Boat Dealer Customer Service is this normal??

[dpb]

I decided to make this post after reading of Gludy’s experience, events at Deva marine, and after reading a comment in another thread regarding buying parts abroad where the writer argued that our marine industry needs our support.
Whilst reading what follows bear in mind that the boat is from a major manufacturer and that the dealer is fairly well established.

The lessons to be learnt must be:
Do not pay in full till you have seen the boat.
Introduce a penalty for late delivery at order stage.
Do not let your part exchange go until new boat delivered.
Be aware of the risk of being promised something in the future if you commit to an agreement now.

The questions that arise are:
Is this representative of the service and attitude that we can expect from those that we deal with whilst pursuing our hobby? (Anyone got similar stories or was I just unlucky?)
Who can we turn to for help when things like this occur ?
Would it not be less hassle to buy 2nd hand afterall. (Previous 4 boats all second hand, never a problem!)

Thank fully I am delighted with the boat and have had tremendous fun with it, and at least I have got to the stage where I am only out £150, manual, and maybe a service.
I keep getting promised the stuff but it never turns up!
I’ll be interested in thoughts of the forum!!

The Story.
Boat ordered at LIBS 2006 from official dealer with delivery promised by Easter 2006. Deposit paid and my old boat collected and put up for sale by dealer.
Chased up at end of March, Easter delivery confirmed OK.
A week later was told delivery would be delayed until early May.
There then followed a period of weekly phone calls where the delivery was steadily put back in two week increments until the boat was eventually delivered in early July, over three months late. I had to pay the full balance prior to delivery.
However, the delivered boat was missing two options that I had ordered, and was on a different trailer to that which I had selected. Also the wrong engine owners manual was supplied.
Following negotiations, I agreed to accept the boat subject to a refund for the missing options, bearing savers for the trailer and correct manual being supplied, and first two services being carried out free.
I have had to phone the dealer every couple of weeks since to chase the honouring of the agreement made at delivery.
By last October I had received the bearing savers, a refund for one of the options, and the first service.
I continue to await the rest of the refund and the correct manual and wonder what will happen when the 2nd service comes due!!
During all this I have contacted the main importer (who the dealers go through) twice and failed to get even an acknowledgement from them.

 

[BSJ2]

name names, perhaps they will think twice about poor treatment should they read this forum?

 

[Nautorius]

Yep,

Can be often the level of service if you bought a sportsboat and they sell bigger ticket boats. was it Aquatics south coast?

Cheers

Paul /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Gludy]

I think the lessons that I also learnt are:-

1. Do not pay for all of boat until it is delivered, chacked and sea trailed.

2. Do not allow your boat to be provided to them before you collect your new boat.

3. record everything in writing.

4. Do not be scared to shame - as long as you stick to the truth you are OK and nobody can touch you.

I think much but not all of the marine industry provides a deplorable service. I know companies who constantly provide me with excellent service eg, Osmotech is excellent evenm years after any original business is done. So I am not saying all companies are bad.

I do think you should name the company. My name and shame has resulted in a real breakthrough for me and at least reduced any trial to simple legal points rather than hundreds of complex technical ones.

 

[gjgm]

its not just boats though.. its white electricals, kitchens,cars.. I imagine what is so painful about a boat though,is that is some sort of dream being spoiled. I dont know in your case where the money for these issues comes from.. whether the dealer, the main dealer, or the manufacturer. Probably the delay is bcz it isnt agreed between them either. Well, at least you are talking , and gradually getting things sorted, and best of all, you are delighted with the boat. A shame its been such a struggle to get there.

 

[Pinnacle]

I am sorry to have to tell you that the "service" you have received is about average........ /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Jim44]

Who is the main importer for Bayliner these days?

Last time I spoke to Aquatics I was told they had become dealers only and no longer handled the import/distribution for other dealers.

 

[dpb]

The reason I did not mention names was that I was not sure if I was allowed to on this forum, advice please.
The main point anyway was to advise others and to see if my experience was unique or not.
Sadly it appears not!

 

[dpb]

No, the dealer was not Aquatic Southern, but it is a Bayliner (I forgot about my picture and profile details)!

 

[ontheplane]

I had dreadful service once from Gibbs Marine - fortunately it was PRE purchase so I just didn't buy, only thing lost was some petrol money and a bit of time...

What amazes me is that these guys seem to prosper - and dealers with great service seem to struggle - why??

 

[dpb]

Thanks Gludy (there must be a better way of making multiple replies!), and my problems look pretty small compared to your experience. At least you are moving forward. Your advise is spot on, I was amazed to find how little I had in writing.

 

[dpb]

You are right, Jim44, Aquatic operate on their own now, they were not the dealer I dealt with but they did handle the importation. The other dealers now deal directly with Bayliner.

 

[dpb]

I really expected to find that I was alone in this and am dismayed at how common problems may be.
How come this never crops up in the boating press?

 

[puskin]

My sorry saga
I bought a new Azimut 39 from a UK agent in late 03, ready to go, for the 04 charter season in Mallorca. The boat was built by Jan 04, I still lost out on the 04 season when I had the only 04 boat in the fleet through a litany of paperwork mistakes for which I had paid the agent a handsome fee to have right [regrettably I had paid for the boat in full].
Even as of this date I dont have the rope cutters fitted which were paid in 04.What a service for an outlay that is not petty cash

 

[Major Catastrophe]

I had a little problem with my new boat, the wheelhoues hatch leaked and there a few minor problems, but most were fixed satisfactorily. My problems really started a few months later, but I didn't really cotton on to what was actually happening for two years.

Basically, the trailer and boat, supplied as a matching set, were incompatible, and I suffered repeated damage. Eventually, the day before the warranty ran ran out, I rejected the rig as not fit for the purpose.

Six months later, I now have it back, but not before I had a strop at the five month point as they had fixed the trailer, but not touched the damaged boat.

I think I am happy now, and am just waiting for the replacement igniton key that was lost and a replacement anode that was not replaced during the very expensive engine service that I stipulated needed replacing and was even listed on the work sheet.

I have to accept that they changed the engine oil etc, for my £315, not just merely wiped it down with an oily rag.

I don't trust any dealer now and will keep everything in writing and will check all work as best as I can.

I will not know if the trailer modifcations have worked until I re-launch the boat.

Good luck with your issues.

 

[Lenboat]

I've just received my new Bayliner 305 which I imported privately through an international agency. I won't say who for fear of being accused of promoting them. It arrived 26 days after I placed the order and is precisely what was ordered.

It's now prepped, converted to 220v and preforms very well. Also, I saved substantially over the local dealer price.

There were howls by certain 'experts' in this forum when I sought advice as to how to locate the company which provides this service. I was told that the boat would be built to a different (lesser) standard, etc, etc.

All this has proved to be totally incorrect and buying any new consumer goods from a local dealer just because a manufacturer has appointed them and says that we should is foolhardy in this modern world.

Why pay 300 quid for a new golf driver from the local pro-shop when you can get it on the internet for half the price?

If you want to know more about the Bayliner contact me privately.

 

[dpb]

I did consider this but as I had a boat to part exchange and I did not want to wait to sell privately the option was ruled out.
How do you stand warranty wise?

 

[Chas25]

Its been said before and I'll say it again in this thread you were claiming to be just starting out looking for the company to buy your bayliner, while it is not impossible it seems a little far fetched that in 40 day's you've found a boat bought it, imported and had all the CE approval stuff done?

Do you work for this import company and if so why are you so afraid to declare it? plenty of others who are "in the trade" are well known and respected members.

Of course if you are genuine then great but please share more with us than just information on importing a bayliner maybe share some pictures of your new pride and joy???

 

[Lenboat]

The warranty card was filled in and sent when the pre-delivery service was done and it's covered. The Mercruiser warranty is international and transferable so I don't envisage any problems.

 

[Lenboat]

Are you a conspiracy theorist? Let's name names. The outfit is called American Wholesale Boats. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to find them. Ask them if they supplied a Bayliner 305 to Southampton recently. Yes, it was delivered promptly. Why? Because their supplier had it in stock, still in factory shrink wrap, ready to go. I signed a contract, paid the money, the boat was taken to some outfit near the port, a cradle was made, the boat put on it, secured and shipped. There are sailings every 7 days. It takes 12-14 days across the ditch. The boat was pre-customs cleared and collected a matter of hours after it was unloaded. Bloody excellent service all around. No, I have no involvement with American Wholesale Boats. I'm just not mug enough to throw money away on any goods if they can be bought cheaper other than through the local, authorised source.
End of story.