retail price on a Z-turn

[dhall57]

How many members here have paid full retail(sticker price) for there new mower. There might be a few here, but most I would say did some haggling and got at least a little money knocked off the sticker and if the salesman would not do that they walked away. I ran into this not long ago at a tractor dealer not far from my house. I told him I was interested in one of his mowers and if I paid cash what would be my OTD price. The salesperson showed me the sticker on the mower and said that would be my price. You must not want to sale a mower today I barked back. All the dealers that sell this mower are under contract and the mfg will not let us discount any mowers so to keep all it's dealers in line with each other and if any dealers do they could get in trouble with the mfg and could lose there franchise. By the way it was Badboy dealer. Has anyone else run in to this when they went to buy there Badboy mower or any other brand of mower? I'm just want a good deal like everybody does and paying sticker is not a deal to me.

 

[scott47429]

i have heard the same thing from to other people looking to buy a badboy mower i don't know if its true or not but i have heard of this with other products like apple computers all the stores are the same price on them I'm going to ask the dealer i deal with if that is true he's not a badboy dealer but knows one i will ask him saturday when I'm in there getting some parts its starting to me to sound like this must be true since i have heard it from the different people so far i know the guy i deal with has a almost brand new badboy sitting at his lot for sale but all i know about it is its a 72" cut

 

[Rivets]

Many of the major brands have a price lock on their equipment. This is because with today's big box stores selling the same units, but not servicing, the manufacturers are protecting their dealers. If the big box stores could undercut the dealers who would do the warranty service or repairs. That's why you will see many on this forum say buy from a servicing dealer. You want a deal, buy the left over models next year from the big box store and then go looking for a servicing dealer to help you down the road. You'll end up paying the same or more in the end.

 

[scott47429]

totally understandable but the manufactures wouldn't have to protect there dealers if they wouldn't sell the same brands to the big box stores i mean when you go to lowes and look at there mowers that JD isn't real JD its a MTD so is troy built and i would say the husqvarnas that they sell are to I'm with most everyone here i say go find a brand then find a dealer buy it from them they will service it for you lowes won't none of the big box stores have a service department

 

[Rivets]

Dealers need to be protected no matter what is sold or how it is priced. The majority of people who visit this site do not buy from dealers. You can tell that by the questions they ask, but they want the same service that our customers receive. Manufacturers are in it for profit, who can blame them for selling where ever they can. I don't like it, but I can't change it, so I live with it. In the last 15 years servicing dealers and repair shops in this area have been reduced by over 50% and some that are left have a labor rate of over $80/hr. Some people can repair their equipment, but the majority cannot, is it fair to penalize they dealers who help them. Look at how many people on this forum what help from the dealers and service techs on this site in solving their problems, but then run to the Internet sites or big box stores to buy their parts. This hasn't changed a lot since I started, just getting harder to find good servicing dealers due to people like the original poster, who does not understand how this industry works.

 

[txzrider]

I think supporting dealers is the best view to have, however I had to go 30 miles away to find a dealer I like. Bills Mowers in Waxahachie TX is a great Dealer and has been helpful in person and over the phone. That being said the local dealer in my town is the reason many buy from the big box stores.. they are terrible, unfriendly, unhelpful and frankly I am amazed they are still in business. As far as price's... I tend to do a lot of research before I actually buy so I can make an educated decision as to whether the price being quoted is in the ballpark for the purchase I am making, I dont think buying a mower is like buying a car! I will just walk away vs trying to talk them down. I think the dealers have a right and a need to make money on the front end as well as future service opportunies.

 

[scott47429]

i would always buy and recommend to buy from a local dealer or one reasonable close i never would recommend the big box store most of the dealer are like me just a small business guy trying his best to make a leaving and keep for on the table for all his employees the big box stores don't care if you buy one or not and they sure as hell don't care if you have problems with it