Brand new boat listing to port!!

[lakeman1999]

Re: Brand new boat listing to port!!

Bobbingrdner's post makes more sense than anything else. Get the third party confirmation, and have documentation, preferably of you doing all of the right procedure, and they ignoring, or doing the wrong.

 

[Jersey Jim]

Re: Brand new boat listing to port!!

Note the time and date of each contact or phone call; keep a time log.

 

[lakeman1999]

Re: Brand new boat listing to port!!

And a failing of mine, before you speak, always jot down for future reference the name of the person you are talking too. I usually in the past have trusted the person I was talking too, to do as they say, and when they do not and I call back I do not remember the name of the person, or the exact date of the previous encounter.

 

[Spidybot]

Re: Brand new boat listing to port!!

Getting through a gatekeeper sometimes can be done by simply saying 'My name is xx, Mr. Jim Lane has asked for me to call him'.<br /><br />If you turn to the most agressive, offensive, insulting attitude you will turn whatever little sympathy you had, with the dealer/manufacturer, against you.<br /><br />The force you need to use is the force to make them talk to you. The idea of contacting their president was to make sure that a decision making person got informed - in all detail. A person in his position will know, that they cannot afford the bad PR. This fella can't possibly be any more stupid than the majority of the members of this board. If we can see the problem, so can he. If we undertand the arguments, so does he. If he calculates the gross margin on one sold boat, he will realize that turning you down will cost him several times more than keeping you happy and at the same time convince the rest of us about his company's qualities.<br /><br />The ol' saying that the more documentation you have the better your chances are, is based on the fact that any court will base it's initial work on it. The better formulated, the better effect, so you have to document and collect as much as possible. Remember to take pictures and do not be afraid to use them.<br /><br />As you've mentioned earlier, you have to follow the proper way, involving lawyers at the point when all else fails. If you make sure that the highest level at Chaparrals gets involved, you will get to a decision much faster. Either they'll solve the propblem or they'll give you a formal denial in writing. Then you know what to do.

 

[suds]

Re: Brand new boat listing to port!!

Update. Well we now know why the boat lists. We (note I said we, not the service dept.) noticed the engine is mounted at least 2" inches off center. The mount on one side is sitting just on the very edge, the other side is mounted 2" in from the edge. Called Volvo and they said the center of gravity in the engine is dead center. Hence the list. Finally on Friday at the end of the day got a hold of someone at Chap. They agreed that would do it and that they are having problems with this model anyway. They all have a small list. Of course ours with the engine off center has a large list. Told them we wanted a new boat and was told we would hear from them Monday (today). You guessed it, two calls to them and no call back. At this point, I don't know if they will replace boat or tell us they will move the engine. Did tell them that their practice of not returning calls does nothing to help matters. We did take pictures and left message that we would email them. I guess we are into another week of aggravation. Oh, they also said they would replace the rusted rails. We have since noticed that the rub rail and swim ladder rusted. Well, that's where we are right now.

 

[Jersey Jim]

Re: Brand new boat listing to port!!

Have you thought of posting this on other boating forums to get added attention and to make potential buyers aware of the problem?

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: Brand new boat listing to port!!

They agreed that would do it and that they are having problems with this model anyway. They all have a small list. Of course ours with the engine off center has a large list.

So the SOBs knew the whole time and that scumbag dealer tried to get rid of you by putting in a second battery. What a piece of work!<br /><br />I'll lever buy a Chap!

 

[nitsuj]

Re: Brand new boat listing to port!!

What was the name and location of the boat dealer? It would seem they weren't very helpful either, I'm not saying we should all e-mai lthem, but on the chance anyone reading this is local to you, they should know before they write a big check there. For what it's worth, I think you handled it well. Getting all hot and making demands wouldn't have helped. As good as it makes people feel to think "I gave that guy a good piece of my mind and he jumped" it just doesn't work like that. It becomes a battle of wills. If you get tough, whoever you're talking to gets tough. When the guy at the shop is talking to the manufactuer, or dealership owner, you want him to want to help you. You want as many people on your side as possible. It's different than cars. It's considered a luxury, you don't get as much protection legally. I don't think boats fall under the lemon law in any state. I sell motorcycles for a living, Harleys among others, so I'm somewhat experienced with trying to get a large company to cover for a mistake they made. It's not always easy, but you should be getting better treatment from the dealer, where I work, the owner would have been involved the very first time the problem was brought up. Of course, when you sell Harleys, you get lots of experience dealing with problems...

 

[burp]

Re: Brand new boat listing to port!!

Am I missing something here??? If the engine is offset 2" from the centerline, wouldn't the outdrive also have to be offset an equal amount in order to align up with the engine?<br /><br />I have been through the Crownline boat facility a couple of times. The holes in the transom are cut before the engine is installed and the outdrive is hung. If the transom holes were cut in the wrong location, it could explain why the engine is offset. I imagine the manufacturing steps are pretty much the same for all boat manufacturers.

 

[sea wolf]

Re: Brand new boat listing to port!!

mmm, sounds like yer on to something burp. so they deliberately offset the engine to line up with the lower unit? this is really getting interesting.

 

[kdmiller8251]

Re: Brand new boat listing to port!!

Ok this may sound crazy, but doesnt anyone check the boats before they leave the factory or when the dealer gets them in???<br /><br />I mean, ok you build or work on boats all day every day for years.. I would think you take a look at this boat and the engine and it would be evident that it is off center......which would cause a problem....<br /><br />Does quality assurance me anything???<br /><br />So whats the deal with when you first reported the problem Chap claimed to have no idea what the problem is, now they claim to know and there is more than one boat out there like that.. What the hell is that?? Sounds like crap to me<br /><br />supposedly they won all these awards from magazines and such.. Maybe these magazine should be made aware of this post and problem....<br /><br />keep us updated Suds we are all dying to find out what goes down..<br /><br />Tallman

 

[brianwhart]

Re: Brand new boat listing to port!!

Here's how you can contact JD Power.<br /><br /> http://www.jdpower.com/contact/index.asp

 

[MATTT]

Re: Brand new boat listing to port!!

If some one would buy a boat because JDpower said it is a good boat than you have to be an idiot. How many restaurants that you go to has an ad about how good their foods are posting on the wall ? Most of the places you go to eat has that. That is just a way of getting more business, has nothing to do with quality of their products. If you send me the money, I'll post anything you want to hear.

 

[lakeman1999]

Re: Brand new boat listing to port!!

How true Mattt, rating organizations get paid to rate a product. No pay no rating. When you see a write up in a trade magazine telling how wonderfull a business, and/or product is, 99 out of a hundred if you checked the name of author of the artical out, you would find that the story was written by an official of the organization being glorified. If you do not buy adds in the periodical, you do not get the write up, if you pay for an add in the periodical, no matter how rotton of a product you have, you will get a good rating. Doctors do not rat on incompetant doctors, lawyers do not rat on crooked lawyers (arn't they all) and so on.

 

[ob]

Re: Brand new boat listing to port!!

How true lakeman and Mattt.Maybe once upon a time a rating entity had some credibility.How do you suppose they make most of their money?From subscribers? I'm sure the CEO of Chapparal is more concerned with the wording in next months issue of boating magazine than he is with quality control.Knights at the million dollar round table.

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: Brand new boat listing to port!!

Thank goodness there are still objective rating agencies like consumer reports. The problem is they can't do everything...

 

[dinsdale]

Re: Brand new boat listing to port!!

I find the same from almost all boating magazines.<br />Their reviews sound like Ads. Never any negative.<br /><br />Best magazine out there is Passagemaker. Mainly about slow boating but filled with usefull info and non-biased reviews.<br /><br />Suds: Sound like you are on the way to a new boat.<br />Good luck.

 

[Jersey Jim]

Re: Brand new boat listing to port!!

"....I find the same from almost all boating magazines.Their reviews sound like Ads. Never any negative....." <br /><br />Ditto for all the car mags.<br /><br /> "....Thank goodness there are still objective rating agencies like consumer reports...." <br /><br />Ditto for "Power Boat Reports" although it's kind of over kill for the owner of a small fishing boat.

 

[Spidybot]

Re: Brand new boat listing to port!!

If centering the engine can be done without sacrificing the mounting points and fittings AND if it solves the problem, you should be prepared that this may end up as the solution. You pointed out an error, they solved it. Period.<br /><br />Same thing with the rails.<br /><br />Not saying that this is the best solution for you, but it could be all you get .<br /><br />After that you'll sit in a boat, the manufacturer admitted was 'a problem in the first place'.<br /><br />If they are as smart as they should be, you'll be offered another boat - even another model.<br /><br />Even though a solution is within sight we still are 30000 enhtusiasts NOT really convinced .

 

[GodsBeast]

Re: Brand new boat listing to port!!

Hey Suds, In checking back, it seems you have really been put through the ringer! I have to tip my hat to burp also, I would think if the motor is 2" over, so is the outdrive, even more weight. I'm guessing it is an assembly line major snaffu. As an old English buddy of my dad's would say, it's all goggly wobbly, you know, it's cattlewampus! When we wanted to know what that was, he said, "You know, crooked." I would think they would have to do a recall on all of those models with the off centered holes predrilled in the transum! I'd make sure I got a photograph of measurments from the outdrive, across the transum to each side of the boat. I bet the measurments are different on both sides! Get photo evidence, document! Again, they insult you with not calling you back, After insulting you with letting you know they Lied, when they said they had NO IDEA why it was listing, Oh it must be the battery on that side! What kind of battery was it, I want to make a note not to buy that heavy S>O>B. Ok enough sarcasum. Suds, you must be a saint, you are handeling this better than I would, and as others have said you have a lot of people on YOUR SIDE. It's only my opinion, but I'd want my money back (no disrespect to UU, cause he may be right about they may only fix your problem, and that is all they have to do) but along with this and the rusted rails, I'd always be worried about, what other imperfections are they hiding? After seeing how Chap, handle's their customers I'D NEVER BUY ONE, and I could understand why you'd want to get your money back and take your business to someone else, preferably to someone that knows how to return a phone call. We are here ruiting for you! Keep us posted. <br /><br />Just one of GodsBeast's