Tracker Boat Buying Rant

[boatman]

I just need to rant here. I am trying to buy a 16' Tracker side console without a motor for work. Would you believe that they will not sell a boat without a motor? I've called four marinas and it seems Tracker only ships and sells fully rigged boats. In order to get a Tracker I have to buy it with a new Mercury outboard or pay extra to have the marina put on whatever other brand outboard they sell. Either way, you can't just buy a boat and use your existing motor.

 

Looks like I'll be buying a 16' Lund Rebel XL instead. With all the economic problems you hear of in the recreational products industry you'd think they'd sell boat only. Tracker has lost any business my company could give them. And my company is a huge boat buyer.

[cranks bait]

That sucks that they won't do that for you. As for the charging extra to put something else on. I can see that, if they have to derig then rerig. I bought my Lund with out rigging and paid a bit more to have my e-tec put on. I had no problem with that as I got what I wanted. When it is separated it is no longer a package deal so it is to be expected to pay more.

 

Again, sorry you're having the hassle. On the bright side, you will enjoy your Lund(s).

[Jer]

I had the same problem a few years ago when I was shopping for a new boat. I wasn't married to any particular brand at the time and visited many, many dealers. It was very hard to find anyone to even talk to about buying a 'hull only' boat. No one was interested.

 

I finally lucked out at White Water Marine who had a previous year 16' Crestliner in the showroom with no motor, though rigged for a Merc. They gave me a really good deal on the boat, too much for my trade-in, and swapped my Johnson & controls from my old boat over for only another $250.

 

Unfortunately, they were out of business by the end of that summer.

 

I love my Crestliner, but to be honest, all the major brands make a nice boat.

[Billy Bob]

I know for years the Lund was the best aluminum fishing boat on the market. Don't know now that Brunswick took them over.........around here the Lunds are now package with Mercs.....don't know if you can order them separate. Brobeil Marine use to carry them but he's a OMC and Yamaha dealer so he had to give up the Lund boat line.

[bigfish1965]

It is common for the boat manufacturers to get into agreements with the motor companies like this nowadays. They split advertising and promotional costs and the boat makers can sell package deals alot cheaper. Some of the contracts are exclusive...so you can only have a particular brand of motor. Seems to be primarily Mercury in these exclusive agreements.

[Billy Bob]

That's because BRUNSWICK makes Merc and many. many boats......here's what they own..

 

Headquartered in Lake Forest, Ill., Brunswick Corporation endeavors to

instill "Genuine Ingenuity"™ in all its leading consumer brands, including

Mercury and Mariner outboard engines; Mercury MerCruiser sterndrives and

inboard engines; MotorGuide trolling motors; Teignbridge propellers; Arvor,

Bayliner, Bermuda, Boston Whaler, Cabo Yachts, Crestliner, Cypress Cay,

Harris, Hatteras, Kayot, Lowe, Lund, Maxum, Meridian, Ornvik, Princecraft,

Quicksilver, Rayglass, Sea Ray, Sealine, Triton, Trophy, Uttern and Valiant

boats; Attwood marine parts and accessories; Land 'N' Sea, Kellogg Marine,

Diversified Marine and Benrock parts and accessories distributors; IDS dealer

management systems; Life Fitness, Hammer Strength and ParaBody fitness

equipment; Brunswick bowling centers, equipment and consumer products;

Brunswick billiards tables; and Dynamo, Tornado and Valley pool tables, Air

Hockey and foosball tables. For more information, visit

http://www.brunswick.com.

[Jer]

...Crestliner, Lowe, Lund, Princecraft...

 

That's a pretty good chunk of the Ontario aluminum boat market right there.

[pike slayer]

haha they gotta get rid of their mercs some how!! I wanted to buy the 14' tracker jon boat with the live well and the closest tracker dealer was sudbury, so i called the dealer in sudbury in march and told them what i was looking for and he told me they will be getting 8 of those boats in around mid april so i called back in april and they didnt get them and i called them a couple times in may with still no boats and i now just gave up and i'm gonna stick with my old beater 12footer for another year! thanks tracker for saving me money!!

[Radnine]

Your post raises a couple of questions. That is quite a dichotomy that you have set up there. You have gone from the cheapest boat you can buy to the most expensive without so much as acknowledging that there are other manufacturers (or more than four marinas).

What company do you work for by the way that buys so many boats? And is the boat you are looking at for you or your multi-boat company?

Jim

[Northhunter]

I know a couple sales guys for a boat dealer here in Canada - all boats get packaged with Mercury and Motor Guide. They have agreements with Mercury. I had a buddy who wanted to buy a boat and throw his own motor on - his best option would have been to buy the "package", but get them to leave the motor un-installed. Then turn around and sell it.

 

They would sell you a boat without a motor, but the mark-up on a non-package deal just isn't worth it.

Edited June 20, 2009 by Northhunter

[boatman]

Your post raises a couple of questions. That is quite a dichotomy that you have set up there. You have gone from the cheapest boat you can buy to the most expensive without so much as acknowledging that there are other manufacturers (or more than four marinas).

What company do you work for by the way that buys so many boats? And is the boat you are looking at for you or your multi-boat company?

Jim

 

Well, first Tracker is not the cheapest boat you can buy. Not even close. All the big brands are priced competitively once you separate the motor and package extras. Also, you assume I didn't do my homework. I've looked at dozens of makes and models and in the end I settled on the Tracker V-16 SC. The Lund Rebel 1625 XL was my second choice.

 

Tracker only has so many dealers in Ontario. Less than a dozen, actually. I have contacted four of the closest ones and they all say the same thing. "You can't buy a Tracker without a motor". I am not going to call every dealer in Ontario. I think four is sufficient.

 

As I stated in my post, its a boat I am purchasing (on my company's behalf) for work. I'd rather not mention my company's name. Its not important to the story.

[boatman]

That sucks that they won't do that for you. As for the charging extra to put something else on. I can see that, if they have to derig then rerig. I bought my Lund with out rigging and paid a bit more to have my e-tec put on. I had no problem with that as I got what I wanted. When it is separated it is no longer a package deal so it is to be expected to pay more.

 

Again, sorry you're having the hassle. On the bright side, you will enjoy your Lund(s).

 

I completely agree that they should charge extra to re-rig a boat. That's only fair. My problem isn't with the price its the fact that Tracker won't sell you just a boat. That's fine, the marina where I buy my parts is a Lund dealer and they will have no problem selling me a blank Lund.

[Radnine]

Well, first Tracker is not the cheapest boat you can buy. Not even close. All the big brands are priced competitively once you separate the motor and package extras. Also, you assume I didn't do my homework. I've looked at dozens of makes and models and in the end I settled on the Tracker V-16 SC. The Lund Rebel 1625 XL was my second choice.

 

Tracker only has so many dealers in Ontario. Less than a dozen, actually. I have contacted four of the closest ones and they all say the same thing. "You can't buy a Tracker without a motor". I am not going to call every dealer in Ontario. I think four is sufficient.

 

As I stated in my post, its a boat I am purchasing (on my company's behalf) for work. I'd rather not mention my company's name. Its not important to the story.

 

Yah, your right. It was a crappy response on my part. Sometimes I should just stay away from the computer.

Jim