10 Hour Service - Customer Service?

[mpdunne79]

Allow me to preface my story by saying... I needed to get the 10hr service on my new boat. I did not purchase my boat from the dealership where I brought the boat for the service to be performed. This is my 1st boat so perhaps I am a little naive with the way things work at these dealerships... I chose to bring my boat to the dealership closest to my home for convenience reasons. The dealer where I purchased my boat was almost an hour away and I was leaving from work on a Friday to drop it off.

A little over 2 weeks ago I called the dealership in question regarding bringing my boat in for the 10hr service. The person I spoke with on the phone told me if i brought it in that day I could possibly have it back in a couple of hours. Well I couldn’t bring it in that day b/c of work. I brought it in a couple of days later (a Friday) after work. When i brought it in the person in the service department said I'd have it back the middle of next week. This was fine with me as I wanted to go fishing the following Friday. Fast forward to the following Tuesday when I called to get an update on the status of my boat. I was then told that it looked like it would be towards the end of the week. I thought, "well it wont be the end of the world if I don’t get to go fishing Friday, but at least i would have it back by the weekend." Two days later (Thursday), I called again and was told it would "definitely" be the end of the week. I’m disappointed and starting to get a little angry. I’m starting to feel like im getting the "run a round." I called Friday after noon and was told it would be "Tuesday or Wednesday at the earliest." By this time im completely frustrated and voiced by displeasure and he replied by telling me i could speak to the mechanic about it if i would like. I went and picked up my boat that day. It had been there a week with no end in sight.. When i picked up the boat there wasn’t so much as an apology. Apparently they didn’t care if i picked up my boat or not... I'm glad business is so good for them that they can just turn away paying customers in these trying economic times...

I guess my question is... Is this a common occurrence? I felt as if my boat was being pushed aside for folks who had purchased their boat there. Is that common practice? Like I said earlier, this is my first boat so maybe im a little naive regarding these types of things... Is it unreasonable of me to expect that I get my boat back in a week?

[cranks]

I feel your pain. I live at a marina, rent an apartment upstairs.

Was looking at my first boat coming from them. They had a used one on the lot that was what I wanted and in my price. Stated that I would like the boat for Labour Day to go to the cottage. This was mid July. As time ran down, they never got the boat ready. They waited till the night before. Thanks how do I get the paper work and everything done. Needless to say, it never turned over. Forget it, I'm not buying it.

Come spring (april) ok let's try this again. Would like it for May 24 weekend. No problem. They've had all winter to fix it. They wait again till two weeks prior the 24. Finally get it working. Get the boat, and then run around to register and plate the trailer. I had to do everything. Got everything settled, I got on the water and calmed down.

Following spring (last) rolls around. I ask them in MARCH to repack the trailer bearings. No problem. Need it for the May 24. They never got it done. The night before we were to leave they asked when did you want it. After me asking almost every other day. Took it somewhere else and had it done.

Middle of the summer I was looking for another boat. To be fair I did inquire, but did not want it from them. When I showed up with my new boat (I rent a slip from them) from another marina, they were pissed. Wanted to know why I didn't buy from them. Gave them the history and asked them to think about it.

I wanted to store my new boat indoors for the winter. I use said marina because of simplicity. They managed to rip both rub rails and put a big scratch in my trailer fender. I kept my calm, but ya I was pissed. They said they would fix it. I told them to not touch my boat it will be taken elsewhere to be fixed, and they will be paying for everything. They took offence and again I gave them the history.

This marina is clueless and useless. If I didn't live there, there would have been a lot of poop hitting the fan. The one mechanic who I get along with well I feel sorry for because of the rest of the idiots. He has actually helped me when the actual business would not. I return the favours for him. He knows my feeling towards the marina and does not blame me one bit.

This is just a short history with this place. I now drive an hour happily to go to a marina that treats me with respect and gets the job done. You are not alone in getting the run around.

[wwc3]

I have never understood why dealers wont just give you an appointment day and time for you to have a boat there for service. Most auto repair shops do and it works for them.

[Bump]

Michael If it was A.M. that is where I bought my boat. I have had the same issues you are having and I bought mine from them. They wont let you make an appointment so you just have to leave it there till they get to it. I haven't actually had them do anything to mine as I could handle everything myself so far( transducer, axle hub ). I just called the manufacturer told them what I need and they sent it to me.

Bump

[KevinP]

[QUOTEI needed to get the 10hr service on my new boat.=mpdunne79].


Never Heard of a 10 hr service. My dealer wanted it back at 20 hrs. I purchased new. Dealer was 50 miles away. I called Merc Marine. Asked about 20 service as it's not in manual. ( I have Optimax). They said not needed. Just follow all service in manual.

[Mike Long]

The Yamaha manual says to have it serviced at 10 hrs..

[Skeeter-E]

Your not going to pay for the 10 hr service. Yamaha take's care of that..Thats why they didn't care about your boat sitting there that long. there was notting else to sell ya..

[Mike Long]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Skeeter-E &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Your not going to pay for the 10 hr service. Yamaha take's care of that..Thats why they didn't care about your boat sitting there that long. there was notting else to sell ya..

</TD></TR></TABLE>
Does Yamaha pay for it ?...I need to have the 10 hr service done to mine but thought i have to pay for it..

[Bump]

I don't think Yamaha pays for it. Skeeter-E maybe your dealer does that as a customer service but I can't see Yamaha eating that on every motor they sell. Your dealer might "find" something to fix under warranty to cover his cost.

Bump

[Gomer Pyle]

Sounds like you got ...played.

Their customers come first...period.

One thing for sure, your now a wiser consumer.

[mpdunne79]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Obviously "A.M.'s" reputation precedes them. I didint want to name name's but I guess it was that obvious. Well they definitely lost my business as a customer. Even if I was interested in a Ranger I wouldn't be buying from them...

I brought my boat yesterday morning to Cajun Outboards (in Addis, La. where i bought my boat). The folks there were extremely helpful and readily answered the questions I had about the motor and a few other questions about the boat in general. I will hopefully have the boat back to go fishing on Friday (fingers crossed).

And yes I DO have to pay for the 10hr service (Motor is a Yamaha 150VMAX). I thought it was a pretty fair price. Assuming Cajun Outboards holds up their end of the bargain, I think I'll just put up with the 50 minute drive over there.

[Big Al]

10 Hr Service -A Joke. I talked with Yamaha Outboards and they told me the 10 hr service is changing oil and filter (4 stroke), checking bolts, prop nut, linkage, etc.
You can do it all yourself. Oh, and they give you a readout to see if it was properly broken in. Yamaha does not pay for it. You can negotiate it at the time of sale and some dealers may include it when you buy the boat.
As for the dealer you didn't buy it from, yes they do that here in Mass also. My F-150 needed a TPS adjustment (service bulletin), and since I bought my boat 2 1/2 hrs away in CT, I brought it to a local Yamaha dealer who told me up front that if I dropped my boat off to have it fixed that day, and if one of their customers who bought their boat there, brought their boat in to be fixed, that mine would wait. Even if I made an appointment, they would have pushed mine aside. I brought it to another Yamaha dealer and dropped it off for the problem. They said it would be done that day. I waited two days.

[wildkat7]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Big Al &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">As for the dealer you didn't buy it from, yes they do that here in Mass also. My F-150 needed a TPS adjustment (service bulletin), and since I bought my boat 2 1/2 hrs away in CT, I brought it to a local Yamaha dealer who told me up front that if I dropped my boat off to have it fixed that day, and if one of their customers who bought their boat there, brought their boat in to be fixed, that mine would wait. Even if I made an appointment, they would have pushed mine aside. I brought it to another Yamaha dealer and dropped it off for the problem. They said it would be done that day. I waited two days. </TD></TR></TABLE>

We have a dealer like that here...I would like to use them but they are JERKS if you didn't buy your boat from them. So, I take my business elsewhere...

[KevinP]

I bought my Ranger from Owens Marine in Hooksett NH. After several trips back for routine stuff. I started to bring it to Portside Marine in Danvers. 5 Star Merc Dealer. Never any problems. Pricey but Always on time! They treat me like they want my business. Do good work too.

[bassindon2]

Not a novice here, but will pass along our story. Shop around until you find a dealer and mechanic that you have faith in and stay with them. Once you develop that relationship it is worth its weight in gold.

This friendship was developed back 7 or 8 years ago while at a tournament that was several hours from our home. My son had problems while pre-fishing and could not get his engine to start. This dis-spite the fact that we had picked his boat up from our local dealer the afternoon before. We were told all of the work had been done as ordered and tested to work. So here we are close to three hours from home scheduled to fish a tournament the next day and he is now having problems. We asked the locals who was the closest dealer/mechanic and they recommended that we try this particular fellow who was just 30 min. away. I continue to pre-fish in my boat and the son takes his to have it looked at. He explains to the mechanic that we are in town for a major tournament that draws from several states around us and really need help getting back on the water as we are committed to fish and don't want to disappoint his co-angler.

Fast forward the boat got fixed that afternoon - the mechanic even stayed late to get it done. That Saturday at the weigh in here is the mechanic to see how my son did and to make sure that everything went well and no issues. We have now used the same mechanic for the past 6 or 7 years, bought one boat from them and had their help in selling one.

Did I mention that they are great about getting both my sons and my boat in and out on the same day since they know that we are driving over six hours round trip to have any work done. They are the only ones that touch either of our boats and well worth the piece of mind and confidence to know that it will be done right.

You just need to find the Mechanic/Dealership that will take care of you and then stay with them.

[fastoutlaw69]

I took mine in for a 10 and service and the guy asked me when I wanted my boat back I was like well the middle of next week would be good I don't want to rush you and his repy "it's no problem hows tuesday.....as you can imagine I won't go anywhere else.