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Growing Annoyed.....


RyanB

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So I am growing annoyed with my boat.  It is spending more time at the dealer than I would like.  Don't get me wrong, I like my dealer, just wish I didn't have to see them so often.

Boat will be 2 years old later this month.  We use it a lot (around 270 hours on the clock so far).  And issues just keep coming up.  I've had the seams separate on one seat 3 times, and another once.  There is now a pock where there was a void in the fiberglas (already had several others repaired at the end of last season).  It has been to the dealer at least 5 different times for them to try to diagnose a leak somewhere (they originally thought it was in the transmission, but it still leaks after that hose was fixed).  Chased a lack of power issue for 3 weeks last year (turns out that was bad info from the sales and pro staff at the dealer).  And now it is back after there with a constant alarm going off in the engine compartment anytime the power was on.

This is the 2nd boat I have purchased new.  First one I kept 9 years, and I think the Malibu has been in the shop at least twice as many days as those 9 years combined.  I know the Malibu is more complicated, but not enough to justify that level.

I'd just like to use the boat for a couple trips without needing to call the dealer for warranty work........I leave for Powell on Monday for what will be the last big trip of the season - still hoping to get some more day trips in this year though.

Thanks for letting me vent.  No, I don't feel better.

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That sucks man.  Any of the new boat brands could produce a boat with a lot of issues like this.  I have seen it from Nautique, MC and Bu

 

I'm curious, do you have the marine power engine?  How has that been treating you?  

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9 minutes ago, bamaboy said:

That sucks man.  Any of the new boat brands could produce a boat with a lot of issues like this.  I have seen it from Nautique, MC and Bu

 

I'm curious, do you have the marine power engine?  How has that been treating you?  

What about Supra?

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36 minutes ago, bamaboy said:

That sucks man.  Any of the new boat brands could produce a boat with a lot of issues like this.  I have seen it from Nautique, MC and Bu

 

I'm curious, do you have the marine power engine?  How has that been treating you?  

Understood on any manufacture can have problems.  Some of them (like the upholstery) shouldn't be reoccurring though.

Yes Marine Power engine.  I had one "service engine immediately" alarm go off last year for what was diagnosed as poor fuel.  That was over 120 hours ago.

Not sure what the current alarm is for, but it is in the engine compartment.

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23 minutes ago, Afun said:

Friday Boats...are far more common than not. Hope you get it fixed and then sold. Move on to something else.

Doesn't Bu have a 4 day week?  MC does.  So then it would a "thursday boat"

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14 hours ago, ConnollyCrew said:

Yes, upgrade would not be what I seek. After approx 13k in warranty work and being boat less for 7 weeks this year I want reliable. I have a friend that owned two Suoras in two seasons and loves them. I will look at Supra and Malibu. 

10 year old 'Bu here... I must have had a "payday boat." And I'm not selling this thing anytime soon. lol
;) 

 

J-Nasty - Supra's aren't infallible either. Talk to Bill and Sharon. They have had their fair share of issues with their World's. 

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On the other side, my 95 has not had ONE dollar of maintenance necessary, other than spark plugs, distributor cap kind of stuff.  I've had the boat for 8 years ish. Previous owner did have to put in a new steering cable. That is the sum of maintenance break downs on this boat. 1100 hours. I put a new starter in it and a new perko switch for something to do. Oh, and changed out power cabling, again, because I wanted to. Didn't need them though.

Steve B.

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13 minutes ago, Steve B. said:

On the other side, my 95 has not had ONE dollar of maintenance necessary, other than spark plugs, distributor cap kind of stuff.  I've had the boat for 8 years ish. Previous owner did have to put in a new steering cable. That is the sum of maintenance break downs on this boat. 1100 hours. I put a new starter in it and a new perko switch for something to do. Oh, and changed out power cabling, again, because I wanted to. Didn't need them though.

Steve B.

x2.  I LOVE my older Malibu (mines a '97).  So much less to go wrong, and everything is super easy to work on.  No fancy touch screens... etc... I just replaced my throttle cable, took me a grand total on 10mins.

To the original poster, sorry this probably isn't helping you any. ;)

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What about AXIS?  Are a lot of these problems due to way too many electronics?  I know AXIS is a dumbed down version of a bu so I'm interested as to the reliability there...

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11 minutes ago, ConnollyCrew said:

Your right, they all have issues at some point. Some more than others, I am just really frustrated with being 7( now 8 after my last phone call) weeks without a boat. If your listening Malibu, I would like to be reimbursed two payments. Thanks 

 

 

what are the issues?

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1 hour ago, ConnollyCrew said:

Let's see, July 4 broken driveshaft(warranty). Mid July blown engine and 7 " touch screen need replacement( warranty). Now the dual fuel pump in the fuel tanks are bad as they attempt to put the boat back together to get me back in the water. Boat has been at dealer maybe 7 weeks so far with engine. I am sooooo frustrated and disappointed with my Malibu that I can't begin to describe it at this moment.

The only thing I have yet to see is Jaws chewing a f*n hole in the side of my boat....

Blown engine?  what was diagnosis and why would it take 7 weeks?

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14 minutes ago, ConnollyCrew said:

The dealer had to file paperwork with Indmar and wait for a response. After two weeks Indmar responds and asked that the engine be sent back. Indmar replaces the block and puts it all back together and sends it back to dealer. Dealer takes a week to get engine in, now fuel pumps are bad so we are again waiting on parts. 

Boating is fun!

See above

They didn't tell me but I am sure it spun a bearing. 

Seems like ALOT of late model Malibu owners are having big issues. More than I ever remember on a board.

Some good news. Seems like the Indmar Fords have been very reliable. I know my local dealer has had very few issues with them over the last couple of years. 

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Just now, ConnollyCrew said:

My LSV is a 15, so GM powerplant

I know it really sucks to be in your position. I lost most of the summer in 2011 dealing with warranty issues. My medicine was to simply chock up my losses,  get rid of the boat,  and move on. I hope it works out for you.  

23 hours ago, Nitrousbird said:

I need people like you to keep buying new boats.  That way when I buy used you have worked out all the issues and I get a relatively problem free boat at a fraction of the price. 

As a used boat buyer, I thank you.  Please make sure to load them up with options and good color combos. :)

And we need people like you buying our stuff after we have rode it hard and put it away wet to keep the resale value high. Personally, I hate sloppy seconds. 

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4 minutes ago, Tims said:

And we need people like you buying our stuff after we have rode it hard and put it away wet to keep the resale value high. Personally, I hate sloppy seconds. 

I'm not the type of buyer that is going to snag an abused boat.  I'll take your sloppy seconds over taking a financial beating.  I personally enjoy buying my vehicles and boat with cash.  It has been a long time since my household has seen a car/boat payment.  Don't plan on doing payments ever again. 

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Just now, Nitrousbird said:

I'm not the type of buyer that is going to snag an abused boat.  I'll take your sloppy seconds over taking a financial beating.  I personally enjoy buying my vehicles and boat with cash.  It has been a long time since my household has seen a car/boat payment.  Don't plan on doing payments ever again. 

I hate payments too. My answer has always been make more money. 

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Just now, Tims said:

I hate payments too. My answer has always been make more money. 

That's a good answer...working on that.  I have a wife that would much rather save than spend so that's never seems to work for getting more expensive toys - still trying to warm her up to a boat upgrade for 2018 (I've got the wave too dialed in this year to not enjoy it one more year).

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So the alarm in the engine compartment was some sort of a servo associated with SurfGate.  Dealer had that part, and that issue is solved.

The perpetual leak right now is being chalked up to a leaking ballast bag and kinked supply hose.  I told the dealer thanks, but I would appreciate they keep looking, as the bilge comes on multiple times per hour even when I have the ballast tanks empty.  I am leaving for vacation on Monday, so I don't know how deeply they can dig right now.

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