[Tat2nu]

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

[Fadal Error]

If they put half of the effort they put into sales and invested in the software engineers, we would sell for them through word-of-mouth. I don't think I could recommend Bobcad to anyone, but it's what I have.

[TheBigJW]

If they put half of the effort they put into sales and invested in the software engineers, we would sell for them through word-of-mouth. I don't think I could recommend Bobcad to anyone, but it's what I have.

Just be glad your not one of the unlucky people who bought Mastercam. Paid ~20K and have all the same problems. At least Bobcad does get better all the time.

John

[johnmac]

I have v.20.4. I'm afraid to contact them about upgrading for these reasons.

John

[TheBigJW]

I have v.20.4. I'm afraid to contact them about upgrading for these reasons.

John

Pay phone. LOL.

Just get a new gmail.

John

[seal1966]

Tat2nu,

If they offer you $850.00, you will still get it two later. They want the sales. Learn the sales game, and go with it. If you call them, and they do not give you the same deal, give them a day or two, and they will call back.

[segengineering]

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.

[seal1966]

Wow, 3 Seats (or is it 4) of V24 Pro, Lathe and Art for $500.00. Dongle or no dongle, you came out very well.

[knitehawk]

I've been with them from v19. the software has gotten better with every version however the nickel and dime approach is ending my run with them.

The software does what it's setup to do but every damn feature is an addon that they don't do a very good job of explaining on the phone.

case in point. i also have Vectric Vcarve pro. I love these guy's, you buy their software, you get your money's worth. it's simple to use and makes great code. ALSO when they update and add stuff. for a year you get ALL UPDATES. there are no modules to plug in, no extra money for added features, heck they even send you an e-mail to let you know there is an update!

what do you get from Bobcad? a call asking for more damn money for an "upgrade" that will more than likely introduce more bugs than you know what to do with.

eg.

just upgraded to v24 from V23 with HSP, art and all the goodies.
bobcad came in and i loaded it up. no art.
when i call them the response i get is "well art is another option that costs more" my response is "i had that on the old seat. they went over my old seat with me. i said i want everything i had with any and all new features. and they assured me that thats what i was going to get but that art is still another feature. i hung up at that point because i didn't want to throw the cell phone through a wall.

i am a SIGN COMPANY what the heck am my gonna do with a cad cam prog without ART.

now playing with the software. i will admit there are some neat features on it. and i can create the art on 23 and load it into 24 but it's a pain in the rump.

also i find that when i do a verify it runs alot faster but sometimes locks the program on exit of the verify to the extent that windows closes it.
now thats fine if you take that into consideration and save your work before the verify but when you just spent 2 hours working on a part and load a feature in and verify it and FORGET to save. well, now your going to say some things you don't want the wife to hear.


if i had it to do over again i would get vectric aspire and i would have been done. it does everything i want and more with all the features plus some and they don't nickel and dime you to death.

all in all. if your a part maker Bobcad is great. i've used it to make all kinds of parts and it does a fairly good job for the price.
if you do ANY creative stuff like signs or decorations or cabinets, don't do it.
it's a pain in the rump for simple things and truly anyone who has ever used vcarve or aspire will tell you that.


out!

[dertsap]

I'm a mastercam user but the company didn't purchase the surface option so I always bring my v23 dongle to do any funky 3d work that I need to get done . For the most part i use it to create haywire deburring toolpaths and I find that I'm able to accomplish what I need to with it , its no high end software but is functional . Overall its not a bad software , and the v24 demo seemed pretty good from what I've seen of it (whole 1 week demo ?) , their biggest weakness is the 2d toolpaths are basic and is something that needs to be expanded and improved on .
This no dongle thing is what prevented me from upgrading , as did the constant price changes


.

[oknups]

Got the rush from Bobcad salesman when I inquired about a machine they supposedly sell and support. Two for one buy it now 100% satisfaction guarantee. The guy called, emailed, several times. Turns out they no longer sell the machine and package deal they still have on their web site.

Dishonest salesman who knew what was up, no doubt in my mind.

As a result Bobcad is the LAST company that I intend to buy from.

Software evaluation copy also failed to properly import a .dwg file.

[jaysteel]

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.


.

[rusel]

I feel lucky after read the above.
About 3 years ago I was looking at getting into the cnc world and I put my name and phone into bobcam web site.
Well the sales man rang me every 2 weeks for 6 months and I live in Australia, seeing that I had not had the mill set up I did not buy... Lucky!
Ended up with rhinocam 4 (not to bad does cut a lot of air at times) and EMC2 on mill (this work very good for us)

Russell

[laszlozoltan]

sounds like they hire ex-shoe salesmen to do their hawking; can't blame the salesguy in that case, he probabally doesn't have even a clue what cnc does or what cad is.

[jaysteel]

Rusel, Laszlozotan, you are both right, I got swindled, at least that's how I feel, no I'm sure I did. I'm glad, Rusel, you made a better decision than I did.Lost a lot of money. And Laz you are right, if you need a job and have the tolerance to make million calls a day, you can probably get a job at Bob\Cad tomorrow morning, regardless if you know anything or nothing at all about Bob software or cnc at all.

[cheetahcnc]

They will sell you the latest version for $300, and won't need more than one seat. Skip the BobART and Nest. If one seat won't work, more than one doesn't make sense. The training package does work very well, because it is a book and videos. I have a hard time understanding how there can be version after version of this brand of software with so many problems. :drowning:

[jaysteel]

Because they just churn money by releasing different Version after different Versions after different Version. And replacing salespeople who can't, through no fault of their own, because of a flawed product, can't sell the product. At least in my case it's just a flawed product. I was told that. I was told the product was flawed. I was told the product had a "bug" in it that wouldn't let me do what I needed it to do, after they assured me there was no problem. It comes down to at me at least, you can fool me once, shame on you, but fool me twice. shame on you. I wouldn't buy Bob/Cad for ANY PRICE.

[BurrMan]

Because they just churn money by releasing different Version after different Versions after different Version. .

Lol... It's been well over a year since the last release??????? "Updates" are free as the version goes....

[MBX5]

I had V23 for a while w/ the dongle license...learned how to use my CNC VMC with it...I paid $500 on ebay for it and for what I needed, I was happy with its capabilities for what I needed at the time....

Recently I decided to upgrade to a plugin that ran in Solidworks in order to save time in toolpath edits after model edits...I was evaluating a few packages, including BobCAD Pro V1... At first glance, it looked pretty sweet....it looked the same as V23 and ran in Solidworks - very cool right? After testing for a few days, I was somewhat happy, but also not close to being ready to make a decision.... I received a phone call and was told I could get 2 licenses at $1250....seemed like a good deal - 2d and 3d capabilities for under $1500....to good to be true....but I didn't want to make a decision that day...no issues...I told them I would call if I decided on their product...

The next day I got another call - $1,000 if I bought that day.... I fell for it...

2 days later, I found that I couldn't use simple Solidworks features to cut 2D pockets easily - I had to go create more sketches, and do some fudge work on the model to get simple pockets to run tool paths....additionally I had one model w/ 6 pockets in it - no matter what I tried, BobCad would only recognize 4 pockets - even if I selected them individually... I had tech support log into my machine -their answer - "wow, this is a first...we dont know what the problem is".... Needless to say, I was refunded within an hour....I consider myself lucky...

I ended up looking into higher end packages - it seems like there is a lot of time wasted in trying to make lower end packages work, so I bit the bullet and evaluated MasterCAM X5 for Solidworks, and HSMWorks... I went with HSMWorks in the end, and am extremely satisfied thus far.

[jrmach]

Hmmm,Hmmmmm.....
Sounds like this thread will be closed sooon.