Export thread

I decided to buy a small riding mower because I got tired of push mowing my yard in the Fl heat. Even though I was using a self propelled CC600 28" wide cut mower it still was s PITA. After some research I decided that the Cub Cadet CC30H and twin bagger would be perfect for my yard. Well I searched local dealers in my area to see if anyone had one in stock I could actually look at and sit on to make sure I fit (I'm 6'1" and 230 lbs). After calling several dealers near my home I was surprised not one dealer had one in stock. I finally found a dealer an hour away that had 2 in stock so I went to check it out. The CC30H was perfect for my needs and I was very comfortable siting on it. The only problem was that the dealer kept them stored outside exposed to the elements and the brutal Fl sun. Even though they were both brand new they did not look like it after sitting out side for months. So I decide to order it directly from Cub Cadet expecting to get one in shiny pristine condition. I was wrong :frown:
I ordered the mower and the twin bagger on Oct 18th. It was free freight delivery with lift gate service to my home :thumbsup:. The Twin bagger arrived first a few day later vis UPS. The mower was delivered Oct 29th. I was excited to uncrate it and check it out. The mower was on a pallet surrounded by a wood frame then enclosed in a card board box that was designed to have an opening on top that was about 1 ft wide and ran the length of the box so you could see the mower inside. Since the top of the box was open I thought the mower would be wrapped in plastic to protect it from dirt and debris but it wasn't. After removing the box and wood frame around it I was shocked and pissed when I saw the mower. Yes the mower was a brand new 2018 model but it was far from being in new pristine condition as I expected and it should have been. The mower look like it was stored in a dusty, dirty warehouse for months before they box it up to ship. The mower was covered in black soot and and there was a stain on the seat.
I immediately called Cub Cadet customer service to complain. The Rep agreed that the mower should have never been shipped like that. She told me to take pictures and email them to her which I did. I was issued a case number. I am waiting to see how this will be resolved. Here are a few pictures.

I doubt you are going to be any happier when and if you get a reply from Cub Cadet or MTD which builds tractors for Cub. What you have found is exactly how units are packed and shipped, especially to the Big Box stores. The customer representative has no idea how units are shipped and is only handing you a stock answer. Giving you a case number is a way to make you feel they are going to do something for you, but in reality there is very little that can be done to resolve a dirty unit, no warranty claim. A dealer would have cleaned up the unit and probably installed the bagger for you, but when you decide to by pass the dealer you get what you pay for. Again, this is the reason I very seldom sympathize with those who by pass the dealer.

Exactly. Get some Turtle Wax and some Armor All and make it pretty again, exactly what any dealer does.. Welcome to the world of being sneaky (paying no tax or prep) and then doing the prep yourself.

I'm sure the warehouse was dusty, most are.

2 minutes with a microfiber cloth and you're good to go. It's going to get dirtier than that the first time you use it. :smile:

But it does drive me nuts how some dealers store brand new equipment outdoors in all weather for months.

Ok, First of all SidecarFlip.... I wasn't trying to be sneaky by bypassing the dealer. I only talked directly to Cub Cadet first to get the info on the mower before I went to my local dealer. They quoted me the price and shipping info. They said that they had only 6 left in stock and that they were not going to make any more till next season. Then I went to my local dealer and talk to him about ordering one for me. I informed him about my conversation with Cub Cadet and told him that I rather order it from him, my local dealer, to give him my business since he is my local dealer. "HE" was the one who told me I would be better off ordering it directly from Cub Cadet. He told me that I would get it faster and it would be shipped directly to my house. He told me that if he ordered it it would take longer to get it because he had to go through the dealer network. So he was the one who talked me into ordering it directly from Cub Cadet and that it didn't matter to him.

Second..Since when is it sneaky to shop for the best price??? I guess you are the only person on the face of the earth who doesn't shop on line to get the lowest price and free shipping. I'm sure you never ordered anything from Amazon and you always make sure that you pay the highest price possible for anything you buy..

I just recently join this forum to learn, get info and maybe be able to help someone who had a question or issue. I posted my experience with Cub Cadet to inform other members. I though that the purpose of this forum???
Not to level accusations against other members of be sneaky and trying to screw a local dealer out of money......

Dmax Dually said:

Ok, First of all SidecarFlip.... I wasn't trying to be sneaky by bypassing the dealer. I only talked directly to Cub Cadet first to get the info on the mower before I went to my local dealer. They quoted me the price and shipping info. They said that they had only 6 left in stock and that they were not going to make any more till next season. Then I went to my local dealer and talk to him about ordering one for me. I informed him about my conversation with Cub Cadet and told him that I rather order it from him, my local dealer, to give him my business since he is my local dealer. "HE" was the one who told me I would be better off ordering it directly from Cub Cadet. He told me that I would get it faster and it would be shipped directly to my house. He told me that if he ordered it it would take longer to get it because he had to go through the dealer network. So he was the one who talked me into ordering it directly from Cub Cadet and that it didn't matter to him.

Second..Since when is it sneaky to shop for the best price??? I guess you are the only person on the face of the earth who doesn't shop on line to get the lowest price and free shipping. I'm sure you never ordered anything from Amazon and you always make sure that you pay the highest price possible for anything you buy..

I just recently join this forum to learn, get info and maybe be able to help someone who had a question or issue. I posted my experience with Cub Cadet to inform other members. I though that the purpose of this forum???
Not to level accusations against other members of be sneaky and trying to screw a local dealer out of money......

Click to expand...

Always good to have dealer support. Just FYI, in most if not all states you're still supposed to pay the tax if the vendor didn't collect it. It then becomes a use tax that you pay. Some states have stepped up enforcement of collecting it, including mine. They usually target larger purchases such as cars and boats.

And another FYI:

SidecarFlip said:

Far as trolling, I come here for entertainment only.. Not much on here pertains to what I do anyway and far as fixing stuff like mowers and such, I've never needed anything but my skill and a parts manual.

Click to expand...

Don't care where you bought it really. It's gonna get dirty in use anyway. I think circumventing a dealer is bad business anyway because if you have an issue, your local dealers will not be conducive to helping you.

I have to agree that having a 'case number' is probably a dead end avenue for you anyway. CC don't much care it it's clean or not, all they are concerned about is fit and function.

At my local dealer (where I bought my M60 Tank), all the machines are clean and shiny. I'm sure they didn't arrive that way. however.

Darryl G said:

Always good to have dealer support. Just FYI, in most if not all states you're still supposed to pay the tax if the vendor didn't collect it. It then becomes a use tax that you pay. Some states have stepped up enforcement of collecting it, including mine. They usually target larger purchases such as cars and boats.

And another FYI:

Click to expand...

I get my replacement parts from the dealer I bought my zero turn from. I may do my own maintenance but the parts come from my local dealer, at least the CC parts do.

This state as well has upped enforcement of collecting tax on out of state purchases. It's in their best interest financially. While I believe the laws are somewhat skewed, I do collect sales tax form my in state customers that purchase from my website and forward that revenue to the state quarterly. It's the right way to do business.

Almost all our dealers store the inventory outside, and don't bother much with cleaning until the unit is sold. Mine was stored outside unassembled on a pallet for nearly two years until sold. He only keeps the seats inside.

Servicing was my concern also. My dealer was the one who told me to buy it from Cub Cadet and it didn't matter to him if I bought it from him or not. He said he will service it just the same as if I did...

Dealers get their mowers on credit from the maker.
Anywhere from 60 to 120 days.
It is near the end of the season & the dealer could very well be on credit hold for the unsold mowers in his showroom so was trying to avoid you finding out he was in financial difficulties, or was on ( or over ) his credit limit.
Sounds like he was being upfront with you and of course he was also giving away his retail mark up.
OTOH he could also be too busy selling much more expensive products right now.
No idea.
But as others have said, anything direct from a warehouse will be filthy, particularly if it has been sitting there all year.
I have done warehouse deliveries and run warehouses .
All of the pickers & loaders are filthy by the end of their shifts.
We would vacuum the floors between each shift and had a contractor who vacuumed / blew out the entire warehouse on the weekend as it was principally a wine warehouse, but the pickers sill ended up filthy.