Quality Control on '05 models

[jpretti]

Anyone out there that has taken delivery of an '05 model notice that the quality of the boats has gone way down hill? I have had the decals fall off the side, the snap on my storage compartment fall off, motor is hard to start, rear storage decks do not stay closed when trailering, rear deck lids do not fit very well, discovered gel is very thin and the bow eyelet has started to fall out. All of the above and I have only barely reached 20 hours. I have seen one where the windshield is so far off you cannot even mount a tower. Saw another friend of mine's who found sandpaper and trash in the hull and one that arrived with torn decals and the driveshaft access panel had every weld broke.

My dealer has been more than gracious in taking there time to work on the boat and resolve issues, but it is really a bummer having to drop this thing off after a weekend of use to have repairs done week in and week out.

I want my 2000 21i back...and if this 21i continues to fall apart, I may have to demand a replacement. It just sucks paying this much money for something that is in the shop all the time.

[BrentRR]

I purchased a 2005 24V about 2 weeks ago. I bought it at Skiers Wharf Extreme in Osage Beach, MO on the Lake of the Ozarks. Their customer service sold us on the boat as much as the boat itself. The owner took my family out for a 2.5 hour test drive that included one of his employees, who is a part-time pro wakeboarder, showing us some of his tricks behind the boat. Pretty impressive to see someone go big behind the boat you want to buy without the use of ballasts.

After deciding to purchase the boat, the owner had 2 of his employees spend over 4 hours on the water with us which included shaking down the boat and free wakeboarding lessons for my 3 daughters.

Now to the not so good stuff:

1) While we were out on the shakedown run, a clamp came lose on one of the cooling lines and started spraying hot water in the engine compartment. Not that big of a deal except we didn't have a toolkit with us, all we needed was a flat screwdriver. (A new toolkit was one of my first purchases later that day.)

2) The console speedometer did not work. The speedo on the perfect pass is fine so we knew our speed.

Left the boat with the dealer to have fixed and came back a week later.

3) After dropping the boat in the water and loading up for our first real outing, the engine began sputtering coming out of idle. We could see that another clamp was lose around the exhaust hose. Could have fixed it myself, but I called the dealer and within 45 minutes his mechanic was at our slip. He tightened all clamps, which I was hoping they would have done after the first issue, checked the coolant level and test drove it.

4) The bilge pump was running but not much was coming out. He found that trimmed carpet waste had plugged the pump's filter.

The mechanic conceeded that Tige's quality has been an issue lately and he was looking forward to giving them h!@# at the upcoming dealer meeting that he will be attending.

Bottom line, I was pretty disappointed in the boat, as my family was freaking out over all the problems with a $50K+ boat. I left the owner a message on his cell saying as much.

We put over 25 hours on it over the July 4th weekend and I'm back in love with it. It handles the rough water well and pulls like a semi.

The owner showed up at our slip in one of his demo boats. He wanted to check on us to see how things were going. I can't say enough good things about this dealer. Their website isn't much, but you can get phone #s and addresses if you are looking for a quality dealer.

http://www.skierswharfxtreme.com/

[Cheeky]

Maybe I'll stick with the 2001 21v after all..... All the bugs have already been worked out. My biggest complaint was the tower, but now the 2005 tower is on and all is well...

[holiday13]

I had some problems with mine as well, but my dealer has been A+++ in fixing everything. My list is:
1. bad gas tank sending unit
2. transmission not properly prepped before paint, was rusted when I picked boat up
3. My stainless steel rub rail turned out to be anything but stainless, after sitting in the water 2 months (fresh water that is) it was comletely rusted, as well as the rear grab bar.
4. Bad light in the tach so it would not come on at night
5. All kinds of spare screws laying in the bilge bay and clogging the drain port

I know they are mainly little things but for what they cost I hoped for a little more. I love the boat and the dealer has made everything as painless as possible, if it were not for the dealer being so good I would not be as understanding. Kudos to 1st Klas Marina in PA!!!

[BrentRR]

You are right, most of the issues are minor. If Tige would just do some more quality checking they would have happier customers and their dealers wouldn't have to work so hard.

[jpretti]

I would agree, my dealer Stateamind Watersports in Hazelwood, MO has been first class the whole way, but it is a shame to have spent $40K on a boat and have to deal with all of this. I feel bad for those guys when I call them on Monday and have to tell them this broke or this is wrong.

Did I mention one of my board racks fell off too???

It is a shame to say this because I am a dedicated Tige owner, but I may have to look to another brand for next year, i'm not going to continue to put up with this boat for much longer if things continue to go the way they have been.

[Ruune]

here's a list of problems I've had with my '04

Every seating surface has been replaced, due to torn stitching.

Both boardracks have cracked or completely broken. Still waiting for one set of "fingers." Forward tower uprights are torn all to hell from the serrated boardrack clamps.

Rubber straps on the boardracks were dryrotted within 2 weeks of boat delivery.

Right side base of the tower has been replaced, due to either improper mounting, or manufacturing defect which would not allow tightening.

glove box spring was originally glued- came undone and now has screws w/ nuts holding it in place.

Drain for the cooler has an insert that will not stay glued.

Engine hatch cover- "catch" for the locking mechanism cracked and broke off. Had to relocate the locking mechanism so that the replacement part did not suffer the same fate. This would have been quite interesting if I had to tow the boat any substantial distance.

Stainless rubrail- continually buckles at the split points where the pieces meet, requiring adjustment every 2-4 weeks. I do this myself, since I'm not going to drag the boat to austin every time this happens and I'm not about to let another person get cut by it.

Here's the doozie- This past Feb, we were riding on the other side of the lake, when the propshaft cracked. Yes, it cracked. Did I hit something? Nope. The dealer confirmed that there was a casting defect, where the coupler is attached, and showed me. I think I've got pictures somewhere too, if anyone is interested. I was however, sent a bimini at a discounted price. This, too had problems with cracked plastic parts. Still waiting for the correct replacements.

Latest episode- I've installed my THIRD TAPS motor (includes the original). Unfortunately, the dealer informed me that since the boat was 1 year and 2 months after delivery, the motor wasnt covered. Sent an email to Andrew and I'll probably make a phone call tomorrow, since I should actually have some time to deal with this.

I ended up sending an email to Charlie Pigeon, but still havent received a response- this was about a month ago. Needless to say, I'm pricing X30s, Xstars and Wakesetters this fall.

[akdoc]

BrentRR,

Where do you ride at LOTO? We are down at the 41MM. We also have a Tige from Skier's Wharf Extreme. We had tons of trouble with their service at first but it was taken care of by the owner this spring and we really appreciate it. I was pretty angry with them for a long time but now everything seems to be better. They just got a great new mechanic also. I am glad to hear that they are taken care of you.

We have an 04 switch v and knock on wood we have 140 hours on the boat and just some minor problems, but mostly things that the factory screwed up. We were also told that Tige had been putting out some crappy boats lately, the dealer actually told us he has sold double the amount of nautiques and all that is in the shop is Tige's.

[delongheavyhaul]

just to get in the middle of all you unhappy people out there;) you have to understand that things are going to go wrong, and that things are going to break. either it be a tige, a mastercraft, malibu, or your ford truck. now, i understand if what went wrong could have been avoided by the manufacturer spending a little more time on the product. but i am sure that tige has a lot of boats to build. and you know that everyone wants theirs right now. so stuff will be missed. but it happens with everything you buy. the differnce is the way that the tige dealerships take care of you. they go out of their way to fix the problem and get you back on the water. my 2005 24v has had a couple issues, but nothing they could not fix. i absolutely love my tige. i would not even think to getting a different brand. there is no way that i would ever get the great service that i get now.

[holiday13]

delongheavyhaul I fully agree, my dealer has been great as I stated above, and as most people have stated. My frustration is it seems like every Sunday night I am pulling my boat and driving an hour out of my way to drop the boat off for warranty work, then an hour out of my way each Friday night to pick it up and drop it in. My only saving grace is the boat ramp is litteraly right next to my house. I will admit, and pray this is so, it seems like all the bugs have been worked out (knocking on wood). My 24v is a fantastic boat for sure and suits my needs to a T. Just the little things (which could have been avoided by better quality control at the factory) that have annoyed me.

[delongheavyhaul]

tige should recognize this as a problem and solve it. they should see that they are growing fast, selling tons of boats. they need to remember why they are starting to get big. it is because they would build the best quality boat on the market. i think they need to slow down and get back to what they are know best for.

[infinityent]

We have been thinking about buying a 22i, 2003 or newer. Should we be worried about the quality of these boats. A major reason for us buying a new boat is to get away from all of the little things going on with our old boat (an '88 Hurricane). Is Tige not the way to go these days, I was originally attracted by the TAPS and and Convex V Hull and i thought that Tige had a great quality product, now you guys are scarin me.

[Ruune]

you have to understand that things are going to go wrong
right- but this many things on a new boat? come on. I'm not new to boat ownership, plus I've got friends with malibu, mastercraft, Tige, centurion, supra, you name it. Noone that I know has had this range of problems with their boat- and I'm known as the anal one. For example, a friend of mine has a '93 sunsetter with over 1200 hours on it- and he's had far less problems than I have. Only after over 10 years of use did he have to replace the vinyl. I have another friend with a '91 prostar- same thing. Yet another friend with an '04 supra launch SSV- no problems to speak of.

[BrentRR]

Don't get me wrong. This boat is perfect for my family of 5 plus guests (typically have 7-9 people on board). Love the TAPS because we all slalom ski and wakeboard which is why we are racking up the engine hours quickly. We also tube and just hangout in a quiet cove.

How many boats can offer this much room and versatility and still provide a quality wake?

I guess I was naive in thinking I wouldn't have these types of problems when spending this much money. I can understand a gauge not working but clamps not tightened that affect water coming into the boat?

I'm just glad I was at the Lake when this all happened since the dealer was able to take care of it all. But what if I had trailered to the other lake I will be using the boat which doesn't have a Tige dealer...

Akdoc,

We boat in the Camdenton area on the Big Niangua.

[jpretti]

I agree with all of the above; however, the quality has slipped drastically. Now I understand they are in business to make money as is anyone, but I definatley agree with the fact that they should slow down and go back to taking their time building boats. Tige is the best boat on the market for the money and that is what they have been built around. If you think about it would it really kill you to wait an extra month or two to get the best boat on the market. Probably not.

For example, I had a custom motorcycle built last year, told me it would take seven weeks to get it done, ended up taking four months, but it was well worth the wait. I waited two months for my boat, but if they would have taken another 2 months to get it right and the qaulity would have been better then I would have been more satisfied.

You should see the gel on my boat, it's pathetic. The fiberglass on the interior is dull, looks like someone painted it with a can of flat black spray paint, not to mention they cut a hole for a speaker right behind the driver seat when the boat was ordered with no stereo, go figure.

I would not deter anyone from buying a Tige, because the dealers are outstanding as mentioned and are the boats, but Tige definatly needs to do something about these batch new models.

[Gardyloo03]

Ruune im with you bought my 04 last july nothing but problems including most of yours and then some. I am nowhere new to boat ownership and know that all boats have kinks my list after using it topped twenty that is obsurd.

[Wake Havasu]

"Tigé will benefit from a linear design in the new factory that will allow them to both begin and finish one boat every hour."

Tige News

Perhaps...

[holiday13]

Don't get me wrong, I love my boat, just the little things that rake my nerves a little bit. But the boat has met and exceeded my expectations 10 fold. It has a great wakeboard wake, very good slalom wake, hanldes the rough water well, has pleanty of room, I guess the only problem is it forced me to take up wakesurfing which meany buying more gear, not really a problem though:D

[TeamAllen]

I was just reading the NEWS section of this site, and it seems from these comments, the reports for next quarter won't fair as well.

ABILENE, TEXAS – March 17, 2005 – Tigé Boats garnered a score of more than 92 percent overall customer satisfaction for the first quarter of 2005, according to National Marine Manufacturing Association customer satisfaction index information.

ABILENE, TEXAS – February 24, 2005 – The Tigé 24V has been chosen by Powerboat Magazine to receive a 2005 Award for Product Excellence.

[Ruune]

Just got a call from my dealer- looks like Tige wants to make it right! We'll see what happens here... I'll keep ya posted.

[delongheavyhaul]

IM WITH YOU HOLIDAY13!!! ive had to buy new wakeboards, skis, life jackets, ropes, handles, tubes, knee board, air chair.. it does not stop. it is all worth it though!:D

[Tequilasun]

My response to the inital question is No, I have not noticed poorer build quality in the 05 tiges.

Comming from our 03, our 05 is built better. It is mostly little things that I have noticed from the 03 to the 05, but it does look and feel like a better built boat. I haven't had the variety of problems that most of you have had though. Just some intial electical issues.

Ruune, I hope they get things worked out for you, I remember how excited you were to get your boat!

akdoc, I talked with Joe last month, and your right they are selling a lot of Nautiques up there. I think it has to do more with their clientele an the Nautique status symbol, then the quality of the boat. Thats not to say that nautiques are not built well.

Thanks and thats my .02

[Tequilasun]

Originally posted by delongheavyhaul
IM WITH YOU HOLIDAY13!!! ive had to buy new wakeboards, skis, life jackets, ropes, handles, tubes, knee board, air chair.. it does not stop. it is all worth it though!:D

Don't forget bumpers, speakers, sirus radio, tool kit, extra prop, matching towels and koozys :D

[Ruune]

Don't forget bumpers, speakers, sirus radio, tool kit, extra prop, matching towels and koozys

The Ski dock in austin gives you a credit and a discount for all that stuff when you buy a new boat from them. But... dont forget extra rope, extra bumpers (can never have too many- ya never know when a boat full of bikinis might pull up... like this past weekend!) the occasional dropped anchor (from overzealous "helpers"), Oil, tranny fluid, ducky, rain-x, did I mention extra rope?:D

[jpretti]

My dealer is working hard to get my boat fixed which excites me almost as much as I was to take delivery of it. Tige still builds the best boat for the buck and I don't think I could even step foot into another dealer. This is my second Tige and I had hoped to keep this one for some time to come, but hopefully we (me, dealer and Tige) can come up with something to get the issues corrected.

I guess we all have one thing in common though: We are dedicated Tige owners and even with all of the issues we have had (new or old) we still drive Tige Boats for one reason or another and will for years to come.

[Tequilasun]

Glad to here it jpretti, let us know how everything comes out.

[smendez]

jpretti and all:

Sorry to hear about your issues. My 2005 has almost 40 hours on it already, and so far I can only count 2 items that were overlooked at the factory.

1. Like others, I found a lot of debris at the bilge (carpeting, screws, washers) to the point it actually plugged the pump. This took me just a few minutes to fix.

2. The big cooler was not sealed properly and it was leaking the melting ice into the floorboard. I took a little bit of silicon and problem solved.

Other than that, this baby seems to be going strong.

infinityent:

Don't think that any of the big boat manufacturers are inmune to these type of issues. Boats are not made in robotic assembly plants like cars. They are made by people, and people make mistakes. Sure I agree that some manufacturers have better procedures, they use better quality components and materials, etc. However, I bet that every boat manufacturer out there has customer issues because of defective products. At least Tige and most of their dealer network tries to make it right.

Now - I'm not trying to sound like a cheeleader here. I'll be the first one to complain when something isn't right, but at least I can tell you that not all of their boats have problems.

[Beau McCrory]

one could only hope that the new factory will have someone checking the finished products for the screws, scrap carpets, etc...

maybe the increased production capability will mean decreased snags in quality work (no more scrambling to get the boats to the customers).

[SummerObsession]

Originally posted by BrentRR
Don't get me wrong. This boat is perfect for my family of 5 plus guests (typically have 7-9 people on board). Love the TAPS because we all slalom ski and wakeboard which is why we are racking up the engine hours quickly. We also tube and just hangout in a quiet cove.

How many boats can offer this much room and versatility and still provide a quality wake?

I guess I was naive in thinking I wouldn't have these types of problems when spending this much money. I can understand a gauge not working but clamps not tightened that affect water coming into the boat?

I'm just glad I was at the Lake when this all happened since the dealer was able to take care of it all. But what if I had trailered to the other lake I will be using the boat which doesn't have a Tige dealer...

Akdoc,

We boat in the Camdenton area on the Big Niangua.

BrentRR: I'm certainly glad to hear you have had a great experience with Skiers Wharf. I ordered a 24V that should be in this week. It will be one of the last '05 models I suppose, so I hope I have no issues with build quality or attention to details.
We test drove an orange 24V when we were there the first week of June, and it was one sweet ride!
I drove two MC X-45's before I ordered the 24V. There was absolutely no comparison between the X-45 and a Tige`! At least with the two examples I drive, the MC's were absolute pigs to turn. True, they threw a great wake and had tons of room inside, but there was no way I would fight a boat all day trying to drive it when I am at the lake to relax!!(disclaimer-to be fair, the dealer said they resolved the hard steering issues the following week. I don't know, I never went back)

To be sure, I will give my boat a VERY thorough inspection, including three days of on-water use (we'll be at LOTO Aug 2-5, probably at Lazy Days) before dragging it home to Western Ks.!!!

[BrentRR]

Hey SummerObsession,

You probably test drove the boat I bought!

After being on this forum for awhile I was naive. Should have been a little more prepared for the potential for some issues. Just look around and see what people have ran into and then really check it out.

I am very pleased with the dealer. He has taken care of everything and has been a pleasure to work with. I requested someone from the dealer spend an afternoon with us so that we could really learn about the boat and help shake it down. That really helped...

I cleaned the boat up this past weekend and it is lookin' great. We had people stopping by all afternoon yesterday checking it out, even strangers driving by.

Speaking about the handling, my secret is out. Everyone thought I was such a quick learner and good captain. Its the boat! My wife was very apprehensive about driving but reluctantly did so that I could ski. Now she loves it.

Congratulations on your purchase and upcoming delivery! I really do love the boat: ride, wake, room, looks, etc.

[dachbr]

SummerObsession; Joe told me last week he was sending one of his guys to the factory today to pick up our boat and another one which must be yours. He had our trailers already there, they look real nice.
I placed my order at the Arkansas store but based on the good things I heard here about the LOTO people I decided to pick it up there. After several years with a Supra that gave us no problems I'm a bit concerned about this "quality" thread but hopefully you are right and they finish the year with a couple of good boats.

[Tanner]

Hmmmm, so I guess there's a few of us getting our boats from Skier's Wharf? Good to know I'm in good hands since I'm having to order from out of state :)

[SummerObsession]

BrentRR: If you bought the orange boat, we drove it the first weekend of June, and that's the boat that sold us on a Tige`!! I don't know how many people driving down 54 stopped to look at that boat! It's an eye catcher!! Congrats on your purchase!

Ours is much the same, with orange hull and top stripe, with a black transom and a light silver deck.
Maybe we'll see you out the 2nd or 3rd of August!

dachbr: I ordered my trailer black with no pinstripes, stailess fenders and LED lights, so if one of them looks like that, that's mine!

Like I said, we should BOTH take LOTS of time to make sure EVERYTHING works well.

My other boat is a DCB F-29 cat, and they build those Flawlessly, so the Tige` has a lot to measure up to!!

Look for us in this boat cruising by as well:http://images.traderonline.com/img/6/plcnad/3705718/80088689_6.jpg

[smendez]

SummerObsession:

Nice fast boat you have there. You should post a picture of you skiing behind that baby! ;)

[Tequilasun]

I wanna race you!!

Think I have any chance?

[SummerObsession]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha .....ummm, NO.:eek: :D

Thanks, I love it, but it is for sale....not enough time in the summer to drive 9 hours one way to LOTO and spend enough time on the boat. The Tige` will be our only boat...for now.;)

I wonder how long I can run at 47 MPH before I have to buy another go-fast??:D


It sure does make the trip from Toad Cove (7 mile marker) to Big ****'s Halfway Inn (47 Mile marker) a short, fun ride.:(

[Tequilasun]

Ha ha, No chance huh, even if I get the inside lane?

Worth a shot though!!

[brd4fun]

First off I hate to chime in but I am finding the same problems with my 05.

Decals are falling off, the Riders graphic on one side of the boat was torn when I received the boat. (it appeared they tore it while putting it on and instead of replacing it they lined it up as close as possible and sent it on its way) Dealer has notified Tige and at the end of the season I am to have all new graphics.

With the new design of the interior I am experiencing lots of tears in the vinyl. Not Good

I love my boat but maybe quality control needs to step up to the plate and get things going in the right direction again.

I know ???? happens but some of these issues should not be shucked off on the dealers.

I have all the confidence in the world in my local dealer but the general concensus lately with most of my friends is that Tige just does not care as much anymore. (most are Tige owners)

Additional note I am sure that Tige will fix all of these issues on my boat but maybe a little more time and effort in the plant and these wouldnt be a problem.

If we really want to make a point when you receive your questionere in the mail make your concerns known.

Just my two cents.

[Tequilasun]

Originally posted by brd4fun


With the new design of the interior I am experiencing lots of tears in the vinyl. Not Good.

Where are you seeing tears? I haven't noticed, or seen them on my boat, and want to make sure I'm not over-looking some areas.

Originally posted by brd4fun

I love my boat but maybe quality control needs to step up to the plate and get things going in the right direction again.

.


I am starting to agree, if this many people are having this many issues...

[brd4fun]

Draginass

I am seeing problems in the ccoler area where there is an area that tucks under the backrest to hold that cushion in place.

Also on the engine cover where the silver color is on mine you may have the snakeskin on yours.

And the bow cushion is showing wear in the same place as the cooler cushion. I can see how it would wear there is only plastic under the vinyl no cushion.

As I have said before I love my boat and my dealer rocks but if we were having quality issues at my company I would be having some serious meetings.

This is my fourth Tige and have never had interior problems before.
(Maybe I was just lucky)

[Tequilasun]

Thanks Brd4fun, those where the areas I suspected. I will moniter mine closely.

Thanks again

[SummerObsession]

Boat should be there by tomorrow or Thursday.

Any of you guys swing by there, check it out for me, would ya? :D :D

[BrentRR]

Hey Everyone,

Just a note to say how much fun we had yesterday and how well our '05 24V ran.

I have posted previously about some very basic quality issues we initially had, but man is this a nice boat!

A friend has a '05 24' SeaRay Sundeck, and it is a nice boat, but for water sports there is no comparison. He was on the lake yesteday and skiied behind my boat because his throws such a big wake.

His daughter is just learning to wakeboard and she rode behind us because I could set the taps down so she could learn how to cut across the wake. She was grinning ear-to-ear after her run! It is really fun to watch someone learn and have such a great time.

Just got my survey form from Tige. I will let them know they have great boats but need to work on the little things that make for a quality experience.

[jpretti]

BrentRR, what lake were you at over the weekend? I was at Tablerock for 5 days and the water was awesome everyday. The boat ran pretty good. Joel and the guys over at Stateamind are starting to get all of the bugs worked ot for me.

[jpretti]

Here is another to wet your tastes:

[BrentRR]

We were at Mark Twain and the water has real choppy, pretty windy, until around 6:30pm. Then there was some pretty good water.

So you would recommend the trip to Table Rock? We have been talking about it but I don't know anything about the lake.

[jpretti]

I would definetley recommend Tablerock. The water is clean and there is always good water to be had somewhere on the lake. If you head down, let me know I will tip you to a perfect ski cove.

[Tequilasun]

Originally posted by jpretti
I would definetley recommend Tablerock. The water is clean and there is always good water to be had somewhere on the lake. If you head down, let me know I will tip you to a perfect ski cove.


Hey Hey Hey, don't go giving away secrets. I gotta have a few places around here to hide.

JPretti: What part of Table Rock are you visting?

[jpretti]

I'm not giving anyway any secrets (I am not so sure the cove I was in is exactly a secret).... hehehe. Anyway we were stayed at Emerald Bay on Emerald Point and it was awesome, loved every minute of it.

Were you out there over the weekend? I saw two other Tige's over the weekend, a red/white 04 22i and l an 01/02 Tan/White 21i.

[Tequilasun]

Could not make it on the water this weekend, no matter how much I pleeded!!! I have seen both those boats around, but I am not sure who's they are.

I'm on the Kimberling side, so you weren't in any of "my" coves. Emerald Bay/point is pretty nice, you should head south of the Long Creek Bridge, there is usually lots of clean water down there. Let me know when you are going to make it down again, and we will get together...also see this.......Mid-West Reunion (http://www.tigeowners.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1426) I would like to get a bunch of us together...

[dachbr]

We were also at Table Rock over the weekend. We put in at Shell Knob and spent a lot of time around Viola before finishing the day around Campbell Point. Found plenty of good water but there were LOTS of boats out. Did not see any Tige's though. Also it was our first time out with the NVS speakers. They cost a lot and I expected a lot but they are more awesome than I imagined.:D :D