I was just reading one of the trade magazines I get and saw this article. Seems like CAT has decided that their dealers, among other things, aren"t using enough of the data that the new equipment computers can spit out, and are missing out on making them a lot of money as a result. So, now they have to come up with a program to use the data to increase their sales, or face losing the dealership rights. In other words if you own a new CAT machine, that has all the bells and whistles, and talks to the dealership about what your doing with it, you had better make 100% sure you do EVERYTHING by the book, or your warranty is going to go away pretty quick. Oh, you went over 100 hours on the oil change, well, that"s going to cost you. A plastic bag got sucked in and covered the radiator so it ran hot for 10 seconds, that"s going to cost you.
Yes I am being somewhat extreme and simplistic both with the two examples, but with the current technology telling the dealership everything your doing with your new machine, every second of the day, you know as well as I do that this is all possible, and probable, in the name of larger profits. I mean if you can make an extra 9 billion a year by using the data that was designed to "help" the customer for your own use, then you know corporate is going to do it all day long, if it increases their profits.
Personally, I say give me the older machines, and operators with enough sense to run, and maintain them, and they will be running, and making a profit for the dealerships in parts for years after this new junk has been transformed into more new junk. Of course finding operators like that now days is next to impossible too, so I guess until we get to the Terminator days when the machines all run themselves, and take over putting us all out of our misery, (and "technology" has already put millions of semi-skilled laborers out of a job already) the folks that want to own new equipment will just have to learn to deal with yet another invasion of their privacy, even if it"s only through their tractors computer system....
Yes I am being somewhat extreme and simplistic both with the two examples, but with the current technology telling the dealership everything your doing with your new machine, every second of the day, you know as well as I do that this is all possible, and probable, in the name of larger profits. I mean if you can make an extra 9 billion a year by using the data that was designed to "help" the customer for your own use, then you know corporate is going to do it all day long, if it increases their profits.
Personally, I say give me the older machines, and operators with enough sense to run, and maintain them, and they will be running, and making a profit for the dealerships in parts for years after this new junk has been transformed into more new junk. Of course finding operators like that now days is next to impossible too, so I guess until we get to the Terminator days when the machines all run themselves, and take over putting us all out of our misery, (and "technology" has already put millions of semi-skilled laborers out of a job already) the folks that want to own new equipment will just have to learn to deal with yet another invasion of their privacy, even if it"s only through their tractors computer system....