My situation

Ok here is what is going on and I would like your opinion on what to do. I dont really feel like typing this but I am worn out and need help.

Bought boat got a decent deal, bought a custom Rankin cover with boat.

Had 20 hour inspection done on boat before leaving to Shasta. Outside of boat was clean inside was a disaster with greasey hand prints on interior and floor. Complained

Loved the boat and was having fun, picked up cover on the way to Shasta. When I got to Shasta I realized the paint on my boat windshield was completely gone and paint on boat was starting to rub off.

When I got back I let Active Water Sports know the situation told them boat was left dirty and about the windshiled. They had me come back and they sort of cleaned it and inspected problems. The cleaning they did didnt even include the interior and all they did was wash it and also wax it to get rub marks off from cover. Their was leaves on the floor so they did not vaccum it. I was however excited about two things, one that they said they would take care of cover and windshield and two that they offered to reclean the boat. Was a little mad that they did not send cover in or order windshield. they wanted to work on it in the fall. Still dont have it replaced and just got the cover fixed after reminding them it needed done. This took place in July. Oh almost forgot before 20 hour inspection boat vibrated I told them and they confirmed the engine was out of alignment. After I got back from Shasta I told them it still vibrated they fixed it.

Later in the summer I am out one day enjoying my day and on the way back the axle falls off. You have seen pictures and crap so I wont go into it. Anyway they have the boat and part of the time it is sitting around and they still dont fix the cover or windshield from before. So I pick the boat up with loaner trailer and they forget to swap license plate so I will be going back again which is about a 30 minute drive each way.

We take boat out and my friend hits a rock. We take boat to Active on the way out of town to use boat and they give me good deal on reconditioned prop and tell me the shaft is bent. I get my license plate.

When I get back I take boat to them for shaft and they tell me the rudder is also bent. They give me quote for $3400.00 I have the work done. They had the boat for about 3 or 4 weeks and while it is sitting around waiting for parts I tell them to fix the cover and order the window. They are like oh ya and they get the cover fixed. I am waiting for trailer which has been 6 weeks and a decal on the side which has also been 6 weeks. I am tired of not having my boat so a couple of days ago I pick it up becuase the trailer came in and I was tired of them having my boat. I will be taking it back for decal and windshield still. Well today we take it for ride to double check everything. First thing after I take the cover off I notice the interior is thrashed, (I take very good care of it including steam cleaning it). I am not suprised and also I do not have my license plate again. I am however very excited about getting my boat back and the new trailer looks nice. I convey to AWS that I am happy and excited I wish I had not done that. the inside has a black spot like someone had spray painted around their foot and their is grease all over. We are driving the boat and it vibrates like you would not believe. When I take off everything rattles. While I am cruising you can see the center pole vibrating and the whole boat is shaking. I also notice my center windshield does not line up and their is a crack in the center of my boat on the interior. The stearing wheel does not line up at all when going straight and the center sticker on the steering wheel could have been put on better by my 6 year old nephew. The padding on the trailer wheel well is coming off already. After taking the baot out of the water I notice the prop is loose. I am seriously bummed and once again my boat will be going back to the shop. I have only had the boat since July.

Here is my dilema, I am usually excited up to this point to get my boat back and also about at least getting the offer to have these services done without arguing. I am lucky to have someone at least attempt to stand behind their product. I think I have come across as to nice and even a happy customer. I am to willing to forgive or make excuses for. I would have told someone that Active Water Sports is great. I am tired of this though, the whole boating experience has become negative and I no longer feel like I even want the boat. I need to get my point across and I feel like I am going to just come across as a pain in the butt customer. Please give me advice.

Also if you are an admin could you change subject to my situation with AWS so maybe it gets a little attention from AWS.

You need to let them know how you really feel or their is no way they know their job is not done. There is no such thing as a "pain in the butt" customer, just one the company has not done a good job for. Unfortuantly some companies don't realize that without the custoemr their out of business but most in this market do.

Grant,
sorry to hear ALL the problems. Hope all will come out in your favor. Once again, dealer is as important choice as the boat. Sqeeky wheel gets the grease. Stay on them daily till it all gets done to your satisfaction. And have them give you some discounts or gear or something for the hassle. or you will post a web site. dontbuyfromaws.com. HaHaHaHaHa- good luck!

Grant, I bought my boat from AWS too. I took it in one time for the 25 hour service all the other maint. I do myself I don't see any reason to pay for something I can do myself. Never had any problem with grease on the interior and when I picked it up they even cleaned the outside. Did your cover say it could be used when trailering the boat alot dont recommend it the wind moves the cover around alot and that could wear the black of the windshield, I also bent my prop and shaft early this summer cost me about 500.00 for shaft and prop and it took only about a hour to replace it A.R.E. shafts are made in Newberg, pick mine up at the factory and saved some cash. Get a manual and do the work yourself. if you would rather have them do it go down and tell them how you feel about the service and mess they left theres no reason to feel like your a pain in the butt customer you spent alot of cash for the boat and you want it fix and the boat back as clean as you brought it in. Good Luck maybe we will see you up at Yale next summer.

Grant, You have way too much patience! This is why I work on my boat myself, I have replaced a rudder and strut myself and it's not rocket science. If they charged you $3400 for a rudder and shaft they s****ed you! The rudder is $450 and the shaft is under that and all can be installed in 3-4 hrs. I also have a rankin cover and tow with it long distance and it will scuff the gelcoat slighyly were the rail hooks are, I got some contractors wrap(oversized sulafane) and wrap a few times around the boat at rail and works great- inside stays clean and keeps your stowed stuff out of view.
Well anyway good luck and hope they get it right for you.

Alan, I would have to agree with you AWS took him bad. You can buy a rudder from skidim for 295.00, a shaft complete with coupler for 270.00, and a prop for 265.00 for a total in parts of 830.00 that leaves 2570.00 for labor and at 70@hr that gives them 36.7 hrs to fix it. Like you said it only takes 3 to 4 hrs to do it all. I would be back armed with a quote from another shop and raise h*ll at that price

Ya it was shaft rudder and prop.

Labor

R&R boat off trailer 2hr
R&R Interior 2hr
R&R Ballast tank 2hr
R&R gas tank 2hr
R&R prop 1hr
R&R shaft coupler 3.5hr
R&R rudder & rudder port 4hr
ALign Engine 1.5hr
river test 1hr

Total labor 24hrs $1,800.00

Parts

Strut $300.00
Rutter & rutter port $425.00
Shaft and coupler $320.00
10ss bolts $8.90
10ss nuts $8.90
10ss washers $4.90
1 tube silicone $16.48
3 blade OJ xmp $449.00
shop rags and misc. $15.00

Total parts $1548.18

Total cost $3348.18

Oh also they gave it back to me with the loaner trailer and the boat was not up against the trailer winch. I told them it would bounce and they siad it wouldn't well on the way home it bouced and the trailer strap came off and scratched the boat. Wee I am having fun I love boating.

Looks like they will be taking a trip to Vegas after that repair. I would get a couple of quotes from other Dealers in Portland and go back and raise h**ll they wanted 499.00 for a prop for my boat and I told them I could buy it anyplace else in town for 350.00 and they gave it to me for that. labor times are atleast twice as long as it really takes. R&R shaft and coupler should only take 1 hr at the most I did mine in 45 min. R&R prop takes about 10 min. not a hour. Go back and tell them how you feel about it. Learn to do the work on your boat yourself it's not hard and think of the money you save that you could spend on other stuff. They have been good to me at AWS and will always work with the price even on parts if I think there high. Sounds like a bad year for you but it will get better remember it comes in threes so you should be done if you want to go ride sometime e-mail me it's in my profile.

Moomba

What about them, I should call them? Or you just don't like them?

Geforce,

Get Rick Tinker involved NOW!!! If you bought your boat from this dealer, and this is how you are being treated, you need to bring Skiers Choice into the loop. Rick can be very persuasive in situations like this.

Thanks for the great advice, I am so worn out I don't even want to deal with negative boat issues anymore. But I will follow through.

I think you got hosed a little. What kind of boat dealer takes 2 hours to take a boat off and put it back on a trailer. Or for that matter
"shop rags and misc. $15.00" who charges for shop rags and what is the misc, hand cleaner for the mechanic? I would make some calls if I were you!

You know if I would have gotten it back without extreme vibration, with s straight steering wheel, a prop all the way on, and a clean interior I would have been happy with no questions about getting hosed. I would have just been happy to have my boat back and working. Not worrying about towing it over their again and having to deal with this crap. My neighbors probably wonder whos boat I am borrowing. It is never at my house.

You need to hook up with other people with boats and ride with them, so if your boat is down you can ride in someone elses. I ride with a few different people and one day we use their boat and the next day we use mine. This takes care of the gas problem too. Its not a solution to your problem, but at least you will still be on the lake having a good time.

Sorry to hear about your continued headache. Hope you are able to get all the issues resolved over the winter and start with a new perspective next spring. Sounds like you should have all the bad boat mojo used up by now and next year should be smooth sailing.

If you want to hook up and get some riding in on Lake Samm… let me know. Cliff and I have been out every weekend. It’s not too far of a drive from Vancouver… and we have the lake to ourselves again.

Observations and ?'s


3 Blade prop price 449.00??? ( Very High )

( R&R boat off trailer 2hr, R&R Interior 2hr, R&R Ballast tank 2hr, R&R gas tank 2hr )
How does the ballast and gas tanks come into play . . . 8 hours just to prep your boat for repairs that are mainly under the hull, doesnt make any sense???

Charged for siliconae and shop rags???


good luck bro!

Grant,
I don't know what to tell you, there is somthing fishie here. Some of the things that they say like the trailer taking 6 weeks I thing is true. But all the money for a prop, shaft, strut, and rudder does seem high. I guess you should talk to AWS and if that does not work let me know and I will give you the Moomba rep number. Or mybe take it to a different shop I know of several that have excellent prices along with great customer service, it is who I use for all our gelcoat repair needs along with major motor work. Again just talk with AWS they are a great group of people mybe. Well I am not going to make any excuses for them.

Who do you guys think I should talk to. I am so tired of being the nagging guy about having problems and not getting it done right. I mean even if I didnt have teh shop doing stuff wrong I would be calling AWS a lot about just the other problems. But on top of those I have had to nag about not getting a clean boat and just getting crappy service. I mean man if you knew me I am the easiest going guy and usually this wouldnt bother me but I am talking a lot of grease on the floor.

Should I talk to the owner the manager or just call Skiers Choice.

(Message edited by grantmi1 on November 03, 2003)

Have AWS give you a complete detail I mean "Boat Show" clean you boat will look great after that. If they do not ask them to pay for it to be done any you take it to any shop you would like. Again if AWS does not meet you needs you have can take the boat to any dealer you would like. There are a number of dealer who just do service only, mybe take it to one of them. Your boat is still under warranty, but check with Skiers Choice first and also talk to the new shop and just to make sure that it is under warranty.

Rick Tinker passed me on to customer service without question?

If you would like Mark Phone and Cell number just let me know he is the area rep. I will not post the numbers.

(Message edited by switch on November 03, 2003)