My husband and I purchased a used jet ski in Sept 2013 from Dave Miller at Action Watercraft. We test drove it, as it was in the shop and had some minor work to be done when we first saw it, and were told it was for sale. The first time the mechanic tried to start it, the battery was dead. He went into the shop, came out with another battery, said, "new battery," and put it in the ski ( it took him about 3 minutes). I asked if that new battery was to stay in the jet ski, he said, "yes."
When we were deciding on whether or not to purchase, Dave told us he would store the boat since we had no place to keep it until our dock was installed in the spring. He would charge us 150.00 to store the boat, and 150.00 to shrink wrap it. We agreed to the amount, paid all charges, and got a receipt that said "Balance due 0"
Now it's spring, my dock is in, I called Dave to tell him I will be picking up my jet ski, he say's he needs a credit card. When I ask what for, and that all storage was paid, he say's that now I need to pay over 300.00 to pick the ski up. When I tell him I was not informed of, nor did I agree to any additional charges, he tells me that he's been doing business this way for 20 years and nobody has a problem with it. I agreed to the charges, as he had my boat, and I had no choice if I wanted it.
I spoke to Dave again the day before I went to pick up. He called to say the battery wouldn't hold a charge, and it would be another approx. 135.00 to replace it. I told him NO, your mechanic just put a new battery in it when it was sold to us, so it can't need a new battery. I told him to go talk to his mechanic. The mechanic 'happened' to be standing right there, so Dave talks to him a minute and comes back on saying it was a "shop" battery not new. My reply, "That's not what I was told, but if that's what I got, get me another one." Dave say's he can't keep giving me shop batteries. So again, I have no choice. if I want my ski, and if I want to make sure it runs before I leave with it for the first time, I have to pay 85.00 for a battery and 50.00 for the 3 minutes it takes the mechanic to put it in. Can you see a pattern developing?
I give the OK after getting nowhere with Dave, and then call my credit card company to find out what I need to do to dispute a charge. I was told to write on the sales ticket, dis-satisfied with undisclosed charges, and sign it. I did that when we went to pick up the following day. Dave saw me writing, wanted to know what I wrote, I told him. He got very upset, said I know what that means you're not going to pay, CASH ONLY! He then proceeds to call his crew on the radio and tell them to lock my ski behind the fence so I can't take the ski I bought and paid for, including every other charge he came up with. So, I called the police. I was appalled that they didn't want to come out. I quess because nobody was being threatened or punched. They said I should take him to small claims court?!?! My ski has been stolen!!! I went back inside to get the file I had laid on his counter with the title, registration and receipts for the ski. It's now gone. I asked him to return them, he played dumb, said he didn't have them. At this point I had had it. I told him to call the police I was not leaving ( I was not nice about it). An officer came out, we both told our sad tails, and bottom line was he was unable to do anything to help us. He tried to get Dave to be reasonable and Dave said it was his right to demand cash. Everyone failed to realize that I had just paid for the charges, and MY SKI WAS LOCKED UP! The officer went back in to see if he could at least get Dave to hand over our paperwork, but he got nowhere other than he did make Dave refund my Master Card.
The next day I went to the bank, got cash and then called the police department asking them to meet us at Action Watercraft that morning when we tried one more time to pick up our property. I didn't want any more surprise charges or confrontation. I suppose they thought it was a good idea, because they sent two police officers, and surprise surprise, Mr Miller was quite accomodating. I guess it takes the police dept to make him give decent customer service.
Action Watercraft Reviews
My husband and I purchased a used jet ski in Sept 2013 from Dave Miller at Action Watercraft. We test drove it, as it was in the shop and had some minor work to be done when we first saw it, and were told it was for sale. The first time the mechanic tried to start it, the battery was dead. He went into the shop, came out with another battery, said, "new battery," and put it in the ski ( it took him about 3 minutes). I asked if that new battery was to stay in the jet ski, he said, "yes."
When we were deciding on whether or not to purchase, Dave told us he would store the boat since we had no place to keep it until our dock was installed in the spring. He would charge us 150.00 to store the boat, and 150.00 to shrink wrap it. We agreed to the amount, paid all charges, and got a receipt that said "Balance due 0"
Now it's spring, my dock is in, I called Dave to tell him I will be picking up my jet ski, he say's he needs a credit card. When I ask what for, and that all storage was paid, he say's that now I need to pay over 300.00 to pick the ski up. When I tell him I was not informed of, nor did I agree to any additional charges, he tells me that he's been doing business this way for 20 years and nobody has a problem with it. I agreed to the charges, as he had my boat, and I had no choice if I wanted it.
I spoke to Dave again the day before I went to pick up. He called to say the battery wouldn't hold a charge, and it would be another approx. 135.00 to replace it. I told him NO, your mechanic just put a new battery in it when it was sold to us, so it can't need a new battery. I told him to go talk to his mechanic. The mechanic 'happened' to be standing right there, so Dave talks to him a minute and comes back on saying it was a "shop" battery not new. My reply, "That's not what I was told, but if that's what I got, get me another one." Dave say's he can't keep giving me shop batteries. So again, I have no choice. if I want my ski, and if I want to make sure it runs before I leave with it for the first time, I have to pay 85.00 for a battery and 50.00 for the 3 minutes it takes the mechanic to put it in. Can you see a pattern developing?
I give the OK after getting nowhere with Dave, and then call my credit card company to find out what I need to do to dispute a charge. I was told to write on the sales ticket, dis-satisfied with undisclosed charges, and sign it. I did that when we went to pick up the following day. Dave saw me writing, wanted to know what I wrote, I told him. He got very upset, said I know what that means you're not going to pay, CASH ONLY! He then proceeds to call his crew on the radio and tell them to lock my ski behind the fence so I can't take the ski I bought and paid for, including every other charge he came up with. So, I called the police. I was appalled that they didn't want to come out. I quess because nobody was being threatened or punched. They said I should take him to small claims court?!?! My ski has been stolen!!! I went back inside to get the file I had laid on his counter with the title, registration and receipts for the ski. It's now gone. I asked him to return them, he played dumb, said he didn't have them. At this point I had had it. I told him to call the police I was not leaving ( I was not nice about it). An officer came out, we both told our sad tails, and bottom line was he was unable to do anything to help us. He tried to get Dave to be reasonable and Dave said it was his right to demand cash. Everyone failed to realize that I had just paid for the charges, and MY SKI WAS LOCKED UP! The officer went back in to see if he could at least get Dave to hand over our paperwork, but he got nowhere other than he did make Dave refund my Master Card.
The next day I went to the bank, got cash and then called the police department asking them to meet us at Action Watercraft that morning when we tried one more time to pick up our property. I didn't want any more surprise charges or confrontation. I suppose they thought it was a good idea, because they sent two police officers, and surprise surprise, Mr Miller was quite accomodating. I guess it takes the police dept to make him give decent customer service.