I'm fuming so I'd better vent or I'll explode

T

tparrent

New member
I bought a nice new Garmin echoMAP 74DV for my 22 to replace the Garmin 498 that quit working.

The new chartplotter has all kinds of fancy things including DownVU sonar.

The box clearly says Preloaded BlueChart g2 but somewhere it noted that lakes were not included. I asked the West Marine guy if my g2 charts for the 498 would work and he said, "Absolutely. Just plug it in."

Before i could just plug it in, I had to go back to WM and buy a $150 transducer that the WM guy had said WAS included.

I finally got the boat on the water today, popped open the card slot and there ain't no way my old card would fit. Ok, fine, maybe the hardware technology has advanced. Fortunately, I had downloaded the charts from Garmin so all I had to do was figure out what type of memory device was needed, transfer the data and go on my way.

I chatted with Garmin and, of course, found out the chart packages are not compatible and I need to buy the new one for another $150. SO now I'm $300 more in the hole on an already expensive chartplotter - and I don't think I'm done yet because the slot sure didn't look like a standard microSD adapter slot - but the Garmin guy says it is so I guess I have to trek out to the boat again and try it.

On top of all this, I must say that the fancy DownVU sonar was not at all impressive. It did not show me any higher resolution than the standard sonar (which you can put on a split screen).

I don't mind if a WM guy doesn't know the details about what he is selling but I mind it a LOT when he pretends to know.

I suppose I should have spent hours researching all of this. Actually, I should have bought a cheap depthsounder and called it a day.

At least I got out on the water! Took my son along but he was bored until I pushed the throttle to the stops and set a new personal record of 30.1 knots! (I won't do that much but I had to impress the kid once) We then anchored out and he got cozy in the v-berth and commented that this would be cool "if we had wifi" I explained that I could use my phone as a hotspot and then he could play his games at anchor. He suddenly developed a keen interest in navigation as we scoured the lake for high cellphone signal strength spots :D

Weather is going to keep us shorebound for a couple of days but then we will be back afloat, hopefully with electronic charts.

(I did use the Navionics app on my iPhone at one point. It was quite impressive)
 
I can't remember the last time I bought anything from WM. I think it was an inflatable life jacket for the wife that was on sale; so that would be yrs ago. No one I've met there has ever appeared to be "an expert" on what they sell.
 
Glad to hear you got out on the water, Tom! Yes, kids are hard to impress with boat stuff. I guess Spike earned some "device time" so you could provide the wifi. :wink:

Sorry to hear the WM guy didn't know the equipment better. Not surprising. I have had the best luck getting good info from the manufacturer, especially when they have reps at a boat show. Maybe next time around.

Hope you get to use the boat a bunch before your next academic endeavor!

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Yes, a WM superstore has a lot of stuff and I find it can be interesting to walk around and look on days when I don't have anything else to do.

But you can get pretty much any thing WM sells for a significantly lower price if you go to the other marine store just down the road.

Only when WM has some sort of super deal or if I need something RIGHT NOW! do I buy anything from them.
 
Ha, sorry to hear about your troubles! If it's any consolation, you are not alone. I've been historically anti-WM primarily due to the high prices, but since buying the new boat last summer I have bought a fair amount of stuff from them, mainly taking advantage of sales like your $150 transducer that was on a Black Friday sale for $49.

Unfortunately more than half of my experiences at WM in that time, both with online purchases and at brick-and-mortar stores, have caused similar frustrations as yours. I won't get into all those details, but will say that my last trip was to the Anacortes store in January or February. The young man asked me if he could help me find anything (as they always do, and to which my response is always "Just looking, thanks"). This time, I couldn't find what I needed, so I said a resounding, "YES!" and proceeded to ask where can I find the NMEA cables, connectors, terminators, and T's? He then walked me over to the plumbing and toilet section, where I said, "nevermind" and walked out the door in frustration, and haven't been back since, LOL! :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Hey look at the bright side, You got a boat ride with your son and you now have a reason to go out again. Sorry about the bad experience.

OK, I get that WM is not the least expensive place there is to get marine oriented stuff, but, in some places it is about the only place. The good thing about the WM where I (in)frequent) is that it is in a town full of people who know boat stuff, and some of them work at the WM in Port Townsend. Not everyone that works there is an expert in everything, but I have yet to have one that didn't know the difference between a NEMA 2000 and macerator.

I'd bet the average WM worker knows more about boat stuff than the average Home Depot person knows about home building, hardware, tools or lighting.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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I had an issue with Garmin giving me bad information via email a few times. However, they finally made good on it when they realized their mistake, and sent me a free update card. I'd work with both them and WM, until one of them provided an acceptable solution. Go right to the WM manager if you have too! Other than that, I've usually had pretty good luck with Tech Service at Garmin. Colby
 
Harvey said: I'd bet the average WM worker knows more about boat stuff than the average Home Depot person knows about home building, hardware, tools or lighting.


Ooof. Harvey, that is a backhanded compliment of great acuity!

Even the local marine supply has a couple clinker sales staff. I suspect each one of us has had to ferret out the go-to guy whether HD, WM, Fisheries in Seattle, you name it.
 
LOL Harvey, yes Home Depot is often similar type of experience, and the kid having no clue about NMEA was very minor, but I'll just get worked up into a frenzy if I have to recount the 3 prior bad experiences in the last year that led up to this, all of which really did waste my money and time in similar ways as the OP. Let's just say that was the final straw and I have so far resisted the urge to go back, despite the huge convenience factor they offer! But, no doubt in November I'll probably be stepping into it again, trying to advantage of their Black Friday sales if they are good ones :smilep
 
WM price matched purchases for me. You must ask. I showed proof of pricing in a catelog and they matched the price. I have used this for bottom paint, hardware, and electronics. Nice to be able to put hands on items before buying.
 
I have had price matching at WM, and good service, and they are not the most convenient, some 40 miles away, but they do have the (by far) best selection of marine products, (I do have a Walmart close and they have some choices), but I have had WM take returns and I have had them go way past the extra mile. (There is a local HD here and, I'm sorry to say, but their customer care service is just not up to WM's version.) yes, WM might be a bit more $$ but in PT, it is also just across the street from the best fish and chips place on the peninsula. That counts for a lot :lol:

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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This has happened to me at Both west marine and Home depot.

Drone_ Hi can I help you?
Me- sure will this produce work for my use?
Drone- takes box from me and starts to read the back of the box to me.
me- hey asshat. do I look illiterate???
Drone- what?
me - say what again MFer. ( thats a movie reference)

I dont ask any of them any thing any more .
 
I've had similar experiences around many retail establishments selling pretty expensive boat and fishing gear. I would prefer to have a relationship with a person at a reputable and reliable retail establishment than cost-shave on the internet and bag the lowest cost, but those options are truly declining. Often salespeople on the floor don't know much, and just read labels to you, or go online and read google to you.

I recently went into both Bass Pro and Cabelas looking to upgrade my downrigger (Starcrafttom, if you still have those digitroll IV's I'm interested!!) and couldn't get basic questions answered. So I left. I went to a much smaller store I thought would have some good info, no dice.

I was pleased people didn't offer misinformation as it went here with the Garmin plotter, but the overall quality of service in retail establishments doesn't really motivate me to do anything but do my own research and find my best price online.

I have not love the downview on Garmin. I think Raymarine and Lowrance/Simrad do it better. but panoptix is really cool, and you can play with that. Of course lots more $$ for transducers! Sounds like you would have done better with something else.
 
I think you have to shop for knowledgeable salespersons the same way you shop for products—and using your BS detector is an important part of that process.

Do I trust this person to give me advice that, if they're wrong, could potentially result in the loss of life or property? Will this person and their company stand behind the product they've sold me? Are this person and this company committed to building long-term relationships with their customers?

I have bought hundreds of dollars worth of gear from WM over the years, because: I trust the company to make me whole if there is a problem; they will match anyone's price; and because I personally believe they have the best guarantees in the business.

The final reason I have shopped there, maybe the most important, is that there used to be a highly qualified, personable, well-informed manager at the Everett WM, whom I came to know and trust over the years. Unfortunately, she has now gone to work at Harvey's local WM store in Port Townsend.

It's 60 miles and a ferry ride from Seattle to Port Townsend, but the next time I have a major purchase to make, I might consider driving to PT for her advice.
 
For the ten years Becky worked for the local marine and industrial supply outfit, I enjoyed a solid relationship with their sales force, and learned the expertise of each person. This is a quality employer with deep roots locally, and a substantial clientele of sports and commercial fishermen as well as marine-focused industrial clients. They pay good wages and benefits, have a good profit sharing program, and are hardheaded businessmen. They are family owned, and are not susceptible to the whims of a distant corporate structure or headquarters.

WM is so different from the local outfit, it is no wonder it is tough to find competent, knowledgeable salespeople at one of their stores. In fact, the local outfit now and then has high graded other suppliers in the West (reaching from AK down to San Diego) and snatched away a good employee to fill a void. And they keep people ... there is very little turnover.

I suspect each one of us might have a similar story about a retailer he/she frequents. And will use again and again.
 
No surprise here.

You get what you pay for: wanna save dollars, go to a box/chain store.
Caveat is don't complain if you are disappointed.

Want top notch service, advice and backup, go to a specialist who has
been in the business a while and let him into your wallet.

Aye.
Grandma used to say, "We don't see the world as it is, we see it as we are."
Grandpa used to say, "You'll never get service going in complaining and angry
since you won't make sense."
 
Foggy":h4w41731 said:
...You get what you pay for: wanna save dollars, go to a box/chain store.
Caveat is don't complain if you are disappointed.

Want top notch service, advice and backup, go to a specialist who has
been in the business a while and let him into your wallet....
Click to expand...

The problem is when you pay the premium price and still get crappy service.
 
ssobol":1rxharg4 said:
Foggy":1rxharg4 said:
...You get what you pay for: wanna save dollars, go to a box/chain store.
Caveat is don't complain if you are disappointed.

Want top notch service, advice and backup, go to a specialist who has
been in the business a while and let him into your wallet....
Click to expand...

The problem is when you pay the premium price and still get crappy service.
Click to expand...

You're right. Sometimes things just don't go your way.

Aye.
Grandma used to say, "Don't take things personally."
 
It's a global issue :shock: :cry:
Fortunately there are oasis :thup :thup

My Dad used to say
"You get what you pay for :| and, :idea:
you pay for what you get." :wink :smiled

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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TP,
I feel and understand your pain.
Like Colby, I think the World of Boat Electronics has long ago moved on beyond what any current and competent shop clerk could ever keep up with. However, they SHOULD say something like, ‘well an SD card should be compatible across all a mfg platforms, but let’s go to their online expert to be sure’.
You all know I’m a Garmin and West Marine Gold Member fan (for ease of returns, 15% off sales in addition to triple Rewards = another 12% off).
You would never know the Garmin SD Dual Card Reader is only compatible with the 8212, but not the 4212 MFD. What the hell, this is an SD CARD READER! What PC made within the past 20 years will not work with any and all Friggin SD CARD READERS?
My $250 NMEA 2K Garmin Intelliducer will work with the 4212, but not the 8212.
My dual $600 Garmin fuel monitors will work with the 4212, but not the 8212.
On and on it goes, and it’s not just Garmin.
I typically reach a Garmin tech support guy/gal/TGGLBS etc under Customer Support/ Chat in 1-2minutes and have a definitive answer in 5 minutes.
You can too.
HAPPY SHOPPING!
John
 
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