Hey guys. Got a bit of an issue, need some insight. When we ordered our 312, I spec'd the "standard" 36" GP bucket, 24" trenching bucket and a 60" cleanup bucket. This was about the 2nd week in April. Our machine was delivered the 27th of April with the 36" GP. I was told that the buckets were on backorder since the day we ordered the machine and they weren't sure when they would show up. About 2 months ago I changed my order, I decided we'd be better off with a 48" cleanup. I've had a 60" rental cleanup since mid June and it's just too big for our machine, it was good thing I changed my order. Sales guy says no problem changing the order, he said they're pretty much out of everything anyway so I was never really earmarked a specific 60" so he said it's no big deal to change and shouldn't hurt the delivery date. I've had dates thrown at me since about mid-May on estimations for when my buckets are going to show up. I was told end of June, mid July, and now here it is August, no buckets. My sales guy called me a couple days ago, says my buckets are in. Almost jumping for joy I told him whenever he wanted to deliver them to me I would be sure to be around and unload them for him. He said maybe Thursday or Friday last week, no call, went into the weekend thinking what the hell happened. Monday about noon I called, he said he would be up Tuesday (today) to deliver. I get a call about an hour before he's supposed to show up, says the buckets they took delivery of are for a 311, not a 312. WHAT THE HELL? Isn't the coupler the same damn size? Needless to say I have the 60" I'm using for free, but I've been placing stone the last 3 days with a 36" bucket and it's been a PITA, would be much easier with something a little narrower, say maybe the 24" I've had on order for a good 3 1/2 months. What really makes this hard for me is that we are treated very well by our dealer, but I need to figure out where to draw the line. They don't have a 24" bucket I could use, so I over-excavated my last utilities job by lack of bucket choice. About the only good thing about this whole deal is that we basically got the buckets thrown in for about half price when we signed the papers, so when it's all said and done we saved some money, but 3 1/2 months of waiting is just a bit ridiculous. Next excavator I buy is going to be stick and linkage only and I'm going to PSM for a coupler, thumb, and bucket, this is nuts. I need a gut check guys.
In this area I don't think the factory even supplies buckets for machines they are all aftermarket couplers and buckets. The dealer has you by the gonads if you buy buckets from them. The other option is find good used buckets cut the old lugging off and have a machine shop make new lugging to fit the bucket to your machine.
I would LOVE for them to give me my money back so I can call up PSM over on the coast and have them supply me buckets. Problem is, the amount is already financed and since the buckets were half price, all I'd get is about enough for 1 bucket if they didn't tell me to screw myself, that is. I think I'm screwed at this point, I might have to sit it out, but I can't go forever. Our sales guy isn't happy about it either, I'm not mad at him, he'd rather have us on his side when it comes down to it, but I'm at the mercy of Cat at this point. You're right man, next time I'm going aftermarket, this sucks. Do you know if PSM or HPF or even CWS's wedge lock coupling would fit our Cat coupler?
The best way is ask them I have no experience with Cat quick connects just CWS and Accurate. Like I meantioned if your in a pinch find a good used bucket somewhere and change the lugging. If you take a pattern off one of your cat buckets have a welding shop cut out new lugging and weld it onto another bucket you have what you need. There are lots of old pin on buckets around that you can buy at a reasonable price and modify it. If you are in need of a smaller clean up bucket or a different sized digging bucket its a easy economical option till Cat figures out its mistake.
The problem is we're stretched, I don't have a couple grand to go buy a couple older buckets, nor should I have to. Sure they're cheaper, but cleanups used don't go for less than $1500 that I've seen and a 24" I might be able to find for maybe $1000 if I was lucky, plus all the fabrication costs, picking them up, getting them to the fabricator and then back to me would be in the thousands. I refuse to spend money on Cat's screwup, so if anyone is buying me buckets it's going to be my dealer. Problem is getting them to budge and say they're going to step in and help me out for their mistake. Right now I need a plan of attack to get something accomplished free of cost to me because if they tell me I have to wait another month or 2 I'm going to hit the roof. I understand you're trying to help, but I can't get any more money tied up into this machine. You and I both know how expensive that yellow paint already is:bouncegri
Wait it out and keep pressuring the dealer. If the dealer has buckets to fit a 311 tell them to change the lugging on those buckets to work for your machine at no charge.
I didn't even think of that actually, that might be a plan.
I don't know what the difference would be bettween the 311 Bucket and for your machine. Its pretty easy to air arc the welds off the lugging and move them apart if thats the only problem. One thing you can say to them they can have the machine back and your off to the Deere dealer :bouncegri To modify the new buckets they have should only take a day for 2 buckets.
Yeah, I'm really baffled as to how these buckets for a 311 or whatever doesn't fit. The 60" cleanup I have right now I'm sure is for a 315 at least and it fits my coupler, this bucket it huge, so I'm not really sure how there's any difference at all between a 311 and a 312 bucket or how the coupler could be any different. I was under the impression that 311's up to at least a 315 share the same coupler but maybe bucket capacities would be a little different given the size of the machine. I just don't get it.
I think I would be talking to my dealer a lot more, (like every day) I would also ask them to defer all payments untill all the equipment on the contract was delivered including interest. I do beleve if the item has been paid for and not delivered within 30 days they are required to offer you a refund by law. I would not settle for a refund on the buckets only but a full refund for the equipment less the hours on the hour meter which you should pay rent on. Above all be nice to them as they will try to get your buckets to you sooner then if you fly off the handle. You could tell them you don't care what they do as long as you get whatr you have already paid for and if that ment buying buckets from someware else that would be ok as long as they are willing to stand behind them. I think a lot boils down to how the invoice was written up. If the buckets were a seperate line item or all the equipment was a package. if there was a seperate price on the invoice for the buckets then it will be harder to get a full refund on the package. These are just my thoughts but is something I would look into Dwan
Maybe when he said it was for a 311, he meant a specific 311. Like Joe Schmo's 311 that he sold to Joe... Maybe you can ask the dealer to pay for renting you the buckets you need while yours are on backorder. Like Dwan said make a point of the fact that you are making payments on equipment that you haven't received and are renting replacements for. That is you are paying for them twice. Like you said, I'm sure the dealer would like to get them to you, but he needs to get after Cat a little more. Nothing like your rental bill coming to him to keep him calling Cat every day.
The difference in the buckets is probably the pin sizes. Personally, I wouldn't pay for a brand new bucket that is cut up and welded, even if you got it cheaper. The bottom line is that you paid for you buckets and they should be delivered long time ago. You need to get on the phone and start raising some hell.
Maybe the salesman sold a new machine and need the buckets for the other customer. If he told you the buckets were in and couldn’t deliver I would phone other dealers to see if they have what you need. If they have them in stock explain the situation and see if you can get the buckets shipped. I would also send an email to Cat explaining how the situation is making them look bad with the broken promises. And how you might consider other brands for future purchases.
Called my sales guy today, he is completely sympathetic and is trying his utmost to help us out. He explained to me why the buckets ordered do not fit our coupler. Our dealer orders all their new machines as if they were going to put them into the rental fleet, so they have hydraulic coupler, hydraulic thumbs, high ambient cooling, cab work lights, etc., they're pretty loaded when they arrive at the dealership. They order their 312's with 315 couplers, which makes sense if they go into the rental fleet as 315's and 312's can share the same buckets, helps keep a streamlined bucket inventory for rentals. Basically my machine has a 315 coupler and uses 315 buckets and when the buckets were ordered they were ordered for a 312, makes sense as the machine is a 312, but it's a 312 with a 315 coupler, so that's why the buckets don't fit. Sales guy says they do have a 24" bucket in the rental fleet that he's going to loan me until mine show up. As he stated this morning, it's back to the drawing board for mine, probably 2-3 more months for mine to arrive. :Banghead :Banghead As for rental, the 60" I have had for 1 1/2 months and the 24" that I'm going to get tomorrow are FREE of charge to me. I need a hoe pac for next week, gonna see if I can get that for free as well. My sales guy isn't any happier about the situation either, he's not really sure where the fumble was, but he's working to supply us with whatever we need until ours show up.