Someone at MM Might get fired!

[Morpheus]

...but testing of the pumps should be something they do in my opinion but again maybe they did and it worked when they tested it.

If you "think" it's something they should do, you should ask them to make sure they do it, or ask them for a line item list of what they do. I don't know of anyone that will do a multi point "check" of everything like that, especially for a 20 hr service. But I'd agree checking what Merc. says should be done at any service interval then discussing it with MM (because I doubt many actually follow the Merc. manual to the letter)

I learned when I first bought mine and had a 100 hour service done. I've never had MM touch mine again, but the visit there for that service (which took 2 visits) is what started me on the path to the current state of the boat... :wink: Live and learn.

Yes I've discovered that with the recent posts of the manuals for my engine and outdrive. MM isn't even close to what Mercury recommends as far as maint.

I did ask for a line item list and got one. It was blank and has items on it that didn't apply to my boat. I asked which of these items were done and they said all of them, then I pointed out that I don't have desiel engines and they were like oh well that wasn't done then. This is the service advisor not the person that worked on the boat. AS if he knows what the service person really did or didn't do.

Yea I'm new to boating but some things seem like common sense. I purchased the boat and trailer together from MM.

When you take your car in for an oil change they look it over put air in the tires top off the fluids make sure nothing is out of line.

A boat has a v8 car engine in it with some extra items for a boat like seawater pump.

When I take my boat and trailer to MM for a 20hr service I expect more then them changing the oil and that's it especially at $160. Changing the oil on my boat is alot easier then on my car.

I actually had to tell them to check the air in the tires they looked low when I picked it up. I then asked don't you check the trailer tires breaks etc I bought it here why do you not maintain it. He gave me a blank stare and no answer.

It's almost as they do as little as possible so that something DOES break causing more damange to get more money out of you.

 

[comsnark]

Oh. . .I think $160 is about standard for a marine oil change. I have been quoted higher.

If you think it is easier to do than doing it in your car. . .then you should do it yourself.

I concur regarding the itemized list of work performed: You can be assured that if it ain't on the list. .it ain't being done. Even if it is on the list. . .I would ask questions.

Your expectation that MM will be doing "hands off" boating care such that you, as the owner, will be totally uninvolved with maintenance, is a bit unrealistic.

 

[Morpheus]

Oh. . .I think $160 is about standard for a marine oil change. I have been quoted higher.

If you think it is easier to do than doing it in your car. . .then you should do it yourself.

I concur regarding the itemized list of work performed: You can be assured that if it ain't on the list. .it ain't being done. Even if it is on the list. . .I would ask questions.

Your expectation that MM will be doing "hands off" boating care such that you, as the owner, will be totally uninvolved with maintenance, is a bit unrealistic.

I do plan to learn to do some of the stuff myself but when I take it into be serviced I kind of expect that when I get the boat home it's not going to break the first time I start it up.

Anyways that was just the begging of my weekend, the end of the weekend the strap came apart where it's sown to itself after it's looped through the boat hook. Glad the boat was already on the trailer all but an 1-2 inches from the roller at the winch or there would be serious problems. Thinkin that might be a good thing to have a spare of.

 

[Hampton]

There is no way they do all that Cr&^. When my 250 was a little over a year old, they told me I had a huge bill coming due to not bringing my boat in the previous fall for annual service. The spline was shot from lack of lube.

I asked if they were sure. They were sure, so I brought my receipt in from the service from 6 months prior, and watched the back-pedalling begin. They had charged $600 for the annual service and not greased the spline - priceless. I bet they didn't pull the stern drive either.

 

[comsnark]

So. . .how did that turn out?

Did they try to blame the failure on something else? "Oh, the spline was greased: You must have had a leak, leading to xyz damage".

Who ended up paying the big bill?

 

[cr0ck1]

DAMMMMMMMMMMMM morpheus.. im off the forums for a month in the hospital, come back and your boat STILL IS MESSED UP!!!! DAMMMMMMM.. i think we might need to go to mm and pimp slap someone..!!!

WHATS UP!! lol

 

[ameno]

I do plan to learn to do some of the stuff myself but when I take it into be serviced I kind of expect that when I get the boat home it's not going to break the first time I start it up.

Anyways that was just the begging of my weekend, the end of the weekend the strap came apart where it's sown to itself after it's looped through the boat hook. Glad the boat was already on the trailer all but an 1-2 inches from the roller at the winch or there would be serious problems. Thinkin that might be a good thing to have a spare of.

Had the same problem with mine, the strap broke on the way home from picking up the boat when I bought it, I know something was up but had no where to pull over for about four miles, when I finally checked on it the boat had slid back about three inches, I told them if the straps were not any better then that I didn't want a new one but they put one on anyway, so now I have an extra tie in the front plus ties in the back, I don't trust these sewn together starps anymore.

 

[Morpheus]

Had the same problem with mine, the strap broke on the way home from picking up the boat when I bought it, I know something was up but had no where to pull over for about four miles, when I finally checked on it the boat had slid back about three inches, I told them if the straps were not any better then that I didn't want a new one but they put one on anyway, so now I have an extra tie in the front plus ties in the back, I don't trust these sewn together starps anymore.

Couple of things, you should have a safty chain at the front along with the strap to keep the boat from coming all the way off.

Also I just ordered (it came today) a 10,000 lb strap from Bass Pro with 3 day shipping (they shipped it 2day) was $30.

 

[Searay Jim]

And you did have transom straps on it right? A safety cable/chain is a must, but transom straps are a musterer. :grin:

Someone posted a while back that a dealer told a new buyer they didn't need them because the boat was heavy enough. Only comment that could apply is that moron needs to be asking if you want fries with that effective immediately. :smt021 :grin:

 

[Hampton]

So. . .how did that turn out?

Did they try to blame the failure on something else? "Oh, the spline was greased: You must have had a leak, leading to xyz damage".

Who ended up paying the big bill?

Sorry about the late reply. The dealer got mercruiser to pay the bill, if I remember correctly. I had to pay part due to the extra maintenance required to pull the back seat. They had to do that to pull the engine. I wouldn't pay that today, but this was almost 10 years ago. Live and learn.