I was told by a YAMAHA REP. STAY OFF THIS SITE

[MrSled]

I have spoken with a few reps before and some of them do not have a clue about snowmobiles... some of them have never even ridden them. So dont base your finding on one rep that does not know his job.... the world is full of them in all jobs and with the kids that are coming up to fill more of those positions you are going to see even more idiots running the world.

 

[Studroes144]

Like the old saying goes, can't fix stupid

 

[Apex1958]

I don't think the Yamaha party would be the most appropriate place to bring up any gripes you have with their sleds. It's a night for customer appreciation and they always put out a nice spread. Better time would have been at the Snodeo down on North Street, Reps would have been there Fri, Sat and Sunday.

My friend didn't go there to complain the Rep went to him asking where I was and that started the conversion. I wanted him to tell them I bought a Ski-Doo but he didn't because he was mad at the answer he got about telling me to stay off the site he left the party.

 

[Candyredrx1]

After reading this post I could not sit back and say nothing after my terrible buying experience. Since 1998 I also have bought over 15 new yamaha sleds and the last two from the same dealer. I spring checked another new apex se. The sled did not arrive till after Thanksgiving. I was giving run around from the dealer and the yamaha rep. We had over 3 feet of snow on the ground and yet no sled. Thank goodness I had another apex se sitting in the garage from last season to use. The yamaha rep(steve) tried sweeting the pot by asking my lady's size and said he would get some clothing for her letting me use her sled while mine was not in yet. I thought that was a nice gesture at the time. Well, here it is a week before Christmas and all I got was lip service from the yamaha rep. Now lets focus on the dealer, the sled was not set up correctly from the factory and when I got it home I had to do it myself. (transfer rod was still screwed in from Japan) . The accecessories I ordered were in but the dealer did not install. Told them to keep em since they did not install. The last straw was was when a week later after picking up my sled(BTW they said the would deliver it) my registration has a lien holder on it. It was a CASH deal. I called the dealer and took over two weeks to get resolved. I also called the yamaha rep on this to which he did not return my calls at all. Who ever wants to know what dealer this was I would be glad to share the name of the dealer if you pm me. Since 98 I figured I spent over $120,000 in sleds alone. Those who know me, also know I put about $1000 in yamaha add-ons on each sled. I plan on still riding but after this great rep and dealer experience it would not be hard changing colors next year.

 

[wavemaster]

A "new" employee will always change up the game as well. In my company I was sitting in on a new support persons training and then watched/reviewed his performance on the job. One thing I noticed right off the bat was several times he stated "that is the first time I have ever heard of it..." I had to take him to task on it right away (we are too small of a company to hide from stuff) because we have definitely heard most of the issues. So I told him if a customer wants info that you are not aware of but the customer by their tone/verbiage clearly thinks you should be, tell them you are new and will find out. Don't tell them you have never heard of it because it implies to the customer that "we" have never heard of it and that isn't true most of the time.

I have never heard of that before.... (sure you haven't) lol.

I wonder how many times manufacturers sweep things under the rug by simply "switching" things up with support people and reps?

 

[Studroes144]

Since we're on the dealer thing, when the 2014 vipers were late getting to dealers, everytime I asked the dealer about my sled coming in, his words were "I have no idea, yamaha has not given me any info" no run around at all. He called me the day before my sled showed up and said he get word from yamaha my sled would be in in a day, sure enough it was. When I had the hot start issue for the first time I asked them about it, sure enough they said their dealer demo has done it two times (at the time) when the issue with the exhaust blowing out came up I also asked about that, they took me out back and showed me a sled that just came in where this had happened. I've asked them about several of the issues that have came about and have never been given any type of run around. One thing they have never heard from the 23 vipers they sold last year was of belt issues, and I know if they did have complaints and I asked they would have told me. It most certainly is not right for reps or dealers to hide things.

 

[TD Max]

I've had great service from my dealer, but feel I've been treated like #*$&@ by Yamaha. Thing is, the surveys are all about how the dealer did and nothing about satisfaction with the product or Yamaha's part of the buying experience.

P.S. My Doo was built with the shocks that were spec'd and shown on the spring models. They built me a very nice sled for just a hair over $10k.

 

[Sasquatch]

Yamaha rep in my area is a sledder and a friend. Grew up with him and partied like there was no tomorrow. Great guy that is well respected. Even he however says when we have talked about sleds and issues with them that I would know more then he does from the bottom then he from the top. He respects the TY forum but always says be careful about what you read because usually on the net you only read the bad. IE Bob has a problem but Bill George and Tom don't so does Bobs problem apply to all?

Not everyone has all the problems that gets listed here. As an example I never broke the W arm on my warrior, yet lots did and because of that I inspected it as a PM service. Everyone talks about the Apex drone and how bad it is, never heard it. Also about how bad the ice buildup with the underseat exhaust is. Never had a real problem but I do carry a small plastic mallet with me to clean ice in the morning.

The 8DN is a better belt but also be aware that it will wear the clutch faces, of course 18,000 miles later is it a real problem. If you have belt issues its a good proven belt and we know that a lot of people are having issues. In the end TY is a good place to post and read about problems you have and find solutions. Because a rep does not know about them only means that you inform him as the rep's for the most part know less then we do. How you approach a person and where makes a difference as well.

I myself have told a few people to stop reading about stuff on the internet and thinking all of it applies to all sleds. That huge blanket tossed out covers a lot but without research and individual case by case analysis the blanket tells you nothing. Not all two strokes are hard on fuel and yes my hand warmers work!

 

[yamahinn03]

I do believe the "COCKY" response fired up the whole conversation. A different response should have been attempted........... By the Rep...... NOT very Professsional in my book.....

 

[superfan75]

I do believe the "COCKY" response fired up the whole conversation. A different response should have been attempted........... By the Rep...... NOT very Professsional in my book.....

Yeah you would've thought the rep would be trained better at talking to people.

 

[jong22250]

Most times theses reps are young guys with a business degree that dont know anything but what the manufacture has told them
I talk to reps all the time in my job and 90 percent of the time I know more about there product than they do. Take his response with a gran of salt and keep riding blue

 

[Blue Dave]

I had a similar experience speaking with the Yamaha rep at my local dealer. I brought up the Viper belt question and he said that the guys on TY who are posting about needing to switch to the 8DN belt are only guys with turbos and aftermarket clutch set ups. He assured me that Yamaha would not have spent the money to create a new belt for the Viper if it was not better than using the 8DN which would have been much easier and cheaper for Yamaha.

 

[Apex1958]

I had a similar experience speaking with the Yamaha rep at my local dealer. I brought up the Viper belt question and he said that the guys on TY who are posting about needing to switch to the 8DN belt are only guys with turbos and aftermarket clutch set ups. He assured me that Yamaha would not have spent the money to create a new belt for the Viper if it was not better than using the 8DN which would have been much easier and cheaper for Yamaha.

I guess his nose is growing and you would think that, or maybe Yamaha thought if the belts don't last we can make more money selling them. My belts were not wore out they just slipped bad after 500 miles it was like they glazed over. My dealer went throw the clutches I went throw the clutches found nothing wrong then others at the dealer started having the same problems. My Apex I would take the belt off at 2000 miles just because and I always clean the faces of the clutches usually ever 700 to 1000 miles and I always break the belts in.

I GOT IT, MY VIPER MUST HAVE SOME EXTRA HP THANK YOU YAMAHA THAT MUST BE THE REASON FOR MY BELT ISSUE.

 

[yamahamm]

Yea and of course the 08 nytro was built 100% or did it not have a weak front frame? or did it not wear out tracks in 2-300km(the lugs would lay over) etc etc , it's a bad rep if he can't admit that even yamaha can make mistakes sometimes. Just as bad as a ski-doo rep that won't admit that they have had belt issues. But if you think its bad in usa than you should come to norway and take a look, here the most off the snowmobile salesmen and reps don't even know what they are selling.

 

[FAMILYMAN]

I usually have to explain a fix. It's like a deer in headlights in my area. Why my sled came from port.


2014 viper, mpi
2009 Phazer 144"