Gatormade trailers still gets C grade

[Newblue]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/trailers-transportation/144663-gatormade.html

I drive down to Sommerset yesterday with the defective gooseneck in tow to get the replacement trailer. I was told by the gentleman that handles the warranty claims that "if it passes my inspection it will pass yours". This was not the case. The only thing that was corrected on the new trailer was the underside was painted. The spare was still backwards, the jack handle still hit the light, and scotch locks were used as butt connectors. I did not want the new trailer because the one side rail was bowed in and one was bowed out. It looked like it was hit in the middle. I'm sure it would drive straight but it looked bad. They offered to take the one I brought down and move the light while I went to lunch so I asked them to paint the underside while I was there and they said no but offered to give me the paint to paint it myself. I said OK and went to lunch but thought about it while at lunch and decided I should not have paint an entire underside on a new trailer. I called the warranty gentleman and told him I did not want to paint a new trailer. I then asked if any others were on the lot and he did not know. I went back to the factory and looked on the lot and there were two more like mine. One did not have paint on the bottom and the other the jacks had a problem in the top end where it was very notchy and was hard to turn. The salesman (not the one I bought it from) asked what can they do for me. I first asked to upgrade to a 22K unit that was correct. They would not do that because of price difference - OK, how about fixing the trailer I brought down and deliver it to me. The salesman did not have the authority to say yes or no so I asked to talk to the owner but was told he and the manager were not there for the rest of the day. I said how about this - I take home this trailer with the messed up jacks and Gatormade send me the parts to fix it. The salesman agreed to that. So I have a trailer that the jack handle hits the step light, spare tire with the valve stem against the neck, scotch locks, and messed up jacks. I was told that the spares were never mounted with the valve stem facing out and this morning on their ebay store I found a pic of the spare tire mounted with the valve stem facing out. Burned $150 in fuel and wasted a v-day for a trailer I still have to fix.

Thanks for letting me vent,
Mike

 

[Diamondpilot]

I would not have left. I would have stayed until the owner of the police showed up and made me leave. File a complaint with the BBB. I would demand $500 refund for my time, fuel, and having to finish the job they started and doing things right.

Chris

 

[Newblue]

Thanks Chris, I was there for four hours (1 for lunch) waiting for them to do something. Had another four hour drive home and go to work the next day. I think I will file a complaint with the BBB. With your trailer expertise, would you happen to know any tips for replacing the top end on 12K lb jacks?

Thanks again,
Mike

 

[Builder]

I think you should take the trailer back and tell these losers to fix it or get ready for a letter from your lawyer. That's bullcrap and you should not have to stand for this.

I would recomment that you do not touch or alter that trailer in any way, or you will have "accepted" their deal with you and you may have no recourse.

Where did you find out, or who recommended "Gatormade" trailers to you anyway?

We should definately make sure that we warn others who are on this website their trailers are not recommended.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Thanks Chris, I was there for four hours (1 for lunch) waiting for them to do something. Had another four hour drive home and go to work the next day. I think I will file a complaint with the BBB. With your trailer expertise, would you happen to know any tips for replacing the top end on 12K lb jacks?

Thanks again,
Mike

Never messed with a 12K jack. The trailers I deal with are 90% boat trailers and the rest are bumper pull trailers. I have only owned 1 GN in 25 years and never had to do anything to the jack. If I remember right it had a Zerk on it and I just gave it 10 pumps of grease about once a year and called it good.

I would write a letter to the owner and deal with him directly from now on.

I have bought a sold Gator Made Trailers for years but have not done so in the last 2 or so years. All have been very good quality and gave good service. My guess is they are a victim of the economy and are now trying to skimp. I will say that the Scotch Lock thing is very common and just a sad reality of the trailer industry. I can not think of a trailer I have ever owned that I have not had to fix the wiring at some point or another, and I have probably had over 25 trailers that I have actually owned in the last 20 or so years.


Chris

 

[Newblue]

I think you should take the trailer back and tell these losers to fix it or get ready for a letter from your lawyer. That's bullcrap and you should not have to stand for this.

I would recomment that you do not touch or alter that trailer in any way, or you will have "accepted" their deal with you and you may have no recourse.

Where did you find out, or who recommended "Gatormade" trailers to you anyway?

We should definately make sure that we warn others who are on this website their trailers are not recommended.

I believe I read past reviews on here about Gatormade trailers. Also the description on their website looked pretty good "trailer is primed and painted complete top and bottom".

 

[Newblue]

Never messed with a 12K jack. The trailers I deal with are 90% boat trailers and the rest are bumper pull trailers. I have only owned 1 GN in 25 years and never had to do anything to the jack. If I remember right it had a Zerk on it and I just gave it 10 pumps of grease about once a year and called it good.

I would write a letter to the owner and deal with him directly from now on.

I have bought a sold Gator Made Trailers for years but have not done so in the last 2 or so years. All have been very good quality and gave good service. My guess is they are a victim of the economy and are now trying to skimp. I will say that the Scotch Lock thing is very common and just a sad reality of the trailer industry. I can not think of a trailer I have ever owned that I have not had to fix the wiring at some point or another, and I have probably had over 25 trailers that I have actually owned in the last 20 or so years.


Chris

I wish I could find the owner of Gatormade. I have no number or address.

 

[jwstewar]

We should definately make sure that we warn others who are on this website their trailers are not recommended.

I wouldn't go that far. I just bought a new Gatormade 16+2 bumper pull in January. I would give it an A+. It is a 7k trailer with what in reality is a 10k lb frame. Everything on it works and works well. The underside is painted as well. It has gotten scratched up a little bit from using it already and there is some rust on those spots, but that is what trailers are made for. I will sand and repaint those spots before winter.

 

[Newblue]

Sent this morning to the salesman that helped me out:



Zyndall,
Thank you for helping me out yesterday and being my
contact with the higher powers. I was told that the spare tire was never
mounted with the valve stem facing out. This picture from the Gatormade ebay
store clearly shows the tire mounted with the valve stem facing out. Please
forward this to the owner of Gatormade trailers and see if he or she can
call me so this can be resolved.

Thanks,
Mike Bledsoe


This is the response:


Hey,



I talked to management about this and it is something we have done in the
past.

Sorry this is all he will allow any of us do. Warranty management has been
told to ship the jack parts.



Zyndall

 

[Diamondpilot]

Call the Somerset Ky Chamber of Commerce and they should be able to give you some info. When you get ahold of the owner let him know his company is getting a bad name.


Somerset Chamber of Commerce
445 S Highway 27
Somerset, KY 42501-3445
(606) 679-7323

Chris

 

[wvpolekat]

You may want to edit your phone number out of your post.

 

[Newblue]

Thanks for the # Chris. I called the Chamber and they would only give me the general # for Gator Made. Off to file a BBB complaint.


Mike

 

[Diamondpilot]

The BBB is going to be your best route at this point. I would demand they reimburse you for your time and fuel plus send a representative to your home with a loaner trailer then allow them to take your trailer to be fixed properly or send a representative to your home to do the repairs on site.

Chris

 

[Builder]

I wouldn't go that far. I just bought a new Gatormade 16+2 bumper pull in January. I would give it an A+. It is a 7k trailer with what in reality is a 10k lb frame. Everything on it works and works well. The underside is painted as well. It has gotten scratched up a little bit from using it already and there is some rust on those spots, but that is what trailers are made for. I will sand and repaint those spots before winter.

Anyone who sells a product or a service with inconsistent build quality should not be recommended. If you go to a surgeon and he delivers inconsistent surgical results, would you want him to perform surgery on you. Should he be recommended?

 

[jwstewar]

That is apples & oranges. That is something you don't know the quality until after it is done. This is something that if it doesn't meet your expectations, you don't buy it. I've heard of many of people on this site highly recommend Gatormade - including DP.

This is no different than you ragging on Ford Trucks (I'm a GM guy too), but there are plenty of Ford owners that think they are the best truck out there. So one guy has had a bad dealing with Gator, how is this any different from the one bad Kubota, New Holland, or Kioti tractor? If this happens with one of them, we say, Oh well, all of them have a bad one once in awhile.

Not saying this is true, but what if the OP is exaggerating the truth and ruining a company name for something that really isn't an issue?

 

[Diamondpilot]

That is apples & oranges. That is something you don't know the quality until after it is done. This is something that if it doesn't meet your expectations, you don't buy it. I've heard of many of people on this site highly recommend Gatormade - including DP.

This is no different than you ragging on Ford Trucks (I'm a GM guy too), but there are plenty of Ford owners that think they are the best truck out there. So one guy has had a bad dealing with Gator, how is this any different from the one bad Kubota, New Holland, or Kioti tractor? If this happens with one of them, we say, Oh well, all of them have a bad one once in awhile.

Not saying this is true, but what if the OP is exaggerating the truth and ruining a company name for something that really isn't an issue?

I could not have said it better. The problem is we are all opinionated, me included. We buy what we like, ie we think its the best.

Now for the OP of this thread, he has a legitimate gripe. He posted pictures in the link in post one. There is no paint underneath, the wiring is crappy but that is how most trailers are, the spare is on backwards making it impossible to check pressure without removing, and the jack handle can not even store due to the stupid placement of a marker light. He needs and deserves to get this things fixed and I feel he has been more than patient.

Chris

 

[JohnDeere4300]

There is no paint underneath, the wiring is crappy but that is how most trailers are,

the spare is on backwards making it impossible to check pressure without removing, and the jack handle can not even store due to the stupid placement of a marker light.

He needs and deserves to get this things fixed and I feel he has been more than patient.

Chris

I thought Gatormade was the best.

I don't have a "Gatormade" mine is a P & J trailer... Mine has thick paint underneath and my wiring is great, and they couldn't have done a better job.

I hate to see this happen to someone (hope you get it fixed)... But I'm glad that i came across this thread.

Because there is noway i would buy a "Gatormade trailer" after seeing the pictures... I would demand a new trailer from them OR my money back.

It looks like this trailer was built on Friday afternoon.

I would give "Gatormade" a F- grade.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I never said they were the best, I said they were a good trailer and a lot of bang for the buck. I still think they are one of the best trailers on the market. Like I said, I would have not left the lot with it but what is important now is to get this guys trailer right.

I have seen the same junk in many different brands. Its just a fact in the industry. It would be nice if there were a set of standards but none that I know of. If it were up to me all wires would be soldered and heat shrunk plus it would be ran in plastic conduit with junction boxes at all fixtures.

There is no excuse for the lacking paint or poorly place lights and jack handle.

Chris

 

[Builder]

That is apples & oranges. That is something you don't know the quality until after it is done. This is something that if it doesn't meet your expectations, you don't buy it. I've heard of many of people on this site highly recommend Gatormade - including DP.

Just because someone recommends a trailer on a website doesn't mean squat. I'd go more by actual ownership experience and how a buyer is treated after the sale like the OP over a "recommendation". What makes me or any other member an "expert" just because they "recommend a trailer"?


If they use scotch locks on their wiring. I don't need to know much more. Scotch locks are garbage.

If a buyer, such as the OP, buys a trailer that's not painted underneath and customer service's response is suggesting "we'll give you a can of paint and you can paint it yourself" is LAUGHABLE.

That's not customer service-that's telling the customer to go stick it up his ___.

Of course a trailer is supposed to be painted underneath!!!! I never owned a trailer that wasn't painted underneath, have you? Why should anyone have to inspect for that, and if it was not painted, why should the customer be asked to paint it? lol

I honestly have never read of a customer being treated worse than the OP in my life with this trailer. OP may be guilty of not inspecting for paint underneath and not seeing the scotch locks, but that doesn't excuse the manufacturer from the poor workmanship and even worse customer service.

 

[MESSMAKER]

All the Gatormade trailers I have ever seen looked good,very good. I came very close to buying one 2 weeks ago. The price seemed almost too good to be true. I hope that it is not.