2000 NITRO 901 CDX CRACKING GLASS

[TERRY CONNELLY]

MY NITRO HAS BUBBLES IN THE GLASS FROM THE FACTORY ,ACCORDING TO ONE OF TRACKERS WARRANTY SHOPS IN FT.WORTH CALLED JOHNSONS FIBERGLASS, ,AT 8 MONTHS OLD THIS NITRO HAD CRACKS ABOUT 6 FT LONG IN THE HULL, IT ALSO HAS CRACKS 3 FT LONG IN THE SIDE OF THIS BOAT ABD TOP CAP, AND EVERY CORNOR INSIDE OF IT, AND TRACKER DOES NOT CARE, THIER MAN JUSTIN MAPLES SEEMS TO THINK THEY DO NOT NEED TO REPLACE THIS BOAT, SO ANYONE WISHING MORE INFO CAN CONTACT ME, I WILL ENTER A PICTURE WHEN I GET TO THE HOUSE,

 

[Ken Neeley]

Has the fiberglass shop sent Tracker an estimate of repairs along with digital photo's of the boat???

 

[TERRY CONNELLY]

well, the deale where the boat came from does not care, that is central texas marine, the tracker dealer in waco texas, and i do not understand why tracker will not replace this boat with the bad glass in it, and the cracks all over, i would guess it has already cost at leat 50 boat sales if not more than that, i even tried to get that dealer where the boat came from to let me trade it on a different new one and he would not talk about it, but he will eventually be sued for deceptive trade practices if something is not done about this boat, but , he is not the one who put the warranty on this that is tracker, when the fiberglass shop said that it had bubbles in the glass from the factory tracker should have replaced it then,

 

[TERRY CONNELLY]

i am sure that the glass shop did that because they fixed the cracks on the bottom of the hull, but with in a week of the boat coming back it has more cracks in it, like 3 ft long on the drivers side and top cap, and some more in the bottom, the whole deal is an 8 month 30,000 dollar boat with that kind of problems should be replaced, and they would be smart if they replaced it soon, before i do a really good show and tell this coming year at all the largest bass tournaments in my area, some of these draw 300 teams and who knows how many spectators, and i like to park close to the weigh in trailer, and if i happen to get a first place and get that mike well, you can take it from there

 

[TERRY CONNELLY]

hi tee, well, i think i have someone working on it to try and help, but tracker has told so many lies and will not admit they have some problems, i am just tired of all the crap, if i could get out of this boat i would have already have done so, and if tracker will not replace it, i will just show it to everybody any where i go and tell them about trackers attitude, and refusal to take care of thier customers, happy new year, and it will be the main attraction at many bass tournaments this coming season, if anybody i know spent this kind of money and had this kind of problems they would be upset also, any way , have a nice new years,

 

[Staci Matheis]

I'm going to re-post a suggestion that I made some time ago to the folks at Tracker.......



When you get a situation like this, replace the hull immediately. Delaying only makes matters worse and hurts your name and reputation. By replacing it, you turn a Negative situation into a Positive. You also make at least one very satisfied customer.



Then, make the original hull seaworthy and presentable - if costs are within reason. Sell it for a nominal amount with a warranty that recognizes it to be reconditioned. You'll make a SECOND very satisfied customer!



me!

 

[Mark Hofman]

Here's another suggestion to Tracker Marine:



Contract with an independent engineering firm specializing in fiberglass to figure out what caused the problem in the first place - even if it means destroying the boat in the process. Then use what you learn to change the manufacturing process so that it doesn't happen again.



It is becoming more and more obvious (as you read different boat message boards) that reputation carries a great deal of weight in the sale of a boat. Tracker -- in spite of being the largest seller of boats -- has an image problem. If they could seriously address these kinds of issues, they would see it their bottom line and on these same message boards.



Scott's orginial letter to Tracker is worth searching for and reading for anyone who takes customer service seriously.



Mark

 

[JEFF WHITE]

scott,it would be nice if they listen to us,the consumer,but hey,it looks like they dont.look what i went/going through.they have a high employee turnover,they just dont care about craftsman/quality.but that is just my opinion.customer service,well,we wont get into that,but anyone who dealt with them know where i am coming from..



happy new year!

 

[Staci Matheis]

Mark -



Heck, you've got a MUCH better memory than this old man...... I searched and couldn't find my own letter!



Tracker Marine -



As I have said so many times........ Please, please, please........ Take our comments in the way they were ment. We are your Supporters not detractors. We believe in your product and your People. We want only the best for and from you; we will ALL benefit.



me!

 

[TERRY CONNELLY]

WELL, HAPPY NEW YEAR and all i have ever wanted is for tracker to replace this hull, and i even offered to trade it at the dealer where it came from but they would not think of it, but i appreciate all of your feed back, other than the cracks i really like the boat andit handles the big water really good, but when i spend the kind of money on anything i want it to be right, and tracker could replace this boat and be a hero, or they may not replace this boat and be the big bad villian they have showed me so far

 

[Dave Tully]

I can relate to your problems Terry. I also have a 2000 901 CDX. About a month or so ago I found a large area in the stern turning yellow. Not good considering the paint is white. The same area also had a large crack just above it. To my dealers credit, he read a post I made here about it and called me that day. He proceeded to arrange for repair, paid for by Tracker. But while in the shop, the repairman found another area about 4 feet from the first area that was also turning yellow. At this point I'm concerned that it took a year and half for these problems to show and knowing I had done nothing to cause it, contacted Tracker as to why I was not told of these problems before I bought it i.e. buying damaged goods. After a long discussion he disclosed that the dealer had filed for reimbursement for a repair job to the gelcoat while it was there. Thats 3 separate areas of damage. He (Customer Relations) said he'd check into all this and get back to me in a day or so. That was December 18th.

I bought a pretty expensive boat that I thought was new, not damaged and then repaired. I most certainly would not have bought it if I had known these facts. Considering the holidays, I'm giving Tracker the benefit of the doubt and will be contacting them again this week. If I receive no satisfaction from them or my dealer, they will be hearing from the Missouri Attorney General's Office of Consumer Protection.

As a longtime Tracker boat owner, my confidence and trust in this company is waning.

 

[Staci Matheis]

Dave -



For what it's worth.......



20 Years ago I managed a truck terminal for Associated Transports; we hauled the cars out of the Ford plants in St. Louis and Kansas City to the dealerships.



Many times, damage was done to an automobile or truck in the factory, in transport or at the dealership. Sometimes it was just very minor scratches - sometimes it was more extensive. Any damage was repaired at the cost of the responsible party and the consumer never knew of it. If the damage was caught before the vehicle got on the truck, it was usually sent back into the factory for repair; after that, it was usually done at the dealership. The consumer got a fair deal because the vehicle was delivered in "like new" condition. If the repairs ever proved to be defective, they were re-done to again restore the "like new" condition.



I guess what I'm trying to say is that it is fair and not unusual with "major consumer goods" for repairs to be made to the product without the end purchaser being aware of them. It simply would cost way too much to destroy the original and replace it with a completely new item; a high cost that would ultimately be born by ALL consumers.....



Just as long as the manufacturer / transport company / dealership / repair facility stand behind the work.....



me!

 

[TERRY CONNELLY]

repair and not let the customer know, is an automatic out of court settlement when you are dealing with a motorvehicle, and i believe that the consumer will also get 3 times the value , that is called fraud, you have to let a customer know if there has been any damage over $250.00 and that is a fact, at least it is if you are dealing with a vehicle, ,i believe it is also a fact with a boat, i can remember a few years ago a boat manufacture selling a few boats to customers in florida as new boats when they had been in the water and either damaged or refitted with some repair work to the glass, and yes the court ruled in the customers favor, i have been in the automobile business for 32 years and the repair by the trucking company or the factory and selling it to a customer with out telling them will get the customer a lot of money,

 

[Staci Matheis]

Terry -



I do know that a customer must now be given paperwork to sign off on if there have been repairs to a new vehicle. I don't know what the limits are before this must be done - although I'm sure that you do. Back in 1979 and '80, I was involved only in the transportation end of the business - at the time, I don't believe that there were any such laws. I know many vehicles received minor damages that the dealerships never knew about - and many that they did.



As someone in the automotive industry, you are surely aware of the many minor, cosmetic repairs that are done to vehicles that the consumer never learns of....... Minor, cosmetic repairs to imperfections, scratches and dings to the paint and bodywork.



My guess would be that 30% to 50% of all vehicles sold are touched up at some point along the way..... Why would boats be any different?



Also, in the automotive industry, if there is a warranty issue, you take your vehicle back to the dealer....... You DON'T call Detroit.



Now, in the bass boat industry it seems to have been practice, and still is in many cases, for the consumer to deal directly with the manufacturer..... Tracker is moving toward a system similar to the automotive industry. Change is never easy. There are always obstacles that must be overcome..... In the end, everyone will benefit.



me!

 

[TERRY CONNELLY]

well, there are laws to protect people that were not in efect in the 70's and 80's and as far as taking a boat problem to the factory ,yes when the dealer refuses to help then it needs to go to who put the warranty on the boat, and my understanding is that the bubbles in the glass are more than gelcoat cracks, and maybe you need to have a $27000 boat with all these cracks in it to deal woth, i do not care who you worked for you would be mad also, and if tracker does not take care of it then i will show everybody i come in contact with all of these cracks, and they are not from banging a dock, yes tracker is a large company, but i cover a large area, andif someone showed me a boat like this i woul;d not be purchasing one of them, with all of the other good manufactures out there that do take care of thier customers, it is kind of like if you bought a vehicle and had this kind of problem the dealer and or manufacture would replace it, and then you have people like you saying i have banged a dock or something like that, what a mentality it sounds like tracker lies and mentality,how dare you say those cracks were not a defect from the factory, this boat has already been to a tracker warranty shop and they have said there is bubbles in the glass ,did those come from banding a dock????? DUH !!!!!

 

[Mark Hofman]

Here's Scott's original letter:



18 June 2000



Ms. Jenny Corley and Mr. Ken Burroughs

TRACKER MARINE, L.P.

2500 East Kearney

Springfield, Missouri 65803



Dear Jenny and Mr. Burroughs;



If you have read any of my posts on the Nitro Owner

 

[Mark Hofman]

Scott:



Hope you don't mind me posting your letter. You very clearly make the point about customer service being directly linked to boat sales.



IMHO, every time a prospective boat buyer reads about a bad boat (Tracker or any other brand, for that matter), the liklihood of actually buying that brand goes down about 80%.



The problem is compounded in Tracker's case because they've already got a negative reputation on quality issues. So, any negative report has people saying, "See? I told you!!!" But, if customer service and constant product refinement could soften those comments, Tracker would ultimately improve their chances of selling more boats.



If there is a problem in the manufacturing process - fix it. If there is a problem in customer service - fix it. If there is a problem at management level - fix it. If there is a problem with a specific dealership providing service - fix it or stop selling boats through them.



Tracker's reputation could be right up there with Triton or Ranger, IF they made the commitment to quality and service that you see in other manufacturers. One good first impression will hold a company through ten bad experiences, but it takes ten good experiences to overcome ONE bad experience.



For all of you who are having those 'bad' experiences, I feel for you. I wish I could fix 'em for you! Your comments (good or bad) about Tracker, can make a difference. This site shows that there are those who want Tracker Marine to be a (more) successful company.





(Scott, your letter was on the "other" boat site, by the way.)

 

[Staci Matheis]

Is there "another" boat site? :^)



That letter was written a year and a half ago. A lot of changes have been made at Tracker since then.....



One of them is that Mr. Nichols is no longer the Customer Service Manager. He had decentralized Customer Service and placed the plants in charge - can you use the words "fox" and "hen house" in the same sentence? Customer Service has since been brought back into headquarters.



Another is a more defined move, as I mentioned earlier, to have consumer issues delt with by the dealers. Again, I fully support this; the dealers are Tracker's Customers, not us. When we purchase a boat, we sign papers at the dealership; we are customers of that dealership. Tracker has signed, legal agreements with the dealerships - not us. Yes, the warranty provided by Tracker is there to protect us, but it is ment to be serviced through the dealership system. If we cannot achieve satisfaction from our dealer, then we are free to go to another.



Now, on the other side, I also agree that dealerships are not on every street corner....... If you do feel for some reason that you must contact Tracker directly, try to understand that they likely have clauses in their agreements that obligate them to work through the dealerships.



Terry, no one on this board is trying to belittle your problems. No one on this board is denying that you have a problem.



Since you are already in contact with Tracker - TALK TO and WORK WITH them...... They are good people who want the same thing in the end that you do: Customer Satisfaction and a Quality Product.



me!

 

[Staci Matheis]

P.S. to Mark -



No, I don't mind you reposting my letter. Some things have changed, as I mentioned. And Tracker is back on my list..... I just like their boats...... But it will still be a while before I am in the position to buy another boat - and, since I will likely be buying "used", I may have to go with whatever turns out to be the best buy at the time.



I reread your post directly below where you posted my letter several times - Exceptional! I couldn't have expressed it better. Especially your last paragraph.



I hadn't realized that you lived here in St. Louis - thought you were in the Northeast someplace. What part? I'm down on The Hill. And, most important, do you ever fish the Current River between Baptist Camp and Cedar Grove?



I applaud your work with the Boy Scouts! What better way to share a love of the outdoors than to introduce kids to it!



me!

 

[Mark Hofman]

Scott:



I live in south St. Louis, and work in Clayton close to Forest Park. I haven't fished the Current at all, but I've been on the Eleven Point. I also love to fish Tanneycomo; wade below Table Rock dam or drift the rest of the lake from a boat.



If you like to bass fish, and would be interested in volunteering with the local Boy Scout Council, send me an e-mail. I'm the chairman of a committee that provides water safety and supervision on the Council's 270 acre lake south of Farmington. We're always looking for guys who love to work with youth, and who love to spend time on the water.

You can learn more by going to our website:
http://www.geocities.com/hofmanmd/canoeguides.html

 

[Staci Matheis]

You got yourself another volunteer, Mark! Just let me know.



me!



Cell: 314-540-2909

Office: 800-827-7695