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Reasonable Shop Turnaround Time


bbattiste247

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When you take your Malibu in for service to a certifried Malibu Dealer, how long is the average time to get your boat back?

As a previous Malibu owner and new 2016 buyer, I have had a few warranty issues that have had to be fixed. Fortunately, many of them have occured during the fall or winter months. I have taken my 2016 in several times; first, for 20 hour service, faulty battery, no surfband connection, small airpocket in gelcoat and some poorly aligned seems in the upholstery. Malibu and the dealer have not denied any claim, but my boat has been at the dealer for what seems to be an unreasonable amount of time.

I use my boat year around and seldom miss a week if possible. After making a shop appointment. turn around times have been: 20 hour service and add diode for surf band - 5 working days; replace faulty battery and inspect airpocket - 7 days; replace seat skins and patch gel coat - 2+ weeks.

Is this an average time for most Bu owners?

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How big is your dealer? How many other manufacturers do they sell? A lot of big dealers have a line of boats needing service and repair has been my experience. Gel Coat work done right takes time also. ( Mine has taken longer). How long is your season down in Henderson?

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In the end was the service done well? just so hard to say as each dealer is different and have much different situations. For an area like me If you have a service needed and weight till spring. Well good luck.

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Service times vary, do to the fix needed and the time of the year. The easiest thing to do is to ask upfront how much time the repair takes and what is the wait time to get a slot in the shop. Every time I have asked I have received an answer that in the end was accurate, within reason, given the time of year and my ability to get the boat to them. I have dealt with a few dealers due to the fact I moved over 500 miles since I purchased my boat.

Reasonable requests have been replied to with reasonable answers.

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Turnaround time is largely going to depend on the time of year, type of repair and how you go about the repair process. Mechanical issues are typically handled in house and as such should be under the control of the dealer for turnaround time. Spring/summer are going to be their busy season so scheduling and turnaround time can be an issue.That being said I would say anything past a week would be excessive if you've made an appointment for an approved warranty or pre diagnosed issue.

Gelcoat and interior work is typically outsourced and is always going to be a wild card. These are also seasonal but the dealer has less control of scheduling. The key to good turnaround time here is to make sure the new skins are on site before dropping off the boat or ensure the gelcoat work has be scheduled with the shop before leaving it at the dealer. Many times customers will take a laundry list of unrelated items to the dealer with no plan and that's fine if you don't care how long the boat will be tied up. Service will scheduled from the top of the list and they'll start picking off items one by one all while the days tick away. A better approach would be to sit down with the service manager and discuss what items are hot, what can be scheduled together and what can wait until scheduling will permit a quicker turnaround time.

This process is the same for most shops. You can't assume that any dealer is going to use common sense or that the sense of urgency is going to be the same for them as it is for you. Or that they'll try to juggle a repair schedule so that your boat is completed faster. A common sense approach on your part and good communication with the service manager is always going to work best in achieving a good service experience.

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My .02, if it can wait til winter then let it wait. It will always seem slow during boating season. My one dealer service was great, had a recall for the engine circulation pump and they said if I brought it in and picked it up when they called that I could have it that day - pre season and they had too many boats sitting around.

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Routine service like beak-in or 50hr for me is drop off and pick up 3-4hrs later. I had misaligned cushion issue, dropped off and picked up same day. I had an interior gel-coat blister that was kind of hidden but noticeable to me, dealer called my the day a couple days before I needed to have my boat to them to have it repaired...same day service.

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Turnaround time is largely going to depend on the time of year, type of repair and how you go about the repair process. Mechanical issues are typically handled in house and as such should be under the control of the dealer for turnaround time. Spring/summer are going to be their busy season so scheduling and turnaround time can be an issue.That being said I would say anything past a week would be excessive if you've made an appointment for an approved warranty or pre diagnosed issue.

Even an appt can be hard as warranty is not necessarily pre approved. While it might be warranty, if surfgate for example is not operating, it may be a variety of things, not just a RAM. So you need to allow time for proper diagnoses as well as repair. Not all dealers carry every part needed, so they may have to wait for parts from Malibu, authorization, etc.

In the end, as long as the dealer gets you the boat back and the issue is corrected, that is the main goal. It's more frustrating, IMO, when a dealer sends you out and says an issue is fixed, and you get to the lake and it is not. Especially if you are are not close to the dealer, multiple trips can take up more time than waiting a day or week longer and getting it right for you

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When there is no competition, dealers can do as they please. I do everything to ensure my boat won't be tied up forever. Make an appointment two weeks before, bring it in on time, ask for a time frame. But when there is no other place to go, all you can do is say okay, call me when it done and hope for the best.

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It's kinda like a hospital. The longer your boat stays at the dealer rotting in the yard more can go wrong.

Left uncovered.

Water pooling and stretching the cover all out.

Damages, scrapes and cuts.

Theft.

Confusion and hack jobs on why the boat was there in the first place.

Generally you should not wait longer than 1-2 weeks for a serious repair.

But that depends on your dealer and if you bought the boat there.

Somebody should ask Springer this question this winter when he bombs a random boat show. Instead of being star struck and giddy because you are talking to a millionaire:

1. What are you doing to improve QAQC?

2. What are you doing to eliminate the "you didn't buy your boat here" BS

3. Why do you market this alleged awesome warranty... Then when issues arise you and your CS Staff are nowhere to be found?

4. Ever consider a customer service pledge to be hung at every dealership?

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It's kinda like a hospital. The longer your boat stays at the dealer rotting in the yard more can go wrong.

Left uncovered.

Water pooling and stretching the cover all out.

Damages, scrapes and cuts.

Theft.

Confusion and hack jobs on why the boat was there in the first place.

Generally you should not wait longer than 1-2 weeks for a serious repair.

But that depends on your dealer and if you bought the boat there.

Somebody should ask Springer this question this winter when he bombs a random boat show. Instead of being star struck and giddy because you are talking to a millionaire:

1. What are you doing to improve QAQC?

2. What are you doing to eliminate the "you didn't buy your boat here" BS

3. Why do you market this alleged awesome warranty... Then when issues arise you and your CS Staff are nowhere to be found?

4. Ever consider a customer service pledge to be hung at every dealership?

How about adding this to the list:

5. Provide a loaner boat while warranty repairs are being made.

That might speed things up a bit.

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A loaner? I couldn't even demo a boat or the boat until the loan was approved and the paperwork completed.

What? This is unacceptable. I'd buy another brand if I had this much trouble!

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