri Counties Biogas

 

[barleybasher]

Hear rumours for a while, but see it's now official Tuckwells give up (or rather are told to give up) JCB for Kramer, no surprises there I guess.