SigSaurP229
Commander
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2008
- Messages
- 2,123
There is a long thread on our pontoon and the history of the pontoon in these forums. Long of the short is it was my Grandpa's boat purchased new in 1993. In 1994 a shop opened up near my Grandpa's house. The boat has been serviced at the same shop since 1994. We sold the boat in 2002 and the new owner's had the boat serviced at the same shop. This year we bought the boat back. Even though the shop is an hour and a half away and we drive past 4 other repair shops on the way.
We had some issues with the boat stalling when putting it into gear, and the overheat alarm going off.
On Tuesday 09/07 we took our boat to the shop. Let the shop now what's going on and they said ok sounds like a carb rebuild and a fuel in the water issue and an oil pump, and you should go ahead and install a fuel water separator. We tell them just fix and let us know when it will be ready they said it will be ready in four days. No problem
We called on 09/14 Ok is the boat ready what's going on with it? Well it is not ready but will be ready the day after tomorrow.
Called again on 09/20 Any news on the boat yet? We are waiting on parts. Will be ready in a week. We are starting to get aggravated but we understand that these things happen, the problem is since 1993 this boat has NEVER spent more than a day uncovered.
09/22 We get a call come down to the marina your boat is ready now we are exceited the lake is still up.
09/24 We go down to the marina we take two vehicles as this is a 28' I pull it with my truck dad follows me just a little extra safety precaution. Anyways we get down to the marina and we are told we called the wrong customer your boat is not ready. Now we are kind of aggravated because we didn't make it out of the office we assumed we were picking up the boat so we didn't bring a cover to leave it any longer. We are assured that the boat will be ready within the week.
10/07/ Call to the marina it has now been a month, after being promised 4 days and an extra trip for nothing we are angry. Assured that the boat will be ready in 3 days. We let it die for the time being.
10/21 We call the marina what is going on with the boat? Why isn't it ready, You have had my boat for 6 weeks and no answers at all. Get it done you have one week.
10/28 0900 7 weeks after dropping the boat off we drive back to the marina. Truck and van. Dad goes into the office I go behind the marina to find the boat. There was our immaculate boat covered in red clay mud, Mildew all over the seats carpet soaking wet. Cowling off of the motor the boat looked worse than it has in 17 years. They let the boat sit uncovered for 7 weeks also someone went through all of the underseat storage comparments. The boat was at a dock when I got to it. Couldn't find the trailer anywhere Dad went inside and told them to get the boat back on the trailer and that we were taking it now. Soo they fired it up the over heat buzzer started right away they kick it into gear and it dies. Finally after warming it up they are able to slap it from a high idle quickly into reverse out of the dock then back onto the trailer. They take to the shop and spend 20 minutes looking for the motor cowling.
The only visible thing that had been done was that the fuel water separator was installed. The dock workers didn't realize that I was down there watching them while they did this. Soo they pull it out drive it to the front of the shop and leave it hooked to the shop truck, and I meet dad in the store. I tell him to go out and look at the boat Dad is almost in tears as the boat has never looked this bad and now he is angry to boot. While dad is out side looking at the condition of the boat the manager tells the mechanic to go ahead and write out the bill.
He lays the bill on the counter $581.76 parts and labor. I will NEVER be known as the most patient of individuals and I come by it genetically, knowing this fact I walk back outside and try to prepare my dad. We walk back in the store and the lady at the counter says your bill is $581.76. Dad tells the lady at the register "HELL NO I am not paying it in seven weeks you have installed a fuel water separator that is all". Then the worlds best mechanic
I also rebuilt the carbs and set the timing.
We have a little exchange of words and the owner of the store is called and told we are a couple of deadbeats and we are refusing to pay our bill. The owner comes to the front and asks what is going on. We go through the whole story again "The owner says if he says he rebuilt the carbs and set the timing you are going to pay the bill or I am going to lien your boat". I had kept my mouth shut until this point, then I lost it. "I watched your mechanic load the boat onto the trailer it did the same thing as it was when we brought it here no difference at all except now my F****** boat is in shambles you lied to us for 7 weeks cost us and extra $50 in gas left my boat exposed to the weather went through our belongings damaged our upholstery and the boat still doesn't F****** run right now you want me to pay you $581.76 for the privelidge of F****** up my boat?" The owners response was " well he got it on the trailer so it must run right"
My response " Your mechanics didn't know it but while he (my dad) was here in the office I went down and watched your mechanics trailer the boat the overheat alarm is still going off and the damned this is still acting like it was when we brought it here" I laid $600 on the counter "if we take a test drive right now and the boat does what its supposed to I will pay your bill in full".
At this point the mechanic "I just needed another day or two".
Dad "You had 7 weeks how many more times am I going to hear I need another day or two I can assure you I am not going to hear it again ever".
Owner "You expect me to put new parts on your boat and not pay for them"
Me "I told you or your mechanic take me for a test drive and the boat operates like its supposed to I will pay your bill in full I know they put a water separator on the boat and I will pay for it but nothing else"
Owner "I don't have time to do that and neither does my mechanic"
Dad "Show me the invoices for the parts and I will pay for all the parts"
Owner "Fine parts only and I want cash only no credit card no check no nothing cash and I will charge it out for parts only but don't ever show up in my shop again and never bring your boat back".
Dad "Don't worry we won't the boat is going immediately to another shop to inspect and repair and document everything and if I find no new parts on the motor we are going to court."
Total bill $194.90 taxes and all
I beleive in paying for what you get but this whole thing was ridiculous. Were we in the wrong for coming to get our boat? Or expecting to pick it up in at minimum the condition we left it in?
We had some issues with the boat stalling when putting it into gear, and the overheat alarm going off.
On Tuesday 09/07 we took our boat to the shop. Let the shop now what's going on and they said ok sounds like a carb rebuild and a fuel in the water issue and an oil pump, and you should go ahead and install a fuel water separator. We tell them just fix and let us know when it will be ready they said it will be ready in four days. No problem
We called on 09/14 Ok is the boat ready what's going on with it? Well it is not ready but will be ready the day after tomorrow.
Called again on 09/20 Any news on the boat yet? We are waiting on parts. Will be ready in a week. We are starting to get aggravated but we understand that these things happen, the problem is since 1993 this boat has NEVER spent more than a day uncovered.
09/22 We get a call come down to the marina your boat is ready now we are exceited the lake is still up.
09/24 We go down to the marina we take two vehicles as this is a 28' I pull it with my truck dad follows me just a little extra safety precaution. Anyways we get down to the marina and we are told we called the wrong customer your boat is not ready. Now we are kind of aggravated because we didn't make it out of the office we assumed we were picking up the boat so we didn't bring a cover to leave it any longer. We are assured that the boat will be ready within the week.
10/07/ Call to the marina it has now been a month, after being promised 4 days and an extra trip for nothing we are angry. Assured that the boat will be ready in 3 days. We let it die for the time being.
10/21 We call the marina what is going on with the boat? Why isn't it ready, You have had my boat for 6 weeks and no answers at all. Get it done you have one week.
10/28 0900 7 weeks after dropping the boat off we drive back to the marina. Truck and van. Dad goes into the office I go behind the marina to find the boat. There was our immaculate boat covered in red clay mud, Mildew all over the seats carpet soaking wet. Cowling off of the motor the boat looked worse than it has in 17 years. They let the boat sit uncovered for 7 weeks also someone went through all of the underseat storage comparments. The boat was at a dock when I got to it. Couldn't find the trailer anywhere Dad went inside and told them to get the boat back on the trailer and that we were taking it now. Soo they fired it up the over heat buzzer started right away they kick it into gear and it dies. Finally after warming it up they are able to slap it from a high idle quickly into reverse out of the dock then back onto the trailer. They take to the shop and spend 20 minutes looking for the motor cowling.
The only visible thing that had been done was that the fuel water separator was installed. The dock workers didn't realize that I was down there watching them while they did this. Soo they pull it out drive it to the front of the shop and leave it hooked to the shop truck, and I meet dad in the store. I tell him to go out and look at the boat Dad is almost in tears as the boat has never looked this bad and now he is angry to boot. While dad is out side looking at the condition of the boat the manager tells the mechanic to go ahead and write out the bill.
He lays the bill on the counter $581.76 parts and labor. I will NEVER be known as the most patient of individuals and I come by it genetically, knowing this fact I walk back outside and try to prepare my dad. We walk back in the store and the lady at the counter says your bill is $581.76. Dad tells the lady at the register "HELL NO I am not paying it in seven weeks you have installed a fuel water separator that is all". Then the worlds best mechanic
I also rebuilt the carbs and set the timing. We have a little exchange of words and the owner of the store is called and told we are a couple of deadbeats and we are refusing to pay our bill. The owner comes to the front and asks what is going on. We go through the whole story again "The owner says if he says he rebuilt the carbs and set the timing you are going to pay the bill or I am going to lien your boat". I had kept my mouth shut until this point, then I lost it. "I watched your mechanic load the boat onto the trailer it did the same thing as it was when we brought it here no difference at all except now my F****** boat is in shambles you lied to us for 7 weeks cost us and extra $50 in gas left my boat exposed to the weather went through our belongings damaged our upholstery and the boat still doesn't F****** run right now you want me to pay you $581.76 for the privelidge of F****** up my boat?" The owners response was " well he got it on the trailer so it must run right"
My response " Your mechanics didn't know it but while he (my dad) was here in the office I went down and watched your mechanics trailer the boat the overheat alarm is still going off and the damned this is still acting like it was when we brought it here" I laid $600 on the counter "if we take a test drive right now and the boat does what its supposed to I will pay your bill in full".
At this point the mechanic "I just needed another day or two".
Dad "You had 7 weeks how many more times am I going to hear I need another day or two I can assure you I am not going to hear it again ever".
Owner "You expect me to put new parts on your boat and not pay for them"
Me "I told you or your mechanic take me for a test drive and the boat operates like its supposed to I will pay your bill in full I know they put a water separator on the boat and I will pay for it but nothing else"
Owner "I don't have time to do that and neither does my mechanic"
Dad "Show me the invoices for the parts and I will pay for all the parts"
Owner "Fine parts only and I want cash only no credit card no check no nothing cash and I will charge it out for parts only but don't ever show up in my shop again and never bring your boat back".
Dad "Don't worry we won't the boat is going immediately to another shop to inspect and repair and document everything and if I find no new parts on the motor we are going to court."
Total bill $194.90 taxes and all
I beleive in paying for what you get but this whole thing was ridiculous. Were we in the wrong for coming to get our boat? Or expecting to pick it up in at minimum the condition we left it in?
Last edited:
