[gregtay]

Hi all, need some advice. I took delivery of my new 2007 Crownline 240LS on Saturday night and i still haven't had it in the water (lovely Seattle weather!) When i turned the battery switch on Sat night a pump came on... turns out it is the head bilge pump. We figured it was just a stuck float and the dealer advised me on the phone to just use the the fresh water shower and fill the sink a few times.. might unstick the float. Well i was just a bit surprised when i discovered that i wasn't shooting water out of the shower hose... it was fuel (no, not the anti-freeze they put in there from that factory... it was definitly gas.) Turns out that at some point when the boat was first prep'ed (months ago) the dealer filled the fresh water tank with gas. I am guessing the pump is all gummed up and that is why the float is stuck.

I am very frustrated... brand new boat and my fresh water system (sink, shower, and port-o-poddy) have been sitting with gas in their lines, tanks, and seals for months. I feel lucky i didn't blow myself up or drink a bunch of gas! I had a mess to clean up since all the gas in the head bilge got pumped out of the boat and into my driveway.

So... what are the long term affects of the gas on a fresh water system? Should i have the dealer replace everything? Should i jsut ask for an entirely new boat? Am i overreacting? If the fuel was in there for just a few days i would feel a little better... but it has been a long time since they have prep'ed this boat.

Thanks all. The dealer is coming over to pick up the boat and "go fix it".. but i don't know what level of "fixed" is good enough for a boat i haven't even had in the water.

-Greg

[WillyBWright]

Bypass the dealer. Contact Crownline. You should fight for a new boat. You shouldn't accept anything less! Hiring an attorney will get their attention if you don't get a favorable response. That's not a situation to settle for less than full complete replacement. At this point, they can consider themselves fortunate that they don't have a tragedy to deal with, not to mention you.

[1riptide]

i pearsonally would want a new boat . the gas wont ever come out of the plastic tank. hopfully thell replace it along with the hoses and such. give you some money back or a better deal or something for theire fu.and for your inconvience. good luck

[studlymandingo]

At the very least I would have them replace EVERY component of the system. Here is a situation where you could have been seriously injured; imagine jumping into a shower of gasoline!!!

No matter how much water you run through that system it is going to have a faint hint of gas smell, and probably taste as well. You may want to have them deliver you a new boat and deal with that one at their own accord.

I'm sure this was accidental, but man what an accident!

[Silvertip]

Do not accept a repair on this boat. Every line and every component in the water system is contaminated and you cannot trust the dealer to repair it since they did not take the time to check the boat to start with. This is a buy back and make sure you get every penny. This is simply sloppy prep at its best.

[gregtay]

Thanks guys. I'd certainly prefer a new boat that i know i won't have any issues with down the road. Not sure if that is going to happen since i already handed over a check for the boat. I am sure i won't be boating any time in the next week... frustrating. Now i regret selling my old boat last week... at least it put me out on the lake.

[mtnrat]

Contact good legal advise and get an opinion. Then contact the manufacturer if advised to do so. A grand spent now on a lawyer could save you a huge headache. "Gee honey all I did was try to boil a pot of water and then KA-BLAM, me and the boat was everywhere"

[deejaycee_2000]

I would not stand for that, you should take it up with the crowline head office, and throw your toys , they will have to give you a new boat .... and they will ...

[RubberFrog]

This is a no-brainer. Contact Crownline. If they don't make it right, go staright to an attorney.

[Texasmark]

Probably won't even have to threaten them. With a potential catastrophe like this I really doubt that any OEM in his right mind would object to pleasing you completely.......and when you drive away, he will be wiping his forhead and emitting a huge "phewwwwwwwwwww".

Just paying defense attorneys would cost them more than the cost of the boat plus all the neg publicity that you and your friends would generate, being dissatisfied.

Like the guys said, you will never get the smell out of the equipment.....sour milk maybe, but not gasoline.

Keep us posted.

Mark

[rndn]

New boat, nothing less.

[tashasdaddy]

new boat, attorney fees and damages,for stress, lack of use while waiting. total and complete incompetence. Free loaner boat till yours is ready.

[Silvertip]

Whether you handed over a check or not is not the issue. What is at issue is the longer you wait to start action the tougher it will be. My daughters family succeeded in a buy back months after delivery of a boat that could not be repaired. Ironically, they ran into another couple some time later that had the same boat, purchased from the same dealer, and were in the process of a buy back as well. It can be done, and in this case it's a slam dunk.

[gregtay]

Originally Posted by Silvertip

Whether you handed over a check or not is not the issue. What is at issue is the longer you wait to start action the tougher it will be. My daughters family succeeded in a buy back months after delivery of a boat that could not be repaired. Ironically, they ran into another couple some time later that had the same boat, purchased from the same dealer, and were in the process of a buy back as well. It can be done, and in this case it's a slam dunk.

Thanks, I will let everyone know how this turns out.

[BF]

Is it too late to do a "stop payment" on that cheque?? (or maybe it was certified?).... If I could stop payment, I'd do that instantly. They'll be more likely to quickly make it right if they haven't been paid for it. Or, you can say, "come get your boat out of my driveway".

[rogerwa]

If you accept the repaired boat, you have really accepted a "reconditioned" boat while paying new prices. I wouldn't want it after the gas had been in the freshwater side, I would never fully trust it and probably would smell gas whether it was there or not.

I also would want it after they had dug all around and disassembled everything trying to get at all the parts.

New boat or nothing.. And be carefull not to take some other cast off.

[SS MAYFLOAT]

I am in agreement with everyone here. The gas has ruined the complete fresh water system. Plumbing has rubber which gas eats. It probably ate out the pressure switch that regulates the pump. That is why it trys to run all the time. If your run the gas into your holding tank,,,,uh thats not good either.

A demand for a replacement is justifiable IMO.

[KM2]

Why is everyone suggesting going to Crownline instead of the dealer? As far as we know the boat was perfect until the dealer prep.

The dealer should make this right and don't accept anything less than a new boat and $ for your trouble. After all this dealer put you and your family at great risk with this huge mistake. If they give you a hard time go to a lawyer and the local press might find your story interesting. If you can get pictures, video's and credible people to see your boats problems, could come in handy later.

[cmcpherson]

What is in the gas tank?

[gregtay]

Originally Posted by cmcpherson

What is in the gas tank?

I already checked and made sure they actually put fuel in there.... cause i was kind of wondering myself.

[RubberFrog]

Originally Posted by KM2

Why is everyone suggesting going to Crownline instead of the dealer?

It's called leverage.

One disgrunbtled owner breathing down a dealer's neck is not nearly as effective as the manufacturer breathing down the dealer's neck.

[88wellcraft]

I would contact the manufacturer....definitely right...more leverage

[jeeperman]

Make sure you keep a record of the hull number.
If they take it back, they will put you on the list of boats to be built.
If they are 100% cooperative (the dealer and/or the factory) they should make a good faith effort to locate a very simular "in stock" boat and arrange for it to come your way A.S.A.P.

I say record the hull numbers so that if you have to wait for one to be built, you don't end up with the same boat after being "fixed" at the factory.

[rndn]

Report it to your states attorney general if needed.

[F_R]

I don't have much use for lawyers, but this is one case where I would be hiring one...immediatly if not sooner. There should be a new boat sitting in your driveway, or wherever.