NC Moomba Owners.. thoughts on Grandpa's Marine in Greensbor

So I am going to be in the market for a new Mobius LSV either this spring or next and I was wondering about the experiences you all have had with Grandpa's Marine. I read in an old thread that they are out to get the most out of your pocket... thoughts? Do I need to head up to Richmond or down to Anderson, SC? The service issue is not one for me as there is an authorized Indmar dealer here in Raleigh, (one who has serviced my father's boat for over 8 years) so Grandpa's not wanting to service or giving me a hassle to do so is again, not an issue...

edit--- Authorized Indmar Service, not dealer

also, would Atlanta Marine be an option.. I took a closer look at Strickland Marine, in SC and they wont even give me a quote since I am out of their selling area.. I dont mind the initial drive to pick one up

Quote:

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Originally posted by EricNCSU1204


also, would Atlanta Marine be an option.. I took a closer look at Strickland Marine, in SC and they wont even give me a quote since I am out of their selling area.. I dont mind the initial drive to pick one up

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I bought from Atlanta Marine. I dont think they service out of area boats, but don't know if they mind selling.
I can say the owners are very nice. EVen though I wasn't buying a tricked out Supra (just a lowly Outback DD)I felt like I was. Brian in service has also been great after the sale.

thanks for the input.. yea service isnt an issue as I have someone here in Raleigh that is an Authorized Indmar Service Center, who Grandpa's recommended to me anyways

I bought from Grandpa's in June and feel kind of nickle and dimed to death. Mike even came out in the parking lot after I stroked a $38,000 check and asked for $16.95 for the 7 to 5 wiring adapter that I needed for my trailer.

I have a buddy who bought from the in 2004 and when he found out that I bought from them he had some choice words for me. He can't stand them.

My parents have a place down the street from Strickland's in Anderson and I went in there in June. They were helpful, fair on the price, and a dealer I wished I was working with.

As an owner of a company that reps a product, I have to admire Strickland for protecting the region of the other dealer but with the rep that Grandpa's has I'd call SC and tell them you'd like to buy elsewhere.

Good luck

JC

JC,
All excellent information. really appreciate you taking the time to let me know.. Yea I gotta find out who I need to talk to , as to not step on anyones toes.. One thought I had, as to get a good price was to hit up the boat shows in Atlanta and down near Anderson. One thing I might try to swing is.. my grandparents have a place in Clemson, so i may be able to work something out there. My gf actually goes to Clemson so next time I am down that way, i may pay them (Strickland's) a visit. Is Mike the heavier set, younger guy or the older grey haired man? Those are the only two I talked to at the boat show here in Raleigh a few weeks ago.. The older guy gave me a very "salesman-like" vibe... (aka, a weasel) He told me that he was young once and there were a lot of things he wished he did.. (I told them I wasnt ready to buy, as I am in the process of buying a hosue and also wanted to put at least half down on the boat when the time came).. I told him bluntly that I wasnt financing $40000 for a boat that I dont even have a place to put right now.

oh yea, anyone in particluar you know of that I should talk to at SC?

Again, thanks for all the input..... you making the trip up to Falls this weekend for the tourny?

Mike has glasses and is about 5'9".

The more I thought about it after I posted the more I wished I had bought from someone else. Last week I had to spend $234.00 getting new brakes on a trailer that is only 2 months old. Hopefully I will be able to recoup this somehow from Boatmate or SC. The only thing that Grandpa's did was tell the servicing dealer that they needed to get Kia Sorento brake pads.

The guy I spoke with was young and I think his dad and grandfather owned it. I went to Clemson back when so good job getting a Clemson girl. We were going to drag the boat down to lake Keowee this past weekend but we ended up hanging around here.

We're going to Oak Hollow tomorrow night or Thursday if you find yourself over this way.

JC

JC,
'preciate the invite... I am stuck here at the old job til 9 tomorrow and thurs night though.. start the 'Money/ career" job at the end of this month.. ie: the reason i am starting to look at boats :) .. the clemson areas is abs gorgeous.. would love to get my boat out on lake hartwell or keowee eventually, the only downside is that my truck gets about 12 mpg W/O anything behind it :-(.. Either way... yea I think that was Mike that was trying to give me the fatherly advice about putting myself 40 G's in debt.... what a weasel...... So thanks to your info and others, when the time comes I think i need to give SC a call and see what other dealers I can do business with. Like I said earlier, I am fortunate enough to have someone who is authorized near me who my family has done business with for a long while to work on my boat, rather than having to hassle with G'pa's. If you hear of anyone else who's had trouble with G'pa's have them drop me a line.. Would like to haev as much to stand on as possible when the time comes to make the call to SC... also... do you know if they will allw you to simply order directly from the factory and pick it up there?

Good luck with the whole brake ordeal, let me know how it turns out.

- E

Eric,

Not trying to give you fatherly advice but if this is your first boat buy one that's got a couple of years on it. The depreciation and the intitial break in periods will be over and you won't take such a large hit. It also should allow you to not have to worry about the monthly payment while you're putting out the gas $$$ in the summer.

As I said, we bought our boat on June 17th and have put over 65 hours on the motor since that time. If you look at what gas is costing along with all the other cost of going to the lake, we have been spending over $300.00 per month not counting the gas for our Denali. Also, the 20 hour service is a nice little couple of hundred dollars that they forgot to mention.

Congratulations on getting a "real money" job. It also goes with the "real taxes"... :)

We'll be at the series this Saturday. If you're out that way stop by it'll be the blue roo with the 4 monster tower cans on it.

James (JC or BlueRoo at the endoftheropegang.com)

ha. naw I have already gotten the same advice from my father... the thing is, I am not one who buys things and keeps them for a little while and then trades them... I buy em and keep them for a long time.. also I want the new hull design, and thicker tower that came with the '06's and newer.. I do fully intend to shop for a slightly used one, but if I cant find what I want, I think I am just gonna go with a new one... I have been on the water all my life.. driving my Dad's boat since I was about 10 (with him close by of course).. so my driving/ on lake experience and what not is there. 10-4 on the taxes.. already have had the est. tax tables out (yes, I'm a finance major, go ahead and make fun :-) ) and est how bad uncle sam is gonna bend me over. Like I said.. all good advice and I do appreciate it... who know's, it may be spring of '08 b4 I actually decide to take the plunge so hopefully there will bea few out there.

I should be out there this weekend on my boys boat, NCSUMoomba.. the red '01 outback with the NC State flag on the tower... my EORG name is the same as this one.. stop by and say hey if you see us.... dont you have the pacific blue outback v?

Yeah it's a Pac Blue. It's up on the EORG gallery now. I've added 4 cans from Monster and a couple of other things since that picture. It will be behind a white Yukon Denali. We should be there as long as I can keep my son from getting grounded (he is right now but may get off tomorrow). He's already missing a night on the water tonight. We only have 2 total so we're going to Belews if anyone wants to pitch in on some gas.

We just started boarding on June 17th so we're all still newbies. I'm able to go wake to wake now as is a buddy of mine. It seems like I'm still getting comfortable on the board. I started skiing when I was 4 so being behind a boat is natural even though I didn't ski or kneeboard for 12 years.

Anyways, hope to see you on Saturday. We'll be in the Blue Roo

James.

awesome, lookin forward to meetin ya... yea I have grown up behind the boat.. been kneeboarding since I was about 4 or 5.. tried skiiing for a little while but never got into it.. trying to get back into it now... I too am just starting to get comfortable on the baord... Think we are gonna put in at bartons about 7:45ish sat mornin and maybe get some runs in b4 the tourny... brians boat is in his gallery (NCSUMoomba) and is pulled behind an older (but sweet looking) lifted black ford ranger... I"ll be in my red F-150 thats in my gallery.. your son sounds like me back in my teenage days.. seems like I was always gettin grounded or gettin my truck taken away :-( .. anyways... see ya'll saturday!

- Eric

Nautical Marine in Richmond is also solid.

awesome!, thanks!.. do you if they have any quips about selling outside their area? I alsohave grandparents tha tlive in chester, right south or richmond so i dunno if i had ot if i could work anything out there or not