Trust, once broken.

[KwikStik]

As I read the "Getting the shaft" thread I can't help nut relive a situation last fall that still frys me. I took my boat and motor to a dealer in LaCrosse,WI to get it winterized. I won't name names, but it was the big Mercury dealer in LaCrosse. When I dropped it off I specifically asked the guy (owner's son I think) to have the water pump looked at. It ran dry for a little bit one day (my fault) so I wanted it checked. They called in a couple days and said it was done. I thought it was kind of odd that the boat was parked at the same odd angle I left it, but after seeming a bit unorganized with not finding the paperwork right away the same guy said everything went fine and that my water pump had a nice strong stream, etc. When I pressed the waterpump inspection he said that he personally checked the watewrpump. When I took the boat home I looked over the bill and checklist of the things they did. It stated that the battteries were disconnected, but when I checked, they wern't. Then I looked at the lower unit where the lower unit oil is drained and there was rain splatter there from the wet day I drove it down there. The day I picked it up the roads were bone dry. I then called down there and told the guy my concerns. He put me on hold for a long time while he checked with the mechanics, then he came back and told me to bring it down again, it wasn't looked at. Now the guy was very apologetic and all and said they did a free oil change for the engine oil, "a $55.00 value," but he acted like that was a huge favor. Well, I kept my mouth shut and just took my boat home without a big deal, but IT WAS A BIG DEAL! This guy lied to me straight faced the first time by saying he personally checked the waterpump, etc. I know things happen and things get missed, but I just can't get over the way the slick talker lied to my face. I really can't see myself going back there for service or supplies because the TRUST has been broken. Sorry for the rant here, but I've been stewing on this for a few months now.

[Watson]

You know, as a lawyer I get calls about this all the time, consumers getting told flat out lies. Things like this are too small for legal action, but I always tell people: (1) File a report with the BB bureau, (2) File a reprort with the AG, (3)slam the people on internet message boards, and, most important of all, (4) NEVER do business with them again (and tell all your friends and family too). He may not be legally liable since he made good AFTER he was caught, but the fact he lied is enough to warrant a warning.

As a consumer, your best weapon is to take your business (and that of your friends and family) elsewhere!

The internet is great. At least in the bass boat world, I have had several mfgs cave in and give new replacement boats after I explained how my client was an avid tournament fisherman who was going to expose the truth at the tournaments and on the web.

[Box]

A similar thing happened to me, at our dealer who we like. While it ticked me off something fierce, I have learned a couple things from situations like this....

Never trust them, even if you like them.
Ask to see parts.
Check serial numbers when you buy things, make sure they match contracts.
If you think something seems odd, it most likely is.

Especially this time of year, when they are so darn busy, things can get overlooked. It is not good business, but it does happen. I often call early in the day I am to pick up a boat that had service done, to remind them that I will be there, I want to see parts and I will look over the repairs. Of course you asked him as well...

And yes, I got the same "here's some oil", which was in their best interest, not a "favor" as my guy seemed to play it out. But we are again happy with our guy because he has gotten us in the day before memorial day and fixed an issue for us (of course it was a problem with their rigging in the first palce... ha!) and have taken good care of us for many years.

Good luck next time, wherever you go.
-Box

[CrappieKid]

Tell all your friends when a dealer jumps through hoops too. The majority are honest hard working fisher-persons like us.

The Kid

[KP]

I agree with THE KID! Consumers are more that willing to talk about bad experiences however don't talk about good experiences as much. As I was coming through the ranks as a salesman, a motivational poster said "A happy customer will tell 10 people, an unhappy customer will tell 100".

Last weekend I discovered the required 20 hour maintenance, oil and gear lube I had the shop do to my new four stroke was either not done correctly (oil change) or not done at all (gear lube replacement). If you want it done right, do the simple things yourself.

[Atomic Eye]

If you do the simple maintenance yourself, does that have any effect on your warranty? I need to do that because there isn't a Suzuki dealer closer than 4 driving hours from me, and I'll need to have my Suzi 115 HP 4-STK serviced, I'm only at the 3 hour poiint on its break in period. Can other motor service agents, e.g., do the service work on my Suzi? Thanks.

Atomic Eye (New Mexico) -- "Gone Fission!" ~~~<}}}:>

[KwikStik]

KP, I have no problems with honest mistakes. The key word is "honest." Lord knows I goof up all the time. However, I have zero tolerance for someone who looks me in the eye and lies to me. That is the issue here.

I promise I will report the next time I'm treated with honesty. It will be a real treat.

[KwikStik]

b

[LakeRat]

A local boat dealer was caught a number of years ago putting the previous years motors on the new model year boats. They got caught when the serial numbers for the motors got screwed up and the motors were on the wrong boats and different yet again on the paper work.

They were charged. They went out of business as well. Taking money for work claimed but not performed is known as theft by fraud. Report it to the police when you have proof of it.

[GR8WTHUNTER]

I have a 104 mile drive to the dealer i bought my last boat from. I called him and asked the same question. He sugested that the break in service be done by certified mechanic and if I had it done closer to home to keep the reciept as a record that it was done. I had to pay for the work done but compared to the time and gas involved it was worth it.

[KP]

Atomic,

For most, if not all, service work listed in my Suzuki manual at specific hour intervals, I'll have a Suzuki mechanic do the service. It involves more that just fluid changes. Especially the all important 20 hour service you'll be having. That will at least minimize arguments should there ever be a warranty claim.

Supposedly Suzuki trains and certifies dealer mechanics but the local guy here must have been sleeping in class. I'll be traveling 3 hours to the closest guy I have confidence in when the 100 hour mark hits. There are plenty of Suzuki shops closer but I'll feel more secure in who's doing it. In the meantime, I'll change fluids, greases, filters and plugs and log everything in the owners manual. Keep ALL receipts too.

Four strokes, EFI, and even multiple carbs seem to be beyond the capabilities of many marine mechanics who spent most of their careers servicing simple two strokes. I would proceed with caution having any outboard serviced anywhere these days.

[Jim Ordway]

Too bad you have been stewing in this mess so long. You should have confronted them and resolved it to your satisfaction. Carrying this around inside yourself is unhealthy for you and does not allow the dealer to do his own self assesment. People make mistakes and should own up to it. Lying about mistakes is unforgivable. It sounds like someone was very apoligetic for the dealers mistakes. If you still weren.'t happy with them, you should have taken it up with them at the time. If one employee screwed up and a supervisor recogized the problem and tried to rectify the issue, thats a positive. Latent anger serves no one. Time to move on.
My 2.5 cents,

[Dave in Mpls]

>I have a 104 mile drive to the dealer i bought my last boat
>from. I called him and asked the same question. He
>sugested that the break in service be done by certified
>mechanic and if I had it done closer to home to keep the
>reciept as a record that it was done. I had to pay for the
>work done but compared to the time and gas involved it was
>worth it.

Of course he suggested it be done by a certified mechanic! That's how they make money and stay in business. Quite frankly, I wouldn't trust anybody to break in my new motor but myself. Nobody else has anything at stake! Any motor company which stipulates that the motor must be broken in by a certified mechanic to retain warranty must provide that service free of charge. The same is true for lubricants and fuel additives. Any motor company which stipulates that a certain brand must be used to retain warranty must provide those products free of charge.

Atomic Eye - you can do any preventive maintenance on your motor you feel comfortable with, and it will NOT have any impact on warranty.

Regards

[KP]

I think break in service meant the service done after the motor has been broken in...I hope. I know my "Break in Service" was required at 20 hours. They took the head off, measured valve clearances and adjusted them, carb rebuild, lower unit inspection, filters, fluids, lube and grease. Suzuki covered labor and I paid for maintenance parts. I thought it was pretty reasonable.

I'm not going to mess with valves and associated parts. I'll leave that to a mechanic with the right tools and experience for the job. And considering most of us are running our 4 stroke motors often in the 5000 RPM plus range, there's a lot that can happen to valves. I agree with doing simple maintenance and often. But when the hour mark comes, get it looked IN TO, not at.

[Dave in Mpls]

I hope, too :)

Regards

[Lund AnglerMJ]

I'm from Pittsburgh,and deal with a great bunch of people at a certain marine dealer,and trust is built after a long time.Trusting someone is a big deal;after all you are spending alot of money there.If that man lied to my face about personally taking care of it and you find out later he didn't?I would first consider people do make mistake's,but that's not the definition of mistake.That's fraud.I'd go to the top;to the very top of the company,for I would not employ a person like that in my marina,they would publicly apologise to you,in front of me and you would see just compensation.The reputation of that place is built on trust,the owner instill's the trust in his emplolee's and they pass this on to you. Let the owner know of your problem.Then consider the alternative.