I bought a GR2110 brand new in 2010. The dealer had a zero interest financing deal, I needed a new riding mower, and a Kubota diesel machine seemed to be the only good choice. After all, they are manufactured in Georgia, and the only real competition is from John Deer, and those were not made in the US.
And Kubota has been building the very best machines for quite some time.
Some background about me.
I am semi-retired from over 30 years as a journeyman mechanic at a public electric utility. I held ASE Master certifications in Auto and Heavy Trucks (at the time one of only 2,000 mechanics worldwide to hold double master certifications). I also was certified as a Mobile Fluid Power Specialist by the Fluid Power Society, and a WABO certified welder. I worked on all manner of equipment ranging from cars, pickups, trailer mounted air compressors and gen sets, medium and heavy trucks, mounted equipment (digger derricks, cranes and manlifts), and off road equipment (backhoes, trackhoes, bulldozers, cable plows). During the course of employment at the power company I also fabricated several truck bodies (from the cab back) for the line trucks, and performed countless repairs and modifications.
So I would think that I should be qualified to perform the routine maintenance and repairs to this little riding mower that I paid $8,000 for.
And indeed, I have been performing all the required service for this mower. Grease all the locations at the required intervals, oil and lube fluids changed when required, filters changed on time, blades removed, sharpened and balanced, etc.
Last week I set out do what I hope to be the last mow of the season. I have 6.25 acres in the country, and about 4 of it is lawn. Not pasture, lawn. It usually takes about 3 hours to mow, depending on how tall the grass is, and if it is dry or wet. I was about an hour into the job when the hydraulic pump began to make the noise that I have heard many times in 30+ years.
The noise told me that there was little or no fluid in the system.
I immediately shut the machine down, hopped off and lifted the seat to check the fluid.
None on the stick.
I was about 30 feet from my shop door so I filled the transmission with fluid and moved the tractor into the shop and started looking for a leak. It did not take long, the fluid was coming out around the seal where the cooling fan shaft exits the case at the rear.
The next day on my way home from work (as I said, I am semi-retired ~ I still have a mortgage to pay and full retirement is about 8 years away) I stopped at the Kubota dealer where I bought the mower.
Since I don't go in there very often the place had changed some. The parts, sales and service areas are not clearly marked, and I found myself talking to some woman who turned out to be the parts person. I guess I must not speak the same language or something, as it was like pulling teeth getting the reason for my visit communicated to her. She finally said I needed to talk to the service manager, and when I asked how I was supposed to know where the service department was and pointed out there are no signs directing customers the conversation deteriorated rapidly.
Some guy happened to be walking by and turned out to be the service manager. I explained the situation to him and he immediately wanted me to bring the mower in so they could "figure out what the problem is". I carefully explained a second time the situation, and he starts off with things like "the seal could be cooked", or "there could be a stick caught in it" or (this one really showed me that they guy is trying to BS me) someone could have shoved a screwdriver in there".
Really?
A stick?
A screwdriver?
The shaft for the fan is located up very high on the case, under the seat, and behind a sheet metal panel that covers the back of the machine. A person would really have to be trying hard to get something in under there, a stick, or a screwdriver.
By then I was getting very frustrated.
Since the mower is out of warranty they are unwilling to do anything unless I agree to pay for it.
Sure, the warranty has expired.
But the machine cost $8,000.
It has less than 200 hours on it.
I have a mower that has cost me $2,000 a year and is now pretty much worthless.
The total cost of all the other riding mowers I have ever owned never cost me as much as this one. One machine I had, a Sears Craftsman that I bought new in 1980 for about $800, lasted over 20 years. All I ever did to that machine was change the oil, replace the blades and belts a few times, and the tires once.
So I guess that now I need to tear the machine down and figure out what needs to be done to repair the leaking seal, remove and clean the screen, change the filter, refill it with fluid, and see how badly the pump is damaged.
You know I was going to replace my 1948 Ford 8N next spring with a new compact diesel tractor, and Kubota was going to be my choice. But after the response I got from the local dealer I know that I am not valued as a customer, and they could care less if their products are worth the name that is placed on them.