Mercury Warranty

[suck my wake]

Does anyone know if Mercury is going to extend their 5 year warranty after Jan. 1 ? The five year deal looks to expire then.

[EuropeanAM]

Announced December 19th to dealers:

"Mercury will run its popular 5 & Drive Sales Event just in time for boat show season. Mercury outboard engines (2.5hp and above) sold from January 1, 2012, through March 31, 2012, and warranty registered by April 15, 2012, will earn a special Retail Promotion Incentive. Here are the details of the 2012 PY Mercury Outboard Retail Promotion:



-2.5 hp thru 300 hp FourStrokes will receive an additional two years of Mercury Product Protection Gold Coverage (MPP Gold) for a total of 5 YEARS of Factory-Backed coverage.


-All OptiMax Engines – including the powerful ProXS models – will receive an additional two Years of MPP Gold Coverage For a total of 5 YEARS of Factory-Backed coverage.

As with the original 5 & Drive Sales event, the 2012 PY Mercury Outboard Retail promotional warranty is “conditional” – customers must adhere to the recommended service intervals and maintenance recommendations as stated in their Mercury Owners Manual. Service must be completed by a Mercury Authorized dealer and any parts replaced must be genuine Mercury parts, oils and lubes."

(Direct quote from the Sales Announcement).

[suck my wake]

Thanks Don !

[Rich Z]

"As with the original 5 & Drive Sales event, the 2012 PY Mercury Outboard Retail promotional warranty is “conditional” – customers must adhere to the recommended service intervals and maintenance recommendations as stated in their Mercury Owners Manual. Service must be completed by a Mercury Authorized dealer and any parts replaced must be genuine Mercury parts, oils and lubes."


Not sure if I like this statement unless this is done for free. What is meant by “conditional” . I cant immagine taking my car to a dealer for every oil change during the warranty.

[EuropeanAM]

I can understand where you're coming from, Rich. However... the "promotional" product protection (Gold Coverage) that's provided at no charge to the consumer during the promotion is the "conditional item".

Been this way with all of the promotions since back in 2008....

http://www.bbcboards.net/zerothread?id=337134

[Rich Z]

It sounds like every time plugs, water pump or gear lube needs changing it has to be done by a dealer. Is that right?

[hotrod]

WOW That will get in your pocket @ $90 per hour shop labor to do simple things

[mpino]

ya but I think it's mercury's way of makin sure your motor is running right, and is being monitored by someone who understands the motor to avoid costly warranty repairs in the future.

it's a small price to pay for peace of mind. think about it, you pay an auth rep to do service on your motor and if something goes wrong with it down the road (within the warranty time ) it won't be a battle to get approval for repairs cause there is a history.

[EuropeanAM]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Rich Z &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">It sounds like every time plugs, water pump or gear lube needs changing it has to be done by a dealer. Is that right?
</td></tr></table>

That's certainly the way it reads.

[Rich Z]

I agree that a good “trusted” dealer like EAM can monitor and perform warranty work for you to have a peace of mind but we don't have them on every corner of a street. A lot of times people will have to tow their boats hundreds of miles to a "trusted" authorized dealer just to service basic maintenance items that most of us are very well capable of doing ourselves. A single annual trip if hundreds of miles away can be very costly. And what if you need to make more then one trip which happens often enough during a busy season that can keep you off the water for weeks or longer. The 5 year warranty sounds great but the way it reads, I think it stinks!

[EuropeanAM]

My best advise to the DIY'er is: Keep copies of all OEM parts/supplies receipts, and a logbook of any maintenance you perform (so that you have it to show/prove, should the need ever arise).

Although the wording is very specific (and I certainly can't change that)- I've yet to see any claim denied where some form of proof of recommended maintenance was available.

[suck my wake]

For the price of a new powerhead and the ease of mind for a five year period I would have no problem having an authorized dealer do my maintenance. There's just much more to these engines today and having an expert set of eyes give it a look over once in awile and checking computer diagnostics for error codes is worth the cost to me. I could change my own plugs and gear lube but my dealer does it for me so reasonable that I don't mind paying him doing it. Plus it helps keep him in business so when you really need him he's there. And when it comes down to it I spend a heck of lot less on my engine in a year's time than I do with Tackle Warehouse and they're not worried about me when I'm in the middle of Clear Lake in rollers.

[Rich Z]

By using wording like "must adhere" and "must be serviced by a dealer", Merc should at least fork the bill on labor cost on service items under this warranty IMO

[mpino]

Rich your not getting it, Mike said it best, support your local dealer or they won't be around when you need them cause they will have gone out of business or moved to somewhere more profitable.

if your into doing your own repairs and maint, then you my friend should buy a used motor. Boating and Fishing are not a poor mans sport.

[Rich Z]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by mpino &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
if your into doing your own repairs and maint, then you my friend should buy a used motor. Boating and Fishing are not a poor mans sport.

</td></tr></table>

I think you missed my point! Even some used motors may have warranty…oh well.

[suck my wake]

Rich,
I don't disagree with you. But I think the point is that if Mercury is going to hang their hat on an engine for 5 years they want to know that certain things were done at the correct intervals. You may be the best hands on guy around and probably can maintain your equipment better than most. Some however cannot and actually may make things worse.
I'm a vegetable farmer and we have a lot of tractors. We have are own service shop and adhere to John Deere's service intervals. We use oils that meet or exceed their requirements and use John Deere brand filters. That being said our warranties are never questioned because we have records of our service and reciepts of filters bought for each unit. The dealer also knows us and doesn't have to question how the equipment was treated.
The point is that Mercury doesn't want an engine out there that had been neglected on maintenance and then have a claim that they have to dispute.

Regardless ... a five year warranty is still piece of mind when you start hearing those gremlins going across the lake.

[rcooperbass9]

if you read any warranty disclaimers on outboards, brand new cars, any man made mechanical device is says this in some form or another in the fine print or disclaimer. That being said I have never seen General Motors or Mercury or any other brand deny a warranty claim that was legitimate and could not be tied directly to something the owner did or didnt do (ie neglect to service). In short mercury will cover your motor warranty for the full 5 years as long as nothing crazy happens such as you put your own water pump in that you home made from some rubber hose lol. they are just not going to print that on their warranty announcement!