what about JD Power score

[KH59]

As someone looking to buy, I would like to hear Skeeter's response on how they positioned below the segment average overall and what that means. A potential buyer could clearly have reservations looking at the scores.

The score seems to have implications but since the details are only revealed at the company level it leaves consumers, me at least, a bit in the dark to what it all means.

I have heard the argument that the award is bought but don't agree that is a completely valid argument as Genmar and Yamaha could easily set themselves apart from the independents and others with less financial resources. I think it is true you have to pay handsomely for the rights to use that data to promote your results but that's different.

I am considering my first Skeeter so that is my reason for this post.

[Tagg007]

I am not sure about the score but I have owned two Skeeters and wife willing I will have a new I class in two years. They are great boats, top quality, good ride, great looking and fast. They have one of the most stable platforms for fishing and plenty of storage space. I have a great dealer that makes owning a Skeeter even better. I know that there are board sponsors on here like Jason Hale, that i am sure takes exceptional care of the customer. If you're going to buy a boat consider brand, ride, cost of ownership and your dealer. No matter what boat you buy, you will likely have small issues with it, its boating and that's the nature of it. But your dealer will make the process either great or horrible. Most Skeeter Dealerships I know of have exception customer service. Good luck and dude the bug is the only way to go

[JJohnSind]

I don't know about the survey results but I can at least give my insight as to why things may be the way they are. On my last Ranger, I had a lot of issues, but because of my "Ranger pride" (repeat Ranger customer and bias), I gave raving reviews. On my next boat (different brand), I gave more honest reviews and because I have over 20 years of boat owners experience, I can be very critical and see things others may not. I gave critical reviews because I wanted to help out the boat company with constructive reviews, not give a review so that they can use the info to sell more boats. On my recent Skeeter, there were a couple of minor issues but the boat was a great upgrade and my reviews reflected that; however, if I were not on a Team deal like I am, I doubt I would have gone through the trouble of filling out the survey.

I guess what I'm saying is that there can be some bias in these surveys, and the people more likely to go through the trouble of filling them out are the ones that are either really unhappy or really happy. I'm guessing a lot of in-between people don't bother.

I also did notice that my Ranger dealer contacted me before I got the survey (by mail) and asked if there were any issues that need to be addressed to put me in the 'very satisfied" category, then asked if I could fill out the soon to come survey favorably especially the section on the dealer satisfaction. In hindsight, this was a very strategic and actually considerate guesture on the dealer's part, but if this wasn't biasing the consumer, I don't know what is. Maybe more Skeeter dealers should do the same.

[mark Z21]

try this one, couldn't find the comparisons ou were looking at though

http://www.jdpower.com/boats/articles/Skeeter-20i-

sounds like JD liked um

[jasonb01]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mark sl210 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">try this one, couldn't find the comparisons ou were looking at though

http://www.jdpower.com/boats/articles/Skeeter-20i-

sounds like JD liked um</TD></TR></TABLE>

This is probably what he's talking about.

http://www.jdpower.com/boats/r...tings

[KH59]

No here's what I'm talking about.


Bass Cat 935
Ranger 892
Triton 872
Bass Boat Avg score 870
Skeeter 865


or use this link and go down about three pages

http://www.jdpower.com/corpora...0.pdf

[Doug Vahrenberg]

You also need to look at the number of boats sold by each manufacturer. Skeeter I heard is now number 2 is the Bass Boat Market and the only company that sales from 2006-2007 did not drop in volume.

The more boats the more chances of having a negative issue. Has anyone ever been contacted by JD Power? I haven't and have purchased over 10 new Skeeters.

On a better note look at the Consecutive CSI Awards by Skeeter these are from the NMMA and I get surveyed by them after every boat purchase.

[Neilslure]

I got a JD power survey for my Stratos. They paid me $5 tax free to fill it out.

[jasonb01]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Doug Vahrenberg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Has anyone ever been contacted by JD Power? I haven't and have purchased over 10 new Skeeters.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Exactly. I wanna know just who is answering JD Power's questionnaires. You alway's hear about these dumb ratings, but never know who is filling them out. My theory is that all of these awards are bought in one way or another.

I wouldn't let this survey affect your decision to buy a Skeeter or not. I think the biggest decision maker should be wether you have a really good dealer near you to buy it from. If you have trouble's and your dealer is great, then you will have no worries. Dealer's that say anything to make the sale, then don't go to bat for you when you have issues is the biggest problem with any manufacturer.

[fishin couillon]

When i bought mine and filled out the questionair, some of the bad remarks were about the dealer.

[Matt Plapp]

Boat builders get a bad wrap on the JD power. A lot of customers have bad opinions about their boats based on everything but the boat. I can't tell you how many times someone comes in mad that their skeeter or triton stinks and when we get to talk it's their trolling motor, motor, depth finder, bilge pump, trailer, etc. Very few times is it the actual boat. Since the boat companies rely on generic parts from other companies they will never be judged right in my opinion.

Plus there is a big difference when smaller bass boat companies can call and campaign to their customers to vote for them and larger companies like skeeter can't have the owner/president call every skeeter customer asking for their support, with the smaller companies this happens and it shows in the ratings.

Matt

[gho4950]

Sorry Mr. Plapp but I must totally disagree. No one from Basscat has ever called and "campaigned" for my vote. What they have done is to totally satisfy most of their customers, including me, by doing whatever it takes.

[Matt Plapp]

I did not say Basscat called anyone, I said smaller companies have, and I know some smaller manufacturers have because they have told me that's what they do. For that reason I did not mention any names. Where you got Basscat I don't know, but if your saying basscat then you must know something I don't.

I know of a lot of smaller boat manufacturers that make those calls, I won't mention by name because it's not my place, but it's a issue that affects the bigger manufacturers. I'm not sure I'd call Basscat a small manufacturer.

Matt

[gho4950]

In the bass boat segment I only recall 5 manufacturers being listed with scores. Not sure who then would qualify as "small". I was also not trying to upset anyone's applecart either. The only thing "I know that you don't" was as I said. No one has called and I full well feel they (Basscat) earn and deserve the 4 years in a row they have won. There are several good boats out there and I've owned several over the years and had some problems with all. It's the manner in which they are handled that set some aprt.

[Matt Plapp]

OK, I was talking about the boat segment in general, not specifically the bassboat segment.

Matt

[bigbass111]

It has everything to do with how many boats the manufacture's Register per year. Then a formula is put together on how many surveys go out and who they go too. Bass Cat only sells 35-40% of what the top 2 selling line's (Ranger, Triton) Skeeter comes in third, a couple hundred short. So Ranger, Triton and Skeeter have probably 2-3 times more surveys sent out versus Bass Cat. And just so you know we get a list of all the customer's JD sends surveys too in advance. We do not get that from the manufacturer, we get it from JD powers. It is up to the dealers to Kiss ARSE with the customer for a good JD score. So I can guarentee you some dealers probably do KISS some ARSE...I personally did not even call a single one, and our score's were great....

Its all politic's anyway, doesn't mean a thing....

People are going to buy what they want, not what JD has to say...Sorry but I think it's a crock...And I would say it if Ranger or Triton were #1...

[Matt Plapp]

One of our pleasure boat company's that we sell sends me updates on customers who get surveys and want us to to them and remind them to fill them out. I don't because I think that would scew the report. We survey our customers 5 different times throughout the year on how we are doing, I want honest answers not influenced by anyone so that we can fix it. At one point I called the customers with surveys and I would not get honest answers, for some reason customers were not candid with me, but they will tell the company that does it for us everything.

In my opinion the bad surveys are the best, if you don't know what's broke, you can't fix it.

[PowerFish]

Interesting thing about the JD Power results... Nitro had scored consistenly low on the ratings, when you look at the detail... When also looking at those rating, the motor and components scored low also...

In the meantime, Mercury won the top rating, which is the only motor you can get on a Nitro, and they use the same Perko and other major brand accessories anyone else does...

[Chbass]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Gamble.Bass &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Interesting thing about the JD Power results... Nitro had scored consistenly low on the ratings, when you look at the detail... When also looking at those rating, the motor and components scored low also...

In the meantime, Mercury won the top rating, which is the only motor you can get on a Nitro, and they use the same Perko and other major brand accessories anyone else does...</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'd give the motor a low rating too if I had bought a boat that was rated for 225 hp but opted for the base packaged 115.