parts from boat dealer....restocking fees

[bbalcer]

this is meant for those iboats users who are familiar with parts counters at boat dealers. I bought a voltage rectifier/regulator for my Mariner 115 and noticed that on the counter a message said all returns will be charged a 20% restocking fee. Normally I wouldn't question this but once I got home I did a static check on the new part and the SCR and diode per the Seloc manual showed bad. The old part failed the Tach test as well as the SCR and diode, but by larger margins than the new part. If this part doesn't work and I need to have it replaced, should i expect to pay a restocking fee for a bad part. If that is the case, if I get 4 more bad ones I'll have to pay for 2 brand new ones to get one that works. Any thoughts on the subject. The dealer is Dixie Marine in Cincinatti. Hopefully the regulator will work fine and I won't have any problems.

 

[CTD]

Re: parts from boat dealer....restocking fees

If you get a bad part you shouldn't have to pay a restocking fee to get a replacement but I have seen signs at many places that say they do not warrantee electronic items. Seems a lot of people buy parts, try them and if it dosn't work they return it and try something else. No problem unless they screw the part up installing it on a system with a problem, then the next guy would be buying a bad part. Just my 2 cents.

 

[cuzner]

Re: parts from boat dealer....restocking fees

Sounds like you to find a new dealer.The least you can do is contact the manufacture the dealer represents.My next question would be if they are planing to sell the part to another customer if they are "restocking it"<br /><br /> good luck<br /><br /> Jim

 

[cuzner]

Re: parts from boat dealer....restocking fees

Another thing you may want to do is mention the name of the dealer so no other members get screwed.<br /><br /> Jim

 

[bbalcer]

Re: parts from boat dealer....restocking fees

Thanks fellas. For what it's worth, the seloc manual may not be perfect on the resistances each measurement should be reading. Also, I'm not using a top of the line FLUKE meter. I'll test the part on the motor tomorrow. Since I have noted the readings on the part prior to installation, I'll at least have a leg to stand on if it needs to be returned. Furthermore, I'd hate to condemn the dealer for this one part, I'm not sure if it is even truely bad yet. I'm not saying i've been wronged in any way, I did drive 45 miles to go speicfically to Dixie Marine due to the service I'd recieved in the past. Mercury lists them as one of their premier service shops. Just hope the good feelings continue.

 

[Solittle]

Re: parts from boat dealer....restocking fees

Many parts retailers have this policy but few enforce it that I have encountered. I suspect the policy is there to discourage "parts swappers" as CTD suggests.

 

[fireman57]

Re: parts from boat dealer....restocking fees

The problem is that if there is something else wrong with the engine that screws up the electronic part that you bought and it screws up the new electronic part then the dealer should not have to eat that as returned part. You can test "new" parts with a lot of different gauges that will show the new part as bad. You need to test the part after it is installed and running and then you end up back at the first sentence. I don't blame dealers for charging the restocking fee if the person screwed up the part if something else was wrong.

 

[springhead]

Re: parts from boat dealer....restocking fees

very good point guys, it happened to me 2years ago, i needed a fuel pump, called up with year, model, ser #, had to order it using credit card,<br />np 3 days later it comes in, i go and get the pump, bring it home, wrong pump, go back and give same info, guy at counter says this is the wrong one we ordered, they ordered the next one,lol, not the right one, 4 days later go back and pick up the next wrong pump, parts guy says it could only be one more, lol not,almost 2 weeks boat is out of water, 3rd one comes in a few days later, guess what, wrong again,i call up another dealer, he ask me model and year and says we have rebuild kits in stock,went and returned the wrong pump again to get my money back and the dealer gave me a hard time and a bad attitude towards me because i had a force motor, charged me 15 % restocking charge even tho it wasnt my fault,well i had to leave and tell them i wouldnt buy another thing off of them ever, bought a brand new 24 thousand dollar boat this year and want to go show the jerks the sale they could of had, havent yet, btw the dealer is from attleboro mass,South Attleboro Marine.

 

[waterone1@aol.com]

Re: parts from boat dealer....restocking fees

Smokerowner. I have nothing against Dixie Marine. I will say that I have had nothing but great experience with Hern marine right down the street.<br />Hern is a merc dealer and has a HUGE parts dept.<br />If you have any trouble at Dixie, you might want to go down the street to Hern.

 

[Maximerc]

Re: parts from boat dealer....restocking fees

I took my VOM to the part counter and checked my new rectifier right in front of the parts guy. got lucky on the first one.

 

[lakelivin]

Re: parts from boat dealer....restocking fees

Smokerowner, wouldn't it be worthwhile to call the parts place & let them know what you found BEFORE you install the part? Gives them a chance to clarify or make suggestions and also documents your findings should things not work out (instead of just asking them to take your word for it after it fails).

 

[POINTER94]

Re: parts from boat dealer....restocking fees

Restocking fees are normally associated with NON-INVENTORIED PARTS. They should only apply to special order parts where the dealer is hit with the 20% from the factory. In this way they cover their handling charges. (ex. $10 item to dealer costs them $2, they sell it to you for $20 and charge you $4 restock)<br /><br />Second, part of what you pay for from a dealer is his expertise. If he orders parts incorrectly it is on him. It is incumbant on him to ask all pertainent information to ensure the correct part is ordered. If you don't have the full and correct information then the part should not be ordered. If the part is faulty they should file a warranty claim with the supplier. <br /><br />Using this tool to recover costs for poor staffing is a sorry excuse. If they are wrong they eat it. As you are their customer it is in their best interest to know you, your equipment, and foster future sales. It is not their responsibility if you incorrectly install or neglect to get to the root cause of a problem and therefore ruin the new part because the real problem is not properly addressed. This is the downside of not knowing EXACTLY what you are doing. Eat the loss and count it as a learning experience.<br /><br />The low price is almost never the best buy in todays low price/low service world. In this way, this board provides an incalculable service to i-boats and their return rates. Also, all other dealers benefit from the experitise of those who share their technical skills freely. (This is not to be intended to represent that i-boats is anything but a high end customer oriented provider, just innovative enough to offer this service.)

 

[bbalcer]

Re: parts from boat dealer....restocking fees

I don't have a problem with the fees, I've seen folks at auto parts stores buy an expensive (specialty tool) and then try to return it. It was obviously used and then they had a problem when the store wouldn't take it back. Rightly the store manager tested the device (I think it was a chip reader of some sort) and when he found it worked fine told the customer it couldn't be taken back. I guess my problem was if the part was bad in the first place. After testing the new part, my engine won't even run. So now I guess it is my fault for using a part from the dealer, taking for granted that they sold a good part? What a pain in the ***. So goes the joys of ownership. Off to troubleshoot. See the updates in Merc/Mariner...

 

[rwidman]

Re: parts from boat dealer....restocking fees

taking for granted that they sold a good part?

I'm sure they sold the part in good faith based on the manufacturer's reputation. If they intentionally sold bad or questionable parts they wouldn't be in business very long.<br /><br />It's pretty easy to ruin an electrical or electronic part by having something else wrong with the system or installing it wrong. Someone else suggested testing the part in the store in front of the clerk. That may be a good idea if you have doubts.<br /><br />Many vendors find it necessary to charge a restocking fee to cover costs. If they don't charge a specific fee then the cost has to be absorbed by all the customers.

 

[flips]

Re: parts from boat dealer....restocking fees

Good points bye all ,this is the way it is today<br />people do rip off people. Dealers and customers..<br />always come across one every now and then and the word goes out to others fast and they dont last long. If you buy apart and it is not sealed in orinagal packet beware. Just had a fuel gauge sent to me in opened packet, inside was a oil gauge. they did send a new one no questions asked, will deal with them again no worries