Consumer Freedoms

[bsmeaton]

Just imagine this:

You look through your brochure and decide to buy a new 2007 Montana Deluxe. You were at the local Dealership (town "A") a few months ago and didn't like the sales staff there, so you load up the family and go to the Dealership in town "B". The town "B" dealership says you have to buy from the Dealer in town "A", because of your home address and Keystone has a policy on dealer jurisdiction. Further, once you buy, you will always have to have your Montana Deluxe serviced at Dealer town "A" unless you physically move to another town whereas you can fill out a transfer form and submit it to Keystone!

Starting to sound like you didn't wake up in the USA this morning!!!!!

This is a true story, only with Cobalt boats (Kansas factory). Dory and I stopped into the Cobalt Dealer in Coeur D' Alene last week while on vacation. We were told at the door that we needed to go to the Denver dealer (they saw my Colorado license plates) due to policy. I became furious, got in my truck, and just short of leaving the word DROF on his forehead (Ford spelled backwards) by running over him, I went back to the campground and wrote a note to Cobalt explaining my fury. They actually wrote back and it is actually their policy. I just got off the phone with the area sales rep and he is actually trying to defend the policy as written in the interest of the customer!!

THANK GOD I remembered that I did wake up in the USA and I can buy ANOTHER BRAND BOAT!! I told the rep he needs to tell the CEO that he really should try and get out of Kansas every once in a while to see how the rest of the world works. In the meantime, I think I will excercise my freedom as a consumer and jump online to see from whom and from where I will try buying my next TRUCK, RV, BOAT, TIRES, even my GROCERIES.

Unbelievable!

[bncinwv]

Buy a better boat, take a picture of you and Dory smiling broadly with it, enclose it with a copy of your original letter to the dealer and the factory with a copy of their reply, along with an explanatory note stating that your policy is not to buy from idiots with idiotic policies. Might not make a difference, but it will give you a sense of satisfaction!!
Bingo

[Glenn and Lorraine]

Oh Brother, now I have heard it all. When the day comes that I am told where I can and cannot spend MY money I'll move to Russia.

[Mudchief]

Brad, it is not uncommon for a company to tell a dealer that he is not allowed to sell outside his assigned area. However it is not a problem if a customer come to them from outside their area. With that kind of policy, this company will force you to buy a different boat because they will be going out of business. That is unreal.

[Eagle Man]

Same thing goes for my boat engine (engine only). Can't even order parts from a dealer in a different geographical part of the country, you have to use the dealer in your area.

[SlickWillie]

I've been told a couple times by my dealer that Keystone reprimands (for lack of a better word) if they advertise prices below MSRP. This sort of hit me wrong. He says what the deal is that with him being out in a rural area is in, that he can undercut big city dealers. Also said if they find enough violations, they will pull his dealership. Seems from what he tells me is that dealers search for low prices online and report them to Keystone. Fact or fiction, not sure, just what I was told.

BTW, Brad, you handled the situation very well.