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Random Quote: If you want to make a small fortune building boats, start with a big one!
Agreed – Sundance is family owned, but has an ESOP program (employee stock ownership program), so everyone cares…...what makes these guys different is a real commitment to the customer - no kidding. Here’s a few that I found diff from other "good" dealers:
1. SIX weekend getaways a year for their customers - they figure if you buy a boat they should you how to have fun - the event are weekends to Bahamas, Keys and the like. They are complete with dinners, prizes, women boating clinics and a great goodie bag. It great when a family buys a boat and had 6 instant weekend vactions liuned up. Ask Jim Z....
2. Every tech fully mfr trained - and the big thing - IF THE PLUGS DON'T NEED CHANGING, THEY TELL YOU THAT. And the techs come on the getaways so you can drink/party with your tech!
3. Electronics seminars at night done buy their partner - Electronics Unlimited Inc.
4. They take trade ins! - if you are so inclined, they will not tell you to "sell it yourself and then come see them"…they will transact the full deal and treat you fairly. I have traded two boats with them and they do not rape you doing it....
5. They got Joey (sundancekid)! A real boon in really getting the boat right if you want to "tweak" props/performance...
6. Capt Rich - a true qualified captain that actually does a full blown delivery - and does not miss anything - my delivery was 3 hours....
Overall, a dealership that is still happy to deal with customers and excited about the marine biz. I'm not posting this so I can get a better deal...but having been in the marine and auto biz for 30 years, I have never seen a place that puts it all together like these guys...congrats to the whole crew - esp Joe Clawges, the owner who empowers everyone to make the customer oriented right decision and straighten out the paperwork later....
and if you have seen my posts before on the marine biz, they are unique...they make it so their peole can make good money...like what YOU make......so you get professional, qualified staff....and not just bash other competitors..
Glen you forgot about getting a FULL tank of gas!!!!!!
Congrats guys, you deserve it!!!!
funny you should say that - early on when I thought all deaelrs were like sundance, I bought a new donzi from Aqua Toy Store - they charged me $1000 prep and gave me 50 gal of gas...I learned my lesson....Sundance took my Donzi on trade 18 mo later.......
Glen you forgot about getting a FULL tank of gas!!!!!!
Congrats guys, you deserve it!!!!
funny you should say that - early on when I thought all deaelrs were like sundance, I bought a new donzi from Aqua Toy Store - they charged me $1000 prep and gave me 50 gal of gas...I learned my lesson....Sundance took my Donzi on trade 18 mo later.......
Taking the trade ins really shows where there heart is...all about the customer.
This comes as no surprise. My boat is in for routine maintenance right now with Sundance which is the only place I trust to treat me right. This is also the only new boat I've purchased and from all the good press I apparently lucked out. Our sales rep made the entire process a piece of cake. We didn't know what we were doing when we walked in the door.
A year later and the wife and I are thoroughly enjoying our boat. We went on every Sundance trip this past summer and plan to do the same next year. The last trip of the season we invited some friends along on their boat which had trouble shortly after leaving port. Sundance gave them priority and immediately jumped on their boat. In less than 2 hours we were back on our way to Bimini for a great weekend. And they aren't even customers! That was a tune up, asensor and 2sea trials. Not bad!
I'm very happy to see the positive recognition for Sundance. They really are a great group of people, regardless of whether you are doing business with them or just having a beer with them. The sales staff has been upfront and honest (no, seriously!), service has always done the right thing, and management are straight shooters. I give the same advice to everyone considering buying a boat : You're buying a DEALER just as much as you're buying a boat, and its hard to buy a better dealer than Sundance Marine.
Needless to say, I'm proud to be a Sundance owner. Congratulations to Joe and his team on building a first class organization!
__________________ Rick
Pompano Beach, FL
'04 Fountain 34 CC
Trip '07 Opti 300XS
veradoclub
I would just like to thank everyone for the kind words, we truly strive to keep our customers happy! After all, there are no sales without service. We have been blessed to come as far as we have and I could not be happier as the future looks even better. Thank you everyone for helping us to be the best we can be!
Congrats Joey and all, and IMO Fountain made a BIG mistake losing you guys.
I was at the Ft Lauderdale Boat show looking at Fountains and the salesperson ( woman ) knew NOTHING about the boats she was selling, pitiful. This is progress Reggie ?
who else is in the top 100? there are 99 other good guys!
My dealer in Huron, Ohio - South Shore Marine came in at a well deserved number 23. Contender, Carolina Classic, Rampage new boats and select used and brokerage listings and a FANTASTIC detailing / rigging / service department. Top ranking for a Great Lakes dealer from what I'm told.
I am glad to see a lot of people happy with them. Unfortunately, our experience with them was not a positive one. We bought a 1998 Century center console new. Yes they took our trade and the value was reasonable for a trade. It took them over a month to get a boat they had in stock ready to go. Several dealer installed options were not done correctly. Within a year of delivery, the boat was stolen, stripped, and recovered down in Ft. Lauderdale. It went back to Sundance and they had it for another 6 months. While some things came back better than from the factory, when it was time to pick the boat up, it still was not right. Things like the newly installed stereo not working. Some of our complaints were problems with the hull itself and not Sundance's fault. The hull design was horrible, but my dad bought the boat anyway. My dining room table has more deadrise and probably rides better in a chop. Dad fell for the classic line that "We can't take you on a sea trial until we make a deal." By the time we sea trialed the boat everything had been installed and dad felt it had been too long and just wanted to get the deal done. We could have had a Sea Vee for not much more at the time and been far happier. Again, this was back in the late 90's so it is certainly possible things have changed there.
It is a shame someone did not take that into account. All business's have problems and I'm sure these in the list are no exception.
Actually I'm glad to see those that did not make this list and maybe a few should have made it. I think SIM should be on there, but they do a great job even though they have a real out of the way location.
Sundance Marine in top 100 
