FWIW I’m a cable drive guy. I did jump on to the Ultrex wagon and it’s sitting in the garage waiting for installation. Once I get it installed I would run a side by side comparison with anyone who has the Motorguide cable drive with pin point? Any takers?
CW
I can’t believe you’d try that! If you’ve even been around my Ulterra you wouldn’t try it with your worst enemy! I got mine back from warranty repair trip 5 or 6 two weeks ago (I’ve lost count). Immediately it didn’t work very well. So then sent me another remote (they’ve already tried this) and they said it would be in the mail the next day but was 4 more days. When i got the new remote I tried it out and it locked up on level 5 doing a left turn, wouldn’t take any button command and slammed the boat right into the dock. Awesome. I had to go up on the bow and turn the power off. The foot pedal works but I didn’t buy it for a foot pedal and it seems as though you’d have to have very small boots, bare feet, or just have to use it with your hand. Not very convenient and not what I purchased it for.
Here’s the thing I can probably keep the skeeter just as steady as the motor guide in the video with the Fortrex. Of course I’m standing on top of the pedal and most here would point out more weight in the very front. Not that big of deal until you are fighting or landing a fish. If the Ultrex has issues so be it, I’m keeping the Fortrex around for the first year as a backup anyways. No issues ever with any of my previous Minn Kota motors. When guys who aren’t paid to say stuff and that put more time in 3 months than I do in two years are saying how much of a drastic difference it is, I think I’ll take a chance.
Any takers on the motor guide cable drive pin point vs the Ultrex?
CW
you wouldn’t try it with your worst enemy!
Um…it was my Favorite Wife…. 
From what I’ve been told, the 2017 models are better. I’ll confirm that at the end of the season.
Until then, please keep an eye out for a Skeeter with a blond in it drifting down stream on P4. She won’t be happy…I would just let her continue drifting…your choice. 
^^^^
That’s BK’s FW when she gets home! 
Obviously you know it is BK that she is chasing as he’s in the yellow jacket. 
I bought a boat with a terrova in 09 and was happy with the spot lock. Last spring I upgraded to a 36v ulterra and was disappointed with the spot lock. It would drift off the spot and the go to 10 to get back. You had to be careful standing in the front of the boat or it could knock you out of the boat when it went to 10. I complained to the dealer and Minn Kota and their response was that they weren’t aware of a problem. Early this spring I found out that they had upgraded the spot lock and asked the Minn Kota rep if I could upgrade my spot lock. He said no, that I should sell it and get a new one. Good solution for Minn Kota, not so good for me. Obviously the did have a problem and the were aware of it. I won’t ever buy another Minn Kota product.
Well the excuse of the day today is that my windshield is interfering with the remote. My wind shield is approximately 4.5′ from the motor base. The motor only works OK if I am in the bow, or standing between the windshield in the opening. If I sit at the drivers seat, middle, or back of the boat all hell breaks loose and the motor goes haywire. Did I mention the remote they sent me is missing 5 out of the 7 screws and there is a 3/16″ gap/crack on the front and back sides?
This would almost be a good excuse IF when in the past things were working well for a few weeks at a time it was a problem before. But this is a new development at this point. 1.5 years now…….It’s never run right. They won’t do anything but keep spit balling excuses and occasionally parts at it (and lots of remotes). Run far and fast…………to Motor guide.
Any takers on the motor guide cable drive pin point vs the Ultrex?
CW
Considering there isn’t a motorguide cable drive with pinpoint I don’t think you are going to get any takers.
the excuse of the day today is that my windshield is interfering with the remote.
What?
Seriously at this point I would be driving to Mankato and dropping it of telling them to send it back once it’s fixed and tested. Otherwise keep it.
You couldn’t sell it any away.
I don’t have any connections to either company, but I had good service from MinnKota when I had trouble with my Power Drive.
Sad to hear.
Dan’s southside for first warrany repair. They held it 2 months while giving me exccuses then told me they didn’t have anyone trained on the new motor to fix it. I had to go in and get it in pcs, put it back together so i could use it on a trip south even though it wouldn’t fully cradle. Then brought it back and they fixed that. Since then it’s been to Lacann’s 2x and they have sent me a new computer board thing for the top that I replaced myself per their instructions. The last time it was at Lacann’s Minnkota had them Fed Ex it to their head quarters (after a week of waiting on a shipping label from them) where they then replaced a long list of parts. Got it back, didn’t work. Sent me a remote (never came in 4 days), sent me another remote (missing 5 of 7 screws). Tested it saturday to find out that it still doesn’t work well and where they have now blamed it on my windshield and are sending yet another remote. So that brings me to now with the same POS lemon. As if the motor didn’t cost enough I went and bought a 9.9 yami so I have something I KNOW will work while this goes back and forth to warranty. LOL- the other thing they said I could try is to put a 72” shaft on instead of the 60” and have it trimmed way up so the signal can get by the windshield hahahahah. My god what an S show. Just make it right- fix or replace and I’d have positive feed back for them right here instead of the truth. After a year and a half of taking it off and on my boat I’m sick of excuses.
My Dad and I both have 5-6 year old Terrovas. We have never had an issue and have been satisfied with the spot lock performance. This Spring my Dad upgraded to a new Ulterra. We broke it in on Pool 4 today and the spot lock is much improved. Push button deploy is pretty awesome too.
We have never had an issue and have been satisfied with the spot lock performance.
the spot lock is much improved.
Your statements do not line up, if you never had an issue with the old spot lock what is much improved with the new spot lock??????
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Fife wrote:</div>
We have never had an issue and have been satisfied with the spot lock performance.
the spot lock is much improved.Your statements do not line up, if you never had an issue with the old spot lock what is much improved with the new spot lock??????
I can elaborate. By never having an issue I mean they have never broke down. As far as the spot lock accuracy, it’s the situation where you don’t know there’s something better until you go looking. When I bought my Terrova, spot lock was relatively new and nobody offered anything like it. Accuracy within a 10-15 foot radius was all I knew and I was satisfied. Motorguide came out with the anchor feature and from experience fishing next to them, they were more accurate. I didn’t want to change to motorguide, so when I heard the new 2017 units were more accurate I had to try it. It’s no BS, the new units are more accurate. For my Dad, he will also like the push button deploy.
I have had both minnkota and Motorquide but after reading Pete’s comments i would be scared of buying a new and improved minnkota because a company should stand behind its product more then what he experienced. Now that they have a improved product shouldn’t they just replace it already. Every company can have a lemon produced but at what point do they not apologize for all they put him through and give him a new motor or try to make it right( pay the difference from old cost for a new one). I got tired and frustrated just hearing what Pete had to go through.
I have had both Lowrance and Motorquide but after reading Pete’s comments i would be scared of buying a new and improved Lowrance because a company should stand behind its product more then what he experienced. Now that they have a improved product shouldn’t they just replace it already. Every company can have a lemon produced but at what point do they not apologize for all they put him through and give him a new motor or try to make it right( pay the difference from old cost for a new one). I got tired and frustrated just hearing what Pete had to go through.
I know I am easily confused so I’m wondering now if I’m the only one? But isn’t Pete’s problem with a Minnkota Ulterra?
Remember when people used to argue about which anchor is better? Man those were the good old days.
Remember when people used to argue about which anchor is better? Man those were the good old days.
Yep…just pulled it out of the garage! 
mH-mxUrmnzHR-Alkfe6Fxug.jpg
My opinion only and Pete, please don’t take offense.
Pete’s been for the most part dealing with repair/dealers. Minnkota was brought in at the end.
Driving to Mankato and speaking to them directly, I have to believe would resolve the problem.
I don’t have any affiliation with MinnKota, but I have to believe out of the 1000’s of trolling motors they’ve sold (and repaired), they can’t get this one right.
I’m not bashing local dealers/repair shops, but there are times when the Manufactures need to get involved directly with the customer.
AND if it was the manufacturer that told me my trolling motor didn’t work because of my window…”B as in B, S as in S” would be the first words out of my mouth and the second would be, “I need to talk to your head tech…now please.”.
No, by all means I appreciate the advice and of course I would have liked to bring it down myself. The last round of ‘fixes’ were at the Minnkota facility. I have not driven down myself because I don’t want to burn a day off for that, they paid for Fed Ex shipping which I thought was great. The bulk of the issues were seemingly taken care of but to get it back and to see a new problem develop that had NEVER been an issue in the last 1.5 years is very concerning and frustrating. I think I was sent up the ladder a little bit in dealing with a gentleman in customer service directly which I appreciate. When I told him of the new issue with the motor not responding when I’m 5′ away from it behind my windshield with the door open- he just said he’d send another remote and basically read word for word out of the manual and told me that’s the way it is. They don’t exactly tell windshield boat owners not to buy one.
“The range of the remote will be greatly reduced if it is used near or mounted to any metal object including aluminum or steel. It is also recommended that the front end of the remote not be obstructed during use.”
I never had to hold my arm out and point the remote at the motor like a TV remote any other time so why now? If I’m anywhere in the boat besides the bow deck it’s haywire, windshield open. I received the 3rd remote yesterday. I’ll try it out asap.
Good Luck and let us know how it works.
Used the new Minn Kota spot lock for the first time on the Blue Tooth Ulterra today. Night and day difference from the old spot lock. Getting used to the new remote will take a few trips. I actually printed out the users manual for the remote and put it in a binder for reference, that helped. Think I’ll keep it in the boat till I get it figured out, seems the older I get the slower I learn.
Anyways I love the new Spot Lock.
3rd remote they have sent me in past few weeks. It performed fine in the garage (of course)- I could not get the motor to duplicate the response issues I had a week ago. I thought that was a great sign. I was finally able to get to the water saturday morning and then experienced the exact same issue as before with last remote once I was on the water and under load/prop on. Have to be standing within 5 feet from the motor, pointing the remote directly at the unit like a TV remote. Anywhere else in the boat or if you turn you back at 5′ it causes problems with it responding. This is all with the windshield wide open, much worse closed. Again- this wasn’t happening out of the water at home- it was only when the prop is on. It lagged in steering response time and also turn 90 degrees automatically and sent me into no man’s land when I tried to just turn slightly. If you are near shore/dock/boats it causes a crash. This has not been an issue until motor was to MK headquarters for repair a month ago. I’m currently waiting for a response on what the next plan of action is but assume I’ll hear the same thing as last week which was ‘that’s the way it is with windshield model boats, sounds like it’s working fine’.
Do you have triple pane windows? Sorry I couldn’t resist.
Those are the problems with all these high tech toys, when they work they are the greatest thing since the discovery of fire. When they don’t work which unfortunly is turning out to be to often then they are the kiss of DEATH.
I couldn’t agree more! I do have a welded windshield, not your regular C channel aluminum modular deal. But the glass isn’t any different I don’t think. And the middle opening/walk through is larger than average so I just don’t understand how it’s an issue- especially when left open.
One of the MAIN reasons I bought the auto stow and deploy was so I could keep the windshield closed and top on and snapped and not have to open it up to go up there to put the motor up/down in the rain. When shopping around and asking questions I didn’t read any warnings/concerns about it being an issue. But when you turn out to be their test subject these things get found out I guess.
But like I said- why didn’t it perform like this the last year and a half!???? This issue is new, my windshield is not.
Reply from Excuseville-
“Hi Pete, I believe the test you performed while on the trailer correctly proved the theory we discussed last week. The head of the motor was elevated high enough in the air to allow an improved path to accept commands from the remote. With the motor trimmed down into the water, the windshield of your boat is inhibiting the path of communication. I spoke with our engineer and showed him the picture of your windshield and bow. He believes the mass of the windshield and the aluminum framing is a contributing factor. Also, that aluminum diamond plate the trolling motor is mounted acting like a ground plane which attenuates the RF signal from the remote, when the motor is trimmed down.
Below is a picture of the antennae used in the head of the motor for the remote control. You can try re-positioning to point straight back it to see if that will provide an incremental improvement. Also, when your motor is deployed in the water, try trimming your motor up in 6” increments to see where the optimal height would be for it to receive a signal. Hopefully, it will allow the prop to still be in the water for proper use.”
When testing, I did trim the motor up as far as I could without any improvement- again this is all with the windshield open anyway….it never happened prior to recent service. I believe it has everything to do with being under a load/power while on the water at this point. Everything works great in 65 degree dry garage.
Reply from Excuseville-
“… Hopefully, it will allow the prop to still be in the water for proper use.”
Well, one can only hope . 
It really sounds like their solution is for you to suck it up and lower your expectations.
Did you send them a link to this post? I would. I already had intentions to no longer purchase MinnKota/Humminbird/Lakemaster in the near future due to bad customer policies I experienced, but I’m adding your concerns to my pile. The Corporate entity of Johnson Outdoors might want to ignore the “interweb forums” and the resultant PR crapolla they present, but they really are waging war on avid anglers through faulty products and bad customer policies. Send them the link, they can pretend to ignore it. 
I did last week.
I received the canned “Thanks for contacting us please allow 3 to 4 days…” response.
Not that I wanted them to contact me anyway. 
Yep- I guess. The expectations couldn’t get much lower at this point anyway. Heading up to Rainy in a few days and the motor will be staying at home on the work bench and I’ll use my kicker. I have zero confidence in it- it’s safety concern at this point if you can’t trust it running next to a dock, shore, or other boats. It’s going to launch someone off the bow when it does a 90 degree left turn on it’s own.
Anyone without a ‘welded’ windshield want a REALLY good deal on an ulterra? They seem to have fixed everything else. Still under warranty.
My favorite customer service quote to date:
“We want to ensure there are no potential situations that may prevent you from having an optimal working trolling motor. We trust it will provide many days of trouble-free fishing.”
I’m still hoping for a few hours let alone days! DAYS! Shouldn’t they hope years or even months? DAYS!!!!!! LOL
Alagank Pete “Anyone without a ‘welded’ windshield want a REALLY good deal on an ulterra? They seem to have fixed everything else. Still under warranty”
I don’t have any windshield, what’a a very good deal? PM me
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