Better Enjoy Your Current Bullet!

[KHNC]

From the post i read on the Bullet owners FB page, Bullet has some SERIOUS quality control issues going on! Stress cracks on a 5 hour hull. Bad wiring, crappy hose cuts, scratches on the top cap and under hull. No excuse for that type of crap. Seems like if you have a good one, you better hang on to it. May be hard to get a decent boat made from Bullet in the future. Even with the extreme price jumps that boat manufacturers are putting off on consumers. You would think Bullet would do a better job at putting out a perfect boat. I for one, wont be owning another Bullet in my lifetime. My son was about to order a new one, but after seeing the recent posts, he is going with either a Falcon or a Phoenix when he is ready.

[WVBullet]

Yeah I just recently heard about those claims. The one had an inside crack around the passenger grab handle. That could have happened after purchase, but stress cracks on a new gel spray, they should cover that. That should be inspected and detected before it leaves the factory. If I’d done a shoddy gel coat, it’d be stripped and re-done. One claim was the bow pinstripe that comes to the point was way off. That’s inexcusable. Period. If these claims are actually a trending factor, then Bullet needs to address these issues immediately. They have worked too hard over the years as a custom boat company to start this. Quality and craftsmanship has to come first above all things.

[21XDC]

I don't believe everything I read on the internet..... I also don't like rumors and contribute to spreading them.

[WVBullet]

I don't believe everything I read on the internet..... I also don't like rumors and contribute to spreading them.

Exactly! A lot of things are said on the internet and we’re hearing one side. The truth side may never be revealed. I’ve had like 4 tours and have visited the factory on numerous occasions. Tom and the guys always welcome you to look around. I’ve got a sharp eye for detail and I’ve never seen anything like the accusations that’s been put out there lately. I don’t have fakebook, but have had screenshots of conversations sent to me about the claimed issues. Like I said above, Bullet is and has always been a custom performance boat company. Minor blems can happen in any company, but I have a hard time believing they’d let these damages or quality issues of this severity leave their factory. I sure wouldn’t let these accusations alone stain my thoughts about Bullet’s longtime reputation or on any future purchases.

[rock2033]

Well I know the guy pretty well
the bottom had cracks out of the mold. The gel was messed up out of the mold. His pics are before the boat was rigged or used.
the grab handle cracks was after one trip. His 5 years old son was the passenger so I don’t think it was too much pressure lol.
2 sides to every story but he has screenshots of texts and recorded phone calls.

when a boat company tells you “it’s the bass master classic week, we don’t have time for you”, that’s an issue.

[WranglerSS]

when a boat company tells you “it’s the bass master classic week, we don’t have time for you”, that’s an issue.

Ill bet the same would have come from any small custom Bass Boat builder that week.

[SUSHII]

You can't let one negative experience negate the hundreds of great experiences that people have had over the years. People are people and things happen. The response of the company is what you need to judge on. They offered to buy his boat back and he refused to sell. That's when I quit reading all the BS because at that point there is nothing else that they can do to please him.


I have had over 15 Bullets in my life and never once bought a brand new one yet anytime I need anything in any capacity I pick up the phone, call the factory and get treated like family.

[KHNC]

I don't believe everything I read on the internet..... I also don't like rumors and contribute to spreading them.

HAHA, well the pictures are pretty solid proof. Really hard to dispute in my opinion. And yes, hopefully bullet gets it worked out at some point.

[Shuck Grass]

HAHA, well the pictures are pretty solid proof. Really hard to dispute in my opinion. And yes, hopefully bullet gets it worked out at some point.

If bullet tried to buy his boat back, what more can a company do?

[adam_p]

If bullet tried to buy his boat back, what more can a company do?

I agree, but at this point the best fix would be for them to build him another hull and swap all his stuff on to it free of charge.

I see both sides of it but the boat clearly had issues from the jump.

[rock2033]

I agree, but at this point the best fix would be for them to build him another hull and swap all his stuff on to it free of charge.

I see both sides of it but the boat clearly had issues from the jump.

multiple issues. I can see if one was overlooked but multiple issues is a concern for me.

and his isn’t the only one. There’s been a few. Use the search function and anyone can see

[av]

when a boat company tells you “it’s the bass master classic week, we don’t have time for you”, that’s an issue.

Give me a break with that nonsense , what do you expect them to pack up at the classic and head back to service a boat? Shit happens nothing is perfect

[Leonard Bullet21XD]

If it’s on Drama-book it has to be true (right)? BS!
If you look at any product you will find bad reviews, boats with water blisters, hulls separating. Sometimes it’s buyers remorse. Sometimes there are real issues but rest assured if Bullet has a problem they will go over and beyond to make it right. The best part of Bullet is the people and there is no dang chopper guns involved like some copies.

[Bullet 250]

Anytime I needed something or had a problem with anything with any Bullet that I've owned, however at Bullet I talked to helped me above and beyond my expectations, things happen, but this day and time, people make the BIGGEST DEAL out of the smallest things, I wouldn't hesitate to order a new Bullet today!!!

[hyperflow]

My hole new boat experience has been kinda a nightmare. As most ppl know i bought a new 21SDC last year, I never really spoke out about it. My biggest issue is i'm from northern canada, so i can't just bring the boat back to the dealer or bullet. So i gotta do all the work myself. Bullet and the dealer have been good about it, But because im so far north there's not really anything they can do and even if they payed someone around me to do it i would of rather do everything myself anyways.

Here has been my issues. My passenger rod buckel at the front they over tightened it and its broken at the back so now i gotta manually put it in and out. Because my boat is black it needs more attention to the polish job to finish the boat, i had shadows where didn't polish enough, i had multiple spots where they was still the polish paste they used still on the boat. The actual pad they must of put paste on and went to do something and forgot it on there cuz it was a huge area with the polish paste still on. I had to pull the steering wheel off because the trim switch was rubbing on the hub, every time id turn the wheel it would be this loud squeak.

Now the trailer, My front checkerboard at the front was peeling off, My fender pad behind the fender ripped right off (which ended up scratching the boat), The elite shield coating is peeling off at multiple spots, The lil plastic pcs infront of the light that says "bullet" fell of on the hwy somewhere. The fender on the passenger side was so tight against the boat, I had to pull the fender off and grind the trailer slot where the fender bolted to more out so the fender wasn't rubbing on the boat.

Now the motor, The motor started cutting out last in june of last summer, and i only took it out at the end of may. The motor never ran 100% the rest of the summer, I think i have 6 or 7 trips to the dealer/dealers now. The power head bolts even fell right off and we're in my midsection, when i would trim the motor i could hear them moving around. I brought the boat back to the mercury dealer this spring to change more parts on it, i'll find out this weekend if it's fixed or not (when i brought it to the dealer there was still ice on the lakes), so far they changed, coils, plug wires, plugs, every filter in the motor, camshaft sensor, shift actuator sensor twice and checked seals, compression, wiring etc......

Also this motor seems to be stupid hard on gas, We have our normal milk run we do. I could do it on 15 gallons with my 20xd/300XS and i can't do the same run on 35 gallons with my 21sdc/300R, i have to bring spare gas to do the run or i won't make it.

I honestly think in 10 years from now ppl will be saying don't buy anything that was made from 2021-2023 from any company those we're the bad years.

[av]

Hyperflow , not to down play your issues I know spending that kind of money you expect no issues at all , but the only Bullet issues I see is the over tightened rod buckle , trim issue and shadow on hull , thats stuff I would say is minor at best a few hours to square away. Bullet doesn't make the trailer or motor , I have had bolts come loose on all my Mercs and fall in cowel (its annoying) a buddy of mine his belt tensionerfell off , the trailer issues, I have been disappointed with the trailer they use from Custom Line to Boatmate I always had problems that guys with other brands didn't.
I can't see how you say you have a bad boat over a rod buckle and having to pull the steering wheel �� I believe the dealership should have done a better job inspecting the boat before you got it thats bull.

[jenninr]

I don't think I've ever heard anything good about Boatmate trailers. I don't know why so many manufacturers use them. I know a lot of people don't like the old Custom Line trailers but my C-channel Custom Line has been a very solid trailer and the only issue was some surface rust caused by the carpet on the steps and that carpet was ripped off years ago. I also eventually Line-X'd it because of paint chips but it was 17 years old at that point. I know their tube trailers were terrible. I think with a boat as light as a Bullet we would all be better off with a C-channel trailer from someone other than Boatmate.

[hyperflow]

Hyperflow , not to down play your issues I know spending that kind of money you expect no issues at all , but the only Bullet issues I see is the over tightened rod buckle , trim issue and shadow on hull , thats stuff I would say is minor at best a few hours to square away. Bullet doesn't make the trailer or motor , I have had bolts come loose on all my Mercs and fall in cowel (its annoying) a buddy of mine his belt tensionerfell off , the trailer issues, I have been disappointed with the trailer they use from Custom Line to Boatmate I always had problems that guys with other brands didn't.
I can't see how you say you have a bad boat over a rod buckle and having to pull the steering wheel �� I believe the dealership should have done a better job inspecting the boat before you got it thats bull.

Moral of my story is i had issues with everything, Even my trolling motor. That's 4 independent brands that have nothing to do with each other. I count it as a covid, nobody wants to work/hard to find ppl to work thing. I personally think every company is having issues with quality right now.

The polishing of the boat and stuff is very minor, even tho it did get under my skin. The boat left the factory like that and it left the dealer like that. This boat cost me 140K by the time i got it here, I shouldn't have to fix my trailer, polish my boat and fix my steering before i even get to put it in the water.

My overall experience with the dealer was awesome tho, they we're great before and after the sale.

[Rebel1]

I think all manufacturers suffered quality issues during the pandemic.

[djb750]

I honestly think in 10 years from now ppl will be saying don't buy anything that was made from 2021-2023 from any company those we're the bad years.

I think you are right. I know it's off topic for this discussion, but I work in robotics and consumer goods packaging. I've had more than one customer apologize to me because they knew that when I visited their facility (2021-2022 approx) that I most likely walked thru a cloud of pot smoke in the parking lot on my way in. They explained that they had to dumb-down their HR policies in order to get enough applicants/hires. I think companies like Mercury faced/are facing that, and in their case, combined with the additional volumes they absorbed from Evinrude closing. Just look at the lead times on motors. They can't get the volumes out fast enough. It invariably leads to quality issues.

We used to say that the robots we installed enabled the operators they were replacing to go and do different, value-add tasks. Truth is, we're replacing people because they're unreliable and don't want to be there in the first place. And most of my customers do not want to have to rehire people if they can get a robot to do the work. Robots don't call in sick or take FMLA.