Angler's Choice

Review: I drove to anglers choice marine from Michigan to purchase a boat. I was told by the lady handling the sales paperwork and registering the boat that as soon as I got home to send her the info on the Michigan Secretary of State so they could send the check and information on the boat up here to pay for my license plate and boat registration. This was all included in the price of the boat. That was over a month ago. Now my temporary trailer plate has expired as of Sunday and I can't take my boat anywhere.I contacted them via email asking them what the hold up was on my plate and registration, they simply told me that it was going to be sent out and this was almost a month after I purchased the boat. I also recieved another email stating they would send me me new temporary plate info until my permanent plate came in the mail, that was 5 days ago and still nothing and there not responding to my emails now.Due to them not processing my boat info through the state as soon as they had told me in the beginning I have already missed one bass tournament and if they keep this up I will miss more coming up this weekend. Now I'm losing money on tournaments I paid for up front and its due to anglers choice not keeping up there end of the deal.Desired Settlement: I would like to have my trailer plates, boat and trailer registration as this boat is just sitting in my garage taking up space

Business

Response:

We have been in contact with Mr. [redacted] and sent him another temporary registration for his boat. The registration and title documents have been sent to MI for processing, which may take a few days to be completed. Mr. [redacted]'s registrations were not processed in a timely manner due to the increase in sales during the spring season, which has caused a back log in our titling department. We are truly sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused, as we are committed to providing the best possible customer service. If we can help Mr. [redacted] in any way, he is welcome to call us anytime. [redacted] Anglers Choice - [redacted]

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.I did get a new temporary plate via email and I appreciate it. I have still yet to get my permanent plate or registration I was told it was sent to the Secretary of State for Michigan at the beginning of June Regards,[redacted]

Review: This enovles 2 states but the original owner of Angler's choice at VA. They also have alocation in Lexington NC. I took my boat to them with a problem of Keel Guard coming loose. They had told me they worked it out with Hambys ( the maker of the keel guard) to get another but I hadto pay the labor, about 4 hours. I went back to pick it up and they had just patched it, not a very good patch. I paid for the labor. So I took it home anyway and went out in the water. Then I found out it was coming off all over. So to save myself several dollars of gas I took it to their company in Lexington NC. They checked it out and took picture of the carpet that was coming up. The service manager there seen the keel guard coming off and agreed it needed to be fised. Also the carpet in the bottom of the boat was coming unglued. This was in the first of march. My warrenty run out 29 March 2013. He asured me that not to worry about the warrenty he would turn this into Ranger and let me know. I talked to him within a few days and he told me the carpet for my boat was on the way and that Hamby was going to send me a new Keel guard and they didn't have the blocks that they neede to do this job but they were going to get them soon,they had aready ordered them. He (**) said he would call me when the blocks come in and set up an appointment. About 3 weeks went by and no word so I call back to Lexington Angler's choice marine. They told me he no longer worked there and they had no paper work of what I was talking about. Then I called [redacted] at Angler's choice in VA. He said he would check into it. He told me he had found the pictures of my carpet sent to Ranger. Not much on other. He had [redacted] the service manager there to look into it. I called and talked to her at this time, she told me that Ranger agreed to pay the llabor but wanted to charge me a dicounted price for the Hamby keel guard. ($125) Wandering why they had just been approved to put one on for free from Hamby's I agrued the point but wanted my boat fixed. Then I brought up that they had aready charged me for fixing my keel guard and I personally asked them if I would have anymore trouble, The mechanic that did this said I promise you will not have any trouble. Well I am having trouble still. I called [redacted] and he put me on speaker phone with service department. He told me that they were not qualified to do this keel guard. He recommended me take it to a specialist. He recommended [redacted] repair in Concord NC. I took it there and he seen that it was coming off. He said that they had used the wrong glue to repair it. He has called Ranger but I haven't heard from him, last time I talkked to him hae had not heard from Ranger. Angler's choice has not called me back and seems to done care anymore, I paid for my boat and they seem to not care now. [redacted] from Ranger called me the other day and said he was going to look into it. A week has gone by and no answer. This boat has had several problems and I have carried it back an forth serval times. Ranger braggs about their quality but I don't know what happened on this one.Desired Settlement: I just want them to do what they promised. My warrenty has run out and things are aready breaking but I don't feel I should have to take care of what they were responible for. I have a lemon.

Business

Response:

We have contacted Mr. [redacted] last week on June 14th. and resolved his issues with his boat, with the help of Ranger Boats customer service department. Although the boat is out of the warranty period, Ranger has agreed to send him a keel guard at no charge and pay 4 hours labor out of good will. We have made arrangements to have the boat fixed at a facility that is qualified to perform the work required to fix the keel guard and carpet. We gave Mr. [redacted] the contact information to the repair shop in Raleigh, NC, which is a registered fiberglass repair facility for Ranger Boats. Mr. [redacted] stated that he was satisfied with the resolution to his problems.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.Regards,[redacted]

Review: I purchased a 2005 Stratos 201 pro xl from Anglers Choice Marine on May,24th 2013. Since the purchase I have had several problems with the boat. Main issue is I was sold a boat for $24,900.00 that needs roughly $10,000.00 in repairs. When I bought this boat it had a few comedic stress cracks on the top rail that I agreed I would have fixed during the winter months at my cost(since I was told all damages on the boat weren't structural damages)When I took the boat to have the cracks repaired. Several other fractures were found on the bottom haul of the boat, knee brace was broke and blistering on the haul under the bunks. All in which was found to be structural damages to the boat. I called [redacted] from Anglers Choice Marine(the owner) He stated that I must have hit something on the water that caused the damage to the haul. Informing me that I needed to call and report a claim to my insurance company. So I did just that, upon there inspection they had found that the damages were in fact old and had seen color variations to the haul that show previous old repair as well as improper application of clear coat to the boat to hide many more small stress cracks. So naturally the insurance denied my claim. So I have been trying to get in contact with [redacted] now for about 2 weeks with no return phone calls. Several times I have called I was told by the receptionist that [redacted] was in please hold to be transferred and they come back on the line saying that he is at lunch, or with another customer, on the other line. So 4 times now I have left my number and have yet to receive a call back from [redacted] about settling this matter. Once I heard back from [redacted] (a salesman from anglers choice) only because he thought I was another customer Mr. [redacted]. Someone who was purchasing a new boat. So when I explained to him who I was and why I had called he said [redacted] just got off the phone and he would put me through to him. Same old story put me on hold for the receptionist to pick up and state he was on the other line.Desired Settlement: I would feel that it would be fair to replace the boat with another of equal value from the point of purchase. $24,900.00 the original purchase price. Or cover all repairs minus the stress cracks on the top rail that I was aware of when purchased. Place of repair to be chosen by myself. EST. amount of repair is $10-13,000.00.

Business

Response:

We received a call from Mr. [redacted] in early January concerning damage to his boat, which he had purchased from us eight months earlier. First, we would like to note that the sale to Mr. [redacted] was made in good faith, with full disclosure. At the time of purchase, Mr. [redacted] acknowledged that there were some cosmetic stress cracks on the top deck of the boat, which we had fixed prior to the purchase date. This boat is a used boat that received our standard dealer warranty, which is good for 30 days from the purchase date, for labor only (at our shop) and parts at dealer cost. As a company policy we thoroughly inspect each boat when they are traded to us and re-inspect them just prior to delivery at time of sale. The inspection report dated April 8th 2013 does not indicate any damage to the hull (bottom of the boat). This was also confirmed by the body shop ([redacted] Dodson) that did the cosmetic work on the top deck.

Mr. [redacted] brought the boat to us on October 30, 2013 for various wiring issues. This was four months after the purchase date. We repaired the issues he was having and did not charge him ($1108) out of good will, even though the boat had passed the warranty period. We even gave him a new propeller to improve the performance of his boat. At that time, he did not mention any hull damage nor did our technicians see any damage to the hull.

In our first conversation in January, he mentioned that he had run the boat in the river several times, which immediately cautioned us that this could be damage sustained by an impact in shallow water. He sent us several pictures of the damage for us to review. Since we do not do body work on boats, we sent these to Auto Marine Service, the fiberglass repair shop that does our work for us, to get their opinion. They told us that the cracks in the pictures looked like they were caused by an impact. After careful consideration, we then advised Mr. [redacted] that we would not be able to help him with the damage to his boat and that he should file a claim with his insurance company.

We have carefully considered the circumstances surrounding this situation, and we regretfully conclude that we are not obligated to pay for any damage to the hull. However, Mr. [redacted] did mention that there was some delamination of the clear-coat paint on the top deck. We will gladly have the body shop ([redacted] Dodson) consider redoing the work which was done at his shop.

Sincerely,

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

The cracks on the top of the boat have never been fixed as stated in the response from Anglers Choice. When I purchased the boat there were several stress crack(so I were told they were stress cracks) on the top side of the boat. When I ask, if they were structural. I was told no. In fact several of those places now I am told from the marine that is quoting the repair and the insurance adjuster that they are in fact structural damage.

The haul of the boat is then in question. I reported to my insurance as informed by the owner at Anglers Choice ([redacted]). during the insurances review of the boat. They denied any claim stating that is was evident the repairs and damages on the haul of the boat were in fact pre purchase.

When I spoke with the insurance adjuster he stated that the clear coat that Anglers Choice openly admits to having sprayed on the boat prior to my purchase. Was nothing more than a half done job to cover up more small cracks in the top rail for a quick sale. Then I am gave the option to have them fix or cover up those cracks with an automotive clear coat again that shouldn't have been put on a gel coated boat in the first place. I don't fill that is the proper fix to the situation.

I feel that this boat falls under a fraudulent sale. It was sold to me as having no structural damages. All were to be cosmetic damages that had no affects on it being a safe and structurally sound boat. But as documented in the attached file you can clearly see this is in fact not the case. The purchase price of the boat was $24,900.00 and has over $10,000.00 in repair needs. Which means that the value of the boat wouldn't have qualified for the loan amount if the damages had been fully disclosed to the finance company at the time of the sale. ( informed of by:[redacted]-the lean holder)

I would like to see some type of cash settlement offer for the cost of repair of the boat at this point or a return of the boat at full sale price. You can see the total amounts attached for repair of the boat. Which I have paid out of pocket to start the repairs since Anglers Choice Marine wouldn't respond to me on several occasions leaving me no choice but to advance in the repair direction.

Regards,

Business

Response:

RE: ID of [redacted]

In our previous response to this complaint on 2/24/2014, we offered to have the gel coat work re-done at the body shop that originally did the work, at no charge to Mr. [redacted]. Our offer still stands. The marine inspection report by [redacted] states that Mr. [redacted] admits that he hit something on the water. We are convinced that since the hull was not damaged when we sold it, and that any damage to the hull was done after it was sold to Mr. [redacted] in July of 2013. After further consideration of the circumstances in this case, we are sorry to say that we cannot offer any more assistance in good faith.

[redacted]

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

The reason for which I am not satisfied with the offer from Anglers Choice Marine is because the damages to this boat were done previous to me owing it. The damages were not discovered til the clear coat that they applied to the boat to cover up damages started to peel and chip. The damages to this boat include damages to the hull which once the clear coat was removed you can clearly see that a repair was attempted because of the color differential to the hull, structural damages to the cap (which I was told when I bought the boat these were just stress cracks in the gel coat) and a broken knee brace(which is a main structural component of a boat) which leads back to why there were so many stress cracks appearing in the gelcoat because the knee brace keeps the boat from torqueing from the weight of the motor. I took the boat to have it regelcoated because anglers choice was unwilling to fix the clear coat that they had applied to the boat with a gelcoat so, when I bought the boat I knew there were some imperfections in the gelcoat so I was willing to get that fixed, until [redacted] started to uncover a lot of structural damage in the cap when he removed the clear coat [redacted] being a boat mechanic knew there must be something causing all these stress fractures and that's when he discovered the broken knee brace he suggested we get in contact with Anglers Choice because the damages were old not something that happens in less 9 Months of owing a boat and 4 Months of actual use. We also contacted our insurance company and had them send an adjuster out to look at the boat and based on his professional opinion these were not new damages they were done before we owned the boat (I will get more verification and a statement from the insurance adjuster on his professional findings of damages). The repair cost could approach or exceed $6000 which I do agree that I should have to pay considering the findings of damages were obviously before I owned the boat. I am also not comfortable with them fixing the boat because they are obviously not through in inspecting and repairing or I would have known about all these damages.

Regards,

Business

Response:

Here is the inspection checklist we did on April 4th, 2013. As I mentioned earlier there was no hull or transom damage indicated and some superficial gel coat stress cracks were noted and repaired. At the time of sale, the stress cracks were disclosed to Mr. [redacted], and were acknowledged by him at that time and in his subsequent emails.

We do not feel responsible for the hull or transom repair, as we think he has hit something in the river and damaged his boat. His wife called me a couple of weeks ago and said that Mr. [redacted] would settle the issue if we shared the cost of the gelcoat repair which was quoted at about $750. We agreed to pay $400 towards the gelcoat repair just to settle the issue and put this behind us. If this is acceptable, he can sign a release and we will send him a check. Thank you for your help in this matter.

Respectfully,