Simmons Marine in Ohio...

hole-in-da-water

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 30, 2007
Messages
46
I am going to try to be as unbiased as possible here, but I felt my experience with Simmons Marine near Portage Lakes, OH should be shared. I will try to tell the story as completely as possible, while trying to convey Mr. Simmons' views as well. I called Simmons last week because I haven't been able to get my boat started. I have been working on it on my own, but couldn't figure it out, so after spending $300 dollars, I decided to have someone figure out what was wrong with it. Anyways, I called Simmons and asked how much to figure out what was wrong. He said $50-80 just to figure it out, bring it in on Monday. I wasn't able to get it in until Monday night, so I called Tuesday to let them know, and to find out how long. Understandably they were swamped, and didn't know when they could get it in. I called again on Thursday and on Friday, as I am a bit impatient and ancy (I have plans to take the boat to Salt Fork next week, and I still have a lot of work to do on it, I just wanted to know why it wasn't starting) Anyways, I get a call Friday afternoon, boat is running, $273 please. I was at first glad that they were able to get to it so fast, then upset as to why it was so much. Called back, $173 for parts and labor to replace the ignition an set the dwell. $100 for rush order. Ok, I definitely understand their reasoning behind all of the charges, and I tried to explain this to Mr. Simmons on the phone. However, I was never told that by rushing my boat I would be charged an additional $100. Never, not once. So, here I am, origianally planning on paying somewhere in the neck of the woods of $80, and I am charged $273. I tried talking to Mr. Simmons, trying to explain that my only hope was to just figure out what was wrong with it. We proceeded to have a very intense argument, and I will try to explain both sides.
When I was calling to get the boat in, I explained to Mr. Simmons that I had purchasd points, condensor and rotor from him, and had purchased parts from other marinas as well. Somewhere in the translation, Mr. Simmons was under the impression I told him all the parts I had purchased from him. This was NEVER the case, but he continued to berate me over the phone. His argument was that here I come, just dropping off the boat, expecting to be pushed in front of a 4-week back-log of boats. He was also upset that I kept calling, asking about the boat. Yes, I understand what a backlog is, what I am upset about is how I was NEVER told by ANYONE that my boat would be pushed to the front and I would be charged an additional $100 just for that. Had I been told this, because all of my decisions focus on money, I would have declined and said get to it when you can. While trying to convey this discontent to Mr. Simmons, that is when he went on a tirade on the phone. I am very thankful my boat is fixed, but I had to borrow money from my fiance, and let me tell you, that did not make me feel any better, at all.
The entire time on the phone, I tried to explain I was upset about not being told (a) I would be rushed to the front and (b) that it would cost me $100 more. I understand the $173, as they couldn't figure out what was wrong unless they changed the ignition, etc. The $100 is also understandable, but don't you think I should be made aware of the charge and be given the choice to say go ahead or not? And then to be yelled at on the phone by some hothead? I tried to keep my cool as much as possible, but Mr. Simmons, I was apalled at how you treated me. I know that my little letter here won't affect business for you, but I feel some people should know how you treat some of your customers.

Mods, if this belongs in a better place, feel free to move.
 

JB

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Mar 25, 2001
Messages
45,907
Re: Simmons Marine in Ohio...

What did it say on the work order?

No work order? No wonder.
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: Simmons Marine in Ohio...

if you didn't have a manual, to work on you engine, consider yourself lucky, it's running for $273. a lot of places this time of year are going to charge you that much just to look at it.
 

studlymandingo

Commander
Joined
Mar 22, 2006
Messages
2,716
Re: Simmons Marine in Ohio...

The $273 is pretty cheap coming from a marina; the yelling is not a good thing though.​
 

EricR

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 17, 2007
Messages
296
Re: Simmons Marine in Ohio...

You got off very cheap at $273. I work on boats all day long and everyone thinks their boat is more important than anyone elses. I have been doing marine diesel since '85.

We do mobile work, can't exacty pop a 56' Sea Ray on the Majic Tilt and bring 'er to us. So before we go out to a customers we fax them a credit card authorization form that stipulates our labor rates, and they have to fill it out and sign it. Then it is a legal binding agreement that says "I agree to your terms and want you to do said work on my vessel" This way they can't come back and say they didn't know what they were going to pay.

We don't charge the card until the job is done and they have seen the invoice. We have found that this keeps the disputes to a minimum.

The only thing I see is you did not know (or say you dont) the labor charges up front. The thing is Mr. Simmons probably had a ton of other customers having a lot more work done and not complaining about it, and here you are having tried to replace a bunch of parts yourself then bringing your boat there, then whining about "when are you going to get to my boat" then whining "you charged me too much"

Ya know, had you not whined so much that $100 extra might not have been on your bill. Consider this experience EDUCATION.

I just dropped MY boat off due to a Honda Outboard problem that needed someone with more experience than I have on them, I went out of my way to hand the guy five twenty dollar bills up front and tell him "take your time"
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: Simmons Marine in Ohio...

if i were you i would not take your boat back there. next time it's going to get torn down, and have to wait 6 months for a back ordered part. oh, they had one on the shelf and didn"t realize it.
 

CATransplant

Admiral
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
6,319
Re: Simmons Marine in Ohio...

Hmm...it'd sure be interesting to hear the shop owner's point of view on this. Sounds like you didn't take it in when you said you would, then bugged them constantly.

They charged you extra for a rush job. That makes sense. Everyone with a boat in there wants his boat ASAP, I'm sure. Right now, every shop is full of work, since nobody can be bothered to get work done during the off season...they always wait until just before they're heading off for a vacation.

The guy shouldn't have yelled at you...no question about that. That's bad for business. But, really, $273 to get your boat running so you can go on your trip? Not so much, really.

Bottom line is that when you take your boat to a shop for rush work, you're going to pay for rush work. If it had been my shop, about the second time you called to bug me about the job, I'd have told you to come pick up your boat, and that I didn't have time to fit it into the shop schedule. But, that's just me...
 

hole-in-da-water

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 30, 2007
Messages
46
Re: Simmons Marine in Ohio...

Yea, hindsight is 20/20, only had to deal with a marina before (they told me right when they would get to it, and called me to update the progress, too bad they went out of business due to health reasons). I know now that when a guy tells me he doesn't know when he can get to it, to just stop asking and expecting a straight answer. Does that also mean that I should expect to be charged well over what I am able to pay without prior authorization? I am not contesting for one minute this guy's reasons fro the amount he charged me. Not a second. I would, however, liked to have had the choice to be charged the extra $100 or not, never not once was I told I would be charged that. I had to borrow money because I couldn't afford it. I would have told him to just get to it whenever, I can't afford the extra money. That is why I am pizzed. That and his temper.
 

hole-in-da-water

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 30, 2007
Messages
46
Re: Simmons Marine in Ohio...

if you didn't have a manual, to work on you engine, consider yourself lucky, it's running for $273. a lot of places this time of year are going to charge you that much just to look at it.

I actaully did have a manual, and I actually sunk about $300 bucks because I don't have the extreme know-how or the tools. The original plan was just to have it diagnosed. But that was tossed out too.
 

jimhen

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
44
Re: Simmons Marine in Ohio...

dude, just be cool. I know where you are coming from. My bucks are tight too. A lot of your replies are probably from shop guys. But anything that has an engine in it is going to cost:eek: Boats have a fair reputation for that.

Next time do a little better job up front in the communication department. The shop owners have to make a living and they don't have ESP. When ever I don't do my own work I always want to know who I am working with... it's a partnership. If Simmons isn't on your wavelength try someone else next time.

And look at the bright side he probably did the job right:) and didn't throw sand in your your sump:mad: so you would come back later to give him more $$$$.
 
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