Spotted at the KME plant . . .

[GA_Dave]

Interesting thought process. If this were true in all cases Pierce should have been gone considering they were the lowest priced rigs in my region until 3-4 years ago. 

Pierce may have been low priced in your area, but not everywhere.  They are typically higher.  A lot of pricing can be related to the specs.  Pierce can usually build a rig cheaper than others when it is a Pierce-based spec.  If Pierce has a good dealership in the area, which your area did, they will sell a lot of rigs, many of which will be spec'd as a Pierce.  Grumman low-bid everything the last couple years they were in business, just to keep the factory open and people working.  Corporate had already decided to pull the plug.

 

 

 

Interesting thought.  That being said, the 23-year-old front-line HME/Grumman engine has given us zero problems and we'd buy another one today if they were still around.

 

The question is - is KME low-balling to get the sales, or is the Pierce product able to sell itself so well that they can charge whatever they want because people will buy them regardless of price?

I never said that Grumman built an inferior product.  Most that I have seen over the years were solid, dependable rigs.  I also believe that KME builds a much better product than they did years ago.  Remember, in many cases, the dealer sets the price, not the factory.  Some dealers choose to make money by volume sales rather than on only a few customers.  And yes, some of us will only buy Pierce!

 

There's probably some of both going on.

I agree!  Such is the nature of the apparatus industry.  Nothing is carved in stone.