Long overdue update.
I quickly discovered that thebuy one get one power pole deal wasn’t really a deal after all. Bass cat charged me 600 dollars more for the blue poles than what power pole sells them for directly from their website. One pole, fully installed with zero dealer labor costs, about $ 3,200. I tried for weeks to get a price from the dealer on what the option would cost, he couldn’t find it and his rep couldn’t or wouldn’t tell him. So I went to the power pole website and priced one blue power pole with mounts, etc., so I’d have an idea. After my dealer installed them and received the invoice from the factory, he thought the price was excessive, so he didn’t charge me labor. His cost to install 2 power poles was 4,400. We both had sticker shock to say the least. I called Basscat after they were installed to figure out why the cost of 1 pole was only 1,200 less than a full dealer install of 2, and Dallas, who was let go and is no longer there, gave excuses about their cost being more than retail, which is a new one on me, and about labor costs built in. When I told him the dealer cut me a break by not charging for any labor, he said the factory reimburses the dealer for labor. After discussing things, he said he would put the price on he website, which he did, and get back with me to compensate me somehow for the ordeal and confusion with me not being able to get a price. If I had known it would have cost me over 3,000, I would have taken the 1,250 gift card or extra warranty. He put the blame on my dealer saying the dealer could have called him. Mind you, my dealer told me he asked his rep and never could get a final price. He never did call back and when I called to follow up, I was told that he was fired. So I filled Rick in on what had transpired and received zero response. I was ignored from this point forwards on this issue. I told my dealer what Dallas said about them reimbursing the dealer. That was a new one on him and he and his rep had a long heated discussion about my install. Don’t know the outcome. Not my business. But my dealer was very disappointed to say the least when I asked him later while discussing the condition of my first warranty replacement trailer. Yes, I said first….
I posted pictures on the Facebook group about my trailer paint issues on my original trailer. They painted it so badly, there were runs and chips everywhere. They even painted it with the tongue closed. I had to break the paint seal in order to open the dang thing. You can imagine the chips that started then in that area. 5 of the lag bolts on the bunks spun free and were backing out. They even put the rear wheels on the wrong side. The tires were directional tires, and the rear tires were rolling backwards for a year before my dealer noticed it. There was literally zero QC on that first trailer.
At first, Basscat told the dealer to ship my boat and trailer back to them. I said sure, but you are making the payments while you have it. I wasn’t going to pay for a new boat that I don’t have. Then, understanding my resolve on that matter, they told him to take it somewhere local to have it fixed. But the local shops looked at it and didn’t want to get involved. So the decision was made to build a new trailer. I called basscat early in the year, late April’ish, to ask about the replacement, same time I was dealing with Dallas over the power poles, and was told it was almost done. I followed up with my dealer for a few months, 4 or 5, and he didn’t know anything. So 6 months after my last call to the factory, I called Basscat and was told that it was done and would be shipping soon. I get a call from the dealer 10 or so days later, and am told to come inspect the trailer. A Week later, I’m over there expecting to drive away with my new trailer, but NO. There is rust all over the new trailer. Inside the tongue looked twice as bad as my existing trailer that had been in use for a year. You could tell that the trailer was completed in April or May and sat untouched and uncovered for months and months, water pooling and rusting. Even some of the weld spots had rust bleeding through the outer paint. I took pictures and refused delivery. My dealer told me they shipped it without even giving him a heads up and since it came alone with no other boats, they charged him the delivery fee. They could have waited one week and sent it with his scheduled delivery and not been charged. He was pissed that one, he was not notified a shipment was coming, two that they shipped the trailer looking like it did, and three, they charged him. I later discovered that the charge was ‘accidental’ and removed. Regardless, I wasn’t accepting a new trailer with any rust on it, so the trailer was sent back. I sent pics to Rick on FB and expressed my disappointment with the original trailer, the handling and lack of action promised by Dallas as the representative of the company, and finally, shipping a rusty trailer. You would think it would have been inspected before being shipped, but again, zero QC.
So, Rick tried to explain welding rust bleed through and other technical jargon I did not understand at all. I just understood that welds needed to be inspected and because of blah..blah…blah..process, that tongues rust inside. But I said, not on a brand new trailer. The thing had more rust new than my existing trailer a year into service. So I was told another trailer was being built. Did they build it or just fix the replacement, who knows. It took another 9 months or so before the next one arrived…. After sending the first one back, I offered to drive 9 hours to swap trailers so I could inspect the new trailer, but I wasn’t paying for fuel or lodging. They had screwed the pooch twice on trailers, and I was not accepting anything but a perfect trailer at this point. I said if you ship it, it better be perfect, not even a small scuff or blemish from handling during shipping. They offered to pay for lodging, but not fuel. So I made it perfectly clear, even one bolt lose or one little spot, and back it goes. I was 100% all about basscat customer service and quality up till this boat purchase and trailer experience. The new trailer arrived a month ago, give or take a week, and fortunately for all of us, it was perfect. It should have been this way the first time.
I still love this boat, but not the company. I still think the world of Richard and Alan in parts, but I have nothing good to say about any of the management team, including Rick. I may get tons of hate about this, but oh well. I didn’t post all of this on the forums while it was going on because of the respect I had for Basscat and their customer service. I always felt that things get resolved better if you keep it private and between you and the company. But since I have lost respect for the company and it’s management, I have no issue telling this story now. To this day, I still have no explanation as to why a blue power pole costs Basscat 300 dollars more than what the retail price is directly from power pole. I though companies received wholesale pricing, but obviously that isn’t true for power poles. Is basscat jacking up accessory prices to compensate for construction costs? Guess only they know why they cost so much more.
Anyway, I will enjoy my Eyra until I decide if I will sell it and look elsewhere or keep it and just not recommend basscat to anyone anymore. I get lots of compliments on he boat but now, those conversations lead into why you shouldn’t buy instead of why you should. All because I feel that I personally, as a customer, am insignificant and promises made by upper managers are not honored, even by Rick. It wasn’t my fault Dallas was fired, but my issues, complaints, and possible resolutions went with him when he was let go. My ordeal with the purchase and BOGO, and issues with multiple trailers that took over 14 to 16 months total to resolve, are insignificant. My time, effort, fuel, and frustration driving to the dealership or my time communicating with people for over a year, is not important to management. Richard was great to speak with and always responded promptly. He tried to empathize and listen, and he told me Rick was well aware of all my concerns, but beyond filling the legal requirements of replacing defective equipment, there was no concern about actually managing me as a customer. So because of that lack of concern, I no longer consider myself a customer. Yes, I am an owner of a product for now, but I won’t be buying another cat, I won’t be supporting them by going to an OI or other events, nor do I recommend others to do so. They broke that customer bond, not I. I was very loyal until they showed me just how insignificant my loyalty is to them. I still recommend my dealer, but I recommend their Caymas brand now and tell them to steer clear of basscat and not to believe all the hype generated about their customer service. I personally can attest that their loyalty to customers is selective and might not apply to you.
Thank you for letting me vent. I will miss seeing those I’ve met at events. Basscat owners are some of the best people on the planet. I pray that none of you experience what I did and if you do, that you’re treated with more respect and concern than I have been. I do recommend that you keep stuff like this private as long as they are working with you. But once they stop treating you like a valued customer, I think it is ok to air the dirty laundry. If they had just treated me with respect and worked with me to resolve the issues created by Dallas’ departure and the multiple trailer fails, I’d probably still be a loyal customer. But they failed by not even acknowledging my concerns. So now instead of giving one or two boat tours and test rides in my boat each weekend, I inform people of all the reasons why I personally will not buy another cat. So Yes, they finally after two attempts and 16 months, built me the trailer that should have originally been built. Thank you…. I guess according to them, I should just be thankful they put all that effort into getting it right finally. According to the way I was treated, I should be thankful and not disappointed and aggravated. Or I should have just accepted the first rusty replacement and thanked them for the effort at least. Unbelievable….
