Pretty pissed at my Dealer/Mechanic

I have lost all respect for Howies Marine Service (Arctic Cat Dealer) in Prince George, BC and they have lost me as a customer. I took my sled in a month ago to get it tuned up. I live out of town so I wasn't in any hurry to get it back right away. So I go to pick it up the other day and as the guy is loading it on my pickup, I notice the left side running board is bent up about an inch on the back end. As I take a closer look, I see a scrape/gouge about 14 to 16 inches long on the bottom of the running board tubing. There is a dent in the tubing about the middle of the scrape. To me it looks like the mark from a forklift fork. (I work in a sawmill, I would know). So I ask the guy loading the sled, "how did that happen?" He says what and I show him the damage. I said it looks like a forklift jammed my running board. He takes one quick look and says, "that didn't happen from a fork!" So I go in and talk to the manager/owner and get him to come out and look. He takes one look and says, "that didn't happen from a fork!" Now, I would like to know how anyone could say beyond a shaddow of a doubt that something like that didn't happen from a fork, anymore than I could be positive it did. Anyway, so I say to him, "It wasn't like that when I dropped it off?" (It was bent up right where I hook my tie down strap so I would have seen it when I loaded and/or unloaded my sled to take it in). He says, "we haven't damaged a sled in 20 years." To myself I think, well there's a first time for everything, but I just said, Oh! ok, if that's the way you want to call it, that's fine, yep that's fine." I began finishing strapping down my sled and he just walked away. Now, I'm sure that they get guys all the time that try to blame them for damage, but to not even acknowledge the possiblility that it could have been there fault, really pisses me off. I don't need to lie about any damage I've done to my sled in order to try and get them to fix it for free. I can afford to fix my own mistakes. They need to learn to admit to theirs. I probably would have even let it go if he had said, gee maybe it was us, I'll look into it. But to out and out deny that there was any chance it was them is pretty poor business. I guess they have enough customers with there "F" rating from the Better Business Bureau that they can afford to loose one or two in this unstable economic time. I have been a customer of their's since I started sledding six or seven years ago and I was pretty pleased up until now. I won't be going back to them for ANYTHING and to those who do take there sleds to them I suggest you take pictures first.
FYI, this is on an 09 HCR so it's not like it was an old beat up sled either.

It's not worth my time or money to try and sue him. Like I said, the damage was minor enough and I probably would have let it slide had he owned up to it. I hate to say it, but it is more about the principle. I just finished spending 460 bucks in his shop (more than half on labour) to do a tune up I could have done myself, but he obviously doesn't appreciate my business. I'm not really spiteful or vindictive either, but by posting here I hope it does cost him a bit more business than just mine. I also sent a letter the BBB, but he isn't accredited anyway so I doubt that would have much of an impression on him. I'll just take my business elsewhere from now on. I have two daughters, ones 12 and needs a new sled now and ones 4 and will be needing one sooner than later. Not to mention all the other gear. So, he won't be getting any of that business either. On the other hand...today was a good day...IT SNOWED!!!!Wahaaahooooo!!!

Thanks for the words. Later

sled_guy said:

Ok, I understand you are upset, but take a step back and look at it from his side. He doesn't know that you "I don't need to lie about any damage I've done to my sled in order to try and get them to fix it for free."

How much business have you done with him? Was this the first time you came in to have him do work or have you been spending money with him for years? I've been on his side of the fence, you would be shocked at how many people try and screw retailers over for all sorts of things. Until you get a good history with people you end up being skeptical.

I have 2 dealers I have been associated with for years, spent way too much money with them. If something like this happened to me and I pointed it out, no doubt in my mind they would say, "Sorry, we must have damaged it, we'll fix it". But the other dealer here in town, that I have been in to maybe twice, would give me the same response you got... I'm 100% sure about that.

I'm just saying, realize that he has a very different frame of reference than you do and as mistrusting as you are of him, he is of you.

sled_guy

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As I said originally, I have been going to this shop since I started sledding 6 or 7 years ago. He coincidentally has only owned it for a little more than a year so I am told. I fully understand anyone’s skepticism, but the point was that he flat out denied it was even "possible" that they could have done the damage. Thus the reason I walked away, since arguing (discussing) anything further when he is already at “that” position is ultimately pointless. To me that is bad business and show's that he does not value his customer's satisfaction. And to your last point, I wasn't mistrusing of him until this happened. If I was I would never have taken my property to him in the first place.

leadfoot33 said:

Your not the only one disappointed with their service. i only go there to get little things like diamond drive oil or a bolt or somthing like that.
i would recommend using the quesnel dealer (full throttle) the fellows name is brad. its just a small little shop but he does good work his pricing is better and is a really good guy to deal with. we just bought our 2012 proclimb from him. i live in PG and drive an hour out of my way to get anything possible from brad in quesnel.

also i am pretty sure howies doesnt have insurance on their lot so if it went up in smoke your out to lunch.

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Thanks for the info. I'm in Fort St James, so Quesnels a little far out of the way, but may be the better option for me than heading West. (Been there done that too).