J Brenner, Gonna be a long story but here is the condensed version........
I was/still am a huge Centurion supporter. Loved their product as it fit my needs perfectly after my first test ride. Worked for a bit as a "rep" for them here in the Midwest area for their boats. I was the first to own one of their boats here in Chi town and was involved in the wakeboarding scene with comps and events so the Centurion rep hooked me up with my first ride at a smokin deal to get their product out there in 2001 when they first got here. Traded in my 88 Nauty 2001. The Centurion rep and I developed a great relationship through the years, but their dealership decisions on who they let pick up their line up here in Chicago ultimately brought them down and lost my business after 4 new boats. We have gone through 5 dealers in 6 yrs all of whom were piss poor(being nice as its a public forum
) except the one up in Rockford which was the best dealer I ever had.
For example the first dealership forgot to place my order after the boat show for my 01 Hurricane/Lightning. My boat didn't arrive til late May WTF is that, but they gave me one of their in house Hurricane boats to use in the mean time though missing a bunch of options I really wanted and being a terrible graphic that made me want to vomit. So they stepped up and fixed it without consulting me by adding every option almost available to my boat on the boat they ordered for me. Was very pleased with that outcome, but there were problems with other customers boats as well. In the end they ended up closing shop after just a season.
On to dealership #2 and Hurricane/Lightning boat#2. Started even worse than #1......actually ordered my boat in the wrong colors and without half my options that were on the original price sheet. So was delayed a month from the factory on the wrong order and then another month to get the right boat delivered. Then it finally came right and later had to go in for the 20hr check and service for some minor things like the speedo not working and 1 ballast pump shorted out......The dealer had it for 2 weeks to figure out what was wrong with the PP/speedo and ballast pumps and to do the 20hr check. Wouldn't be a problem....I understand sometimes you can't get to a boat right away, but I kept the boat til they assured me they could get it in the next day so I wouldn't lose water time for such minor things. It was supposed to have been done by weekend for the event we were having. Yup that didn't happen. Said the were waiting on parts. WHATEVER! So I go up there one day the following week to check it all out. My "New" boat of a 2weeks is sittin out, uncovered in the pouring rain with about 5 empty beer cans in it like they were using it for their personal boat. I about lost it. From run around to runaround with regards to the miss order from the dealer and for anything that had to get done to my boat I was losing patience. Not a good way to start a relationship with a new dealer picking up a boat line if you ask me, but hey figured I would finish out the season as they were a new dealer with some growing pains. So said I wasn't coming back and was ordering a different boat MFG. Well the rep calls me up and says hey stick with us and we'll take care of you for helping us out so much and being patient. The rep was a huge reason I stayed as he was there for me every step of the way since my first boat. Gave me his personal demo (fully loaded up AVY)to use while they straightened out the mis order dilemma at dealership #2 so that is why I didn't cut and run. He was a stand up guy and assured me things would change. I was Ok with that for the rest of the season because the boat didn't have a problem after the 20hr check. The seemed to be shaping up. I sold 7 boats for them by giving people demos in my ride and other rides they had on the showroom floor. I knew more about the boats than the guys selling them so the rep would call me up and say hey man can you take someone for a demo. I ended up selling about 8boats that first year at comps and events as well as on my own time when the rep would call and ask for a demo for a customer near by. WAs fun doing it and I loved getting people involved in the sport so was no sweat. That was part of my original aqrrangement anyways with the rep.
So the rep hooked me up with a smoking deal on my 3rd boat a 03 Avalanche. I mean it was a deal I couldn't refuse. So we stuck around for year #2 which was just more of the same with service and now since I was involved more with customers I was getting to hear all the things happening and again couldn't unload my boat fast enough(thank god I got such a smokin deal I could afford to dump it at a discount price at the end of the season) The owner and manager ending up falling out at the end of the season and the dealership dropped the line and went belly up. which I thought was a great thing.
So now someone I know and trust picks up Centurion at the last second and well boat #4 The Cyclone you see up there comes and we are frikin estatic. Finally! The dealership of our dreams with service next to none, but family and personal reasons force them to close their doors
Nightmare dealer number 4 pops up which if you thought #1and #2 were bad #4 takes the cake. The actually destroyed my Cyclone when I had it in for service. Grease stains all over the upholstery. Greasy tools and stains all over the carpet and 4 different spots with Gelcoat scratches. WTF That broke the camel's back.
So we went with an older MC due to the fact a friend of mine opened and runs the MC dealer. We could never afford a new MC, but a real clean older one will do it anyday. I did want like an 02 yr model rather than the 2000 I have, but when you come across a well taken care of boat you don't pass it up.
Well I am sure that was way too long of a post.
SORRY TO HIJACK COSMO, but this topic just gets to me everytime it comes up. Was very frustrating as we love a ton of things about the Centurion. The wakes are about the same in my eyes to the MC I now own, just differently shaped. I am not sacking the crap out of it to get pro level wakes so eitherboat produces a great clean crisp wake. Size wise we would still be in a Cyclone a 20ft 8" boat so the MC is the same thoguh the Cyclone was a bit wider and had a little more storage. The Cyclone and other Centurions I owned also rode much better than the MC does through the D-ups and rough water. The quality of my 2000 MC I would say is about the same as the quality of my last Cylone which was a 4 yr gap. Though I think in 07-08 Centurion and MC are close but MC still wins. though if you were to put an 04-05 MC next to an 04-05 Centurion I think the MC has a hands down head start. We do miss the Centurions. Their boats were by far one of the best fitting boats for us and what we use it for. The MC still doesn't dissapoint us. It was hard to go from owning new boats to now owning a used boat that someone already put a ding or 2 in, but in the end we are still happy to even be able to have any boat. I am anal so it bothers me more that there are some blemishes, but I get over it after an hour or 2 of just enjoying my time in it with ny family. My wife loves the MC more than I do.......She absolutely loves the wake shape and it has helped her become more confident and truly a better rider, but we both do miss the ride, storage, room, and the fact of just running factory ballast in the Centurions. Unfortunately I don't think we will ever own another one of their products as long as I stay here in Chicago. WE don't regret making the switch one bit.
Cosmo Again Enjoy the great boat and I apologize for the hijack}}
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