Seeking anyone with expeirence with Sterndrive Engineering (SEI) drives

[craze1cars]

http://www.sterndrive.cc/

Complete brand new aftermarket Alpha 1 gen 1's and 2's for sale for $1200 to $1400 shipped to your door...3 year warranty that supposedly covers everything, including normally non covered stuff like running out of oil, hitting rocks, sucking in fishing line, etc...

From my research it appears that the company is about 3 years old and I can find very few complaints abou them on any forums...mostly just people who are suspicious because they're so cheap but have no personal experience. Actual buyers seem generally satisfied but they're hard to find.

On price and warranty alone this sounds very appealing. Does anyone here own one or have any experience with these drives?

 

[freddyray21]

Re: Seeking anyone with expeirence with Sterndrive Engineering (SEI) drives

I've run one all of last season and have been happy with it. I paid 1200 installed for mine.

 

[qystan]

Re: Seeking anyone with expeirence with Sterndrive Engineering (SEI) drives

I've got a lower unit since Sept last year. No mechanical problems.

Paint finish needs to be improved, quite a bit of them have flaked off around the corners and edges. Surface preparation does not appear to be adequate. The aluminium seem to corrode more than the original drives, I boat in saltwater only and boat kept in dry storage.

Had opened it up for damage caused by the Merc upper unit. There are parts & bearings that are made in China. With proper and strong quality controls, should not be a problem.

Overall, still very satisifed for th eprice which i smuch cheaper than the originals and mech rates to do overhauls.

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Seeking anyone with expeirence with Sterndrive Engineering (SEI) drives

Thanks for both of your input. I'm 100% freshwater so the finish is not nearly as much a concern for me, but good info to know nonetheless.

Glad they seem to be mechanically acceptable for both of you so far. I'm not ready just yet, but my drive is showing some significant age and wear in some aspects, and I'm just wondering if this is an option worth considering. Just researching their product and service after the sale for the moment....

Any others with experience please keep the comments coming...I'm sure I'm not the only one curious about these.

 

[lilmandavis]

Re: Seeking anyone with expeirence with Sterndrive Engineering (SEI) drives

ive got lots of stuff from these guys. no china parts
http://www.boatwrench.com

 

[cobra 3.0]

Re: Seeking anyone with expeirence with Sterndrive Engineering (SEI) drives

That's very interesting considering any drive work usually brings you into $1000.00+. That kind of makes them disposable drives at that price!8)

 

[Capt Ken]

Re: Seeking anyone with expeirence with Sterndrive Engineering (SEI) drives

And they handle their warranty no questions asked. Replace a customer's lower couple years ago and his upper screwed up and took the drive shaft of the lower with it. Sent the lower back and they replaced the shaft and I installed a new upper from them. Hadn't heard from it since. Only problem I've ever encountered with one of theirs and it wasn't their fault anyway.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Seeking anyone with expeirence with Sterndrive Engineering (SEI) drives

I bought and installed a complete drive for my boat last year - and am very happy with it. Like Qystan said, the paint has been a little bit of an issue, but considering the price - that's something I can live with!

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Seeking anyone with expeirence with Sterndrive Engineering (SEI) drives

ive got lots of stuff from these guys. no china parts
http://www.boatwrench.com

I'm sure they're good as you say...but they're twice SEI's price, especially considering it's an exchange/rebuild price. SEI's is an outright sale.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Seeking anyone with expeirence with Sterndrive Engineering (SEI) drives

ive got lots of stuff from these guys. no china parts
http://www.boatwrench.com

Think IBoats would be happy you are pushing another persons product?

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: Seeking anyone with expeirence with Sterndrive Engineering (SEI) drives

I had a problem with one of their units.Shortly after install (under 5 hours) a u-joint let go.I am pretty sure the c-clip wasn't seated correctly by them.Fortunatly the boat did not sink.

No problem replacing/repairing the upper drive,they warranteed it,but my customer had to come up with the cost of a new transom bracket and bell housing.About $1600.00 out of his pocket.Because of their u-joint failure.

In all fairness,the other unit we bought from them never had a problem,as far as we know.Customer sold the boat.

I feel they make a good product,and the price is right.But they sure let me and my customer down over a u-joint.He probably spent more by purchasing from them. Rather than from Mercruiser.

Had I (my shop) rebuilt his drive and had such a u-joint failure,it would not have cost him dime one. !

Guess we give a better warranty ? 4 man shop,mom-pop type.


DHP

 

[freddyray21]

Re: Seeking anyone with expeirence with Sterndrive Engineering (SEI) drives

could have happened to a new Mercruiser drive also. I cannot imagine Iboats setting up a forum and then only allowing their products to be discussed.

 

[lilmandavis]

Re: Seeking anyone with expeirence with Sterndrive Engineering (SEI) drives

i really wasnt pushing anything. i just dont like spending outragously large amounts of money, but i also dont want the cheapest stuff out there either. if the bearings and gears are made of better material then.... i think its worth a bit more imho.

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: Seeking anyone with expeirence with Sterndrive Engineering (SEI) drives

yep,it could happen to anyone's drive.What I am saying is if I or one of the other mechanics here had installed the u-joint wrong,my shop would have 'ate' the repair.Completely.
Wrong is wrong,and not the customer's fault.And I also think if it had been a new Mercruiser drive,some thing would have been done by Mercruiser.

I feel Sterndrive dropped the ball in this case,and would not help.(except to fix the u-joint)

DHP

 

[freddyray21]

Re: Seeking anyone with expeirence with Sterndrive Engineering (SEI) drives

a good shop would have made it right with the customer too if they were selling him the sterndrive

 

[mkpj1]

Re: Seeking anyone with expeirence with Sterndrive Engineering (SEI) drives

Hey Craze,

I appreciate the upper Yoke link earlier. I run a small M&P in a different field and DHP is dead on. From what i am learning, a failing Stern could kill you much less cause a lot of damage to your boat. DHP has brought up a good point. They should have repaired his whole boat if it was their drive failed. I would bring up this scenario with them before you purchase and feel them out?

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: Seeking anyone with expeirence with Sterndrive Engineering (SEI) drives

yes freddyray21 we sold him the drive and we did come to an agreement

STERNDRIVE.CC