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Dealership trouble on new boat purchase


ffsmo

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5 hours ago, TallRedRider said:

Reading these boards for years, I still think you are not real bright if you think you will get good service for warranty work at the ugly boat dealership.  Maybe they will treat you right in winter when they are struggling to find enough to do, but I bet they will not forget the time they wasted on you when they are busy.   They won't forget the guy who caused corporate to question their business practices. 

No I don’t think that it all. I pretty much have written them off. Diving into these boards more I have found that this dealership has a long practice of this behavior. I’ll spend my money elsewhere, even if it’s not as convenient.

2 hours ago, granddaddy55 said:

Yes it is crap but you must document yours , easy to do with phone pictures that are dated

Great to know. Thanks

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ahopkins22LSV

It is not a line of crap that warranty work has to be done by an authorized dealer... that’s how it works across the board. And since everyone loves car to boat comparisons, you can’t take your F150 to a GM dealer for warranty work...

Now there are cases where a dealer will provide a part via mail, drop off, whatever to a customer if the customer is willing to do the labor themselves. But this is for minor items. 

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when a company advertises their Warranty, and prices that in to their boats’ sale prices.... and they sell boats along those lines.... and both dealers and the company leadership know that that isn’t honored..... is that not an unethical business practice?

 

 

 

 

 

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9 hours ago, ahopkinsTXi said:

It is not a line of crap that warranty work has to be done by an authorized dealer... that’s how it works across the board. And since everyone loves car to boat comparisons, you can’t take your F150 to a GM dealer for warranty work...

Now there are cases where a dealer will provide a part via mail, drop off, whatever to a customer if the customer is willing to do the labor themselves. But this is for minor items. 

The OP was referring to regular maintenance and so was I, read his post I referred to

yes im aware you wouldn’t tear apart a motor , but until now that’s been a separate company and you need to simply document your maintenance to stay in warranty 

Im referring to the stealership (fits my old dealer who is no longer a Malibu dealer) charging me $850 for interval services including other things that I didn’t need along with my very simple fluid changes (like spark plugs and wires every 100 hrs) 

Only really need them to check shaft alignment in 20 hour and fix your obvious electrical problems like wiring my center pump backwards, which took FACTORY help to figure out!!!!

thank god I have a REAL (ha ha) Axis with no screens and just switches - bulletproof.  Now that I can do my maintenance like others were telling the OP, i don’t need dealership to suck out 3 fluid reservoirs and with Bakes’ FREE HELP knowledge on how to use their puller,   I now can change my impeller

Edited by granddaddy55
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ahopkins22LSV
2 minutes ago, granddaddy55 said:

The OP was referring to regular maintenance and so was I, read his post I referred to

yes im aware you wouldn’t tear apart a motor , but until now that’s been a separate company and you need to simply document your maintenance to stay in warranty 

Im referring to the stealership (fits my old dealer who is no longer a Malibu dealer) charging me $850 for interval services including other things that I didn’t need along with my very simple fluid changes (like spark plugs and wires every 100 hrs) 

Only really need them to check shaft alignment in 20 hour and fix your obvious electrical problems like wiring my center pump backwards, which took FACTORY help to figure out!!!!

Sorry you are right. You don't have to use an authorized dealer to do standard services like oil changes and winterization. I read the post as he was questioning warranty work. 

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6 minutes ago, ahopkinsTXi said:

Sorry you are right. You don't have to use an authorized dealer to do standard services like oil changes and winterization. I read the post as he was questioning warranty work. 

By the way , if they would have treated my boat with respect in the condition I gave it to them, they probably woujd still be getting those big checks because I wouldn’t have known any better !!

but I do think taking interval maintenance pictures is very important audit trail 

Edited by granddaddy55
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This spring I bought a new 2017 21 vlx. It was the only one they had left and they made me a great deal. I have had a LOT of warranty work done in the short time I have owned it-including getting the V-drive replaced with 2 hours on the clock. I would say dealer relationship is very important with these boats, as is the warranty. My salesman did remark on the great deal I got, but hinted that they will make it up in service....

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Just now, Weaklink said:

This spring I bought a new 2017 21 vlx. It was the only one they had left and they made me a great deal. I have had a LOT of warranty work done in the short time I have owned it-including getting the V-drive replaced with 2 hours on the clock. I would say dealer relationship is very important with these boats, as is the warranty. My salesman did remark on the great deal I got, but hinted that they will make it up in service....

I should mention that this was the second boat I had bought from this dealer, but my first Malibu. The owner remembered my boat/me. They gave me low retail for my trade so there are some other nuances to a good dealer relationship that go unnoticed at first glance.

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I hope the new boat treats you well.

My 2014 spent way more time at the dealership my first two years than I would have liked.  I can't imagine having to go 200 miles for warranty work, or being last in line at the local dealer when there is trouble.

I might be a minority here, but to me the local dealer is every bit as important as the boat manufacture.  

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I was working with a dealership and ended up buying from another very far away. At 10 hours i had a switch panel have the studs break off the back and the local dealer was great to me with the warranty work and ordering a new one. Hell, the service manager even registered the warranty for me as the dealer i bought from didnt. I dont think this is the typical service of all dealers, but from what i have read the dealer i have close is amazing. I will remember that in a couple years when i am boat shopping again.

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10 hours ago, RyanB said:

I might be a minority here, but to me the local dealer is every bit as important as the boat manufacture.  

Or you buy one a couple years old, where buyers like you dealt with the dealer and sorted all the new boat problems out.  Save money, hassle and no need for a dealer relationship! :)

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11 hours ago, Weaklink said:

This spring I bought a new 2017 21 vlx. It was the only one they had left and they made me a great deal. I have had a LOT of warranty work done in the short time I have owned it-including getting the V-drive replaced with 2 hours on the clock. I would say dealer relationship is very important with these boats, as is the warranty. My salesman did remark on the great deal I got, but hinted that they will make it up in service....

Id have told the guy it wasn't such a great deal if you have had a lot of warranty work ;)

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1 hour ago, Nitrousbird said:

Or you buy one a couple years old, where buyers like you dealt with the dealer and sorted all the new boat problems out.  Save money, hassle and no need for a dealer relationship! :)

Maybe.  Or maybe you end up with a boat that wasn't used much and didn't have all the issues worked out, so now you are stuck either fixing yourself, or paying someone else to do it.  

My boat had 400 hours on it when I went out of warranty.  I am sure I found more issues than a typical boat owner.

You've been crystal clear about your preference to buy used and not care about warranty, a DIY guy.  Many people aren't that way.  I'll take the depreciation, and know that when my boat has some sort of issue during prime season my relationship will get me in and out in a week.  I'm glad that there are guys that like to buy used so I can afford a new boat when that time comes.

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19 hours ago, oldjeep said:

Id have told the guy it wasn't such a great deal if you have had a lot of warranty work ;)

This was pre-warranty work but I agree. Had the seal fallen out on the check ride-different story. I may have been on a Supra forum right now....

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Picked it up today, drove the 200 miles then straight to the lake. We Gotta lot of looks and thumbs up. The out of area dealer was a pleasure to work with. So far 2 hrs no issues thankfully. We are trying to get another 3 on tomorrow, the kids are getting anxious and want to wakeboard.

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8 hours ago, ffsmo said:

Picked it up today, drove the 200 miles then straight to the lake. We Gotta lot of looks and thumbs up. The out of area dealer was a pleasure to work with. So far 2 hrs no issues thankfully. We are trying to get another 3 on tomorrow, the kids are getting anxious and want to wakeboard.

Let them wakeboard!!!

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ahopkins22LSV
5 hours ago, ffsmo said:

Im trying!!!!! damn apple products!!!

Become s supporting member here and you can upload pics straight from your phone. Plus you get access to discounts that easily pay back your membership fee. 

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