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PostPosted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 9:36 pm 
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Is there a Hobie policy that mandates “transfer” of warranty for one dealer to another?
I have proof that my new 2011 AI is only two months old and that I am the owner but a Hobie dealer, not the original seller, would not fix a defective mirage drive, or give me the parts so that I could repair it myself, and insisted that the warranty had to be transferred from the first dealer before I could get the replacement parts or I could buy the parts and then take the receipt to the original dealer where the kayak was purchased and get a refund.
This my second Hobie kayak and I have never experienced such a lack of service.
Kayaks like cars travel and if this is a Hobie policy then it is a stupid one... If it is not a policy then I need to send Hobie the name of a bad dealer that is hurting your fine image.

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PostPosted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 11:49 pm 
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I think this dealer has been smoking something! Perhaps he has Hobie mixed up with another manufacturer? Maybe he doesn't want your business?? Maybe it's a new employee??? The dealer can easily pick up the phone and call Hobie to find out how to handle your warranty problem if he's confused about this. Very strange. 8)


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PostPosted: Sat Nov 13, 2010 12:54 pm 
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Roadrunner, you are quite correct that the dealer didn't want any business. Not giving me a $15 part and $500 walked out the door.
I don't have a spare drive or drive bag for this kayak and was going to buy a normal finned drive as a backup.
Money goes where the service is.


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 14, 2010 10:23 pm 
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Fly4v, you have not explained why your original dealer is not being asked to uphold the warrantee. Or exactly what the "defect" is.

It would help me to know this before passing judgment on dealer #2.

Hobie dealers are usually authorized by geography, so dealer #2 may be correct. Matt can clarify this soon, but I would hope there's a company policy to handle customers who migrate or go on expeditions.

Even this would require some form of communications and a database that ensures that you are the owner and that Hobie will bless the advanced repair of your Mirage. A informal phone call between dealers could get things rolling. Weekends and holidays are going to complicate things though.

If you intended to buy a drive anyway, that would have been a good strategy. Or the $15 part.

Please give us a little more info.

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 10:55 am 
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There is no "transfer" of the warranty required. Remember that dealers are private businesses and not "Hobie" owned. They are not obligated to provide free warranty service or parts on the spot. As good business, they should have provided the option to contact us for authorization and any parts required would be shipped to them.

Dealers are a bit sensitive to discounted internet or out-of-the-area sales that then bring warranty service to their door. I understand but do not condone the lack of service on their part. In my mind... they should have tried to win your business back by providing some service.

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 7:46 pm 
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mmiller wrote:
Remember that dealers are private businesses and not "Hobie" owned. They are not obligated to provide free warranty service or parts on the spot. ...
Dealers are a bit sensitive to discounted internet or out-of-the-area sales that then bring warranty service to their door....


This is a good point that some people forget. There are good and bad dealers, but sometimes shopping for the best price on the boat can end up costing you when it comes time to get warranty work done. It's never fun to need to travel further then necessary to get warranty work done because your local dealer, for whatever reason, isn't willing to help you as quickly as he would help someone who has purchased the boat from them.

I think every dealer should do whatever they can to earn your business, but sometimes your local dealer can't compete on price every time. My dealer seems to regularly give the customers that they know, better service then the ones they don't know (I've seen this happen, where a longtime customer was put ahead on the list over a customer that they didn't know... and they privately admitted it to me)... I don't agree with it, but having spent some time getting to know them, it has ended up working to my benefit when I needed some minor things done.

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 8:20 pm 
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mmiller wrote:
There is no "transfer" of the warranty required. Remember that dealers are private businesses and not "Hobie" owned. They are not obligated to provide free warranty service or parts on the spot. As good business, they should have provided the option to contact us for authorization and any parts required would be shipped to them.

Dealers are a bit sensitive to discounted internet or out-of-the-area sales that then bring warranty service to their door. I understand but do not condone the lack of service on their part. In my mind... they should have tried to win your business back by providing some service.


Matt,

Does that mean if I move from Florida back to Washington state the dealer there doesn't have to provide warranty service? What about if my boat breaks while out of town on vacation?

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 9:37 pm 
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The defective part is the forward sprocket on a V2 drive. All the teeth have sheared off. A pop sound and the drive froze. No other damage to the drive. Too far out to have contacted the bottom. Just guess my 2011 was being moody since I never really used the drive during the first two months. My 2010 functions without a flaw.

Couldn't go to the selling dealership due to distance. It is an actual local store and not an on-line bit. Hoped that I could get the part before the end of last weekend.
Emailed the selling dealership and the part is already in the mail. I didn't want the dealer to pay for shipping and just asked who to contact directly at Hobie for the part but he took care of it. I will be back in the water again before this weekend.
That is great support but I am not going to ask for warranty support from him again unless I fall through the hull. I will just buy the parts and pay the shipping but I seriously doubt anything will fail.

Important lesson learned that no dealership is under obligation to honor the warranty.

Still love Hobie just not mean people and bad businesses.

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PostPosted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 9:45 am 
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Quote:
Important lesson learned that no dealership is under obligation to honor the warranty.


It's not about a lack of obligation to honor warranty... it's about how they do it.

Every dealer is encouraged to provide warranty and service. If you didn't buy the boat from them, they might not do it on the spot or supply parts off their shelf at no charge without checking with us. They would file a claim and receive authorization or parts from us to effect a repair.

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PostPosted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 2:02 pm 
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Matt, would dealers be reimbursed at all for their services? Or just parts?

Say, in the case of a mast receiver repair or replacing rudder lines?

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PostPosted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 2:57 pm 
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We do offer labor reimbursement.

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Hobie Cat USA
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 9:14 pm 
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Matt, please understand that I didn't demand service on the spot. Didn't demand anything. Just described the problem with my drive.
The conversation after they had examined my drive was, our mechanic is out if we give you the part are you willing to make the repair.
After they checked their parts inventory on the computer, The part was in-stock and then they also looked to see that the kayak wasn't purchased there and they came up with the transfer of warranty policy.
We all know the transfer stuff is nonsense.

The important thing is I am getting the part to fix my turbo drive and bought a spare drive. Should of had the spare drive anyway for safety but was complacent. Problem solved and looking forward to getting wet this weekend.

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PostPosted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:12 am 
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Fly4v

I think you should post the names of the dealers. I don't know what part of the world you are in but I'm sure there are other Hobie owners in your area.

It would award the dealer that treated you right and let people know what dealer they should try to avoid.

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PostPosted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 1:50 pm 
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Gotta disagree with Jerry. Doing so would be punitive and unconstructive.

If you wish to modify a dealers behavior, complain to Hobie directly.

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PostPosted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 2:56 pm 
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nohuhu

What's wrong with being punitive if the dealer is treating Hobie customers poorly. Word of mouth is the best advertising and also can be the worst.

If dealers knew that if they treated someone poorly that it would become public knowledge they might think twice about it. I also think it would be good to mention dealers by name who treat all their customers right.

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