Islander reels - Super Customer Service

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tomictime

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..another reason to buy them vs. a knockoff from ?????
I took the MR3's apart after a hard season (June thru August) and had a bit of corosion on the pawls and a sticky bearing - yes I use the factory recommended greese and oil w PTFE, anyway a quick e-mail to factory promptly follwed up w notes and free of charge parts including 3 bearings, pawls, springs and screws. parts showed up today :))))))))
 
That's the way it should be, I would bet they aren't made in China either. I had a Gal call the other day thinking she had done something wrong with my products. I just gave her a free replacement and that was that. Customer service is a two way street. This post about Islander reels will more than pay for the few parts that they sent. Quality products followed by respect and quality service.

Clinging to my Guns and Religion. www.KoneZone.com
 
It's so simple. Doesn't it just amaze you that "Joe employee" can't figure it out? [:I]
 
I'll play the devil's advocate for a sec, and say that for $500 a reel, they better give good customer service!

As much as I appreciate them their beauty and the company's pursuit of excellence, I can't buy in to the concept of spending that much on a mooching reel. At its most basic, it's a spool on a centre pin, no gears or mechanisms. So, while it looks really shiny, and I'm sure is very smooth reeling, does it catch you any more fish than, say, an old wooden Peetz or a cheap Daiwa?

Don't get me wrong, I like the nice things in life too, and if I had scads of money sitting around I'd probably buy two or three, and maybe an extra to play with while being chauffered in the Rolls.

So...let's hear it, what's the deal with Islander reels?

(all said with a smile, of course... [8D] )
 
quote:Originally posted by Mrtrailer

Gotta be a record. 3 posts and we're off topic. lol
Click to expand...

Sorry for thread hijack.

I'll bring it back on topic..."is the great customer service worth an extra $250 or so per reel?"

;)
 
Does Mrtrailer like to start sh$t???? OOOps off topic and I did not even get one line down.:D[:p];)

I bought a MR2 and love it!!! Compared to my Diawa and Shimano, it is like night and day. No line creep on the drag, smoothest drag I have ever played with and looks cool to boot:)

Is it worth the extra $$$$ probably not, but for me it was my gift to me for selling my place up north. Now the wife wants one.[:0]

One of the best reels I own is an old Diawa 275, it still sings when a fish strikes and the drag is still going strong. I have had this reel since I was guide back in the early nineties. I also have a 375, but it is in a box in the shed. Might bring it out next year.

Cheers

SS

Fishing08018-1.jpg
 
Now that's better..;)
Does someone get good sales service with an Islander Reel?
No question they do.
Does someone get good sales service with a $100 reel?
Now here's the easy answer...Yes,but ya have to buy it from a fishing/hunting store,not from a store that sells toothpaste and D.V.D.'s 2 rows away.
It really isn't hard to drive to the correct store.
Anyone here buy tires for their boat and camper towing truck at C/Tire??
Hope not,if so let me by.
 
Got a load of cheap reels funny if you add them I shouldda bit the bullet and got an MR3 from the beggining.

Too late to start now.
:D

Looking for a thread hijack policeman...wonder who should we nominate LOL



gonefishingsign.gif
 
Ok if I'm the **** on guy for this evening..fine.
I WAS just trying to be funny..if you'll note the lol at the end of that post. ;)
I had 2 other posts directed to Spruce but deleted the because he obviously took me seriously as well,only in a "let's start some ****" mode which I won't be drawn into.
sorry dude,find another guinea pig.[:o)]
 
Airhug for everyone!! Have 4 MR3's and love them...work like a charm. One even fell in the water with the rod (clients dropped it) and was in the ocean for 30min before my dad miraculously got it back on his downrigger...put it back out and the reel worked great after about 5 minutes of a bit of free spooling trouble. Great reels!

www.serengetifishingcharters.com
 
OK Mrtrailer.... whats wrong with buying tires and rims from Canadian Tire....or do feel you just must put someone or something down to make yourself feel better.
 
I used to sell the clone 'islanders' and they were 'ok'.

Dealing with the company that made them though cured me of ever owning one, once they sold the goods they couldn't care less what happened with them.[V]

kidphotors6.jpg
 
strange, but personally, I can't stand those reels for the simple reason that the small rounded handles are terrible and can easily rip your hands to shreds when fighting a fish in rainy conditions (and dry for that matter). I am not sure if its even possible to replace the handles, but I'd much rather have control of the fish during during the fight, and I find it pretty tough with the MR's...I much prefer my $400 cheaper Daiwa M-one where I replaced the handle with the squared off one from my old Daiwa...works like a charm and much easier control when fighting. Drag slippage so far is not an issue to outweigh my main concerns with the MR's...so I say not worth the extra money, good service or not.
 
I have 4 MR2's and they are nice reels but are not as bullet proof as the old Shimanos I used to use. Mine are all out of warrenty and I have had some bearing problems. Islander quoted $50 to replace the bearing and tune it up. I think for the price of the reel, they should have a lifetime warrenty and be subject to only a small handling fee + frt. That said, they loose less fish with the smooth drag and Islander sold me the bearings and helped me through the removal and replacement process - they are held in with Loctite not pressed.
 
quote:Originally posted by fishinfool

OK Mrtrailer.... whats wrong with buying tires and rims from Canadian Tire....or do feel you just must put someone or something down to make yourself feel better.
Click to expand...
troll..[:o)]
 
quote:Originally posted by Mrtrailer

Now that's better..;)
Does someone get good sales service with an Islander Reel?
No question they do.
Does someone get good sales service with a $100 reel?
Now here's the easy answer...Yes,but ya have to buy it from a fishing/hunting store,not from a store that sells toothpaste and D.V.D.'s 2 rows away.
It really isn't hard to drive to the correct store.
Anyone here buy tires for their boat and camper towing truck at C/Tire??
Hope not,if so let me by.
Click to expand...
All I was referring to was if someone was to need tires for their....for ex. Ford F350 and they had a full size camper as well as a boat on trailer would they go to the above mentioned store,(feel better I didn't name it F/Fool?),to purchase the correct tires? Probably not ,and why?..because they don't carry such tires. I was NOT trashing C.T. as someone took it upon them self to speculate,just making the point that there are stores you don't buy certain items from...whoa,my fingers ache. :)

It's all good.p.s. I shop their all the time,which explains the $11.55 in Canadian tire coupons in my tool box that I always forget to take when I go. [:I]
 
My turn to get thread back on track.
What are Islanders made of that makes them so expensive?
The craftsmanship must be great.
Maybe one day....
 
wow, got home found all these parts on my doorstep - thought i would give some praise..and whoosh..two pages later, here we are..
some thoughts...
yes they are !@#$#@! expensive and cheap at the same time...At it's core, when you buy an islander you are getting aerospace grade raw stock and machining..that is their other line of business, so they have the NC machine tools and raw mtl sources to do this. If you know aerospace, $500 does not get you much of anything..if anything, so from that perspective they are cheap. From the volume manufactureres perspective, they are expensive. I think one of my 3's has a serial number below 1000, Diawa or Shimano might make 1000 to test the process and or the automation and or tooling - and then throw them all away. I have pretty much every SA moocher ever made, the MR2 and 3 are to me the best balance, drag. to me they are worth it, to others I can certainly understand that they would not be worth it.
Love a world where we have a choice !!!!
 
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