Recommendations for Boat Engineer in Southampton/Hamble

[SeaWeavers]

As the title says, I need to get my Mercruiser 3.0 Alpha one Gen II Sterndrive serviced for when things open up again.

Does anyone here have a company they would recommend in the Southampton / Hamble area, please?
I've been looking at various companies' Google reviews which hasn't filled me with confidence!

Many Thanks

 

[ashtead]

There is someone who posts as VolvoPaul -don’t know if you might PM him for advice?

 

[Sianna]

I have used Crofton Marine, they turned up on time, did the job well and were reasonable in price, I would use them again.

Crofton Marine Engineering

 

[ontheplane]

VolvoPaul is considered something of a God around here - I doubt you'd get him for love or money - I think people fly him out to all over the place to service their v16 20 litre beasts!!

His reputation is very good tho....

 

[rafiki_]

Tom Parker, Tompa Marine is yer man on Mercruisers. Based on The Itchen but travels around the sarf coast if needed.

 

[EugeneR]

VolvoPaul is considered something of a God around here - I doubt you'd get him for love or money - I think people fly him out to all over the place to service their v16 20 litre beasts!!

His reputation is very good tho....

To be fair, Paul's charges are very reasonable and he only charges for work done. Unlike some more official ones.

In this case, given this is Mercruiser and not Volvo, Ton Parker would be your guy.

 

[ontheplane]

By love nor money - I meant hes so in demand he probably won't have time!

Didn't realise it was Mercruiser either - which given the fact he says it in the post means I don't read stuff properly!

 

[volvopaul]

Tom Parker is a good friend of mine , contact him Tompa marine services , I’ll be honest I’m up to my neck in green engines .

id guess like the rest of us he’s very busy and booked up .

 

[SeaWeavers]

Thanks for the replies everyone, Tompa Marine sounds popular here but looking at the Google and Yell reviews, they have some very unhappy customers, I'll have to proceed with caution!

I will also try Crofton Marine.

Many Thanks

 

[volvopaul]

Thanks for the replies everyone, Tompa Marine sounds popular here but looking at the Google and Yell reviews, they have some very unhappy customers, I'll have to proceed with caution!

I will also try Crofton Marine.

Many Thanks

I’d ignore google review , Tom knows the mercruiser product very well , he did his apprenticeship at a dealer before going on his own .

 

[volvopaul]

To be fair, Paul's charges are very reasonable and he only charges for work done. Unlike some more official ones.

In this case, given this is Mercruiser and not Volvo, Ton Parker would be your guy.

The official ones you mention have had there official title stripped for poor workmanship amongst other things .
Having a manufacturer name above the door counts for very little these days , honesty , ability and craftsmanship come to mind.

Thanks Eugene for the kind words.

 

[stelican]

Grapevine mentioned whole Burseldon site was up for sale.

 

[russ]

Having used both Paul and Tom, I can vouch for their skills.

 

[ontheplane]

Google reviews can be easily "Bought" - both good for yourself and bad for your competition.

There was a case where a guy lost his business because his local competitor paid to have 300 bad reviews posted. They were all in the space of a week, and all said how shocking this guy was.

The fact was not a single one was from a real customer.

 

[ontheplane]

Buy real, positive Google reviews from English testers

There you go - Buy 10 reviews - £99 - in fairness these are only "Good" reviews allegedly.

I'd love to know how you can "buy" a "real" review!

It appears way harder to buy bad ones now - perhaps Google has tightened up on this recently?

For something illegal it's really easy to do!

 

[Blue Sunray]

Google reviews can be easily "Bought" - both good for yourself and bad for your competition.

There was a case where a guy lost his business because his local competitor paid to have 300 bad reviews posted. They were all in the space of a week, and all said how shocking this guy was.

The fact was not a single one was from a real customer.

Tripadvisor is if anything even worse. If you want a typical example read through the reviews for 'HarBar on 6th' at Ocean Village. Spot those reviewers with only one or two reviews to their name who write one or two at most sentences in which they normally name a member of staff.

 

[ontheplane]

Yep - most of their 5* reviews written by people from around the world who have only ever left 5* reviews for anywhere.....

Several from America, during Covid when no-one was supposed to be travelling.....

Very suspicious.

Here's where you can buy bad ones.....

Buy Negative TripAdvisor Reviews - SEO SMM BLOG

And here is where to get good or bad ones - or How to finish off your competition using fraud and deceit......

Buy Tripadvisor Reviews - Real, Legit & Targeted | AppSally

I love the way the AppSally one says "Your reviews will be left by genuine people who have visited your business." - yet they can sell 100 reviews???? Really?

I am not surprised - I am surprised just how easy it is though!

These guys should be heavily prosecuted with multi million dollar fines, the seizure of their assets, and then their "customers" should be tracked down and fined and all those fines should go to their "victims".

Appalling