ComplaintsforBaker American Cycle

• Initial Complaint

  06/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a 2023 Polaris sportsman 1000xp high lifter from baker American cycles. They also charged me an additional $2,000 for a so called extreme coverage for the off road machine. I brought the machine in for a warranty claim because the motor was knocking. I drove it to there shop door when i dropped it off. I spoke to a desk rep for an update on the machine and she said the motor was ***** to be rebuilt then you hear silence across the phone then comes back and states nothing on the motor is good anymore. They are conducting shady business practices. When i returned to pick my machine up i received it on a forklift with all engine components loosely rolling around on a pallet. I was also told by the desk rep that they were going to box up the components for me so that it wasnt scattered all over. ************************ is very unprofessional, and i have been told they make sure that your warranty gets denied so they can make more money. 0/10 would never recommend!

  Business response

  06/29/2024

  ************,

  We do apologize that your unit is broken and not enjoyable. For the warranty side of things we do not turn down warranty claims because we want money from the customers. The warranty companies pay us to do the work for the customer and It is actually easier for our company and it is no cost for the customer so we encourage the use of warranties. It is an offroad unit that you have ************ just like a jeep that you take off road, If you try to cross a creek with it and it gets damaged the warranty company wouldn't cover something like that. Since your unit was submerged underwater the warranty doesn't cover that type of damage. If you have insurance on the unit i highly recommend you give them a call because that might be something they cover. 

• Initial Complaint

  03/23/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a Slingshot from Baker American Cycles in ********** ** on 1/28/2023. After a few days, several lights displayed on the dash such as traction and engine light. I took it back 1/30/23 to get the bike checked out. Picked up bike a few days later to discover the issues was not resolved same lights displayed. Baker American had to put a new motor in the bike due to engine issues. Again picked up on March 1, 2023 to discover the bike would not crank after drove approximately 30 miles. This time the battery is displaying issues. The battery volts goes down after miles of driving and will not crank. Had the bike towed on 3-10-23 1st by Choice Towing Recovery back to Baker American Cycle. Received a text message from **** the manager that the dealership would no longer be servicing the bike. I had it towed back home on 3-15-23 by the same towing service. Took it to Sports Cycle in Rockingham on 03/21/23 service technician stated the problem couldn't be detected as well as the dealership didn't have the appropriate machine. I have a manufactured warranty on this bike and it is now 3/23/23 and the issues has not been resolved.

  Business response

  03/24/2023

  Concerning this clients purchase and service performed at Baker American Cycles:
  This client purchased a pre-owned 2021 Polaris Slingshot SL Autodrive for a family member on 28 Jan 2023. *** client called our store and stated the check engine light had come on and dropped it off at our service department 15 Feb 2023. Our service department performed a diagnostic analysis on the motor and discovered a connecting rod bearing had spun, resulting in a complete motor replacement being necessary for the unit to operate properly. We coordinated with the manufacturer to replace the entire motor at no charge to the client, which was performed and completed 28 Feb 2023.

  
  *** service advisor sent a report to the manufacturer 28 Feb 2023 stating the unit was fully cleared by a Polaris technician. All functions were inspected and the unit was test-driven multiple times, each at a distance of roughly 10 miles. *** rack and pinion steering system was observed at zero degrees on both front tires, indicating no conflict between front wheel direction regarding the steering wheel orientation. No other issues were documented in this report, as none were found.

  
  Between the initial drop-off and completion of the motor replacement, the clients family member came into the dealership (around 24 Feb 2023) before opening hours, behaving egregiously by yelling and cursing at employees.
  *** clients family member picked up the unit from our service department after the motor was replaced. While the family member was in our store, he was outwardly complaining on our showroom floor about our slow-ass technicians. 
  

  Approximately 48 hours after pick up, the client called our service department back and stated the unit was dying, the battery was dead, and the unit would not crank. *** service department scheduled our driver to pick the unit back up from their residence, at no charge to the client. *** transporter observed noticeable damage to the passenger side front fender, which he documented and took photos of. 
  

  Once the unit was back at our service department, the service advisor called the client to inquire about the front end damage. *** client stated they had no idea what it was from, and accused the transporter of causing said damage to the unit. After several continued back and forth communications between the client and our service department, the client definitively accused our driver of causing the damage to their unit. 
  

  Our service department adjusted the front crash bar to eliminate clearance issues that were causing the front right tire to have a very limited range of movement due to the damage. Our service department also completely replaced the battery with a brand new battery. Both services were performed at no cost to the client. *** client then picked the unit back up from our service department. 
  
  
  A service report was sent to the manufacturer 4 Mar 2023, by our service advisor stating that the *** read that the steering angle data was not properly aligned due to a front end collision. *** *** steering angle indicated that although the steering wheel was completely centered and aligned, the *** rack was at a -61 degrees, implying a hard impact that subsequently caused the steering alignment to no longer correlate properly with the front wheels. This caused an offset of 374 degrees. This type of damage to the front passenger fender could not be possible by placing the unit onto a trailer for transport. *** damage was caused by a collision at a speed of at least 35 miles per hour, and was not attributed by actions of any Baker American Cycles employee, to include our transporter. 

  
  Among the several codes the unit displayed, P150A indicated throttle brake override action was implemented at some point. This implies the gas and brake pedals were employed at the same time, long enough to cause the unit to manually implement measures to decrease engine rotation to safeguard engine and vehicle stability. 
  

  P0562 and C1680 were displayed implying multiple failures of the ***, post-impact. 
  

  Of the matrix of codes displayed on the unit, there is no indication any issues were caused by unit malfunction. 
  

  *** client called our service department a couple of days later to say that the battery had died again. *** client employed a tow truck driver to bring the unit back to our store without coordinating with or informing our service department. *** tow truck driver stated to our service advisor that the client told him they were upset because our driver had caused damage to the unit, and that their unit had been in our service department five or six times by that time.

  
  *** general manager called the client, who was still argumentative and accusatory of our employees over the phone. *** general manager then explained to the client that we would no longer be able to continue working on their unit at this time. 
  

  *** clients tow truck driver then picked the unit back up from our service department 15 Mar 2023.

  Customer response

  03/24/2023

   
  Complaint: 19639624
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Baker American Cycle has never gave any service documents to prove any of this. I have requested the documents several times and have yet to receive the documents. The second problem occurred after the motor was installed due to a ground wire not connected right or the motor not installed properly. Baker American Cycle towed the Sling Shot from my home to the dealership. At the time of pick-up there were no current damages. I received a call from the Service manager ******* asking if I knew of any damages done to the bike. I was told the driver had taken pictures of the bike to prove the damages were done before loading. However, after reviewing the photos taken by the driver, I immediately noticed the photos were not taken from my home. The pictures were taken at a different resident. Now who can explain that if damages were done prior to pick-up. Photos should have been taken at time of pick-up not afterwards. The Slingshot has been taken back approximately 6 times. Baker American Cycle was aware of each time the Sling Shot was taken to the shop for services. I have text messages and can verified this information is accurate. The Sling Shot had issues prior to purchasing and should have been resolved before placing on the lot. Baker American Cycle dealership is the reason most buyers don't shop local. The service here is unprofessional and underhanded. This dealership is focused more on sales than providing exceptional customer service. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩