rude boat dealers in my area

[johnnybigrigger]

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

 

[XJoker25xx]

Re: rude boat dealers in my area

Yea I know how you feel. There are some boat shops around here where the owners and workers think that they run/work at the best company in the country. Not all of them are like that though just a couple.

 

[11 footer]

Re: rude boat dealers in my area

I know how you feel. They do it to me all the time.<br /><br />last year I went to a dealer and asked for a quote on a 25hp Mercury. He said "I'm busy right now, come back tomorow".<br /><br />I went into the same place about a mounth ago looking to order a 109doller Piviot bracket.<br />The guy treated me like a peace of ****, with all this crap how my numbers where not right, I know they where. He looked at me and said "hey kid, I've been doing this for 30years" I replyed "then maybe its time for you to retire, ****head" and a walked out.<br /><br />I now have my grandfauther get anything I need for my boat from a little place up in Maine. Its worth it, I'd rather give my money to a little guy makeing a living out of a shack then some azzhole in Mass who thinks I'm a pain because I'm not gonna buy a boat from him.

 

[93bronco]

Re: rude boat dealers in my area

its just like that here. you should have seen the looks i got when trying to get parts for my motor.<br />now i just show up with the part #s & tell them - if you got it good, if not i need it ordered.<br />i get asked if im stuck up or whats my problem.<br />this is from the peolpe who treated me with the same attitude.

 

[roscoe]

Re: rude boat dealers in my area

Have had similar experiences.<br /><br />Dealer near me charges approximately 20% more for parts if you walk in and buy them, as opposed to ordering online. ( $82 part online, $100 at the parts counter) Plus they are arrogant and slower than a turd after eating 3 lbs of cheddar.<br /><br />So I order online, pay the $5 shipping fee, and save myself 100 mile round trip and $13 for gas.

 

[CCrew]

Re: rude boat dealers in my area

Must be nice that they're rude...<br /><br />I pre-arranged financing, had the boat picked out that I wanted, was ready to sign all the papers. Talked to the owner of the dealership in person beforehand, and when I was ready to go, (4 days later) they wouldn't even return a phone call. FINALLY, they called 2 weeks later, I simply told them "You must really not be interested in selling boats, huh? I'm not interested anymore!"<br /><br />Figured that if I can't get them to sell me one, I sure as heck aren't going to be able to get it serviced.

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: rude boat dealers in my area

Hey Ryan,<br /><br />Bill's Outboard in Weymouth (Rt 3A, Bridge Street)<br /><br />They have everything, know everything and always help. Very well know among pros throughtout MA. These guys don't even have to look up part numbers! Prices are always very reasonable. If you hang in there a while you'll see mostly pros come in. If they don;t have it they will find it.<br /><br />Landfall up the street from there is very good too. Bill's seem to have every part in stock for any year or type (they have as much I/O as outboard)

 

[johnnybigrigger]

Re: rude boat dealers in my area

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

 

[rabijunco3]

Re: rude boat dealers in my area

Was looking at buying a Triumph with a 4 stroke. Dealer only wanted to talk 2 stroke, "4 strokes are too heavy, the extra expense is not worth it, etc." What really did it was when the I told him I needed a boat that would have at least a porta potti so my wife and daughters could feel more comfortable going with me and the idiot told me to "just leave them at home" !!! Hey, when it comes to family, it is first. Now I own a Triton 22 Offshore and must say the service from the factory has been excellent. Called them with questions regarding prop size, replacing hatch tie downs for ones that are not exposed sharp metal, etc. always did what they said would do,for free. The customer is always right, and if not, then do not insult his intelligence or be rude. He would rather be on the water than at your store. He also deserves for you to get it right the first time, if possible.

 

[Northern Eclipse]

Re: rude boat dealers in my area

There sure is a group of rude dealers up here also, but up here we don't have a large volume of dealers to buy boats and get parts, so they think they have us by the short ones, In alot of area, The ones that treat people right are generally growing along with the boating population, that rude buttheaded knobs never seem to get any further ahead there rotten little businesses never change and they rarely see the same customer twice... but come to think of it I find alot of rude people in all types of business now, Just last month went to buy a new T.V I went in a large retailer I knew which set I wanted, when a asked the sales Kid, he responded to me that I don't that T.V its a POS, but this T.V is better.... I said your right, I don't want to by anything from a place that sells SH#T, so I'll have to go somewhere that will sell me The T.V I want. By the way the t.v in question that I wanted was a 32" flatscreen Sony Wega....Its a real POS.

 

[johnnybigrigger]

Re: rude boat dealers in my area

ZZZZZZZZZZZZ

 

[NCOffSeason]

Re: rude boat dealers in my area

I've seen the same thing here. I have been into opur local Bayliner/Nitro/Seadoo dealer a few times and I have never been asked if someone could help me. I've left the parts counter twice because no one would even look in my direction.<br /><br />Tough luck for them as I just drove 30 mminutes south and just bought a new Glastron yesterday.

 

[Northern Eclipse]

Re: rude boat dealers in my area

Thats a theory that did not exist in my college day , I studied Business Admin., my major was accounting ( But I'm a Technical Production Analyst now) anyway took marketing at that time and the Profs at that time said it was cheaper and easier to keep a customer, than it was to obtain a new one, the cost ratio was about 1:10 or 10 times more expense to gain 1 customer ( advertising cost etc) then it was to keep one...a lot as changed in 17 years.. But your right just look at how Rude bungholes own brand new boats that they bought from a rude dealer, Not that I have a problem with people and new boats, but I do tend to notice more Rude Boaters today...I'v been boating for 38 of my 38 years on this planet my Father always taught us respect for the water and the boat and the other people out on the waterways also, we always waved a passing boat an we always got a wave back.. I still wave my fellow boaters to this day sometimes they wave back, sometimes they give me the finger (rude boater) because they think I have a problem or something... Just goes to show that the recreation of boating as changed.

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: rude boat dealers in my area

NE, fundamentals haven't changed. Customer acquisition costs are still a primary concern for most businesses. As for these rude dealers and parts people, I'm at somewhat of a loss to explain it. It's not like it's a sellers market right now and they can afford to alienate any customers. I know here in MA my experice had been the opposite but most of the places I've dealt with have been around for like 100 years so they pretty much have the fundamental down. Plus with all the cheap yankees here they are very acustom to dealing with a large DIY customer base (see below).<br /><br />The only reasonable theory I can come up with is that the firms mentioned here primarily consider them selves boat sellers and that is all they really care about. And, when they are selling a boat, they only want customers with very deep pockets. When it comes to selling parts they probably only want their steady professional customers and consider the DIYers too expensive to serve. I may be off base but that's the only reasonable explination I can come up with.<br /><br />I tell you though, it does show there is an opportunity to open up shop and cater to the DIY boater.<br /><br />johnnybigrigger - that is not a theory taught at leading B-Schools I assure you. I have close friends and colleques from all of the top 10 -20 B Scools in the country and my own personal experience so it's not just conjecture on my part.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: rude boat dealers in my area

wow<br /> some of you must have had some terrible experiences with dealers. makes me glad I just twist the wrenches. I enjoy working with DIY's. I do a lot of training on the side. I always figgured the more my customers know about how to take care of there powerplants the less I have to work.my customer base is only 550 to 600 steady customers so I stay as busy as I wish. but I love to boat as much as my customers and all my experience tells me my customers like me but dont want to come to my shop for a social call. years ago I had a merc dealer parts manager get very rude with me. I left and have never been back. I spent about 20k a year for almost 5 years with the merc dealer about3 miles down the road.I wonder if some of the posts I have read would be interesting to any of the manufacturs sales people.

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: rude boat dealers in my area

rodbolt, would love to hear what they say.<br /><br />See, most of these people rather serve you: $20K a year, you know exactly what you want, you don't ask to many "how to" type questions. You are cheap, easy and profitable to serve. The average DIY spends little each year, takes up lots of time becuase they don't often know exactly what they want and/or what to do. I bet most dealerships consider them too ex*****ive to serve and therefore, unprofitable.

 

[Coach]

Re: rude boat dealers in my area

Glad to hear I am not alone. My wife thinks I am sometimes crazy for "demanding" good service.<br /><br />But, here's the ticket: "The man with the wallet has all the power."<br /><br />Works well with auto dealers also. I haven't bought a new vehicle in 15 years...just because of the constant ripoff artist that work at these places.<br /><br />Had similar experiences with local dealers here in Alabama as well. I like to work on my own stuff just to learn and its kind of like a hobby for me. If the guys are too busy to talk to me, without making me feel like an idiot, its their loss...my money goes elsewhere.<br /><br />I never feel that I have to buy anything from a jerk! There are plenty of stores nationwide that will sell to me...and do it with a smile.<br />

 

[ED21]

Re: rude boat dealers in my area

What a shame. I've been going to a dealer for parts for years & I'm always amazed & impressed by how much time & effort they will take to help.<br />Just recently, I was asking the parts guy about my new (to me) motor & he took me back to the service manager & manager took a few minutes to answer my questions & show me on a similar motor in the shop. As a plus the cost of other boat stuff they sell is generally about the same or better than a local BoatUS. Just lucky I guess.

 

[bomar76]

Re: rude boat dealers in my area

The above situations are exactly why I purchase all non emergency parts online from BAM or ebasic.<br />I have had similar scenarios from most local dealers with the exception of Spend A Day @ Indian Lake. They have always been helpful and plesant. The worst around here has to be the jackazzes at Pauls Marine....NEVER will I buy a thing (or direct anyone there) again.<br />Needed a Alpha 1 Gen 1 gasket set really quick (thought I still had one on hand)was driving by and thought what the Heck, I'll buy one here. After putting up with the parts counter idiots' attitude for 30 minutes - <br /> <br />1.Did I buy the boat there? (No)<br />2.Where did I buy it? (WTF does it matter?)<br />3.What make? (why does it matter-it's a Mercruiser outdrive and they are a Mercruiser stealer)<br />4.Wanted every sn# on the boat so he could "look it up" <br />5.Then factor in him stopping to answer phone to talk to wife, waiting on 2 other customers that came in AFTER me, repeating the above idiotic question, lecturing me on "no returns if it's wrong" ...ad nauseum<br /><br />He charged me $16.00 + tax for the freakin thing.<br />I should have just biiitch slapped him then and there.<br />It was now too late to head up to Delware Marine (hate to go there- they never have anything in stock) so I went ahead and gave the crooks their money. <br /><br />I'll go without before I'd buy a darn thing from tham again.

 

[sea wolf]

Re: rude boat dealers in my area

i dropped my lower unit off at a local dealer last spring. i couldn't get the prop housing off so i asked the guy to do it. he said sure, "pick it up tomorrow". after 3 days i got fed up with getting the runaround from this jerk, so i went to pick up my drive. he said, "i told u it's not done yet". i said i know, i've waited long enough. he said, "u know i don't have time to drop everything else for these kind of jobs". i told him what he can do with his shop. i'll never again so much as buy a screw from that a-hole & i told him so.