Combines speaking of dealer changes

we have many jd dealerships under various members of the offut family rdo etc...

I live in the middle of the largest jd dealer in our state territory. They have at least 7 stores I can think of, maybe a couple more by now. It definetly takes the shopping around out of equipment buying because the price is the same at all of them. They also pretty much put a price on a piece of equipment and its take it or leave it at that price. They are so big they figure if you don't but it at that price someone else will. Thank goodness I have an excellent AGCO dealer close.

Your margin figures sound about right unfortunantly for you and ultimately me. Good friend of mine is in construction equipment business (not Catepillar) they have entire monopoly on state of Minnesota. I'm sure your familar with this set-up as it is very common for that industry. He and all in his industry marvel at the low margins ag dealers are willing to work for. Says it is impossible to continue thus we see what we are seeing. I gotta think that AGCO was_is pretty excited about getting Challenger dealers simply for the notion that Caterpillar dealers might be considered the climax dealership network that others like Deere are rapidly heading towards anyway. Possibly Agco saw the opportunity to leapfrog the hassles of all the dealership buyouts and mergers.

Ron Offutt owns many JD dealerships in Minnesota too.

Yes JD Equipment has a store here where I live, one of the coldest places I ever did business. Just remember ( Buyer Beware)!

Here in Ontario, a Deere dealer can only sell his dealership to another existing Deere dealer within Ontario. Deere's immediate goal (according to my dealer) was to narrow the number of dealers from 40+ to 14 within 5 years!

Same thing happening in upstate NY. Having 'a dealer in every town' was what helped get JD where they are today. Beginning of the end in my opinion. JD has abandon us (have to drive over an hour now to nearest store),so we have abandon JD.

Sorry to hear about your dilemma! I'll give Deere credit for one thing, and that is that they're not closing any dealerships, at least in my area. They're just forcing them to consolidate_merge! let's look at this further; - many of the dealerships consolidating are the same dealers who aggressively competed against each other merely years ago. Has all the makings for a strained business relationship, wouldn't you thinkIJ

Are you by BrookfieldIJ

I will give John Deere credit. They always figure out a way to think people are getting a good deal.like I always said, Some people no how to make you feel good when your getting screwed,and others dont,that is what makes the difference. Closeing dealers or consolidating. It doesnt really matter,because it is going to cost the farmer more either way. IG