Help! Where to purchase kicker motor??

[Jennie@ifish]

Businesses usually want to keep their customers happy.
I know that sometimes other marine shops and other biz read this bb in order to find out who is happy and who is not.
Let's hope they read this and make an effort to keep their their customers satisfied and informed.
Jen

[On a mission]

SAY I HAVE HAD GREAT LUCK AT GREGS MARINE IN GARABALDI. MY 8 HP MERC HAS STARTED FIRST OR SEC0ND PULL FOR ABOUT 6 YEARS NOW. THEY HELPED FIX A TRAILER ROLLER AND CHARGED US NOTHING. THEY HAVE BEEN GREAT ANYTIME I HAVE GONE IN THERE. I KNOW EVERYONE IS GOING TO 4 CYCLE, BUT YOU CAN'T BEAT MY 8HOURSE MERC. GOOD LUCK

[scrod]

I bought a kicker from Southside Marine in Corvallis in March and I was treated really well. They showed me only what would be best for me and started with the lowest prices! I made a few skeptical comments about their suggestions and they stuck by the lower priced choices, explaining the whole time that I could switch if I was not satisfied after a trial run. If you don't have a bracket I suggest the OMC one with the assisted lift piston. It costs more but I think its worth every penny. Southside can get them if they are out and Staff Jennings has them in stock. It is always nice to see people who care. images/icons/cool.gif

[orsturgeon]

I recently had a bad experience with South River Marine in Albany. They obviously do not want my money. I live in Salem so now I need to find an outfit that actually wants my money. Any help is appreciated, I need to get this taken care and get fishing. Thanks

Below is an edited copy of an email that I have sent twice to the owner of South River Marine. I guess that I do not need to have their names involved. Enough said. So far almost 2 weeks NO courtesy of a reply. That is really what ****** me off. I guess that they make more than enough money on their boats. I certainly will not recommend them to anyone!


I was going to purchase a Yamaha 9.9 four stroke outboard motor and outboard motor bracket and have them mounted. You (he owner) agreed to give me two hours shop time to make up for the treatment that I received earlier that week. When I arrived I spoke with "the salesperson" and told him that I was here to purchase the motor and mount and have it installed. He had no idea what I was talking about and did not even know that I was coming or had an appointment. When I mentioned the two hours shop time he could not understand why I did not have to pay for it. He could not believe it. After I mentioned that I had spoken with you (the owner) and that you (the owner) had arranged this, all of a sudden everything was ok. The feeling that I got from "the salesperson" was that he was doing ME a favor selling me an outboard. I think that there is a serious lack of communication and customer service in your shop. Where I work the customer is ALWAYS right.

After "the salesperson" went back into the shop and talked to the personnel there, he came back and said to drop the boat and they took it back to the shop. After a while the shop manager came out and said that the long shaft was not going to work. The motor would not be elevated enough, the tiller handle would not lay flat, and I would not be happy with it. I appreciated that honesty BUT wonder why when the shop person who looked at my old bracket and measured my transom earlier in the week did not tell me this.

Next I asked what my options were and "the salesperson" had a hard time understanding the cost sheet, he said that there were typographical errors. There were different prices for the same motors. He finally told me that a extra long shaft motor would work fine on a 31 inch transom and the tiller handle would be level. BUT in a 9.9 they only come with electric start and high thrust props. Finally the total cost he quoted me was $2,600. That is $480. I do not want or need the additional bells and whistles, so I told “the salesperson” that it would not work and went home EMPTY HANDED. After my second trip down there in a week.

I noticed that South River Marine also sells Mercury outboards as well. I wonder why "the salesperson" did not mention that the bigfoot 9.9 comes with a 25-inch shaft model. And that it would work perfectly on my boat. I would have considered purchasing it even though I really want shift on the tiller, if the price was right. I know that they do not cost as much as the Yamaha’s. I really wanted to come home with an outboard motor. Now I am disappointed.

Is there anything that South River Marine can - or wants to - do to keep me as a customer? I still need an outboard motor.

I hope that you take the time to respond to my concerns.

Thank you

Joel
images/icons/mad.gif images/icons/frown.gif images/icons/mad.gif

[Tinman]

Try Inflatable Boat Center on Powell in Portland. I just bought a 3.5 Tohatsu kicker there. They let me walk out the door with the motor, unescorted, so I could clamp it on my boat and see how it fit. My boat was parked several blocks away, and they didn't want my name or ID or anything, they trusted me to bring it back.

I bought a short-shaft motor, but they said I could exchange for a long-shaft if it didn't work out after a trial voyage. After using the motor once, I asked if I could get a prop with less pitch, and they agreed to a swap. Furthermore, their price was $100 less than a competitors. I worked with a salesman named Ron.

So far, the motor runs fine. They also sell Yamaha motors there. Good luck.

[Lives_to_fish]

All I have to say is avoid Stevens at all costs. Maybe that goes without saying nowdays.

[Ed]

I second the South Side Marine plug. They do have some nice deals (Honda, 8 LS, 2000, $1680) and they are nice people.

[boater]

i would also check on a fixed position bracket for your kicker, i personaly feel its better and faster to tilt the kicker rather than have to mess around moving the whole thing up and down, and also you dont have to worry about the bracket wearing out. just my .0000002 cents worth..