PowaKaddy build quality.

[Puttenham GC member]

Hi all, this is the first time I have ever had recourse to such a platform, but I wanted to bring to the attention of fellow golfers, what is it appears to me, to be the singularly unhelpful and exceptionally poor customer relations, that I have experienced from PowaKaddy.
I have recently purchased, what is probably my fourth or fifth PowaKaddy, from which, one can ascertain, is a committed brand loyalty. The model in question is the CT6, which generally is a fine piece of kit. However, I have had numerous e-mail discussions with PowaKaddy, as within a couple of weeks, the glass covering the information screen, cracked alone the top left hand side. Despite pointing out to them, that all my clubs have their head covers replaced before being returned to, what is a PowaKaddy cart bag, and it is transported in a PowaKaddy Compact travel bag, they basically said that the problem was caused by my incompetence, as their products go through a rigorous quality control process before leaving their premises, so it could not possibly be a fault at their end.
Well, surprise surprise, I played with two other members of my club yesterday, and on discussing my new cart, and the fact that, according to PowaKaddy, I had damaged it, first one said that the glass covering the information screen on his CS1, kept falling out, and he has resorted to glueing it in himself, and the other has also got a cracked screen, but this is on his FW3, so a similar fault of three different models!!!
So all my fault then?
Has anyone else experienced a similar problem, and also, has anyone else had an unacceptable experience of dealing with PowaKaddy?

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

No, I bought a Motocaddy because of the well known issue of Powakaddy screens breaking

 

[Robster59]

I have heard mixed reviews of Powakaddy customer service and their response to complaints. The only thing I can suggest is keep perstering them, perhaps reporting them to trading standards as not honouring the warranty. You could also tell them you're taking this to Social Media on such platforms as here, Facebook, Twitter, etc. It's a powerful media these days and may make them think again.
For the price of those things, I'd expect a better response from the company.

 

[Puttenham GC member]

Thanks for your responses, much appreciated. I wish I had done some research rather than just buying one because I had not experienced any issues with my previous PowaKaddys.

 

[cliveb]

I've got a C2.
Pros: folds up really nice and small.
Cons: everything else.

Like you, the window on the control panel cracked. I called Powakaddy and they sent me a replacement handle top under warranty. The window on the replacement has now cracked, and I just live with it.

But that's not the main issue I have. The overall design is poor - it is very tail-heavy and has a habit of tipping backwards, which jars the handle when it hits the ground. That wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for the fact that the central clam-shell arragement that secures the whole trolley is held together with self-tapping screws in to plastic! Result: at some point that plastic screw location points break and the trolley falls apart. It left me stranded in the middle of a round. Powakaddy did fix it under warranty, but there's no excuse for such a poor design. If (when) it happens again, now the trolley is out of warranty I will drill through the clam-shell and replace the screws with bolts and nyloc nuts.

Oh, and one other thing: the on-off switch is positioned in a stupid place and it's far too easy to accidentally knock it on - resulting in the trolley either shooting away or (more likely) doing a wheelie and falling backwards to put strain on that weak clam-shell once more.

I won't be buying another Powakaddy, that's for sure.

 

[Ethan]

I had one a few years back which they asked to be returned to them for repair, then a long time passed with no resolution before I ended up telling them to keep it, and I got a Motocaddy, which has been fine since.

 

[Sats]

My friend ended up with a motocaddy after the numerous issues with his Powakaddy.

 

[Old Colner]

I have a C2, got it when they were first released, now three year old, it now has a cracked screen, a playing partner of mine has a C2i that also has a cracked screen.
Although neither of use have had any other problems.

 

[JollyRedDevil]

The glass on my FW7 has also cracked but as it is out of warranty I'm having to live with it. Also you cannot just buy a glass replacement. You have to buy the whole unit.

 

[Grantley1988]

So all my fault then?
Has anyone else experienced a similar problem, and also, has anyone else had an unacceptable experience of dealing with PowaKaddy?

A pal has this model and the screen let in water on his first round. You could squeeze the water out! It was fixed with no issue but not what you would expect from a £700 trolley

 

[fundy]

My friend ended up with a motocaddy after the numerous issues with his Powakaddy.

I ended up with a Golfstream after numerous problems with a motocaddy (recommended to me by the motocaddy repairer who did himself out of a lot of work!)

Difference in quality is massive, decent British firm with excellent customer service

 

[bradleywedge]

Question for the OP: Does your motor make a noise when in use or is it completely silent?

 

[Puttenham GC member]

It is a very quiet motor, but I would not say it is completely silent. definitely quieter than my previous PowaKaddy, although it pains me to say anything complementary about it!!

 

[Robster59]

It seems to me the more complex these things are, the more likely there is to go wrong. My GoKart has no screen, an on/off switch and a roller to adjust the speed, and that's it! No screens to crack or additional (non-essential IMHO) electronics to go wrong. And robust. Mine has even been on it's side in a burn with the wheels still spinning (totally my fault) and carried on running.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Brand loyalty means nothing, don’t buy the brand, buy the model.