Customer Service

[Lonnie Conner]

Ijust purchased a new 591 Nitro on March 28th and I was wondering how long it takes to recieve it. The sales representive said 4 to 6 weeks , but the other sales rep. said 6 to 8 weeks. I'm really concerned about the customer service and if anyone has had any experience with the service end let me know. I own a 2003 PT Silver Anniversary Edition 175 Tracker with the most upgrades you can get so its not like I can't fish. Anyway I would appreciate any information on the service, and also the Tracker is for sale and its in mint condition.

 

[Larry Harp]

It took them nearly 12 weeks to get my passenger console for my 591. However, when they did, they got it installed in one morning. I think part of that delay was due to a parts manager that was asleep at the wheel and no longer works there. Other than that, the service from the Okla City Bass Pro has been excellent.



Good luck on the new 591. I really like mine. What motor did you get?





Harpo

 

[Lonnie Conner]

Thanks for the reply Harpo, I got the 150 LEFI I hope that I will like it.

 

[TritonGlenn]

I'm not touching this one with a 7'6" flippin stick. :lol:

All the best,

Glenn



BTW... congrats on the new purchase.

 

[Lonnie Conner]

Appreciate the congrats Glenn you sound a little skeptical I would have bought a Triton but I would had to sell or divorce the wife and you know I would not make no money:lol:

 

[TOMMY RICH]

:blink:

 

[TritonGlenn]

Oh no Lucky - don't take my lack of specific comments the wrong way. I should have either been more specific, or kept my mouth shut. Too late now, so I'll post about your original question.



The choice of boat is not the cause for my comments - you picked a fine rig, and I'm sure you will be happy with it. I don't come on here trying to sway anyone over to Triton. That's just the boat I own. I come on here to try to help out others and ask general questions I may have.



My lack of comments had to do with your actual question - time frame. In my experience with Tracker Marine, the time frame was much longer than the estimate given to you. I hope you get yours sooner, but if you have to wait longer, just be patient. You have a benifit that I didn't have, as you still own your other rig.



Once again, congrats on the purchase.



All the best,

Glenn

 

[Bob G.]

I would think that closer to 8 weeks is a better guess..or a little longer. I wouldn't rush it, let em build and rig you a good one.



Bob G.

 

[Larry Harp]

As much as I hate to agree with any Triton owner ,Glenn is probably right. This time of year everybody wants their boat ASAP. I would guess that any boat will have a lengthy production date this time of year. If you had ordered it in November you might have received it in 4 to 6 weeks.



Don't fault the salesman too badly, they're paid to put a positive spin on everything. When the guy said 4 to 6 weeks, he was just repeating something that he had said a zillion times without even knowing what the actual lead time was. All salespeople do it...I do it. I sell lighting and hardware to home builders. For example; every builder wants his material delivered first thing in the morning because they don't like to leave several thousand dollars worth of lights and hardware sitting in a vacant house over night. We have one delivery truck. I'm always stuck between the builder wanting the stuff at 7 in the morning and the reality of one truck, one driver, and 25 deliveries all over the metro area. I'll say things like, "The truck should be there around lunchtime", knowing that may mean something closer to 2 or 3 o'clock before he actually gets there. I can't really know what situations the truck driver may encounter like traffic, getting lost, huge deliveries that take forever to unload....etc etc.



Good luck with your new boat. I'm sure you'll get it before the fall bite....just kidding.



Harpo

 

[Kieth Fedo]

Maybe it's just me, but that sounds like a long time to wait. Then again, I bought mine off the showroom floor. It was ready to pick up in a couple of days.

 

[Ken Neeley]

I ordered my new boat May 4th......I'm picking it up in 2 hours!!!

 

[Texas Transplant]

Congratulations! It will take a while, but then you will be happy filling up that tank with $3.75+ a gallon gasoline. :lol::lol:



Busy season, and remember the old adage.



If a salesman's lips are moving, it's a sure sign that he is lying! :wacko:



Tex

 

[Larry Harp]

If a salesman's lips are moving, it's a sure sign that he is lying!

It goes both ways... In my younger days I sold both new and used cars for 10 years. I always said, "Most of the cars I've sold, I sold without without telling one lie, but I don't believe I've ever sold a car to anybody that didn't lie to me." It's true too... the real liars on a car lot are the customers. Good upstanding people loose all sense of decency and morality when they walk on to a car lot. I can't tell you how many little old ladies, preachers, teacher, and good regular family folks that told me out right lies about their trade in or their credit history or what the dealer across town would do.....stuff that we either knew better or easily discovered the truth with a phone call. A car salesman can be a good price negotiator and not be too quick to disclose the lowest price and he's considered to be a worthless immoral liar... but a customer comes on the lot and wants to trade in a old beater that the odometer has gone around on and is loaded with Bondo and the motor is about to go and he thinks telling the salesman that the car is a low mileage well cared for one owner is just being shrewd...in fact he'll probably go to church and brag about how he screwed the car salesman.



Be a salesman for a year and your respect for the general public will be greatly diminished.



Harpo

 

[TritonGlenn]

"Be a salesman for a year and your respect for the general public will be greatly diminished."



I got one for ya' - be an auto PARTS salesman for a year... holy snikies! The crap that some people put together will make you never want to take a look at buying a used car again. I worked at Autozone in Pensacola Florida, and after being there for a month, I decided I would never buy a used car again. I had people come in with the most amazing stuff. No joke - here was an actual guys question: "I have a 1984 Ford F150 that we installed a Chevy 350 with a Chevy tranny. The engine and transmission mounts didn't quite line up, so we welded some temporary brackets in there, and we are looking for adapters. You got anything like that?" (He had drove the truck to the parts store :blink: ). We sold "stop leak" for oil, and "stop leak" for radiators every day - sometimes it was the same customers coming in 4 to 5 times a week. We had a girl come in one day and poured 5 quarts of oil into her car in the parking lot, and as she drove away, we saw all 5 quarts on the ground. :wacko:

All the best,

Glenn

 

[Larry Harp]

Hey Glenn, you're telling my life story there! :lol: Go over to BFHP/ Trailers &Towing read my thread about Lucas Transmission Fix. :lol:



Harpo

 

[Mike O'Connor]

I ordered my '06 901 on 7/25/05 and it was delivered on 10/15/05. 12 0r 13 weeks

 

[Lonnie Conner]

Thanks, guys for all the encouragement it helps alot and it makes me more patient. Plus I still have the PT175 to rely on for now. I guess knowing that fiberglass is a lot easier to clean than having to polish aluminum it takes forever but it does look good until you take it out of the water.

 

[John Robinson]

Good luck with your Nitro 591. I ordered a new 2006 Nitro 591DC with 135HP Mercury Optimax. Ordered it on March 16, 2006 and took delivery on May 5, 2006.



They shipped the boat with a 150HP Mercury Optimax. I ordered the Battery Maintenance System on the boat but but they did not install the battery maintenance system when the boat was built.



Bass Pro Shops in Auburn Hills, Michigan prepared the boat for delivery, and did not properly connect the throttle and shift controls, and they installed the wrong prop. It took forever to get the boat up on plane and when I finally got the boat on full plane, I could not even get 5000 rpm's on the engine. They do not have a lake near the BPS Boat Service Center so they cannot even test ride a boat in the water prior to delivery, during or after service.



I had a local marine service test ride the boat, and they put a new prop on and the boat (at my expense) and the boat was fine until the first time I used the boat in the rain. The rod lockers filled up with water and ruined several reels lures, hooks and fishing maps.



BPS tried to repair the rod lockers, but they still take on water. Within only 1 1/2 months of purchase the boat warning system would go off for no apparent reason. Then the trim pump went out after only 2 1/2 months operation.



After only 40 hours of operation I took the boat to Bass Pro Shops in Auburn Hills, Michigan to get the boat repaired properly, October 2006.



I was told by the service manager that the throttle and shift control cable system was defective and because of the design of the boat, Tracker Marine had to fabricate a modification kit so that the throttle and shift control system could be replaced. This would entail cutting a hole in the boat to provide access to the throttle control system.



I still have not gotten my boat back. It has been in the BPS Boat Service center since October 10, 2006, almost 8 months, and they still cannot tell me when I will get the boat back.



So here it is fishing season, and I cannot not even use the boat I paid cash for, to fish my 2007 tournament schedule. After contacting Tracker Marine Customer Relations Department and Bass Pro Shops TBMC in Aburn Hills numerous times to obtain a resolution to this matter, I have yet to receive adequate or responsible replies to my numerous inquires, and certaily have not received adequate or timely repairs to my boat.



Good luck with your Nitro 591 boat purchase. I certainly hope you do not experience the same problems with your boat and service as I have experienced.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Well, for your 1st post you made it a doosy!! Gotta say The Auburn Hills BPS is one of the best out there and 2 of their pro staffers are regulars here. Never heard a complaint on that store before. Actually, there are a lot of compliments thrown at that service center. They also pop in here once in a while and I'm sure we'll get a response from them. Lots of new 591 owners on the board also and none have had the problems with the shifter???? I really doubt it is a design flaw on that model considering how many are in circulation. Feel lucky they shipped it with the 150, the 135 would have been under powered. If your marine service had told you that you needed a different prop, why didn't you call AU BPS for it? I'm positive they would have swapped it out. Sorry to say, water in the rod lockers is pretty normal with all brands. If it ruined your reels and lures, I wonder how they last in the rain???...Last time I checked both reels and lurers were designed to get wet? I'm not bustin on ya, but c'mon. As soon as the Auburn Hills guys read this I'm thinkin' there might be another side to this story. Let's wait and see.



Make sure you keep us updated yourself.



TOXIC

 

[John Robinson]

You are right Toxic. It is a doosy. But it is exactly what has been going on. I talked to Jeff Gardner, Supervisor at Tracker Marine Customer Relations, twice regarding my boat. The first time I talked to him was May 7, 2007. On this occasion, Jeff told me that he was opening a case file and sending Rich Tota an email as we spoke.



The last time I talked to him was at 4:30 pm ETZ May 24, 2007. He told me that he had talked to Rich Tota at BPS Auburn Hills. My boat was scheduled to be ready on Saturday, May 26, 2007. He also mentioned that BPS did not know how to install the modification kit ant that Tracker Marine had to provide them instructions.



On May 25, 2007 at 4:35 pm, I received a call from Randy, BPS Auburn Hills. Randy informed me that they were still backed up and he did not know when he would get the boat in the shop and get it repaired.



I have called BPS several times and I have also received several calls from BPS Auburn Hills, regarding my boat and it has been the same each time. They are backed up and will get my boat in as soon as they can. They informed me that it took them until February or March 2007 to get the parts.



I just wonder what is the cause of the back up is the service department. Is it because new boat sales and paying customers get priority over warranty repairs? I feel fairly certain that the backlog in the service department at BPS is not caused by boats that have been in their possession for reparis or service since October 2006.



I have also received several letters from Tracker Marine Customer Relations in response to customer satisfaction surveys I submitted regarding problems I am experiencing with this boat, the latest letter dated March 20, 2007. This letter clearly stated and I quote:

"Please allow your dealer the opportunity to resolve your concerns. Your dealer is in the best position to give you immediate assistance, and our Warranty/Technical and Parts Department are standing by to assist them where it is necessary." The letter continues in the next paragraph with: "If the dealer is unable to resolve your concerns, feel free to contacdt the customer service department at 417-873-4555."



In March 2007, I received a Letter from Jan Wyer, Tracker Marine Group. Advocacy Response Coordinator, Customer Service, Springfield , MO., dated March 16, 2007. In her letter the final paragraph stated: "We encourage you to patronize TMBC, LLC as a continued service provider as they truly are in the best position to offer you future services. As communicated to TMBC, LLC, we are ready to provide any assistance that may be required to bring complete and satisfying resolutions to your concerns." In this letter there was a copy of a "NITRO - URGENT -- ATTENTION SERVICE MANAGER-- Customer Satisfaction Survey" which requested that BPS Auburn Hills "Contact consumer to ensure that boat and systems are operating properly and customers concerns have been appropriately addressed. Please provide update to fax number below by 03/21/07."



On October 9, 2006, I received a letter from Mercury Marine regarding the quality of the service I received from Hoyle's Marine when they replaced the trim pump under warranty. I responded to the survey indicating that i was satisfied with the service.



In August 2006, I received a letter from Tracker Marine Group. Customer Relations Department dated August 9, 2006, regarding a Consumer Satisfaction Survey I had completed. Once again I was asked to allow the dealer to the opportunity to resolve the problems.



In July 2006 I received a letter from Jan Wyer, Advocacy Response Coordinator, Tracker Marine Group, dated July 24, 2006 regarding a customer satisfaction survey I submitted reagarding the performance of the my boat. The items requiring attention were rod lockers, prop, throttle control sticking, and hard to steer.



I feel that Tracker Marine Group and BPS,

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Sounds like you are having a definite problem. Like I said, I was not busting on you. There is a certain amount of scepticism that comes with post #1 being a complaint. We have a way of getting things taken care of here. So let's see what happens. My 2000 929, that I guide out of, has been in the shop a total of 2 days. I had a cracked oil saddlebag. Other than that, all original, all working.



TOXIC

 

[Larry Harp]

I also have a 591 and so far no problems or issues with the Okla City BPS. However, you are the second 591 owner complain about the rod locker filling with water. After the first time I read that, I went out into the garage and took a look at my boat. Don't get me wrong but, I cannot for the life of me figure out how water could get into that rod locker. The fiberglass of the top deck rolls up to form a lip that is about 1 3/4" high, then the lid of the locker is aluminum with a foam liner that when it conforms to the fiberglass lip forms what looks, to me, like a water tight seal completely around the lid. Even if the carpet were completely soaked I don't see how water could wick itself up and around the foam and into the locker. If the lid of the rod locker is not the culprit then where? Is the water getting in through the lock or the bow panel? If it's the lock then maybe that's the reason that Nitro switched to the Perko T-handle type locks in the '07 model. If it's the bow panel then maybe some silicone caulk might fix that too. Another question....Even if you left the lids open in a rainstorm wouldn't the water drain out the weep-hole in the bottom of all the lockers? Why is water "filling" up your locker; is the drain holes clogged? I've not had my boat out in anything stronger that a shower so I'm not sure I may experience the same problem that you have but I would like to head it off if I can.



Good luck on your boat. Hopefully, soon you'll get fixed up. I really like my 591 and I agree that the 150 is definitely the better motor. Did they charge you for the upgrade?



Harpo

 

[John Robinson]

Tracker Marine did not charge me any more for 150 Optimax. I had the option of accepting the boat with 150 Optimax or ordering another boat.



I reason purchased this boat was so that my grandson and I could fish in Bass Fishing Club tournaments, which began in early June 2006, so I felt that I had no other option than to accept the boat as it was shipped. I like the 150 Optimax, but I still am not certain that the correct prop was installed when I accepted the boat.



The question remains: If the boat left the factory with the incorrect engine, and with the battery maintenance system was not installed as ordered, what other defects does this boat have that the Quality Control Department also missed?



I asked BPS in Auburn Hills, to install the battery maintenance system prior to my acceptance of the boat, and I was informed by Rich Tota that the Battery Maintenance would cause problems with the computer on the engine, or something to that effect.



I need the batteries for the trolling motor to be charged when the main engine is running, because I store the boat in a self serve storage shed which has no electricity. Rich suggested that i buy a gasoline engine operated generator to charge the trolling motor batteries. I did buy a generator as suggested, but I did not know that it would take up 12 hours to charge the trolling motor batteries. So now I also own a gasoline operated generator, that I have no use for, because I have to bring the boat to my house to charge the batteries after each day of fishing.



I do not know where the water is getting into the rod lockers. Since I had BPS look at it, it seems to not hold nearly as much water as it once did.

 

[Mini]

I am a pro-staffer from the BPS Store in Auburn Hills. Let me preface all of this by saying that I am not part of Tracker Marine in any way. I WAS on the Tracker/Nitro Pro Staff for 4 years when the store first opened and I did see some problems but once Ken Neeley took over as Manager alot of those problems were resolved. He was the best they have had.



I would suggest to you to contact Riley Daniels or Tom Hardecki (spelling), General Manager and interm GM of BPS Detroit. It is my understanding that the Boat Dept and Service Dept are now under the GM's umbrella again. They should be able to help resolve these issues.



Now about your problem(s).....first off I am sorry that you have been having problems. I truely am. I know it doesnt go far, but I do understand part of the reason(s) you have been having these issues. One is that they have had numerous Service Managers in the past few years. Why? I dont know. All I know is that the turnover is not good for busines.



The wrong engine on the boat is a BIG problem for Tracker, not for you. The proper prop should be provided by Tracker. Period.



The battery maintenance system is NOT a good idea. Esp with an Optimax. I know of a National Pro Staff person that will remain nameless that had his boat burn up due to one of those. I have been leery ever since. If you are in a storage yard I would suggest contacting them and seeing of you can run a cord from one of their outlets for a minimal charge per month.



The water in the rodlockers. 6-8" is rediculous. Sounds like to me that your cap and hull are either seperated or not sealed. I would have them check that. It really isnt that hard of a fix, I did my first 911 when I had partial seperation. The only way for water to get that deep is to come through the sides or from the bilge. Your bilge pump would run constantly if it were coming from there.



I would agree that they have had plenty of time to resolve all of these issues and should step up to the plate. It seems like you are doing it the correct way, documenting all communication and not being rude about your communication with the company. I would still like to see something resolved as I am certain you would too.



I wish you the best of luck, make sure you contact Riley or Tom. Riley i sthe past GM that is taking over a Regional position and Tom is his interm replacement. Feel free to tell either of them that Mini sent you. They will know who I am.



Please keep us posted (or at least me) what is happening with your boat and if you and your grandson woul dlike to get out on St Clair please allow me to take you guys fishing. The least I can do to help alleviate some of the frustration. Feel free to contact me via email so we can set something up. Preferrably during the week after working hours. My weekends are pretty packed with tournaments.



I want you to realize, again, that I have no affiliation with Tracker Marine. I am only doing this out of sympathy to a fellow Nitro Owners Board Member and his grandson.



Mini

 

[Larry Harp]

Oh I see!!! Water is getting in up under the rub strip and the top cap seam....I never thought of that.:huh: I still don't see how it gets all the way up to the rod locker though. My old PT-185 took on water at the seam between the hull and the gunwale when ever I ran a long distance in fairly rough water but that was getting in toward the back of the boat not up by the rod lockers. I would just remember to turn on the bilge pump and then pull the plug and all was well.



Sorry, John....I seem to have taken just one part of your problem to get concerned with. I don't want it to look like I'm not sympathetic to your plight. However, I'm sure getting a 150 for the same price as a 135 didn't hurt too bad. I guess after I think about it, I did have a couple of disappointments on the set up on my boat. For example; I wanted a rigging tube. I think they are very cool looking and I like the way they clean up that whole bundle of wires, cables and hoses running from the boat to the motor. Last minute....they couldn't install a rigging tube because I have cable steering. I just let it slide and figured I would Aggie engineer something later....so far I haven't.



Good luck on your problems. One thing I've learned about Nitro....they really want to give excellent customer service and they try real real hard to do it, but they just don't seem to have the systems in place to do it. I work for a company that is in a similar situation where we have grown so big, so fast we just can't handle it all.

 

[John Robinson]

Thanks for good information, Mini. I really appreciate it. It should save me some bucks, because I will now not invest in a battery maintenance system.



I have sent emails to the Retail Store Manger and the Boat Manager on May 22, 2007, to which I have not yet received a reply. Do you have the eamil addresses of the gentlemen you listed in your post. I would like to contact them, if my boat is not yet finished when I get back from our Alaskan Cruise. We are leaving today and will return on June 9, 2007. I hope the boat will be finished by then, because we have a tournament early the next morning at Hubbard lake, over 110 miles from our home. Hopefully I can pick the boat up on our way home from Detroit Metro Airport



I have pasted the contents of theses emails below:



**********************************************************************



Mr. Hinze:



I hope you can assist me. I purchased the subject boat, Serial No. BUJ 36956D606, and took delivery on May 5, 2006. Since I the first time I put the boat in the water I began experiencing problems as listed below:



The boat was hard to get on plane and the engine would not get higher than 4500 rpm's. I took the boat to Hoyles Marina in Linwood, Michigan because I thought they were an authorized Tracker Marine Service Center. They took the boat for a test ride, and informed me that the boat had the wrong prop. They put a new 21P prop on the boat and the boat would get on plan much better and the engine would reach or exceed 5000 rpm's. I informed your Tracker Marine Service Center of this and asked if they would pay for or replace the prop and I was told that the prop that was on the boat when I took delivery (a 24P) was the correct prop for the boat. Hoyle's also repaired the speedometer.



The speedometer did not work. It has been repaired also at your Tracker Marine Service Center, but it stopped working shortly thereafter.



The rod lockers filled with water during periods of rain and would not drain, which caused damage to fishing rods, reels. tackle and other items stored in the rod lockers. The rod lockers were closed and locked and yet they still filled with water. I have had these repaired at your Tracker Marine Service Center, but they still take on water.



The dash mounted sonar unit can not be read at any speed above idle apparently because of cavitation.



Engine warning system will go off for no apparent reason when trying to get the boat on plane. There is no reason for the warning system to go off, (e.g., oil tank not full, water pump not working, etc.)



The engine trim pump had to be replaced under warranty on September 26, 2006, because the boat could not be trimmed to full plane

.

The dash mounted trim gauge has not worked since the trim pump was replaced.



The throttle cable sometimes sticks and the engine idle speed is very high. The cables from the engine to throttle, shift and steering controls bind up.



The engine misfires and idles rough.

I brought this boat to your Tracker Marine Service Center on October 10, 2006 to get the above defects repaired under warranty. Although the service center has kept me informed of the manufacturer defect in the throttle and shift control system and that the parts and modification kit were on order, the boat has not yet been repaired and I am still unable to fish the tournaments I have scheduled.



I have contacted Tracker Marine Headquarters in Springfield, Missouri regarding this matter, and they have sent me several letters informing me to contact my dealer regarding the matter because they are in the best position to give me immediate assistance.



I have been patient in this matter, and I have had to purchase an extended warranty from Tracker Marine because my warranty expired while my boat was in your service center for over 7 months.



I would appreciate any e

 

[Mini]

Dont email...they get HUNDREDS a day. Go to the store or call 248-209-4200.



I forgot to mention that if someone told you that they dont have a lake nearby that is a total lie. Oakland County has more lakes than any other county in the United States except for one in Minnesota. There is a lake about a mile down the road.....if they dont have time to water test it thats one thing, but there is more water in Oakland County than in Alabama...!



Goo dluck and shoot me an email when you get back from Alaska.....I am serious about taking you and your grandson out.



Mini