Picking your battles ... How would you handle this?

[clh121787]

I've been using the same boat mechanic/ for 2 years now. Good guys for the most part. And have done decent work so far. But the 3 times I've had my boat in its never ready when he tells me. not even close. On one occasion it was 6 weeks later than he told me. Now. Tuesday June 13 2017. I drop off my trolling motor for a broken gear in the l.u. Owner tells me he won't be able to look at it till later in the week. He said be able to have parts till the next Monday the 19th. COOL!  I call back next Wednesday the 21st ( according to his word he shoulda had parts for 2 days by now). He has his secretary tell me he hasn't even cracked it open yet... Ok. I've called once a week. And it's been nothing but excuses and here it is almost a month later. To repair a. Broken t.m. shaft... How should I confront him ? I'd rather get told the truth. Than get told a bunch of lip service. 

[greentrout]

You will get all kind of responses for this dilemma. In a nutshell you're not happy with the performance of the shop. Why it's like that in my opinion would not be worth my time. I'd talk to some friends for references for a new mechanic and be gone.

 

Good luck.

[Angry John]

It seems that people that do good work these days have huge lines and it takes a lot longer.  Those people who suck can get you right in.  This is not always the case but there is also a busy season and that can effect your wait.  You will know by talking to other boaters in your area if your experience is normal for the area.  Some areas are better than others but is it very area/region specific.  

[N Florida Mike]

They might be busy but they still shouldnt tell you one thing and do something else. That being said , i would still try to be patient and explain to them what you were originally told and ask for a new ,realistic deadline.If they dont honor it then go somwhere else.

 

[BigAngus752]

Do you have another reliable boat mechanic within reasonable distance to go to if you can no longer use this guy?  That would be the number one deciding factor in my attitude with this guy.  In my area boat mechanics are almost nonexistent.  

[fishballer06]

I'd talk around with friends and guys at the boat ramp about who they use and what their opinion is on your said shop. 

 

If this seems to be an issue with this shop, I would go pick up my trolling motor whenever it's done, pay the man, and then tell him that you're not happy with his turn around time whenever you were told it would be quicker. That way he knows you're not happy and you can then decide where you go next time you need service.

[NHBull]

It doesn't sound like you have to be a rocket scientist for this fix, I would look elsewhere.

Time on the water is valuable.  That said, John is correct and what compounds the problem is the limited season.  Regardless, I think the phrase that starts " fool me once......" Is appropriate.

 

On a side note, I am going through similar situations with home improvement contractors, even an average contractor can't forsee problems along the way, and let's face it, some prioritize for their bigger customers.

 

Look at this as an opportunity to look for other options

[12poundbass]

I have a similar mechanic who works on my vehicles. He does it out of his house. I've know him for almost 20 years now so I trust him. He's a good mechanic, trustworthy, and cheap. However he's a tick poor businessman. He's gets ahead of himself when scheduling and has too much going on (not his full time job) so he forgets a lot. 

 

What I've now done is I found another at home mechanic I've began to trust. So when I need something done I very politely give mechanic first dibs and let him know I need it done by this time or I can have number 2 do it. Sometimes he jumps right on it and other times he's honest and says he can't do it by then. 

 

I'd look for another mechanic and I'd approach this guy and give him an ultimatium. If you like and trust his work use mechanic number to as a little fire under his rear to get things done quicker.

 

If there isn't anyone else available, then remember the old saying "the squeaky wheel gets the grease". I'd blow his phone up until I get it back fixed or not.

[clh121787]

4 hours ago, NHBull said:

It doesn't sound like you have to be a rocket scientist for this fix, I would look elsewhere.

Time on the water is valuable.  That said, John is correct and what compounds the problem is the limited season.  Regardless, I think the phrase that starts " fool me once......" Is appropriate.

Yeah I'm almost to that point. If the dude wasn't soo d**n polite I'd be out of there. A year ago he pulled a fury prop off his personal boat and lend it to me while mine was getting reworked. And I keep that in mind all the time.  

[12poundbass]

49 minutes ago, clh121787 said:

Yeah I'm almost to that point. If the dude wasn't soo d**n polite I'd be out of there. A year ago he pulled a fury prop off his personal boat and lend it to me while mine was getting reworked. And I keep that in mind all the time.  

Unfortunately he probably keeps it in mind too when he's taken over a month to fix your TM. Sucks your in this pickle.

[Scarborough817]

i would go pick it up and find somewhere else, he may be polite but it shouldn't take a month to fix a tm

[Columbia Craw]

Don't burn a bridge. If the tech can't get to it, tell him you understand he's busy, take it to a shop that get it done in the time constraint you have but add you value what he did for you in the past.  This is just one of those times you can't delay. If you trust his being a competent tech, and it's in the off season, use him again and see what you get.  He'll understand.  If he doesn't, then consider making a switch. 

[NHBull]

Timing is funny...

 

I just left my buddy and he was telling me this.......

 

" I normally have my marina do all my work, but their price was 50% more the the same service and it would tie up the boat for 2 weeks.  I had the work done elsewhere and had it back in 3 days.  The owner of the marina was so upset because he thought I went elsewhere because of the time loss on water.  He brought a fruit basket to my work to apologize ". That is sincerity!

[chadmack282]

4 hours ago, NHBull said:

Timing is funny...

 

I just left my buddy and he was telling me this.......

 

" I normally have my marina do all my work, but their price was 50% more the the same service and it would tie up the boat for 2 weeks.  I had the work done elsewhere and had it back in 3 days.  The owner of the marina was so upset because he thought I went elsewhere because of the time loss on water.  He brought a fruit basket to my work to apologize ". That is sincerity!

the marina has probably screwed him out of $1000's & kept him waiting way to many times  so a fruit basket  isnt much in my opion.   Hell i will trade any1 $20 for $1000.

[NHBull]

28 minutes ago, chadmack282 said:

the marina has probably screwed him out of $1000's & kept him waiting way to many times  so a fruit basket  isnt much in my opion.   Hell i will trade any1 $20 for $1000.

BINGO!

[toni63]

2 things (and forgive me if this is stuff you already do.) 

 

1-Spare outboard, spare TM. I have an old Outboard that isn't the greatest but it runs to keep me fishing if my main OB goes belly up in fishing season. Same with a TM. I actually have my spare TM on my boat right now because my main one I managed to bend the shaft on a stump early this season. But so far, I am still fishing. And I drag that TM out every now and then and hook it up just to make sure it still functions as it should, and the outboard gets started a couple times a year just to keep it in good check.

 

2-I get my main stuff in for service/repair usually around November, because that is the time of year I'm not fishing anyway with T-day and Christmas and cold weather. That way if it takes a couple months, it won't be that big of a deal and put me off the lake.

 

I agree with the posters above. Sure this guy might take some time, but my experience is the guys who are old school, reliable mechanics who don't see every customer as an ATM have longer wait times but at least they fix your stuff right and hopefully, if you get your stuff looked at in the offseason, you won't have too many breakdowns in fishing season.

 

Oh, and if you think this guy is slow, I have two stories for you. One is my Honda 300 EX that a guy took in to do valve job, head work and rebuild on. 18 months later it was finally done and I picked it up. Of course, I have 2.... so you know what I was riding in the meantime. He did great work on it though and I am happy with it. The second is a company called Rocktron that sells guitar effects stuff. I had a faulty unit and it took them 6 months to replace it, and all along the way all I got from the company was excuses about their "repair guy" not getting the work done. Now that one I was really ticked about because I play a lot and rely on my effects a lot. I got sick of using my backup stuff over that because that unit was an upgrade to what I had. You're at a little over a month. In this day and age I would almost call that great customer service.....

[Fishing Rhino]

I'm curious.  What gear is there in the lower unit of a trolling motor?  Aside from the wiring, the drive motor, with the propeller shaft is what is in the lower unit plus some seals.  

 

Speed and direction (forward and reverse) are controlled electrically, or electronically, if it is a digital trolling motor.  

 

Unless, you are using a small outboard as a trolling motor.  

[Ratherbfishing]

My brother-in-law would, too often, "volunteer" to assist with various computer related issues.  On the surface, this seemed like a nice enough offer however, after weeks and sometimes months of waiting, these offers to help were anything but.  He had several people upset with him and, speaking for me, at least, wished they'd never taken him up on his offer.  A man is, IMO, only as good as his word or, more accurately, his actions.  You can tell this gentlemen of your issues (lateness and false promises) but don't expect anything necessarily different to come of it.  But don't be a hater in any event.  If it doesn't work out, take your TM elsewhere.  But by-the-way, as Fishing Rhino said, I also have never heard of any "gear" on the lower unit of an electric trolling motor.  About the only parts down under are the shaft (or part of it), the sealed electric motor, a propeller (and maybe a transducer).

[clh121787]

On 7/12/2017 at 11:16 AM, Ratherbfishing said:

My brother-in-law would, too often, "volunteer" to assist with various computer related issues.  On the surface, this seemed like a nice enough offer however, after weeks and sometimes months of waiting, these offers to help were anything but.  He had several people upset with him and, speaking for me, at least, wished they'd never taken him up on his offer.  A man is, IMO, only as good as his word or, more accurately, his actions.  You can tell this gentlemen of your issues (lateness and false promises) but don't expect anything necessarily different to come of it.  But don't be a hater in any event.  If it doesn't work out, take your TM elsewhere.  But by-the-way, as Fishing Rhino said, I also have never heard of any "gear" on the lower unit of an electric trolling motor.  About the only parts down under are the shaft (or part of it), the sealed electric motor, a propeller (and maybe a transducer).

Idk maybe it's not a broken gear. I've never seen a schematic of an x5 or any t.m. for that matter.  The shop doesn't know either they still havnt taken it apart. 

 

[Munkin]

18 hours ago, Fishing Rhino said:

I'm curious.  What gear is there in the lower unit of a trolling motor?  Aside from the wiring, the drive motor, with the propeller shaft is what is in the lower unit plus some seals.  

 

Speed and direction (forward and reverse) are controlled electrically, or electronically, if it is a digital trolling motor.  

 

Unless, you are using a small outboard as a trolling motor.  

 

This is what I was wondering as well?

 

Did you check and see if it is just a broken prop pin?

 

 

You are at the mercy of boat mechanics around here which sucks but what can you do.

 

Allen

 

 

[RUSS9999]

21 hours ago, Ratherbfishing said:

My brother-in-law would, too often, "volunteer" to assist with various computer related issues.  On the surface, this seemed like a nice enough offer however, after weeks and sometimes months of waiting, these offers to help were anything but.  He had several people upset with him and, speaking for me, at least, wished they'd never taken him up on his offer.  A man is, IMO, only as good as his word or, more accurately, his actions.  You can tell this gentlemen of your issues (lateness and false promises) but don't expect anything necessarily different to come of it.  But don't be a hater in any event.  If it doesn't work out, take your TM elsewhere.  But by-the-way, as Fishing Rhino said, I also have never heard of any "gear" on the lower unit of an electric trolling motor.  About the only parts down under are the shaft (or part of it), the sealed electric motor, a propeller (and maybe a transducer).

Could be a gear. I had a old TM stop turning the prop one time. When I took it apart it had 2 gears in it, both plastic, the teeth were gone. The replacement gears were steel. The one and only one I have taking apart, so all trolling motors may or may not have gears.

[Al Wolbach]

In my area we have repairmen just for trolling motors. Most of the dealers outsource their trolling motor repairs to these men. These dealers also have loaner trolling motors to provide while yours is being repaired.

 

i would check with motor guide or minn Kota to see if they have a repairman in your area. Turnaround time should be much faster. I would think, in Texas there should be several and one close. 

 

Will not fix fix your mechanic issues but may get your trolling motor repaired quickly.

[Puggz]

On 7/11/2017 at 0:06 AM, clh121787 said:

I've been using the same boat mechanic/ for 2 years now. Good guys for the most part. And have done decent work so far. But the 3 times I've had my boat in its never ready when he tells me. not even close. On one occasion it was 6 weeks later than he told me. Now. Tuesday June 13 2017. I drop off my trolling motor for a broken gear in the l.u. Owner tells me he won't be able to look at it till later in the week. He said be able to have parts till the next Monday the 19th. COOL!  I call back next Wednesday the 21st ( according to his word he shoulda had parts for 2 days by now). He has his secretary tell me he hasn't even cracked it open yet... Ok. I've called once a week. And it's been nothing but excuses and here it is almost a month later. To repair a. Broken t.m. shaft... How should I confront him ? I'd rather get told the truth. Than get told a bunch of lip service. 

 

No battle to pick.  Find a new shop and spread the word. I had a shop take a month to repair a Terrova but they didn't make false promises.  Anyone in the service business knows that its best to under-promise and over deliver.. At least to a point.