Roadrunner wrote:
kross57 wrote:
I just received a strange message from Hobie:
"This is a warning regarding the following post made by you: viewtopic.php?f=11&p=301824#p301824 .
This is really getting old. I am not going to put up with blatant Hobie bashing in multiple forum topics on this site. This is kinda getting to be like your old days in the KFS forums. You and Riddler... geeze. What you are doing is evident to other forums users as well and they too are bored with the attitude."
If anyone has info, please share it.
Sure, I'll be happy to share my opinion. I'm really amazed -- that Hobie didn't can you sometime ago when you were on your deleted name calling binge. Being a member of the forum is a privilege, not a right, and Hobie has tried really hard to endure your crap. Bashing? Just talking factually, right? Lets see, in less than 3 dozen posts you've bashed Hobie's hatches, handling, boat design, plastic formula, Vantage seats (you don't even have one), warranty and Hobie's business practice. Not only have you bashed products you don't own, you make up your own "facts" to generate your bashing.
Let me give you an example.
kross57 wrote:
Even the worst warrantys for other kayak companies are 3 years.
As one who appeared to have done an industry wide survey this is obviously a lie.
This warranty doesn't hold a candle to Hobie's. Does Hobie require that you register within 2 weeks to get the warranty? Nope. Does Hobie even require you to register this boat? Nope. Do you even have to be the original owner or have a receipt? Nope.
Quote:
Hobie has the worst warranty in the industry. Ocean Kayak? Lifetime. Pelican? Lifetime. Wilderness Systems? Lifetime. Perception? Lifetime. Cobra Kayaks? Ten years. Hobie? 2 years???
Looking at all these other great "lifetime" warranties that you're bragging about. There is no warranty for non registered, non receipt, non original owners. Plus, Look at the list of exclusions -- essentially whatever they want. A LIMITED, excludable "lifetime" warranty that's mostly marketing hype?
So Hobie is the only one what I know of that actually warrants the product against almost anything, period. Your fake facts attack -- totally warrantless and seemingly designed for no other purpose than to deliberately bash. To add insult to injury, after Hobie gave you a brand new boat after yours was well out of warranty, your comment was predictably
Quote:
So, I'm not very impressed by the "good faith".
Incredible!
That was just one example, but is typical of your M.O.
I don't really understand, with all the boats you've allegedly had and complimented on this forum, why you even have a Hobie instead of one of these other great boats? You've taken full advantage of every kindness they've given you and bashed them for it. I'm only shocked that Hobie has let you get away with it!
I did miss the Native warranty, because it is VERY hard to locate. That in itself is a problem. However... Here is the Hobie warranty info for comparison.
"Warranty
Rest assured that when you
purchase your new Hobie from an authorized Hobie dealer it comes with a 2-Year Warranty. The Warranty does not cover normal wear and tear, improper storage, or running into stuff. The Warranty covers defects in the materials, manufacturing and design.
To Obtain Warranty Service
Within 30 days of discovering a defect, take your Hobie product,
along with proof of purchase (sales receipt or registration card) to the authorized Hobie dealer from whom you purchased your boat, unless you have moved or are traveling. In that case, take it to the nearest authorized Hobie dealer."
So, yes, you absolutely have to be the original owner purchasing the kayak from a Hobie dealer. That means when you wrote "Do you even have to be the original owner or have a receipt? Nope." you were wrong. I hope you can admit your mistakes as readily as I can.
In addition, my understanding is that the dealer registers these kayaks for you. The dealer told me my new hull has already been registered and I was told to hang onto my receipt. Therefore, it is the same. That still means Native's warranty is equivalent to Hobie's so there is another warranty that is no better. My bad.
As far as the limits on the lifetime warranties, Hobie's warranty comes with limitations also. See above. They all do.
The reason Hobie extends an unwritten policy covering hull cracks is (IMO) the hull cracks are a known, common defect. If they didn't cover them, lots of folks would shy away from buying Hobies. I think I've said that before. It's a good business move. And nobody "gave" me anything. I paid $350 for the new hull. It was one year out of their very brief warranty. Matt Miller tells me they typically take care of hull cracks out to 5 or 6 years. I have asked repeatedly how long I should expect these hulls to last. I'm still waiting for an answer. It's a valid question.
Remember, an unwritten policy is NOT a warranty. Native and other kayak makers may have this type of policy too. I have no idea. But, again, an unwritten policy is not a warranty.
To address your comments about owning various kayaks, I still own those kayaks in addition to my Hobie. I have reported problems to other makers over the years, since no kayak is perfect. Their response has been, in some cases, to either change the kayaks, stop selling various models, or include info in their marketing of these boats that describes the flaw. As one example, I own a Kaskazi Marlin. Like the Revo 11, it handled poorly without the rudder, although not as badly as the Revo. I explained this to Kaskazi. Now, when you look at the description of the Marlin on their site it says "It has significant rocker on the stern in order to make it very responsive to the rudder, therefore it tracks well with the rudder but not without the rudder." Great response and super honesty. In no case have I ever been accused of "bashing" for doing this. The reaction here was quite a surprise.
I guess I now have to say this after every post on this forum. None of what I have written above is "bashing". It is all as factual as I can make it, or simple opinion based on my experience. I have not intentionally insulted anyone or anything.