Brunswick passport warranty. Stay away...stay far away.

missnmountains

missnmountains

Active Member
Dec 12, 2007
563
Florida
Boat Info
2008 58 Sedan Bridge
Engines
900 Man
So here is the story about the Brunswick Passport Warranties. We purchased one with our 2006 48 Sundancer. We owned the boat from 2007 until 2011 when we traded it for our 2008 58 Sedan Bridge.

NOT ONE claim was approved under the warranty during the time we owned the Sundancer. Even our windows fell out and they claimed "unlisted component". Thank goodness Sea Ray came through and paid to have all six windows replaced at their cost.

So in April of 2011, we trade to the 2008 58DB. The PO purchased the "full" Brunswick Passport Warranty through 2013. Recently we had a few issues, only around $3,000.00 in repairs done by Marine Max. All claims denied again; "unlisted component" for everything.

Lighting transformers out, slider not installed properly at factory, DirectTV components not functioning, etc.

Again, not one item approved. What a waste of money as far as I am concerned.

Just save your money and pay for the repairs yourself.

Ken
 
Not a chance. The only thing we have received that represented any sort of help, were on are the windows on our 48DA. Sea Ray did come through and reimburse us for all six windows. I guess they new there was defective adhesive when they were installed.

On our 48, all electronics were trashed. It cost me nearly $15,000 to replace both displays and the dsm300 while we were still under the passport warranty.

The point I am trying to make is that these warranties are a waste of money. Thank goodness we did not pay for the 58DB warranty. We only paid a $117.00 to transfer it to us.

Ken
 
It is funny to me that some dealers can get almost everything covered while others have no success. The warranty company is critical and demands proof, but if the dealer knows how to work within the system, things get covered. The only thing our dealer has had refused this year has been the labor to disassemble the exhaust system so a failed water heater could be removed from an '08 320DA. Passport paid for the water heater, the labor to remove and replace it, but not the added labor to allow access to get the old one out and the new one in.

I think the problem here isn't that the Brunswick Passport warranty is bad, but that coverage is at best random and seems totally dependent upon what dealer you use.
 
That is such a shame. These companies push to sell you these warranties, and then they never get backed up. I hear about this time and time again, and it ought to be a crime.
 
I agree with Frank, the servicing dealer is the key. We had a passport warranty with the last boat and it covered nearly everything that came up.
 
I had a Passport Warranty on my prior 290AJ, however it was before Brunswick has purchased the warranty company. I was amazed at how much DID get covered... my local dealer had a good relationship with them and always submitted proof with pictures, a write up on how it happened, etc.
 
Like most corporate warranties it is the dealer who must use the correct codes and explanations to get reimburse. We had a warranty writer at one of my previous dealerships who was paid on warranty recovered commission. He made 10% of all reimbursements. He made a good living and drove a Caddy. He was an independent warranty writer and did warranty work for a number of local dealers such as JCB, John Deere, Massy Industrial and Bob Cat. The trunk of his car was loaded with files containing each manufactures codes and forms.

"Unlisted components" happen when the failure is not tied with a part that may be a the direct fault/failure. AKA if the glues is listed as the causing part then the glue would be covered but if the window was not listed as a secondary fault directly related to the glue then "Unlisted component" is registered. Not that the part does not exist but it is not a direct fault therefore not seen or covered. The window did not cause the fault, the glue did. That they fell out and were broken, lost or damaged must be noted as a related repair because of the fault. This coding is much different than a failure code.
 
I would think Marine Max in Ft. Myers who has been submitting claims for years would have figured out the "system".

I also find it interesting we have now had two policies with no approved claims.

I am glad some of you are getting claims through.

Ken
 
missnmountains said:
I would think Marine Max in Ft. Myers who has been submitting claims for years would have figured out the "system".

I also find it interesting we have now had two policies with no approved claims.

I am glad some of you are getting claims through.

Ken
Click to expand...

Sorry missmountains, I can't speak for Marine Max. Just letting you know how the system usually works. One thing you don't know is if a dealer is being audited by corporate for previous warranty infractions. I can't say they are or are not and would not point a finger at anyone. Just know how the "system" should work.

Warranty guidelines are set by strict industry standards.

Can you explain how one dealer gets warranty and another does not? You could try another dealer and see if they get any better results.
 
We had it on our 2008 260DA. Never had a problem with a claim. And we had several. From generator to canvas to water plump. All were covered.
 
Warranties on any product are basically never a "good deal". They are some of the highest money making aspects to any business that sells them.
 
Don't tell that to the guy down here who had a transmission and engine coupler fail on a 48DA.........Passport covered $12,000 for the repairs, the owner was out $120 for the haul out. Or, how about the guy with the 320DA who had a contract for its sale until the survey found a bad hot water heater and 2 leaking fuel coolers? Passport covered all but $475 in disassembly for access costs. Or, how about the 240 Sundeck owner who had $2200 worth of bad injectors replaced........(ethanol fuel).


"Warranties on any product are never a good deal" is an over-simplification of a complex subject when it comes to boats. It seems to me that the value of extended warranties depends upon factors like your tolerance for risk, the complexity of and the number of systems on your boat, your servicing dealer's ability to get claims covered.
 
Bought a 3 year warranty for $600.00 on a used van. 2 years into the warranty my trans went out. My cost was 250.00 deductable. Total out of pocket for a 4000.00 trans was 850.00. I'm happy with what I got. I know most buy warranties and never use them. That's how they stay in business isn't it?

Kind a like the folks who return from Vegas. Everyone I talk to says they won so I ask them "how do they keep the lights on out there if everyone is a winner?"
 
fwebster said:
It is funny to me that some dealers can get almost everything covered while others have no success. The warranty company is critical and demands proof, but if the dealer knows how to work within the system, things get covered. The only thing our dealer has had refused this year has been the labor to disassemble the exhaust system so a failed water heater could be removed from an '08 320DA. Passport paid for the water heater, the labor to remove and replace it, but not the added labor to allow access to get the old one out and the new one in.

I think the problem here isn't that the Brunswick Passport warranty is bad, but that coverage is at best random and seems totally dependent upon what dealer you use.
Click to expand...


Here's a reply from a Marinemax dealer today about the Passport warranties. Goes right along with what Frank and OldSkool are saying. Whats disturbing is the admission that they're just "recently" working with advisors and they're "getting better" which implies to me several customers have had claims denied due to nothing more than poor training and/or paperwork.

" I happen to make the store’s bank deposit every day. Brunswick warranties really do pay for repairs. I made a copy of these 3 checks that I processed last week. They were all issued on the same day. I’ve got one on my desk for another customer for over $1200 that I have to take to the bank today. These checks come in to our office every single day from Brunswick Product Protection to pay claims on repairs we made on customer boats.

The comments indicate that the customer does not know the warranty that he has. In fact, I suspect that it was transferred to him when he bought the boat used and he did not in fact buy the warranty. Brunswick warranties are for mechanical items. They do not cover cosmetic items. I make sure that my customers understand this when they buy the warranty. Maybe he was misled.

I think it is important to know what you are buying. I’ve seen $15,000 transmissions paid for by warranty. It is a form of insurance. If you have a major problem, you are very happy to have the warranty. If you never have a major problem, then you wish you hadn’t bought it. There should, however be some significant piece of mind in having it and knowing you are not going to get hit with a $20,000 engine or transmission repair down the road.

Recently, I’ve been working with our service advisors to help them submit claims to Brunswick. They are getting a lot better. It is very important how a claim is submitted in order to get approval.

I hope this helps clear up any confusion."
 
So if I understand your comments, the Marine Max Employees are still in training.

I still find it very difficult to understand the following denials on our 48DA:

1. Cooler leak. Replaced cooler at my cost.
2. Both E120 and Sea Ray Navigator had issues. New screen on E120, New Motherboard and hardrive on SRN. Fixed at my cost.
3. Radar motor out. Replaced at my cost.
4. All six windows had to be replaced at my cost. Sea Ray reimbursed me.

On our 58:

1. Sliding door not assembled properly requiring reassembly with safety wire to keep bolts in place.
2. HD converter faulted. R&Red at my cost
3. Transformer on galley lights faulted. R&Red at my cost
4. Master head limit switch faulted. R&Red at my cost.

All denied claims. I paid $16,000 for the 48DA warranty. I suspect the PO paid over $20,000 on the 58.

For those of you that got claims paid I congratulate you.

Again, I cannot believe Marine Max would not know how to file a claim after all of these years.

Ken
 
Ken,
I know it's frustrating to have paid then paid again. What is Marine Max's explanation for the denials? It sounds like searay40 has some answer from them. Can you run through all you have paid with another dealer to see if they can help? I think I would be camped out on Brunswicks door step until I got an answer.
Best of luck to you as you continue to press for answers.:thumbsup:
 
It looks like it may be a combination of issues in your case Ken. None of which would sit well with me either. The warranty coverage may be different than what you were led to believe resulting in MM saying some problems are exclusions (i.e. mechanical covered but not electronics) and/or MM has filed some claims wrong resulting in Brunswick denying payment and you end up being the one getting screwed (simply because somebody doesn't know WTH they're doing). Either way I'd be pretty torqued. It sure in the h3ll shouldn't come down to MM employees having to "get the codes right" in order to be covered...thats just bullsh!t. And if I thought I was sold a warranty that was supposed to cover things that in fact haven't been, I'd be in the dealers face wanting money back or some form of consideration. If the fine print on the contract didn't go against me, I'd take it to SR and I'd be prepared to have my attorney send a letter.
 
What I find so hard to understand in this entire discussion is the difference in the way different Sea Ray dealers handle customers and warranty claims.

searay40dad explained what his Marine Max store does....i.e. handle both customers and the warranty claims with service advisors. In my experience, service advisors are usually commission paid, just over entry level, non-mechanical folks who push paper and talk on the phone.

I am at a large independently owned Sea Ray dealer on the Gulf coast. They long ago realized that warranty work would be a growing part of their revenue picture, so they have a full time warranty clerk who's full time job is getting every possible warranty claim, whether it is a Mercruiser, PassPort, Cummins, Raymarine, Yamaha, Honda, Sea Ray or another boat brand, promptly handled and paid. Only the service manager handles the customer when it comes to what will be covered and what will not. He also handles the warranty company when they balk on covering a repair. He has been a diesel mechanic, supervised a large marine engine repair shop and has been the service manager here for 15 years. Automatic no's don't work because this guy knows engines and knows boats. As a result, every customer I know who has bought the extended warranty says it has paid for itself. Warranty work is serious revenue generator for this dealer and the customers are enjoying the benefits of their approach.

This is a one-store, although a large, independent Sea Ray dealer who has placed a priority on customer service and warranty work. Marine Max has 1100 employees and 75 stores, so I am sure they have figured out what works best...........or perhaps they just think they have.
 
searay40dad said:
It sure in the h3ll shouldn't come down to MM employees having to "get the codes right" in order to be covered...thats just bullsh!t. And if I thought I was sold a warranty that was supposed to cover things that in fact haven't been, I'd be in the dealers face wanting money back or some form of consideration. If the fine print on the contract didn't go against me, I'd take it to SR and I'd be prepared to have my attorney send a letter.
Click to expand...

Ken here's some good advise. I hate sue crazy people, but in your case it seems excessive and sometimes you need to have a person that can translate for you.
 
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