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Q: |
I have never
heard of FOTON, how long have you been selling them?
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A: |
I received my first shipment of FOTON tractors in June of 2005.
We have sold over 225 new tractors in the past three years. |
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Q: |
Who makes FOTON tractors, & where are they made?
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A: |
FOTON HI is the largest ag tractor manufacturer in China and one of the
largest manufacturers
of construction equipment. FOTON HI manufacturers dozers, end-loaders,
excavators, rollers,
well drilling rigs & more.
I
(Bill Mayer, owner of MFI) have
been to China 4 times in the last 3 years and researched the
top 4 tractor manufacturers before deciding to import FOTON tractors.
Their quality & appearance
are superior to the competition. FOTON HI is committed to continually
improving their products.
They have over 4,400 employees working in several state-of-the-art
assembly plants.
They also have joint ventures with Mercedes Benz, Dana, LUK & Carraro. |
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Q: |
What size of tractors do you have available?
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A: |
FOTON produces many different models of tractors.
MFI has chosen to sell 25, 40, 50, 60, 70, 82, 125 & 145 HP models. Some 2WD, most
4WD.
And some with cabs, others with ROPS & canopy. |
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Q: |
Can you explain the terms of your warranty on the new FOTON tractors?
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A: |
There is a 2 year warranty on parts & labor. |
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Q: |
My major concern is parts – where will I get parts for my FOTON?
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A: |
Great question! I have been in the farm machinery business for over 20
years and understand how important it is to take care of my customers
after the sale. I purchased a large supply of parts that came with
my 1st shipment of tractors. The winter of 2006, we built a new
parts room and more than doubled our FOTON parts inventory by the spring
of 2007. We have needed very few of these parts,
but I always want a good supply on hand if the need should arise in the
future. |
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Q: |
How large is the MFI service area? And can any mechanic work on
these tractors?
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A: |
MFI has an excellent team of technicians to provide service on any of the
new FOTONS we sell within
a 250 mile radius of Des Moines, IA. For those tractors sold outside
of our service area (for instance… we have sold tractors into ND, VA, GA,
OK, etc.), MFI will pay for a local mechanic to repair the tractor and
will even overnight the parts directly to him. However, because of
the dependability of the FOTONs, we have not had to hire any outside tech
help yet.
But YES, any mechanic can service these tractors – mainly because they do
not have computers and are simple to work on – which is a major reason we
have been so successful in selling the tractors
in the short time we’ve offered them. |
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Q: |
What are some of their components?
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A: |
The 60, 70 & 82 HP tractors have Perkins 4 cylinder diesel engines, Dana
front axles from Italy, and
LUK clutches from Germany, all of which are quality components of
world-renowned manufacturers.
The 25, 40 & 50 HP tractors have dependable & economical 3 or 4 cylinder
engines & components manufactured in China. They have performed well
for our customers thus far. |
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Q: |
What about re-sale value?
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A: |
Because our new tractors cost 40% to 50% less than the competition, our
depreciation is far less than theirs as well. Even though the
tractors are the most economical available, we still have a lot of people
looking for used FOTONS. None of our customers are interested in
trading their tractors in yet, but I will be glad to get them and offer
you a good trade-in value when that time comes. |
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Q: |
How are they holding up?
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A: |
We have had very few service calls on the 100 tractors sold in our first 2
years. The larger models have the right components (Perkins, Dana, &
LUK clutches) and the smaller tractors have done equally as well.
Most owners of the 25 & 40 HP models are not putting over 70 to 80 hours
per year on their tractors, therefore, they should last a long time.
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