Why can't Tracker marine be like S&W

[fatrap]

As my six year old Tundra used for only five years sits in the Tracker Parking lot awaiting hydraulic steering at my expense I get a call from Smith and Wesson this morning about a pistol I bought quite a few years ago and never fired until last month.

It is a Smith and Wesson 40 caliber modle 4006. It spontainously drops the decock/safety after firing a couple rounds. S&W sent new springs but didn't cure the problem. The told me to send it back to them.

Got a call from a man named Mark this morning and they had been working on the pistol and determined the slide was out of specs. They didn't have a replacement slide with adjustable sights like mine had. He asked me if it was ok if they replaced the slide with a fixed sight slide and then top it off with some nice night sights. FREE!!

He said the pistol was made in 1993 before they started using CNC milling and this slide made it through without anyone catching it. Seeing It wasn't fired for almost 20 years the issued didn't pop up.

SO I'm overjoyed. Night sights!! I have several revolvers and pistols with adjustable sights and have never adjusted them anyway so big grins from me. Gets shipped back probably "Friday"

A twenty year old product and they stand behind it FREE OF ALL CHARGES AND THEY PAID SHIPPING. Isn'that amazing. On the other hand I asked Tracker while they were taking $#itt apart on my boat if they found any of the hardware from the compartment hatchs that rattled off into the bilges to put it in a baggy and I'll put it with the rest of my collection of crap that's fell off and broken. By the way my trailer lights shorted out for about the fifth time on the way to the dealership.

fatrap

 

[Ralph Hayden]

Wow..what a great company S&W is! I remember the first time I qualified with a S&W 38. It was the first time I had ever held a hand gun, never mind fire one. The instructor lined us up on the 3 yard line and on the whistle we were to draw our weapons from their holsters, bring the weapon to our hip and fire two quick shots into the target. On the whistle, I grabbed the weapon, pulled on it but it wouldn't come out of the holster. I pulled a little harder but it still wouldn't come out of the holster. The third time I pulled with all my might and the loaded weapon flew into the air above me as I stood under it to catch it. When I looked up the instructor had his face in his hands shaking his head in unbelief. It was a double retention holster and unbeknownst to me, the weapon had to be turned in the holster to remove it! My co-workers called me Barney Fife for about three years after that!



A well regulated bilge, being necessary to the security of a safe boat, the right of the people to keep and bear nuts and bolts, shall not be infringed.



fatrap...just curious, do you unplug your trailer lights before you launch?

 

[fatrap]

No they're sealed. Bulbs work fine. Theres a short in the harness someplace. I didn't have the time to push and pull on wires which is the usual drill to get them to work. I ran my Nitro for thirteen years and never unplugged the lights(sealed) and never changed a bulb. This glich showed up in year three. They said bad harness. I'll probably pull it and go to a LED system. More $$$$$ B reak O out A other T housand = Boat.



fatrap

 

[Bob G.]

fatrap,



I had a trailer harness issue a fews years back. Mice had got in the boxed trailer frame through the opening where the trailer swings. They chewed on the harness during the winter and exposed the bare conductors. The fuse for the lights would blow when the trailer would bounce on bumpy roads. I had to pull a new harness and re-wire the lights.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

I got up at O-dark-thirty one morning and started my pull to the lake for a guide trip. Stopped to get gas and out of my rigging hose popped a mouse with a look on it's face that was like "Dude!!, WTH is going on":lol: HE bailed from the boat never to be seen again!!

 

[fatrap]

Bob

Hugely great Idea. I will check the swing tongue pivot area. Dollars to donuts that's where it's at.



fatrap

 

[Steve Thompson]

:angry:I think Tracker marine sells junk, and its hard to stand behind junk.

 

[Chuck Ambrose]

fatrap,

Once you get the boat back and get a chance to try it out I like to know what you think. I am thinking of adding hydraulic steering to my boat, just not sure if it's worth the money.:unsure:

Thanks.

 

[fatrap]

I'll post it for all to see. Funny how my luck runs. My boat is sitting outside for the first time since November with a brand new crappy tarp from Dolco and last night it hails, rains, and blows winds to 60 mph. Go figure.



fatrap

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Luck of the draw boys. My 929 never spent a day in a garage. The gel showed it but it never let me down on the water. It was a 2000 and I replaced the bunks once in 12 years.

 

[Bob G.]

I agree Tox. My 2000 Nitro never had to go to the shop for a repair, must have been a good year for Nitro. I had a few issues over a 12 year span from trailering and bouncing around on the lake and I took care of them myself. The Merc XR6 never missed a beat.

 

[Jim B]

My 2000 NX 882 was a mostly good too although it did have some quality issues that the factory took care of. It didnt make ie enjoy it any less.



My 2008 Z7 has been a pleasure to own, the only problem i have ever had was with the coils on the motor.

 

[Mini]

Why? Because Smith and Wesson make guns. Tracker Marine make boats. Take that gun and place ini the lake and see how well it floats.



COMPLETELY different animal!!!!



And if Tracker was in the business of giving away stuff to people because they THINK its the manufacturers fault. Most of teh problems are in rigging. I am not saying that is the case with yours.....but ALL boats have stuff fall off them into the bilge. I started working for a Marine Engine company in 1987....you would believe the stuff some people find in their bilge!

 

[fatrap]

Mini you want the list of all the things I had to put up with in a "Brand new boat" and the things what were suspose to be fixed and how I got to use a brand new $30,000 boat six times the first year?

While working at BPS hunting dept my boat was the store joke from the check out people to the GM it was How's the boat? Whats the latest broken thing? I'll be glad to post it. My post was give a ooorah to SW and take a little shot at Tracker. No one put a gun to my head to buy it. They will have to put a gun to my head to by another one. Nitro maybe, Tracker...not on a bet.



fatrap

 

[Mini]

I dont need to see the list because I have probably experienced most of it myself with Tracker (and other brands).



Even when I was sponsored by Tracker/Nitro I would be there when my boat was taken off the trailer and would rig it with a mechanic. I let him handle the Mercury and throttle stuff. I would rig the rest so I knew it was done right. And more importantly so I woul dknow where to look when something went wrong on the water.



If your boat was the running joke AND the service manager knew AND his boss (Store GM) knew....then shame on THEM for not stepping up to get the things fixed correctly.



Ever tell you the time Tracker LOST my boat at the factory? True story.

 

[fatrap]

How could they lose a boat at the Factory Mini??

My GM did step up and was partially responsible for getting it back, abet not fixed right but back. The Tracker Service manager was fired for unrelated issues and the current one bent over backwards getting my boat fixed and this spring got the hydraulic steering on asap. Cudo's for Steve and their crew. Isn't it kind of funny that the long term members here are running other brands of boats?

Lose a boat??:unsure:

Mike Grandick

aka

fatrap

 

[Mini]

I do not know how....



but if the right offer came by I would not hesitate to run another Nitro. I would just handle it all with corporate on delivery so the same guys that rig the Elite Pro's boats would be rigging mine. Pf course that would entail a trip to the factory....but I would save the destination charges



I still believe that 80% of the problems that people have with a Tracker product is from the dealer. 10% is customer ignorance and 10% I could put on Tracker.

 

[Bob G.]

Agree with your last sentence Mini.

 

[Bruce Stenman]

The problem is that one should not need to rely 100% on the dealer for support. With S&W the OP did not have to go to a dealer for the repairs but could deal directly with the manufacturer. While it makes no sense to compare a gun manufacturer in a highly profitable and competitive business with the tiny companies making boats in the USA, there is still the attitude of the people in charge as to whether or not the goodwill of their current customers is important.

Tracker strives to be the cheapest boat on the market and they have succeeded. But as always you get what you pay for and with Tracker quite a bit less. I am glad the motor is from Mercury as they do provide good customer support and I do not need to rely 100% on the nearest Merc dealer.