Going a different route

[Johnboat]

Analogy.
I take my wife out for dinner. We order chicken fajitas. We have a Rita and wait patiently for our food. I notice several tables get seated after we placed our order. They order their food. We still wait, thinking any time now. Other tables start getting their food. I call my waiter over and ask how much longer before I get my order. Waiter says, Sorry sir, we ran out of chicken fajitas. We are expecting more anytime now. I point out that several other tables are eating chicken fajitas and they were sat long after I placed my order. We still wait. Other tables have paid for their meals and left. We ask to speak to the manager, but he’s not available. My wife says it’s time to leave. I’m not hungry anymore.

Now replace that scenario with a boat dealership and a 40k boat. You guys know where I am going with this. I ordered my boat at the beginning of July. Unless I am mistaken, my order was already two weeks old by the time presales were even mentioned on this forum. I have lost count of people who placed their orders after me and getting them filled.

Im sure there is a reason and I fully understand the effects of Covid. But I will never understand the lack of communication between Yamaha, its dealers, and its customers. Up front and honest is all I’m asking. Instead we are left to make assumptions. I emailed Bob Star the head of Yamahas communications asking for… Wait for it… BETTER COMUNICATION. His response was laughable, he did not answer a dam thing. He just redirected my questions to manufacturing. BTY, manufacturing still has not contacted me. I can’t help but think if communication is this bad on the front end of a sale, how hard is it going to be to get a warranty honored. What is quality going to be like on these boats. Are these smaller dealerships who haven’t had stock in months even going to be in business much longer?

It's unfortunate that Yamaha choses to do business this way. I am a loyal brand buyer. I usually stick with a brand for life. Ram trucks 20 years, Dealt tools 30 years, Yamaha boats 0. Sorry guys, but I’m bouncing. This experience should have been exciting and fun instead it has been an anxious waiting game that never seems to end. I’m headed to the used market where boats are already showing up in droves.

I would like to say you guys on the forum have been awesome. Thanks for all the support and I wish all those still waiting the best of luck.

 

[biffdotorg]

Odd year for all MFG's. It doesn't excuse it, but everyone is pointing fingers for reasons they have never seen before.

Ask my buddy about the new Kia Telluride hey ordered months ago. Nobody can give a straight answer as to why that car has not shipped when others have. Same situation.

All I can say, is this is not the norm, and I hope it never returns to become the norm. As owners, buyers, sellers have not seen this market.

My lease is up on my truck in late January, and my dealer is offering an early buy out with equity towards a new one. But there is no stock to be had. They want my trade, but have nothing to offer. Many of the car lease/buy gurus on forums are saying that dealers are paying over $4000 over NADA retail, which is unheard of. But 4x4 sales in the fall in our region is always nutty, but extra nutty this year. I have no reason to take my truck in, until there is a new 2021 on the lot that I want to take delivery of. In fact, I may just buy out the lease, knowing I am never going to lose a dime waiting for the next one.

Might be time to place an order on a new GMC Hummer EV to be delivered in a year. HA!

 

[ourlee]

What boats are catching your interest?

 

[Zizzou 192]

Marinas / boat dealers of any brand or association are notorious for being expensive, rude, incompetent, and extremely slow. It is woven into the culture of boat service. Finding, let alone living near a dealer that does not follow this industry standard of care would be equivalent to going to a casino for a week and coming out ahead. It is unfortunately just too much to expect.

But. Because of the general inadequacy of boat dealers and marinas, great boat forums like this one exist. That is more than a fair trade.

 

[lgparra]

@Johnboat dang that really stinks man. I'm sorry to hear that. But I totally get it at the same time. I know me and you were "bit**ing" about waiting on pre-orders in another thread awhile back. Tomorrow (the 18th) will be exactly 2 months since I put down a deposit on a AR195 and I still have no ETA on when mine will arrive. At this point I've pretty much made peace with more than likely not being able to use my boat until next spring/summer as boating season in the midwest is rapidly coming to a close. If you don't mind me asking whatever happened with that AR195 you were going to buy a few weeks back? I thought it was inbound and you were going to be receiving it very shortly?

 

[Johnboat]

ght it was inbound and you were going to be receiving it very shortly?

My original deposit was on the sx195. The AR195 was at another dealer where a customer backed out of the deal. I realy didnt want the AR, I dont ski or surf. Besides, that dealer was asking 4k over what is should have cost. Basicly I would have been getting an AR for the price of a 195S. Sorry about the complaining, the lack of communication was driving me nuts. Three days later, I did get a response. I will post more on that in a in a few.

 

[Johnboat]

Marinas / boat dealers of any brand or association are notorious for being expensive, rude, incompetent, and extremely slow. It is woven into the culture of boat service. Finding, let alone living near a dealer that does not follow this industry standard of care would be equivalent to going to a casino for a week and coming out ahead. It is unfortunately just too much to expect.

But. Because of the general inadequacy of boat dealers and marinas, great boat forums like this one exist. That is more than a fair trade.

having never bought a new boat, Im learning the hard way.

 

[Johnboat]

What boats are catching your interest?

Looking at different models with OB. I previously owned a Nittro 288 sport for 15 yrs. The used market in Texas is starting to get a decent selection. Pricing is still a little high.

 

[adrianp89]

I got mad reading your first paragraph, don't play with my food! Happened to me a two weekends ago, and the other table was part of our party. For a boat I would probably give it another month, as they really just hitting the lots. I would also try another dealer.

 

[portlandbucfan]

Communication is brutal part. Although, its a supply chain issue in many industries. Not just a Yamaha issue.

 

[Johnboat]

I will post this in a couple of threads to help anyone who has these questions.

So, my email to Bob Star head of communications for Yamaha didn’t fall on deaf ears after all. My email made it up the food chain to the VP and was assigned to Jackie Dew senior service rep for Yamaha marine.

Yesterday afternoon, I got a phone call from Jackie. Jackie agreed they needed better communication between manufacturing, Reps and Dealerships. He is actively working on a solution.

Jackie said

The delays are related to Covid shutdowns, Here and overseas.

All the presales boats will be filled before any dealership will receive additional inventory. So technically, you are still getting a presale.

Boats are made in order of size, smallest to largest.

Orders were received and are filled in chronological order as parts are available. Dealership size has nothing to do with orders.

Yamaha has over 400 boats on the manufacturing lot waiting on parts to complete. They are running out of room to store boats and it is costing Yamaha a fortune to keep them on the lot. All the 19’ and 21’ are partially built and waiting for parts. 25’ is currently in production. Manufacturing is waiting on overseas “China” parts to complete boats. China is not communicating, and manufacturing has no idea when the parts will be shipped. Manufacturing is completing boats with the parts they can get. Therefore some 25’ models are being delivered while some 19’ models are still sitting in the lot. It depends on the options your boat has and if they can get the parts to complete it. From what I was told, 19’ boats are waiting on touch screens. 21’ boats are waiting on windshield and computer parts.

Bottom line, not even Yamaha knows when they will be able to finish boats. Everything is pending on past, ongoing, and possible shutdowns along with shipping. While I do appreciate the phone call, I don’t think a presale should have been put on the table if it wasn’t guaranteed.

I hope this information helps people still waiting to have a better understanding of the situation. I am hopeful that Yamaha will come up with a solution for better direct line communication. Sorry if I came across as bitchy in previous post. I don’t like my hopes being lifted then dropped all while being left in the dark. Especially when I’m paying for a luxury like a boat.

Best of luck to all.

 

[Enduro900]

I will post this in a couple of threads to help anyone who has these questions.

So, my email to Bob Star head of communications for Yamaha didn’t fall on deaf ears after all. My email made it up the food chain to the VP and was assigned to Jackie Dew senior service rep for Yamaha marine.

Yesterday afternoon, I got a phone call from Jackie. Jackie agreed they needed better communication between manufacturing, Reps and Dealerships. He is actively working on a solution.

Jackie said

The delays are related to Covid shutdowns, Here and overseas.

All the presales boats will be filled before any dealership will receive additional inventory. So technically, you are still getting a presale.

Boats are made in order of size, smallest to largest.

Orders were received and are filled in chronological order as parts are available. Dealership size has nothing to do with orders.

Yamaha has over 400 boats on the manufacturing lot waiting on parts to complete. They are running out of room to store boats and it is costing Yamaha a fortune to keep them on the lot. All the 19’ and 21’ are partially built and waiting for parts. 25’ is currently in production. Manufacturing is waiting on overseas “China” parts to complete boats. China is not communicating, and manufacturing has no idea when the parts will be shipped. Manufacturing is completing boats with the parts they can get. Therefore some 25’ models are being delivered while some 19’ models are still sitting in the lot. It depends on the options your boat has and if they can get the parts to complete it. From what I was told, 19’ boats are waiting on touch screens. 21’ boats are waiting on windshield and computer parts.

Bottom line, not even Yamaha knows when they will be able to finish boats. Everything is pending on past, ongoing, and possible shutdowns along with shipping. While I do appreciate the phone call, I don’t think a presale should have been put on the table if it wasn’t guaranteed.

I hope this information helps people still waiting to have a better understanding of the situation. I am hopeful that Yamaha will come up with a solution for better direct line communication. Sorry if I came across as bitchy in previous post. I don’t like my hopes being lifted then dropped all while being left in the dark. Especially when I’m paying for a luxury like a boat.

Best of luck to all.

This could have been a communication sent out to the dealers, then the dealers could have shared it with each customer that is waiting.

I think everyone understands that the manufacturing industry has experienced some serious issues in all of this, and most people would understand if this was communicated.....

Now I will get on my soapbox for a moment.....hopefully those in manufacturing will now understand moving forward that a worldwide supply chain is a stupid idea and prone to just this example......Yamaha sitting on over 400 boats that are ALMOST complete except for parts they cannot get from 1/2 of a world away.....and yes there is going to be pandemics and unstable countries and etc, etc. etc. so building stuff in North America is the safest option (US and Canada, with Mexico being less safe as there is much more corruption and crime.....just ask Mazda which has had trainloads of parts disappear more than once from theft in Mexico on its way north to manufacturing in the US).

Btw, I am also talking with a local Vortex dealer, and he sent me an email yesterday that anything they order right now will not be promised for delivery before January or February....so its not just Yamaha going through this.......