2013 fuels, any changes to the ride? I like ss, have developed some awesome ideas over the years.

History with a company shouldn't matter. Put it this way, if I bought my first product x I'd expect the same support as old mate buying his 10th product x.

Also - are we on twitter here? What's with the hashtag. Is that a thing now?

Yeah looks like the guys got himself a half price dodgey slingshot copy from who knows where & we're expecting our local distributer to make it all better. Get real. I mean, what's the chance of him getting onto 2 new slingshots & them both being duds.
Col

G'day fellas,

So just read through all of the responses seemed to be a few common queries/opinions.

Admittedly I was ready to fire off a few points on the front foot before identifying receipt of my first ever message on Seabreeze from the Australian SS distributor offering to lend his assistance.

First of all, everybody seems to be using the # so I thought I would join the party.

So to put an end to speculation, I purchased the kites from who I understand to be a reputable online kite store in the US for well under half price from what my local shop was offering. A mate has used this site before with no dramas.

My local shop had in the past delivered a reasonable deal but this year only offered a discount from $2,700 down to $2,500 for 1 kite (over a $3,000 premium across 2 kites) - I could not justify the additional cost for supporting local, besides SS offer an international warranty... So I figured I could send an email with pictures if required...(my local had hid behind the SS powers at be in the past for a stitching issue, it was relatively minor though so did not bother me, although I do have a memory!) All of my previous purchases had been through my local shop, the website I used is kite-line.com who if you ask, seem to cut a fairly sweet deal and a sour deal when the bloody thing disintegrates! hah

Why did I not go through the initial point of sale... Well the first thing I saw when opening up my new toy was the international warranty card which directs you through to a web page on the SS website that requests all warranty claims be directed though a provided link. I obediently obeyed. Raising the question, why offer an international warranty services if it does not operate effectively (rather similar to a 1 year warranty that does not cover defects to the canopy?)

For the bricks and mortar hanger onerers, times are changing, if ss international provided an effective international warranty service, they would have a competitive advantage in the online space. The way I see it, this was a marketing opportunity for them and they blew it. Leaving a void with Australian distribution network who have identified an opportunity and with execution on their part, I will assist in being a deliverer of good news!

Anyway, as I said BoardCrazy has offered his assistance to correspond with SS International in his capacity as the SS Australian distributor and I am sending through the details of my warranty claim upon receipt of his email address. So... hopefully I will reply in the not to distant future advising BoardCrazy has taken the opportunity to sort the issue out with a replacement kite!

Cheers,

Sam

Thanks for clearing up some of the details Kiting. That site offers 2013 Fuels for $1949 in 13m. Maybe you were looking at superseded models? If so are you comparing that to the new model price from the local? If your local shop is offering a reduction in price to $2500 for a kite it's a wonder he is still in business. Anyway, I hope it ends well for you.
Col

www.kite-line.com SS Fuel 13M - $1949
Aust RRP (inc 10% GST) SS Fuel 13M - $1969

so where is the saving you talk about ????

well I glued the valves on some early 2000 batten end fuels, 11, 7m worth spending the time keeping them washed and not blowing down the beach wearing the stiching away, sure that makes a lot of diff.

Paul1 said...
Hey Puppet, I click on SS kites on your website but nothing comes up, then I click kites and you only have 2 bests and a couple of BWS, what happened to your SS kites???

Two problems there Paul
1) our old site was hacked repeatedly so had to have a new one built just before the silly season started hence our new shop is sadly neglected atm. Sorry to everyone for that.
2) we were once the premium Slingshot dealer in Perth but we no longer stock or sell their products - long story and one Im not about to post on public forums.
Totally still here for past SS customers who dealt with us though.
Our replacement for SS instore will be the Ocean Rodeos from Canada.
We searched long and hard at all the potential out there & the Ocean Rodeos were a clear stand-out. Initial rider feedback of our 1st demo kites more than satisfying our expectations.

Slingshot still features on our banners etc as we do have a bit of gear left to clear (at ridiculously low prices for anyone interested) BUT not for much longer.

Hope to get onto populating our online store with our full product range asap. Apologies again for that 'bad'.

This has happened to me twice now with ozone and caution kites where the kites been damaged through an obvious design fault and no fault of my own, so I to share you frustration. I learned its a waste of time trying to claim warranty or get sympathy from some of the people who use this forum.

From me, thanks for the heads up on slingshot.

Late 2009 I bought three 2010 slingshot fuels from a local dealer and have never seen the end to the problems!!

- Dec 2009 First time I pump up the 9 a blown zipper on the lead strut which neil from hold the lines fixes nice and cheap and under warranty
- Ongoing leaking one pump nipples on all three kites by 2010-2011 season. Coming in almost every session with a leak from a **** one pump design. Each nipple cost $30 to replace (I am now a pro after over 15 replacements!) Nipples leaked from corroded rubber and kites were never left in the heat.
- End of 2011 all new bladders were bought for the 7 and 9 as I was so over replacing one pump nipples. Slingshot sends the wrong bladder for different kites!
- Start of this season I found the 9m fabric and stitching so stretched the kite has become unflyable! Seams no longer lineup along the struts and the kite pulls so hard to the right it's unusable. Not a problem with the line lengths as the 7m still flys straight with the same bar and lines.

Kiting above had all the same problems with leaking nipples on all his 2010 fuels but still decided to get more. After his latest experience I won't be!

A lot of mud slinging at slingy,
Lets get real - you deal with people, you tell the truth, the truth speaks for itself. You get frustrated because you haven't been the best at communicating your version of the truth then sure - make it public.
But, expect the scrutiny.

My experience with slingshot and I've been kiting a while. Great product - rarely fails. So when it does, be part of the solution and work "with them" to work out what really happened with your kite.

Get back to basics and work it out. Getting frustrated and bagging out a brand will get you no- where mate.

If its a fridge. A car whatever, just keep,asking the question. That's my experience, if you have not done anything wrong the truth will speak for itself.

In my experience with EVERYTHING retail, be persistent and let the truth speak, if slingshot are global and understand the consequences of turning a bling eye to you it says more about you than them.

If statistically you are .01% of unsatisfied customers, then that s a good statistic. But if you are genuine and patient and persistent then keep on keeping on. But don't get all sooky over it not working out in your timing and the way you think it should go.

Toughen up Princess.

I get really disappointed with this type of thread so I might just throw in another plug for KSS here.
At Kite Surf SUP we offer a full UNCONDITIONAL warranty on every new kite we sell AND we sort you out with a loaner while your kite is out of action.
Excludes only discounted sales - as in the ridiculously sacrificed superceded clearance stock we have available.

UNCONDITIONAL means even if you run over it with a truck we'll repair it for free.
OR - if its a 'your fault' issue beyond repair we will replace it with a new one at cost price.
This store warranty bypasses any concerns about what may or may not be covered under manufacturer warranty.

Well this is bogus. Sorry I found it so late.

Slingshot Australia are an excellent team, and have a huge history in Australia. It's really dissappointing to read somebody on a campaign to damage them due to a misunderstanding.

From the forums rules: (developed from having witnessed this many many times)

www.seabreeze.com.au/Members/Help/ForumRules.aspx#h40

"Complaints about a business/associations

When this occurs, the poster is usually quite fired up and emotional. Often the customer is now out to cause as much damage as possible to the business with the mission that they are "fully justified" (their words) and "simply stating facts" (their words) about the business/association.

This may be the case .. or not. There are many sides to any story. The point is that the Seabreeze forums are not the appropriate place to resolve the issue. Work harder for a solution. Seek help. Go to a legal/government authority.

Choose not to, and end up in hot water. As soon as you flame a business, you'll usually get supporters of the business come out in defence and question your behaviour and motives. People interested in the discussion will seek more information from you. It soon descends into an argument containing many and varied versions of the truth and everybody goes home unhappy.

It has never ended well for anybody.

The business is damaged, the poster now has a stigma in the forum community (and now can't deal with many shops because the shops know what will happen if they cross this customer - their business will get dragged through the mud.)

A special note: This applies (and has been applied) to any business, not just businesses that sponsor the site."


Sorry, topic locked.