ComplaintsforEric's Outboard Marine Service

• Initial Complaint

  08/11/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I bought a new ****** Model 300F300XA Serial ***********************/19/2019 at ***************** Boats with an extended warranty YES that expires on 06/25/2024.I complied with maintenance and lubrication requirements specified under warranty at Erics Outboard Marine Services my records available there.I was at the sea when started a loud noise I have a video for that. I took to the mentioned place to do the claim for ************ Unit To be replace he asked for $800.00 even before filing a claim. After a month ***** notified me that the claim was denial without any explanation or proof of the claim and the denial ***** refused to provide stated that is I want those papers hired a lawyer to ask for.I also have a timing belt job there that does not cover the warranty that cost $550.00 I know that and has no problem to pay for, but due to the situation I want to wait until I know why the claim is denied and see the claim information. The reason for that is the bad attitude and how I mistreated this person I really do not know is the claim was filed and why he is charging me $850.00 for is not job has been performed. I have felt discriminated against by this person. I do not know is because I am Hispanic, and he believe he has the right to treat me so bad. At his point I have doubt is claiming been filing and money receive without doing a job for me and other clients, Is the owner of warranty at the place have all my record is not allow to information and customers be treated like this.I have lived in this wonderful country for ****************************************************************************** this way.I tried to contact ****** directly and waited but no one contacted me as they said.What is the reason to have warranty is not cover a malfunction? I was unable to use my boat during the summer, that we enjoyed as a family, especially with my kids.Documents attached.I respectfully request your help to resolve this situation in and prompt manner.

  Business response

  08/22/2023

  Good afternoon.

  We just received the notice of complaint in the mail yesterday afternoon.  As today is the 10th day in order to respond, we wanted to advise you we plan on responding to the complaint.  We just need a little time in order to put all our information together.

  Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions.

  *************************

  Administrative Assistant

  Eric's Outboard Marine Service, Inc.

  ************

  *****************************************************************

  Business response

  08/30/2023

  BBB
  ******************, a first-time service customer, brought his ****** ********************** to our ****** factory authorized repair facility for diagnosis and repair of a lower unit issue. Initially, we were unable to remove the lower unit as the driveshaft was stuck in the powerhead (crankcase). The engine registered **** hours of use and we asked ****************** who had been servicing it prior to his bringing it into our facility. ****************** stated he has been doing his own service. When asked when the last time the lower unit was removed for maintenance; to replace the water pump impeller and clean and lubricate the driveshaft, his reply was that he has never removed the lower unit. We explained that ****** recommends service every 100 hours of operation and due to this lack of maintenance, the driveshaft was corroded in the crankshaft and would require extra labor and possibly parts, in order to remove the lower unit for inspection. We estimated that if the driveshaft needed to be cut for removal of the lower unit, the additional cost could be as high as $****** and this would not be covered by ******s warranty. ****************** agreed and asked us to proceed. We removed the lower unit, disassembled it and sent pictures and documentation to ****** for warranty authorization. The additional labor to remove the corroded lower unit amounted to only ******, well under the ****** estimate initially approved. Erics Outboard responsibility, as a decades long authorized ****** repair facility, is to provide the manufacturer with accurate, specific and honest data on our warranty requests. It is not our job to judge the merit of the request itself, that is the manufacturers role. One of the measurements we talk about is prop shaft runout.  The maximum allowed runout is .02mm.  ******************** prop shaft runout was .10mm, five times the specification. This means that the prop shaft was bent which caused the failure.  The pictures we took clearly shows missing paint and damage to the lower unit, indicating it had been grounded (hit bottom). ****** reviewed the warranty request and responded with prop shaft is out with spec; it is bent There are also impact marks on the lower unit. There is no warranty defect.  Upon getting the news, ****************** showed up at our dealership extremely upset, with his wife and son, demanding to speak with someone. He met in our Service *************** and our service manager attempted to explain ******s decision to reject the warranty request based on damage to his lower unit, which is clearly stated in ******s warranty documentation when he purchased his engine. ****************** became irate accusing our dealership, in a very loud voice, over and over, of us giving ****** a bad report. While we can empathize with a customers disappointment in a situation like this. We have never encountered the level of anger ****************** displayed.Our employees were truly concerned for their safety and it was discussed whether we should call the police. Getting upset is one thing but accusing our dealership of discrimination is something entirely different. We showed ***************** and his family, on our computer, the information we received from ****** and offered to remove and additional charges for removing the lower unit,as a gesture of goodwill on our part, since this did not turn out the way he had hoped. ****************** had also approved an additional repair, totally unrelated to his lower unit, removal and replacement of a timing belt on the engine. We asked that he only pay for this approved repair and ****************** stated that he was not paying anything until he spoke to his attorney and demanded copies of everything.  We told him that if he was hiring a lawyer and refusing to pay for the timing belt replacement he approved, we would not provide him anything else. After ***************** and his family left, it was determined by management that we do not care to do business with him in the future and do not want him on our premises.  It is unfortunate that we had to make this decision but the safety and security of our employees is a top priority.   

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