Porter Press extra: Road show demos
While heading down to the National Fieldays expo at Mystery Creek last month, I decided to bypass the new bypass, opting to pop into Porter Equipment at Te Rapa. At this time of year it has its travelling road show units based there for anyone in the trade to drop in unannounced and have a test drive.
Getting the full service from any company is always a treat and the crew at Porters go all the way when it comes to service. Someone had suggested I drop in on the way to Fieldays and see the setup. I'm glad I did. They had the BBQ trailer cranking and plates full of eggs, bacon and hash browns ready for a big cook up. Examining machines with a belly full of food is always going to make a good impression on me. Big tick.
For over two years Porter Equipment has had a continuous road show travelling the entire country providing operators the chance to get behind the controls of some demo units — in this case the dash 9 series.
This year there was a Hyundai R140LC-9 and a Hyundai HL760-9 available. Both have been dedicated demo units since new. The digger had over 900 hours clocked up.
Business development manager Matthew White, and Ngatai Purnell, were on hand the day I arrived and were able to show me over the two units. A lot has changed during the twenty years Hyundais have been brought into the country, as White explains.
Where most innovation used to come from Japan, Korea is now the major player in this area. Hyundai is no different.
"Hyundai's latest offerings are right on par with other more expensive brands. We pass on local market feedback and Hyundai adapts its equipment to suit us," White says.
With operators and manufacturers working together, better machines can be produced, and any improvement suggestions are always thoroughly looked at.
Just like modern cars from Korea, the dash 9 series comes with most options as standard. Colour rear view camera and engine performance data modem connections are just a part of what is included in the package.
The excavator cab is larger then your usual cab size. There's plenty of room for the controls with the seat being adjustable and set independently from the controls. The seat has enough movement to allow a small giant to sit comfortably. Climate control is also a bonus, just set the temperature you want and forget about it. The same spacious cab layout is used with all of the New Zealand models.
The noise level from both units going about their tasks was low and quite acceptable. The digger was very quiet indeed. Power and ergonomics are the two areas where people notice the most difference from the previous model, White says, while the improved fuel economy will show itself over a period of time.
A lot of thought has been put into the placing of items within the cab and it shows. Everything is easy to reach and the need to twist around has been reduced, making it more comfortable and less likely to injure the back muscles.
As White explains; switching people from their 'usual' brand can be straightforward once you get them into the cab and onto the controls, as the machine sells itself.
"Hyundai has put a lot of energy into development to produce some solid gear that's built to last," he says.
If the two demo units on show are not what a customer is looking for, that's no problem. Porters has heaps of diggers and loaders in a wide range of sizes and bucket setups available for use. If there is something special in mind, by giving them advanced notice, a suitable unit will be there to try.
The Porters team say they really do go the extra mile when it comes on-site test drives. No matter where a potential customer is in New Zealand, they will transport a unit there, complete with a full tank of fuel, ready to start working as soon as it's off the trailer. Talk about hitting the ground running. They'll also pick the unit up at the end of the trial — all free of charge. With offers like that, why wouldn't someone try one out on location? There's no better testing ground for business needs than the site currently being worked on.
New Hyundai units come with a 6000-hour warranty, which includes parts, labour and the mileage incurred in getting the parts and labour to owners, wherever they are in New Zealand.
For Porters to succeed, it needs customer businesses to succeed, and for that to happen the right gear needs to be working at the right time. Porters says it can help and its team are keen use their knowledge and experience to form long lasting working partnerships with like-minded businesses, all backed up with quality support.
Porters says it has everything well covered from start to finish, providing the whole package, from selection, finance, sales and service support.
Information about the Porter Equipment road show is available by visiting its website. Test drives are also available as required.
For more information visit porters.co.nz.
For the latest reviews, subscribe to our Deals On Wheels magazine here.
Keep up to date in the industry by signing up to Deals on Wheels' free newsletter or liking us on Facebook.
.jpg)
.png)
.png)
.jpg)
