Hurry up and buy it before before you know if it works!!!
That is the message I was given today by the so called sales director Mark (forgot his last name).
I have spent the last 5 weeks evaluating CAD/CAM software. Mainly Alibre and Bobcad because they are in my price range. I started with Alibre and my trial period ended on Tuesday and my Bobcad trial ends next Tuesday. I really have not had as much time as I would like playing with the software because we have been getting pounded with snow in the northeast weekly resulting in being closed a few days and countless lost hours doing snow removal. I was using the Alibre a little more because I knew it was ending first. Now that is is over I was going to concentrate on Bobcad over the weekend and the first couple days of next week. Sounded like a good game plan I thought.
Earlier in the week I was informed via email that the sales director was in the office this week and offered me 2 seats of Bobcad Pro with Bobart for $1250 but I explained that I would not be making a decision until I was done with the evaluation next week.
I am a one man shop so time is very limited as it is, I am sure that some of you can understand this. My phone rings today and my mom(receptionist) tells me it is Devon(great guy) from Bobcad so I stop the lathe and take the call. Devon tells me that his sales director would like to talk to me about my potential purchase. So this guy Mark gets on the phone and starts with his pitch about how great a company they are and who uses their software and how easy it is to use... you know the deal. So even though I tell him the situation and they I will not make a decision until next week he comes out with and offer of 2 seats Bobcad Pro with the Bobart, Predator and the training for $850 if I buy today even though I already informed him of my plans to finish the evaluation first. He says no problem and tells me he will put the price in writing and have Devon get it to me via email. OK, sounds good.
I go back to the machine and get done with my days work, late as usual, and check my email. Low and behold there is the very special price of $5115 for me if I want to buy next week. Are you F#@K!N& kidding me? Understand that this was in an email with an apology from my salesman. Guess what? they just freed up my whole weekend because no I no longer have to evaluate their software because of my special pricing.
I am writing this to help other understand what Bobcad appears to be all about. Hurry up and buy our stuff before you know if it works or not. That about sums it up and should probably be their new slogan. If you are thinking about buying it be prepared for the BS that comes with it. At least you now know that if you press hard enough you should be able to get 2 seats with everything for at least $850 or maybe less. Don't bother with the evaluation because they are only going to try and pressure you into a purchase before you get to use it anyways.
How do these people stay in business with people like that working for them? If anyone has one of the owners number or email pass it along to me because I would love to have a chat with them. This guy would be on the street in a heartbeat if he worked for me.
Thanks for listening,
Marc
HA HA HA, we have been had by Bobcad
Hi every one,
I'm starting to regret the upgrade, due to no dongle support, too
If they do get it running with dongles and I manage to find my way around the Cad page with the larger icons, then the new tool paths should be good.
First impressions are a little bit mixed, screen layout for the Cad seems worse and a little more confusing, (this maybe because i'm used to V23).
Cam side, and the new tool path details and options look good.
VERY DISAPPOINTED with the new registration method instead of the Dongles, with the dongles in BobCad V23, I could put software on any PC or Laptop either at home or in the workshop, this was great as we have several around the workshop plus PC's at my house and girlfriends house and a couple of laptops, I could work on any no matter where I was, (I do have 3 seats for the software), but now I'm expected to call up and de-aurthourise, and then register on different computers all the time. This is not easy, less so when i'm in the UK, and theres the time difference to take into account plus the transatlantic phone costs.
Anyone, (maybe from BobCad), think of a way to make this easier, as it seems to be a lot of trouble and may make me start looking around for alternative CADCAM software.
Been with BobCad since V22 and one seat through V23 to 3 seats and pro plus lathe, now to 4 seats of V24 Pro Mill, Lathe, Art
Everyone should request dongle support before they buy.
Just a point on the price issue, I paid $500 for 3 seats of V24 pro, with lathe and Art. with all the issues I have talked about on here, I would have felt better standing in the street and handing the cash out to strangers.
Definately starting to save for a better Cad/Cam, anyone got a recommendation ?
So email customer support or your sales rep at BobCad everyday to pester them for the DONGLES that we all need.
Be carefull with BobCad. My story.
A couple years ago I needed CAD/CAM for a new product. I also bought a new CNC lathe that I felt I would need for the endeavor. I had a smaller CNC lathe that I bought prior just because it was a good deal. So I had (have) 2 CNC machines but no CAD|CAM software. So I'm looking around for software and got got interested in Bob Cad primarily because of price and glitz of what they told me the software would do. Being new to cnc I relied on their sales rep - who I'm sure is long gone - for his advice as to whether the software would do what I needed it to do.
Of course I was told "No problem" "Piece of cake" I even sent Corel drawings to make absolutely certain I could do what I wanted it to do. Same BS, great software - easy to convert these Corel drawing to cut with Bob Cad/Cam. So I would get a "great deal" if I bought today for Bob and Bob art for only $1000.00. So I bought it. Thinking I got a good deal.
Get the software and after frustrating weeks and weeks and countless hours couldn't even get close to getting the software to cut the drawings. Hours on the phone with support - I'm talking three months.
Finally I'm referred to talk to a "Programming Engineer" so after another month of banter. The Programming engineer tells me there's a bug in the software and it can't in fact do what I needed it to do.
So I present my case that I went as far as to email the drawings I needed cut and was assured the software would do the drawings ( and this is simple text based stuff ) with "no problem". I wanted a refund to be sure. I was told "Sorry the software's not guaranteed for any particular application".
So I'm left holding the bag with useless software for my needs and an additional cnc machine which still sits after a couple years in the original box.
Since that time, not so much anymore, I'm called and emailed numerous times to "upgrade my software" by various sales people - I assume they have astronomical turnover - who offer me upgrades and have been offered the latest version as low as $200.00. But in fairness that's not the latest version, the latest version at the time. But they keep coming out with a "new updated version" for folks to "update their software" but really to keep the money churning.
Yes this is a rant. And I think I have every reason to vent at every opportunity I have.
If I was thinking about Bob Cad I would have them send me actual files I could cut for my needs on their demo and wouldn't even consider anything else.
And I would hold off for a price - even if I thought it was a low ball- until that price was met or close. I wouldn't be pressure by the "You have to buy it right now" baloney.
Looking back, I would have gladly paid thousands more for software that fit my needs with none of the absolute frustration and wasted money that I had through a Bob Cad experience. I guess it's true - take out the smoke and mirrors - and you truly do get what you pay for.
Bye the way, I ended up buying a CO2 laser to get the job done.
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