ComplaintsforWater World Boats

• Initial Complaint

  07/26/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  In June 2022 I had repair and service work done to my 2018 Sunchaser pontoon boat, including replacing a damaged pontoon section and a tune-up and lower end oil change on my Yamaha 115 HP outboard motor. Spent a total of $7,291.97 for this work. Since I did not have a trailer, WW picked up the boat at Lake ****** and transported it to their shop in ******* I told the service manager that the boat was running rough and she assured me the tune-up would resolve that. When the boat was returned it was still running rough (trouble starting and sporadic acceleration). Plus, the green/starboard navigation light was not working (this was the area where the pontoon had been repaired). I called WW and told WW about these problems and they told me the issue was probably water in the fuel tank and suggested a remedy of some gas treatment (HEET). I used this treatment for 1 week and the problem did not resolve. I then took the boat to a local (Lake ****** area) marina (****** ****** Marine), told them about the problems and asked them to take a look at my boat. They discover that the wires for the navigation light had not been properly reconnected after the pontoon work was done and that the spark plugs were fouled. Since I had paid for a tune-up and the WW invoice said they had installed new spark plugs this didn't seem right. The ****** ****** mechanic also found that the 2 lower end plugs/screws were loose and one was on the verge of falling out. So, whoever at WW who did that work was lax in reinstalling the screws/plugs. I contacted WW again (the owner, manager and service dept manager) and told them about the issues and the cost for me to have these issues fixed. I requested reimbursement for the $454 that I had to spend at ****** ****** to have the mistakes of WW fixed. The owner (Mr. ************ had sent me a long response to a review I had posted and he admitted that some of my review complaints were legitimate. But, they have not offered to reimburse me.

  Business response

  08/09/2022

  I have been out of town for a number of days and just returned.  There are multiple flaws in ******'s viewpoint and before leaving town I was trying to research them.  After seeing his post a ridiculous negative review on ******, I wrote him and asked for him to provide a convenient time to discuss it further by phone.  He did not respond except with another acerbic email asking for reimbursement of his new tune up expenses.  At that point, I called the marina where his alleged remedial work was being done but he was actually there at the time and they asked if they could call back . They have not yet done so and I have been out of town.   He believes that routine maintenance will solve other underlying problems which is not correct.  He was not reassured that routine maintenance would fix his problems, we were all hoping it would.  When we returned the boat, he rode it around a few minutes and gave us the thumbs up.  Any problems that came up later could certainly  not have been seen by us in the course of routine service without the request for an extended water test.  Further, this other marina has replaced the same fouling spark plugs we just replaced, so he likely still has an underlying problem that is likely to recur.  I have not given up on helping him get to the route of his problem but he is certainly not facilitating the effort.  Despite his unappreciative and accusatory attitude, we are continuing the effort to help him...

  Customer response

  08/09/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the owner’s response is factually incorrect. In fact, the day he emailed his acerbic and offensive response i emailed him back within an hour and told him he could call me to discuss the matter at his convenience. He did nothing! I copied both his service department and his service manager on my response so I’m sure he knows that i did in fact respond that day. Since the boat has been serviced by ****** ****** it has been running like brand new so the “underlying problems” with my boat appear to be that Water World either never installed new spark plugs or installed defective plugs. Also, he cannot refute that the nav light wire was not reconnected properly. I spent over $7000 on repairs and servicing and his staff caused me to spend $454 fixing his defective work. What kind of an ethical business doesn’t admit when it makes a mistake and corrects it to the customers satisfaction. And, the owner knows that the terrible review i posted was entirely based on fact. Yes, it was sarcastic but at that point it was deserved because of the inadequate responses i had received. And, i do not need lectured on the intricacies of how to properly handle insurance claims.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ******

   

  More info from the consumer:
  Yes, please close my case. They have offered me a settlement. 
  If it’s not paid within the next 10 days 
  I’ll reinstate my complaint.
  
  

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