Nitro customer service disappoints me again

[Thomas Macaluso]

Well Nitro has done it to me again ! Back on the Second week of September while I was on vacation up at Champlain the main power switch on my 929 started to not work. I called down to my dealer in Jersey and explained what part I needed thinking that it would be sitting on my doorstep when I got home. WRONG ! It took Tracker two weeks to send the part to me dealer . Luckily by jiggling the switch I was able to get power so I left the switch in the on position . Otherwise I would have had no livewell pumps for the rest of my tournaments . When the switch finally arrived guess what ? Wrong switch !! The switch for the 929 is a lighted switch and this one was not. I called my dealer and told them about the switch . They took my Hull ID # and we agreed that I would wait until I took the boat to be winterized to have the switch replaced . I brought the boat down to the dealer yesterday and was informed that the switch was backordered and there was no date when they would have it in !! At this point I was just disgusted and told them to install the first switch .

At this time I have to believe my dealer that this is not his fault. I have used them for a number of years they have always been great. How can Nitro not have a simple switch in Stock!! Does this mean that no 929,901 or 911 can

 

[Al Greco]

Tom, Your note is just another confirmation that I made the right decision not to buy another Nitro. I've heard and read too many stories similar to yours. I'm glad I have a Triton as there service is right up there with Basscat & Ranger. I hate to think that if you needed some major work done you still would either get no response or the run around.

 

[Jim B]

Tom i can understand your frustration and you have every right to feel that way. Im actually surprised your dealer didnt have that switch in stock, when mine failed i was able to get the correct lighted one for my 992 from the dealer on the first visit.



One thing to keep in mind is that Tracker/Nitro dosent make the switch, it could be backordered from the manufacturer of the switch. Id also bet that like most manufacturers of prodicts they buy two allotments of parts one for the assembly line and one for spare parts. When the spares run out they dont pull from the line, they reorder from the manufacturer or vendor. If its backordered then so be it. It happens in the auto industry too. I cant tell you how many times i would take my last GMC into the dealer for something broken only to find out that the part is backordered and cant be had for weeks. Simple stuff too like a door handle or a wiper motor, gaskets, etc. Sometimes things that could be a deasily in the aftermarket but since its warranty the dealer will only get oem parts. You would think a company as large as GM would have the parts in stock but sometimes they just dont. There were countless times i either had to fix something myself or drive around in a broken truck because of parts not being available. I think of it as just another reason i no longer own a gm product.



I agree with you 100% that tracker needs to step it up in some areas. Having someone to call if you have a techinical question and actually get an answer other then "see your dealer" is one of them. Being able to order parts directly could benefit some people as well. If they truly want to compete with companies like Ranger they need to take a hard look at how those companies treat customers and step it up to the same level.



I have never run into this problem with my Nitro, any time i have ever needed something my dealer has had it or had it within a few days. My nitro for the most part has been problem free. For me its never been an issue with this boat but i had similar problem with my old Champion. Talk about BAD customer service(sorry Pat). My Champ had a bad seat that didnt have hardly any foam in it so it felt like you were riding on the seat bottom( you were) it was very uncomfortable. I called Champion because the local dealer had gone belly up shortly after i bought the boat. They told me that they knew they had a bad run of seats on my model (Mean 16) and my boat fell in the serial# range of boats with the bad seats but since my boat "wasnt an expensive model" they wouldnt send me a new seat, i would have to pay for it to the tune of $400 for a seat for a three month old boat. Needless to say i want happy, and it took me multiple calls to every level of Customer service that would talk to me to get them to agree to send me a seat. It never came and i just ended up having a local shop redo the seat correctly. That is why i dont own a Champ now, loved the boat and hated the service that i got on it. Now that Champion is owned by Genmar and has different people in place i will give them another look when its time for me to buy again, but if they were the same company in Arkansas i would not.



Sorry for the long post but i just wanted to let you know your not the only one. I have zero problem with tracker, having only delt with them on one issue and having it resolved to my satisfaction i have ZERO complaints with them. But with The oid Champion and GMC i have more then my share if complaints i can toss around.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

I, on the other hand have had stellar service from both Tracker and the dealer (MARE Marine). The one time my boat went to the dealer, the dang oil saddle tank would not hold pressure (that's Merc's QC by the way not Tracker Marine) and they gave it back to me and it did it the very next time I went out on the lake. I took it back and they (the dealer) replaced the tank (come to find out it was hairline cracked from the factory)off of a motor that was in for a powerhead and ordered the new tank for that motor. Cost to me ----0-----. My rig has performed great and I have certainly put it through it's paces (Champlain, St. Clair). There is nothing on my boat that is Tracker Marine manufactured equipment that has failed, lets face it Tracker is the hull and workmanship....period, motor Mercury, livewell/bilge pumps, trailer Trailstar, electronics Lowrance, latches Perko, steering Sea Star and on and on. You know what...you got those same products in your Ranger, Triton, Skeeter, BassCat and so on. Tom, you think Tracker manufactures that switch? And do you think that the switch is only used in NITRO's? Probably not. Heck, I lost the plate off of my trailer the other day, dang rubber bracket broke, should I blame NITRO? Nah..... Sure, you may get better fit and finish with other makers and you may get better customer service but you pay for that up front. If you never use it, then the manufacturer has made a boatload (pardon the pun) of $$ off of your purchase. Is Ranger a good boat, you bet....do they have stellar customer service.....right again, but if you don't think you are paying for that you're wrong. NITRO/Tracker is a mass market manufacturer, you take your chances with that and you get the benefit of that in price. Everybody who buys a high dollar boat deserves good customer service, there's no argument from me on that. Try to get parts for a Yamie motor.....is that Ranger's fault? Nope. Bottom line, would I buy another NITRO? Yep, in a heartbeat. I can't see putting out that $$ upfront. Am I gonna have a hard time selling it? Probably. But truthfully, I see a lot of BassCats over on the other page that are not getting snapped up, Mike Snow, you sold yours yet? Same with Rangers (nobody beating down JR's door)and so on. Don't get caught up in the "grass is greener" syndrome cause after you put the dough out for whatever brand you decide on, you're still gonna be fixing things, it's the nature of the beast. I'll take the $$ I save upfront, invest it, draw on it for repairs and take a bath when it comes time to sell and I will still be $$ ahead. A lot of $$ ahead if I get another boat that has been as good as the one I own now. 5 years and no problems, no pumps, no switches, no nothing. Just make sure you look at the big picture.



TOXIC

 

[Craig Roberts]

Tom, give me your serial # and I will look it up for you. If I don't have it, I do have access to 19 other locations, and I'd bet one of them has it. In defense of your dealer not having that switch in stock, your boat is a 2000 model, and Nitro has changed the type of switches they use in the last 4 years. Dealers try to keep as little non-current parts inventory as they think they need. It's a bottom-line issue, unfortunately.



Craig

 

[Jim B]

Toxic,

As always you make a good point. I agree with you 100%





Al,

have you ever used Triton's service personally since you got your tr186 or are you basing that off word of mouth? The reason i ask is the only person i know that has had a major issue with a Triton had to really fight to get his problem resolved only to have it return again on a new hull. He got the run around as bad if not worse then anyone here has ever gotten from Tracker. Im not bashing Triton, i think they make a fine boat(not the best by any means) but what this guy has had to deal with tells me is they are no better then anyone else out there. If you want to hear what he as had to deal with go over to www.nesportsman.com and ask KenMc about his Magnum 186 on the Bass Tournaments board. Im sure he will gladly share his tale with you or anyone else, that way you can hear it first hand.



Here is a link to his last thread on the subject, it dosent tell the whole story but its a start
http://www.nesportsman.com/cgi-bin/...12/webbbs_configfreshwater_bass.pl?read=30343

 

[Al Greco]

Jim, First of all I'm not "bashing" Nitro since I owned one for several years. I had some dealings with them that were less than positive with many follow-ups to finally get a part or get a status on something. I have not used Triton's service department other than transferring the hull warranty but have heard and witnessed prompt service/parts and call backs from the previous owner of my boat. I'm simply comparing my experience with Nitro and the differences in service level the prior owner had. I hope I don't have to deal with them at all because as you said I could have a bad experience that could change my first impression of them. Again, not bashing Nitro as I don't regret my boat purchase with them just think they have a ways to go to catch up to the top boat manufacturers in terms of service.

 

[Jim B]

Al, i certanly didnt think you were "bashing" Nitro. I understand that there have been plenty of people who have had less then positive dealings with them. Thankfully i have not had those issues, my experience has been fine. I just wanted to see where you were coming from on Triton wether it was first hand or thru someone else. From what i can see based on the few people i know who own them they are no better then anyone else. My friend Ken's problem is huge in my book and them not stepping up to the plate and taking care of it without a fight and threats to sue speaks volumes. My other two friends who own Tritons havent had and factory problems per-se but thier dealer as been less then stellar in dealing with problems and rigging thier boats.



I agree that Nitro/Tracker needs to improve, there is no doubt about that.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

I too for one have not had good dealings in the past with Tracker. I wound up getting a new boat after pulling out what little bit of hair I have left.

I can say that it was not Tracker in the beginning...it was the dealer BUT, it came down to Tracker steppin' up to the plate after the dealer washed their hands of it. Yes..I did finally get satisfaction but, not fater spending a week on the phone with them and having to wait another 3 weeks for a new boat. They made it right but, would I buy another?

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Always your choice to buy what you want. Caveat Emptor!!



As an aside, how much and what homework did y'all do before you bought your boats or was it a price only decision (comparison shopping)?



TOXIC

 

[Thomas Macaluso]

Toxic

I don

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Mine was a little of both. It was between Express and Tracker. Express has a better boat by far but, at the time their trailers sucked

On the other hand I figured with it being "all welded"...Tracker with the package deal would be the better way to go. And I did a ton of homework before I bought but, was still very reluctant to get the Tracker just because of their reputation.

BTW Tom...I don't uderstand why either If they had better CS...I'm sure that consumers would cut em' some slack. But, I'm like you in the fact...THEY DON'T. Also your problem wasn't even close to these problems...motor and boat. So I do feel your frustration. You do expect what they advertise and that's the "bottom line"!

 

[Jim B]

Good question Tox, im curious to see some answers. When i bought my Champion i was based on thier reputation as well as my experience fishing out of some in my club. In the end the dealer sucked and Champion was less then stellar with thier service. Overall i liked the boat but everythin that wasnt right from the factory i had to resolve myself. Needless to say that experience could have been better.



When i got my Nitro i did some homework on the dealer as well as the boat. It was during that time i found this site. Based on what 882 owners had to say about the boat, my own liking of the layout and design and reputation of the dealer from actual customers(its amazing how people who never shopped somewhere can form an opinion based on hersay) i bought the nitro and i couldnt be happier. My dealer Marine USA has been stellar, the boat has been great, and my overall experience has been great. My one dealing with tracker was ok, not great but ok. Having a great dealer behind me made all the difference in my opinion.



Live and learn.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Tom, I'm not saying that you shouldn't be pizzed. I know it is frustrating. But those same inferior products are in a lot of the other brands.....and you pay a lot more for them in the package deal. Mine don't go out with the livewell pumps, it's the bilge!!LOL!! And only the console and dash units. If I'm not mistaken, that problem has been corrected. But I see your point and that is part and parcel to keeping prices lower than the competitors.



TOXIC

 

[Brian Bell2]

The fit & finish on my 750 is very good,, perfect by no means, but I also did not pay 20K+ that I would have for a triton , ranger, basscat or skeeter of equal size and layout. So with that said for the $$ the boat is hell of a value. Yes I would like to see Nitro take better care in providing a better fit and finish, but that would prob. drive the cost up thousands of dollors. I am realy happy with my 750, the only problem I had was when I first got it, and this was related to the factory not taking care in installing the gas tank.. It was fixed and have had no problems since.

As for Tracker Warranty and CS ,, I aggree they will take you to the mat before they aggree to fix something. Back in 1999 I purchased a 700 LX the hull and cap had numerious scratches and blemishes, we did not notice this until we got the boat in some good sunlight the next day. It took 2 weeks of phone calls and headaches to get Tracker to ship a new hull, when they did it was PERFECT, someone at the factory took the time to ensure there were no problems with it.

Will I purchase another Nitro when ready to buy a new boat again in the future, I do not know, I think its hit or miss if your gonna get a good one or bad one with Nitro. Lucky for me my NX750 appears to be a good one, and I hope to keep it a very long time.

For me price was big issue as well as the looks of the boat. Nitro fit my needs as I do not finance my toys. So laying out 20-25 K cash for a 17-18 foot bass boat was not an option last year, I did not see any additional value when compairing other 17-18 footers to the 750.

 

[Paul P]

I agree with Jim B's comments.



I am also a Marine USA (Worcester, MA) customer and their service has made ownership of my Nitro an absolute joy. As long as you find a dealer with proven, outstanding service then its hard to beat the dollar value of a Nitro.



Maybe Bob B has another career in preaching his customer service philosophy to other dealers ;-).

 

[Al Greco]

I bought my Nitro (first boat) mainly because of price. I was a college student and did not want a huge payment. I was not as knowledgeable about the different brands and how they were constructed, materials used, mass produced etc. The price was right and do not regret a thing as I virtually did not have any problems with the boat I could not fix myself. That was 6 years ago. I've learned a lot in that time from reading and from being in many different makes of boats form our bassclub. I think my last decision was made on reputation, need for a bigger boat, price, knew the owner, & just spending a lot of time in this particular boat. I knew the owner took meticulous care of this boat and didn't have a lot of time on the motor. I was not in the market for a new one but the deal was too good to pass up. I also had the urge of buying something newer for many years and finally said "what the heck."

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

That's exactly my point. If you base your decision on price, not Customer Service, then be prepared to fight for what is rightfully yours. The dealer can make that fight swing to your favor but it seems that customer oriented dealers are hard to find. Why is that?



TOXIC

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Ahahahaaa! That's it Tox Cause they are SURELY gonna' lose the battle with me...so why waste mine and their time

I had to "throw the gloves down"

 

[Jim B]

Another good question Tox. In my opinion its a reflection of the instant everything, and selfish culture we now live in. Dealers want the sale now and dont care about retaining you as a future customer. Its instant gratification, they got your money now and once they have it they stop caring. I dont think its exclusive to boat deaalers either, any dealer or store or anything. Customer service is something that has been lost over the years, its a shame.



Lucky for me both my boat dealer and truck dealer have great customer service. I spent a fair amount of tim shopping the dealers in the area both boat and truck and i have never had a complaint with either because they do the right thing.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

I agree Jim but I'll even take it a bit deeper....Tracker/NITRO's customer base is mainly first time boat buyers. Not repeat customers, now can they turn their back on existing customers, no but are they the "focus", no again. I will still say that they will step to the plate if you pitch them correctly. Nathan Long has posted here in the past and I know he is sincere. He has no incentive to post here and a lot to lose if he gets gangtackled. Bottom line is that I would buy another NITRO. AND.....they do make a good boat that has withstood all of the punishment that I can dish out both guiding and big water fishing.



TOXIC

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Come on Tox...Nathan was one of my biggest problems I worked around that guy.

And not all are first time buyers....some are gluttens for punishment ..like me

Nobody siad they didn't make a decent boat...it's standing behind your product and claims.

 

[Edward J. Krummert, Jr]

Guys it comes down to your dealer doing the right thing and standing up for whats right. You as the consumer can either "help" or "p&*s in someone's wheaties" at Tracker and make the dealers job impossible. I say this because I do it every day. No their boat is not perfect, but whose is? Do you go to work every day and give 100%? Every day no matter what? If you say Yes to this question I would like to purchase whatever it is you do. There is no product that is perfect everytime. I agree that there are some issues, however with the quantity of boats Tracker produces I truely think their "bad" boats are few and far between. I understand that you gentleman spend lots of hard earned money to purchase your boats and I thank you for that, because of that fact I have a job(that I really like), however how about a little slack for those of us in the middle between you and the manufacturer trying to do the best for all involved.

Thanks ED

 

[Barry Loos]

The dealer makes new boat ownership a joy or nightmare... period. I bought my PT 175 Tracker from a local dealer that sells Bass Tracker/Nitro as a

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

I agree Ed, but you are lucky enough to work at a dealership who cares and will do the right thing. Seems you are in the minority. That was my question, why is it so hard to find your type of dealership? Is it profit margin? Is it the sheer number of warranty claims? Is it indicitive of the industry? Why?



TOXIC

 

[Brian Bell2]

Finding a dealership that will provide quality after the sale service is tough. But there are few things we can do as consumers to limit our exposure to the bad ones.

1- Since Tracker / Nitro products are the same price regardless of dealership accross this country. Get a feel for your salesman, are they interested in your needs or just moving a unit. Just spend some time talking to them.



2- Check out the parts and service dept. meet with the folks that work there, ask for a tour.



3- Ask around at the boat ramp on folks experience at the dealer your working with.



4- Call the BBB and see if any complaints have been filed.



5- Look over the dealer inventory, are the boats kept clean is the parts and service dept's clean and orginized.



6- While at the dealership, try to speak to some customers that may be in the lot or service dept. get a feel for their experience at the dealer. ( before and after the sale )



7- Check out this site and others on advise / oppinions on a particular dealership.



These are just of the few things I did before making the decision to purchase from my dealer. Hope this advise helps anyone looking for a new ride.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Dealer,dealer and DEALER BUT......why does Tracker let it go on? Dealers can make or break your product

Think not...Then why is GM and other companies "grading" their dealerships now and if everything is not COMPLETELY SATISIFIED in any aspect of the deal...THAT dealership and salesmen get ZIP! And that's the way it should be. Just like school....haha!

 

[Jim B]

Tee,

Its not just Tracker that lets this type of behavior go on. Its everywhere regardless of brand. My old Champion dealer was a turd, Never fixed a single problem with my boat despite it sitting there for weeks, tried to charge me $600 for the 20 hour service that should be done for free because OMC included it in the price when i got my evinrude, boat was delivered late, wrong colors ordered etc. I could come up with lots more, the fact is Champion let it go on despite repeated complaints from many customers. The only reason they stopped selling Champions is because they went under due to bad reputation, guys just plain stopped going there.



My tournament partners Triton is another fine example. His dealer did some butes. They left two of the bolts that hold the jackplate to the hull loose, so loost that i spun the nuts off by hand. If i hadent noticed that he would have lost his motor had he actually run the boat, this was on the day of deleivery. They had tne motor height set wrong, it was propped wrong. They mounted his trolling motor too far back and you couldnt put it down into the water because the shaft hit the rail. The real kicker is when they did hisw 10 hour service on his new 115 Evinrude they crossthreaded one of his plug holes and kept the boat almost a month to fix it. He complained to Triton as have others about this dealer yet they continue to sell Tritons and Triton looks the other way.



If you think GM is any better you are mistaken. I personally dont think those report cards they send out mean crap. My last truck i had was a GMC, the dealer just plain sucked. The broke stuff, never fixed my truck right, lied to me many times etc. I filled out every report card i ever got and not once was it a glowing review of the dealer. I called and complained directly, wrote letters to GM directly and never once did i hear a responce fromg GM. This dealer has many complaints with the BBB and the people at GM who i talked to on the phone told me that this dealer recieves lots of complaints. What has GM done about it? Let them have the Hummer line too so they can Pi$$ off more people. They look the other way because they are selling cars.



The bottom line is if they are selling boats the boat maker dosent seem to care, same for cars. Its all about money. When it comes down to it they can sell a bunch of boats/cars and have a few unhappy customers out of the bunch they sell or sell no boats/cars at all. They will choose to sell boats/cars every time. And as long as we keep spending out money at these dealers they will continue to act this way.



Lusky for me i have dealers for both my bat and truck that care about customers and do what it takes to make them happy.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Oh they're workin' alright! I just sent out a report on my 04 Sierra that was uh let's say, "not good"

Next day I get a phone call from the dealer crying and wanting to know why? Cause they don't get the cupy doll or the money

 

[Jim B]

Tee, was it a dealer report card or one from GM? It wasnt too long ago(2 years) that i had mine and the GM report card didnt mean squat. I filled out countless numbers of those cards(mainly because my truck was there all the time)and never once did i hear a response from the dealer or GM. With all the complaints that this dealer gets in my area to only have GM do nothing tells me everything i need to know. The dealer is in a prime area that gets tons of traffic and GM is going to take advantage of that if they can. Regardless of the way customers are treated after the sale they are making money and thats truly all they care about.



On the other foot my Dodge dealer dosent rely on the surveys sent out by Dodge. When i have taken my truck in for service the service manager personally has called me to make sure everything was taken care of to my satisfaction and to make sure whatever was fixed was fixed right. When i have brought it in for anything they detail the truck inside and out and have even delivered the truck to me at work. I dont ask them to do it, they just do and its the personal attention i get and extras they do that will make me buy my next truck from them.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

You won't hear a response because it's already a done deal. Why do think they push it now...The Dealerships themselves are the ones actually givin' the industry the "black eye". I still can't stress enough that it is the dealer....

 

[Mikel Stephens]

Nitro: Cheap company that has sold alot of boats to good, honest people.



Owners are the best part of Nitro...it sure aint their service or boats.

 

[Edward J. Krummert, Jr]

Toxic,

Your right I'm lucky I work for a dealership that cares. It starts at the top, with the owner. We are a small shop with 6 employees(that includes the owner, he's third generation. Trust me I'm sure you will find people who will tell you I'm an a&^%*(e, however I try as well as everyone who works with me. Do I forget stuff, yep, lose stuff, yep. But I personally try to do my best and when we as a dealership screw up we step up and attempt to make good on it. I honestly don't know why dealerships don't treat everyone as they would like to be treated. As to sheer number of warrenty claims, I don't think Tracker has any more problems than any other manufacture. It is nothing more than math. If 2% of your product is going to have problems and you are producing twice or three times what your competition is you will naturally have more product with problems. As to the industry as a whole, the trade people like you and I change underwear. Someone who works for Tracker may be working for Sylvan or Starcraft, or whoever next week. Thats just the way it goes. The other part of the problem is with the consumer(don't beat me just hear me out), the vast majority of people buy for $$$$$ only. Then when they have a problem and go back to the dealer and the service su^&s really bad. Then the consumer is majorly weinered off. It's not fair to good dealership to suffer from a few bad apples. Tee I agree if you as a dealership don't make the grade the your dealership should be penelized. I started to watch this board to see how I and the dealership I work for can change to make life better for all involved in the sale/service aspect. Communication is probably the BIGGEST issue. If the dealer kept the consumer informed and Tracker kept the dealer informed and consumer kept both Tracker and the dealer informed life might get better.



Ed