A sad day at a boat show, and why mastercraft is dying

[aelewis]

I cannot believe I am saying this, but read the below email I sent to a mastercraft dealer (Vina at Norcal Mastercraft) and I think everything will explain itself, so sad. .. .

Hello,


My name is Alex I am 25 yrs old and when my father called me to go look at boats in Sacramento, about a two hour drive for both of us I knew he was serious about buying a new boat. He is in the market for a ski boat, and was specifically only interested in two boats, a prostar 190 and the nautique 200. This may not seem like a big deal however he has been a lifelong mastercraft owner and buys a new boat at least every 5-10 years, and to be even slightly considering a nautique was sinful to say the least.

Therefore I called both superior marine and norcal to confirm that they would have representation of that boat there at the boat show. I called norcal as did he and my girlfriend in which we were told by three different people that the prostar 190 was not on the lot, but in fact it was already at the show. Needless to say when we got to the show no one answered the cell phones we were given to meet us at the gate, and there were no prostars at all.

We were very disappointed, and that only got worse. As we asked two different people, a woman in a tan shirt, and a man in an x10 with a black shirt that said mastercraft no longer sells prostar models and no longer the 190 specifically. This was odd since it is a very popular ski boat among tournament enthusiasts like us, and it is still on the internet as well. My father, my self, girlfriend and mother were infuriated. We left mastercraft immediately, and my father, again a lifelong mastercraft advocate went and sat in the closed bow 200 and got a price of 56,900 for a nautique with the 5.7L 343 horse PCM, zero off and metallic paint.

I hope this was just a comedy of errors, and that there are still prostars being sold through your shop, and that somehow there was a big misunderstanding. I would like to stop my dad from buying a nautique, but can only do so if there is a way that he can buy a prostar within reason.


thank you and please pass this too anyone else whom might have an answer.

--
Alexander Lewis

[helton333]

You sound like a Democrat. Buy whatever boat you want (Oops sorry, let your dad buy whatever boat he wants).

[bikenskijerm]

They person you talked to was a moron. I was at the plant in November and they had at least 6 prostars (including a 190) currently in production. This boat isn't going anywhere. Take a deep breath, relax, and buy a prostar.

[TxsRiverRat]

Infuriated?

SMH

[aelewis]

I know that they still make the boat, but in california dealers are scarce, and to have one of the only ones say they do not make them is odd. And you are right, I have been calling around trying to sort the mess out. Thanks for the positive response.

On another reponse, thank you helton for your response, my father does want a prostar but was told they do not make them. And thank you I already have bought mine, a 2008 tt, not sure what politics has to do with it, and since my family lives in a different state than my father does it was an odd comment, but again thanks for your quick response it really keeps these threads lively.

[Sodar]

I am almost 100% sure that NorCal MC is a X-series only dealer. At least, that is what they told me when I was up there a few years back. Either way, a ProStar 190 will need to be ordered 99.9% of the time. X-7's and 197 both sit on the lots for a LONG time... 190's sit for even longer.

There are 3 sides to every story and honestly, the 1/3rd I have heard does not add up.

I would like to close this thread. No good of it is going to come unless we have Nor Cal explain their side and then a higher being to translate your story and their story into the true story.

Good luck with whatever you choose to purchase.

[Tristar Racing]

Whoa, a crappy boat dealer? I'm amazed...

I would figure a lifelong MC guy would take the time to do more research. Based on dealing with boat dealers my whole life, I always do my own fact finding. Just my thoughts...

[aelewis]

I understand and thank you for your response, just confused on why they said otherwise. I understand that the boats sit, and we were ordering the boat in either situation. thanks

[Sodar]

Originally Posted by aelewis

I understand and thank you for your response, just confused on why they said otherwise. I understand that the boats sit, and we were ordering the boat in either situation. thanks

Who cares why they told you. Maybe they did not want to sell you a boat? This could also go into the reason why they did not answer your calls at the show. The whole "my dad wants to buy" story probably made them think you were a fraud. If your dad wants to buy, then why doesn't he do the leg work?

P.S. Your profile says you own an X-9 and that you registered here a month ago. Is the '08 TT a new acquisition?

[bcd]

A dealer can make or break a boat purchase. Hopefully if you buy a new MC, it doesn't have any issues, but if it does, do you want that dealership working on it? If the dealer's a big problem before you buy the boat, they probably won't be any better afterwards. If the Nautique dealer is a better dealer, it would definitely weigh in on my consideration.

If you have a 2 hour drive to your dealer, you want to make sure that should you ever have to haul your boat there, it gets fixed quickly, correctly, and in one visit. Also, don't assume that since it's a new boat, there won't be any problems with it (regardless of which brand).