Really not happy with Tracker Marine - update 5/27/10 2024

bassnleo reply :

Some of you may remember my thread about my Tracker Grizzly. Just over 1 month ago I discovered that the aluminum ribs welded into the boat had all cracked. The welds holding the front deck to the hull also cracked.

I was instructed to gut the boat and take it back to the dealer which I did within a week. It's been sitting there since about the second week of March.

This week I finally got kinda fed up and started inquiring what the heck is going on. The tech I'm in touch with at the dealer has been pretty good with me, I'm sure he's at Tracker's mercy. He's spoken to Tracker, e-mailed pics of the damage.

Today I got word that Tracker now wants the boat back at the plant to inspect it and determine if it is repairable or it needs replaced.

How long will this take? I'm without a small boat for our tournaments on hp restricted lakes which are common in this area. Tournament season is underway. To make matters worse, I've been looking for a specific jet outboard for the boat and I've finally found one. Problem is I have no boat to put it on.

I've about hit my wits end with Tracker.

The saga continues.

done reply :

Call them directly if you can. That is total BS. You buy a boat to be able to use it. You buy a fishing boat to use it especially during the BEST darn bass time of the year.

Remind them of the importance of word of mouth and that you are keeping a log of your experience with them on these boards. They are doing nothing but making sure they have fewer customers.

I would also lean on the boat dealer. He can lean on his Tracker rep as well so get some stuff flowing uphill to tracker that way.

It may do nothing but give you a chance to vent but it may help if they got some decent folks somewhere in the company.

Jig Man reply :

If they are going to bring that puppy all the way back here to the plant in Lebanon, MO, you are going to be without a boat for a very long time.

Unfortunately, your warranty doesn't mention time not or the water. If just says repair or replace.

bassnleo reply :

It is coming to MO.........

I will be calling Tracker directly.

More to follow.....

SoFl-native reply :

Get a contact at Tracker who actually has some influence on your situation and ride them like its your job. Call everyday, twice a day, then again. Keep a list of who you talk to and what is said. Write down promised finish dates and all details. That is the only way to play the corporate game.

good luck.

b.Lee reply :

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Get a contact at Tracker who actually has some influence on your situation and ride them like its your job. Call everyday, twice a day, then again. Keep a list of who you talk to and what is said. Write down promised finish dates and all details. That is the only way to play the corporate game.
good luck.

So very true. I used to do that with my cellphone company. I had two call 4 times a day until they got fed up with it.

bassnleo reply :

I agree with calling, possibly as much as is necessary..........but........don't ya think it may get to a point where Tracker says "To hell with this guy, pain in our $%*, we'll sit on this repair and watch 'em suffer"?

I'm just afraid of reaching that point.

I'm actually looking for another boat. If I find one I'm buying it. When this ordeal ends, new boat or repair, I'm selling it.

I just can't go much longer without a aluminum boat.

done reply :

I would not see them doing that.

Be sure to mention to them this thread and how many threads we have in this section about first time boat buyers looking for suggestions. May help persuade them a bit.

morts10 reply :

Call corperate headquarters. Several years ago bought a new firearm from a major manufacturer. Purchase was made in september for season to start in april of following year. Firearm was defective and dealer could get nowhere. March of that year I had enough. > Called headquarters and after 20 minutes had worked my way to a vice president. Told story and explained that I was a subscriber to numerous magazines in which his company advertised. That I was a member of several firearms related organizations and worked in a retail business that sold firearms and related products. Explained that I had letters (pre-internet) written and in stamped envelopes sitting on my desk telling my story. Gave him 2 weeks to fix problem or all would be mailed to the organizations and magazines to which I was affiliated. Also said I would be filing a complaint with Better Business Bureau in state where corporate headquarters was located. In one week had new firearm with letter from workers at plant detailing extra features and finish they had put on firearm to make up for trouble.

These days of the internet and the current economy you may have even more clout. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

mort

shootermcbob reply :

Call corporate and keep going up the ladder until you get what you need. Remind whomever you are talking to that you can easily reach well over ten thousand people on just ONE website, many of whom are already following this thread to see how they end up treating you. I would suggest wording it something like..."I would hope that you would do the right thing and take care of this problem, but if not I am prepared to share this story with several thousand of my fishing friends on the websites I visit. Many are already aware of the situation and are monitoring it to see how it is concluded".

My sincere hope for you is that get far enough up the ladder and reach someone who truly understands customer service and personally handles this for you.

Good luck.

Stasher1 reply :

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Call corporate and keep going up the ladder until you get what you need. Remind whomever you are talking to that you can easily reach well over ten thousand people on just ONE website, many of whom are already following this thread to see how they end up treating you. I would suggest wording it something like..."I would hope that you would do the right thing and take care of this problem, but if not I am prepared to share this story with several thousand of my fishing friends on the websites I visit. Many are already aware of the situation and are monitoring it to see how it is concluded".
My sincere hope for you is that get far enough up the ladder and reach someone who truly understands customer service and personally handles this for you.

Good luck.

ALWAYS deal with a member of management if you have a problem. The advice I was given years ago was "Never accept a NO from someone who lacks the authority to give you a YES."

shootermcbob reply :

Stasher1, I couldn't agree more. However, in my personal experience most people just accept what the person they are dealing with tells them. Most people are not willing to keep fighting until they get what they want. I am not in any way saying Uncle Leo is like this. I do not know him. I have witnessed personally car dealers, insurance companies, retail stores, etc give folks a raw deal, and they just accept it. There is always another person to to share your unhappiness with, right up to and including Jonny Morris himself.

Stasher1 reply :

Everybody has a boss, and typically the higher you go in the complaint process, the less they want to be bothered. In my experience, they'll do what it takes to get you out of their hair so they can move on to more important issues.

junebugmn reply :

I have a buddy that has a 2005 pro-17 or something, well it developed a leak a weld broke, he sent it back to a local tracker dealer, they ended up sending it to missouri and they "fixed" it and on top gave him a new tracker travel cover to boot! BUT! Who ever said welded hull's won't leak :-? Took hm 4 month's to get his boat back, but he sent it during winter, Junebugman

bassnleo reply :

Update...........

Boat still sits at the dealer. Has been there since March 13th. The only thing accomplished to this point is Tracker deciding they want it back in Lebanon Mo and one form being faxed to the dealer, then to me, back to the dealer, then to Tracker which they received a few days ago.

Was told today that Tracker gives a 2 week window for pick up and once they have the boat back at the plant they "like" to turn the things around in 7 days.

So......2 weeks would be May 9th, add seven days-May 16th, lord knows how long to fix/replace and ship it back...another 2-3 weeks or more?

I'm looking at probably late May or early June-best case scenerio. 2-3 total months (possibly more) without a boat.

This is just plain nuts.

I may sell this piece of crap when it comes back, even if they give me a new one.

I will never buy another Tracker product again.

Javelin200 reply :

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This is just plain nuts.
I may sell this piece of crap when it comes back, even if they give me a new one.

I will never buy another Tracker product again.

Don't blame ya there. That'd be my next move.

=Matt 5.0= reply :

I see a G3 in your future.

burleytog reply :

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I see a G3 in your future.

If I ever buy another boat, it will be a G3, Triton or Xpress aluminum.

Dan: reply :

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I see a G3 in your future.

If I ever buy another boat, it will be a G3, Triton or Xpress aluminum.

No Lowe?

burleytog reply :

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I see a G3 in your future.

If I ever buy another boat, it will be a G3, Triton or Xpress aluminum.

No Lowe?

I don't like the layout of the Lowe boats.

Dan: reply :

gotcha. I'm just trying to collect opinions on aluminum boats so I can do some goal-setting.

Glenn Abuelhaj reply :

Call Springfield, MO and ask for Johhny Morris, the founding father of Bass Pro Shops and Tracker Marine. He will personally take care of you to your satifaction.

Remember, ask for Johnny!

=Matt 5.0= reply :

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gotcha. I'm just trying to collect opinions on aluminum boats so I can do some goal-setting.

It's hard to beat the old standby G3 1236.

bassnleo reply :

I'm looking at a Polar Kraft 1680MV and will more than likely go with that boat.

If I could find a Lowe 1652VT, I'd jump on that. The newer Lowe's aren't the same as past models.

I'm with Burly, I don't like the layout of the new models.

Dan: reply :

what part don't you like?

bassnleo reply :

Almost 2 months have gone by to this point.

Spoke to the dealer today. My boat is at the Tracker plant. May have an answer next week on the outcome, repair/replace.

The wait continues........

done reply :

Dude...that sucks. You are nicer than I. I think I would have a lawyer involved at this point. There is absolutely no reason it should take 2 months to replace a crap product. They are doing nothing but destroying their reputation and ticking off a customer. After 2 months wait without ANY boat, who would ever buy another tracker?

After posting on this board about it, I would bet they have lost other sales. It is just retarded beyond belief that the company would do that to a customer.

VaAngler reply :

Love my G3, started to buy the tracker glad i didn.

cart7t reply :

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...... They are doing nothing but destroying their reputation and ticking off a customer. .....

They long ago created a reputation by ticking off customers with horrible customer service.

While the build quality of their boats has always been questionable, it was the service after the sale that Tracker/Nitro/Tahoe has been well known for dropping the ball on way too often. I've had first hand experience with a couple friends boats to know NOT to buy anything made by them.

goodolboy reply :

Go with the Xpress. can't be beat.

waynechute reply :

Sorry for the first post being negetive, but i found this topic while doing some research, i purchased my boat from tracker marine in 05, it was a show room model used at ontario place as a demo, upon receiving the boat it had several paint and decal issues that took forever to have fixed but in fact were fixed, 1 year and 2 months after the carpet rotted out, so tracker only being the only manufacture to offer a 1 year warranty , screwed me there, no big deal i just replaced the carpet, last year the boat started to take on water, and not alittle ,alot!If it was left in over nite it would fill to the gunnels, took the boat in for a acessement, they tell be hard trailering, bull pucky!Never once has this boat been driven onto a trailer, what has happened is were the inside strakes are welded to the hull ,it has cracked around the welds and even in places started to tear the hull, cracks are pushed outwards, so if in fact i had hit somethingthe crack would be pushed in, there are in total 7 cracks in the hull and tonite the manager of tracker marine in Vaughn calls me and says his hands are tied and tracker marine says the boats been fixed before, , i've never touched this boat and the only time since new it was touched was by there guy when the first repairs were done, i am completely disgusted with this company, did some research and found this is a ongoing problem, i,m calling the head tracker complaint office in the morning and then i will be contacting the canadian coast guardds safety council to see if the can give me a fair assement and opinion of the damage. Buyer beware, any body owning a tracker all welded aluminium hull should be warned , tried to post some pics but i'm a newbie LOL!Update today was warranty is refused because they feel ther is bondo in the said areas, bought this new from the dealer, what aren't they telling me here!

By the way I,m Wayne from Ontario canada, proud owner of a cracker marine boat and thank goodness a 2000 21SS Extreme Stratos!

junebugmn reply :

Crestliner, Alumacraft mv serie's, alumiweld, I believe they are made in canada, there is a lot of jon-boat manufacturer's out there, I have seen a couple of crestliner jon bass boat's they are pretty nice!! A great layout too Junebugman

scrutch reply :

do you have any attorney friends? Have one make a call for you. my wife's an attorney and when I get in a situation like that, she calls and almost always gets immediate action.

done reply :

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do you have any attorney friends? Have one make a call for you. my wife's an attorney and when I get in a situation like that, she calls and almost always gets immediate action.

Be nice is Tracker had an email address too, we could email them links to these types of discussions. To date (knock on wood) my PT175 has been good. Though with the feedback I have heard on their customer service, I do not think my next boat will be a tracker.

cart7t reply :

LOL. "Cracker Marine"

Good one. ;D

Pantera61 reply :

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I see a G3 in your future.

If I ever buy another boat, it will be a G3, Triton or Xpress aluminum.

No Lowe?

I don't like the layout of the Lowe boats.

I've had my Express for 10 years and I haven't had a single complaint with the boat. I should have known better than to have an MG trolling motor and my dealer was the pits but the boat itself is great.

I've made some adjustments, extended the original deck and sold the outboard and I've not been gentle on the water but the XPress has treated me well.

bassnleo reply :

Spoke to Tracker again today. The lady I spoke with was more helpful than anyone else has been to date.

Boat is apparently being fixed now. The ribs are being welded and reinforced. New supports are being welded in (like the new models have now). Longitudinal stringers also being welded in (also like the new models now have).

Once that work is completed, the boat will be leak tested (it didn't leak before).

If it passes leak test it will be shipped back to the dealer. Work "should" be done by early next week, then the test.

Trust me, if I were in a financial situation to buy a new boat right now I would. It's still not totally out of the question though.......

bassnleo reply :

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do you have any attorney friends? Have one make a call for you. my wife's an attorney and when I get in a situation like that, she calls and almost always gets immediate action.

I do, but as of yet Tracker hasn't failed to fulfill the warranty. If they do my next step may be that route.

S Hovanec reply :

If it wasn't for the fact that Trackers are packaged with Merc motors, I'd probably have one now. Glad I settled for a Lund ;D.

lazeebum reply :

I am glad I read this. I will not be buying a Tracker boat. I want another boat in the future and this thread just helped me eliminate Tracker.

Pantera61 reply :

Yeah, whole sordid tale is pretty much souring me on a Tracker.

bassnleo reply :

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If it wasn't for the fact that Trackers are packaged with Merc motors, I'd probably have one now. Glad I settled for a Lund ;D.

Didn't you just buy a Tracker as a project boat, LOL?

S Hovanec reply :

Yep, I did just buy a Tracker project, but it's rivited, not welded....and I sold the Merc before I even got it home :.

I was actually speaking of my boat quest from 2004-2005 in my previous post.

basshunter81 reply :

I just bought a Z-7 two weeks ago and on the third trip out (first tournament) the boat went to hell. They gave me the wrong live-well plug, the seat ripped, the trolling motor failed and the oil reservoir cap located on the engine was double threaded and oil ended up everywhere. I live 2.5 hours one way trip from bass pro. I told them i wanted them to pick it up, repair it and then return it. All of these issues were combined with several others and an unprofessional staff. I tried to use the chain of command and it failed. That's when I contacted the office of the VP of bass pro (who owns nitro/tracker) and my boat was picked up the next morning (yesterday) and is being fixed. They always try to rip the little man.

Fishing Rhino reply :

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I just bought a Z-7 two weeks ago and on the third trip out (first tournament) the boat went to hell. They gave me the wrong live-well plug, the seat ripped, the trolling motor failed and the oil reservoir cap located on the engine was double threaded and oil ended up everywhere. I live 2.5 hours one way trip from bass pro. I told them i wanted them to pick it up, repair it and then return it. All of these issues were combined with several others and an unprofessional staff. I tried to use the chain of command and it failed. That's when I contacted the office of the VP of bass pro (who owns nitro/tracker) and my boat was picked up the next morning (yesterday) and is being fixed. They always try to rip the little man.

Would that by any chance be the BPS in Foxborough?

ww2farmer reply :

Add me to the list of people who will never buy another Tracker. I have an 07 PT170, hull has cracked 3 times, during the busiest part of our already short northeast bass season. I could not tolerate beeing boat less for weeks on end, so I lit the Tracker warranty on fire and had it fixed else where. I am lucky to have a very very good aluminum welding/repair/fabrication shop less than 20 mins from me. There repairs have not failed.

VaAngler reply :

I love my G3, the pricing on it was the most reasonable i found, and the quality doesnt seam to be sacraficed by no means, and by pricing i should be more clear, Its the only one i could find bear and ready for me to custimize as a want to.

basshunter81 reply :

It was the BP in MA

=Matt 5.0= reply :

So glad I bought a Stratos...

bassnleo reply :

My boat is done and has been trucked back to the dealer from Missouri.

An employee at the dealership e-mailed me today. He is going to be in my area this Sunday. He has volunteered to tow my boat back to me saving me a 70 mile drive.

Tracker has installed a floor kit in the boat (which it did not have when this all began) and repainted the whole boat.

I'm anxious to get it back and get the outboard jet put on.

It's been a long ordeal, just short of 3 months.

I will post another update when I get it back and can run it on the water to see if the fix and changes have worked to my satisfaction.

SoFlaBassAddict reply :

Hopefully everything worked out for you. Get it out on the water and test it out. Catch a few fish while you do, I'm sure you've been dying to.

Fishing Rhino reply :

Not sure what a floor kit is, but suspect that it is part of the fix. My guess would be that it adds stiffness to the bottom, preventing the flexing which would have caused the problem, akin to bulkheads in larger boats.

Either way, it's a good thing to have done.

Hope everything from this point on works out to your satisfaction.

Mike Z reply :

Or the floor kit just keeps him from seeing more leaks and bad looking repairs while the boat is still under warranty ;D ;D ;D

triglet reply :

anymore updates???????????????

Really not happy with Tracker Marine - update 5/27/10 2024

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