Disappointing experience with a new Sea Ray

MAXUM · 05-01-2020, 11:03 AM

Few interesting things to point out here.

Irrespective of the manufacturer a huge selling point is always the built in warranty that is essentially touting we make a quality product, so much so that we stand behind it 100%. Great lip service, but the question is do they when a problem arises. Like anything man made mistakes happen, whether it be a result of poor engineering or a mistake in manufacturing.

I agree 100% that the dealer here MUST serve as an advocate for you. As an individual there is only so much you can do to get and hold the manufacturer's attention. The dealer however has or should have a very tight relationship with the manufacturer and be able to get in touch with the right people at any time to ensure you, the customer, remain satisfied in rectifying the situation to YOUR satisfaction. Based on your writeup it doesn't seem as though you are being in anyway unreasonable in expectations if anything quite accommodating.

Considering this is not an inexpensive item, all the more reason that the dealer should be bending over backwards to keep you happy. That is what they are there for, to be the face of the manufacturer and frankly it should be them that is pushing this on your behalf.

I find it interesting how terrible customer service is these days across the board.

Honestly I am really surprised that SeaRay is treating you like this as they are one of the most well known brands out there and seem to not just sell boats but the entire "lifestyle". Disappointing indeed and I don't blame you one bit for never wanting another one. The thing that really stinks about this is now you are at some point stuck with a boat that you have little confidence in and I'd have a hard time selling a problem to somebody else. Bet the dealer won't, for a nice commission.

Hillcountry · 05-01-2020, 12:16 PM

Sad to hear that your dealer and manufacturer dropped the ball in many ways...

Ther was an old saying...”we’re giving you our famous OUT OF SIGHT” warranty!
Then, as soon as you leave and are “out of sight” you are forgotten.
Sound like their business practices...

TheCaptain · 05-01-2020, 01:18 PM

Sorry to hear that. I had a similar experience, but with a 2019 Sea Ray 190 SPX (also purchased new). I acknowledge it's considered an "entry level" boat but I still feel it was lacking in quality.

On delivery day, the shifter was near impossible to move back and forth. After a couple new shift cables were installed, the tach and all other gauges stopped working. Only gauge that worked was the speedometer. There were multiple snaps that pulled out from the fiberglass, as well as the screws holding the plungers to the engine hatch. After about 50 or so hours the boat wouldn't start. Service said it was a ground wire not properly secured to the engine, causing some sort of fault in the circuit.

I have to say though, the dealer offered to and was very accommodating in fixing all the issues above. There's only so much time you're willing to lose on the water while the boat is in service, and I didn't "trust" the boat anymore. The boat was traded for a Monterey this spring so we'll see how that does.

The point being that Sea Ray definitely has that brand reputation established, but they'd better be careful - word can travel fast.

TiltonBB · 05-01-2020, 03:53 PM

You have tried to be a gentleman but that didn't work. It's time to be heard.

1. Contact the highest ranked person you can get at Brunswick. Chairman of the Board? President?

2. Make complaints to the BBB, the Attorney General, and every agency you think may have some leverage to deal with Searay. Taking this long to deal with a warranty claim and a manufacturers defect borders on fraud.

3. Send a certified letter to the President of Searay, the top person at Brunswick, and their legal department. Don't ask what they will do for you tell them what you will accept. Give them 30 days to make it right.

4. Tell the dealer that they should have enough leverage with Searay to have taken care of this a long time ago. Let them know exactly what you will be doing if they do not get this resolved.

5. I would tell everyone you contact that if this ends up in court you will be issuing daily press releases about what has transpired.

You have been deprived of the pleasure and enjoyment that you should have had from a new boat. I would demand a new boat or a refund of 100% of the purchase price and any additional expenses you have incurred.

Do you think they want to get dragged into court and risk the publicity that would surround that?

You have been wronged, they need to make it 100% right. No jury that sees your pictures and hears about the engine freeze up will decide against you.

You may be able to locate an attorney that will take this on a contingency basis. On the face of it it looks like an easy win.

LakeTimes · 05-03-2020, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

You have tried to be a gentleman but that didn't work. It's time to be heard.

1. Contact the highest ranked person you can get at Brunswick. Chairman of the Board? President?

2. Make complaints to the BBB, the Attorney General, and every agency you think may have some leverage to deal with Searay. Taking this long to deal with a warranty claim and a manufacturers defect borders on fraud.

3. Send a certified letter to the President of Searay, the top person at Brunswick, and their legal department. Don't ask what they will do for you tell them what you will accept. Give them 30 days to make it right.

4. Tell the dealer that they should have enough leverage with Searay to have taken care of this a long time ago. Let them know exactly what you will be doing if they do not get this resolved.

5. I would tell everyone you contact that if this ends up in court you will be issuing daily press releases about what has transpired.

You have been deprived of the pleasure and enjoyment that you should have had from a new boat. I would demand a new boat or a refund of 100% of the purchase price and any additional expenses you have incurred.

Do you think they want to get dragged into court and risk the publicity that would surround that?

You have been wronged, they need to make it 100% right. No jury that sees your pictures and hears about the engine freeze up will decide against you.

You may be able to locate an attorney that will take this on a contingency basis. On the face of it it looks like an easy win.

Couldn't agree more with TiltonBB here!!!

Leadership of Brunswick: https://www.brunswick.com/our-company/leadership

I would be putting a full-court press on from every angle if they stopped responding to me. Brush me under the carpet and I get louder.

Searay should have stepped up here as the manufacturer without a doubt, however the Dealer should have been your biggest Champion as you bought the boat from them. That's their job, represent the boat manufacturer and represent prospective clients and current customers.

This should be exposed with every step illustrated out for all to read and learn from. Couldn't agree more with your approach to just list the facts (as you've done, however I'd also be listing out the dealer and people you're dealing with) and let people/public draw conclusions on their own.

Stay strong, keep pushing and put the full court press on (As sad as that sounds).

TiltonBB · 05-03-2020, 05:16 PM

I am not just pontificating, I have been there and made it happen.

Many years ago, I bought a major brand boat (I won't name) at the Boston Boat show and had a multitude of problems with it. Among other issues, the drive failed, a piece of a piston fell off, the ignition switch failed and I had to "hot wire" the boat to get back to shore. A dealer in Hyannis tried to charge me for a "sea trial" after fixing a warranty problem in the outdrive. I got to a point where I told the manufacturer "You name a part of this boat and I will produce a repair slip for it". Everything on the boat has broken at least once, and the dealer service has been horrendous. (And that doesn't even get to the trailer that was delivered with no brake fluid in the surge brakes)

I made a lot of noise. The chief Legal Counsel would not return my phone calls any more. The National Warranty Director and the Eastern Region Warranty representatives had stopped talking to me.

I was running out of options without using the legal system. One day, on a hunch, I telephoned and asked for the President of the company. Much to my surprise he answered the call. I spent the next 45 minutes outlining the problems and he listened.

Two days later he called, apologized, and offered me a new boat at no charge. During the conversation, I told him I had always wanted to see how boats were built. Two weeks later, he sent a corporate jet to Logan and picked me up. They took me to dinner and put me up in a motel. The following day, I was taken to tour their test facility on a local lake and they offered the opportunity to try any boat I wanted. Then the President took me on a tour of the factory followed by lunch.

I realize that is an extreme example but that is what happens with very good customer service and standing behind a product.

You shouldn't expect a response this good, but you also shouldn't be left hanging with a defective product.

upthesaukee · 05-04-2020, 07:20 AM

You can always try one of the Boston TV stations investigative reporters. Channel 4 and 25 come to mind. I would suggest ch 9, but nobody covers NH like they do 😎👎.

Dave

Descant · 05-04-2020, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by upthesaukee

You can always try one of the Boston TV stations investigative reporters. Channel 4 and 25 come to mind. I would suggest ch 9, but nobody covers NH like they do 😎👎.

Dave

Good idea. Just a request for comment may get some action.

Cal Coon · 05-04-2020, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

I am not just pontificating, I have been there and made it happen.

Many years ago, I bought a major brand boat (I won't name) at the Boston Boat show and had a multitude of problems with it. Among other issues, the drive failed, a piece of a piston fell off, the ignition switch failed and I had to "hot wire" the boat to get back to shore. A dealer in Hyannis tried to charge me for a "sea trial" after fixing a warranty problem in the outdrive. I got to a point where I told the manufacturer "You name a part of this boat and I will produce a repair slip for it". Everything on the boat has broken at least once, and the dealer service has been horrendous. (And that doesn't even get to the trailer that was delivered with no brake fluid in the surge brakes)

I made a lot of noise. The chief Legal Counsel would not return my phone calls any more. The National Warranty Director and the Eastern Region Warranty representatives had stopped talking to me.

I was running out of options without using the legal system. One day, on a hunch, I telephoned and asked for the President of the company. Much to my surprise he answered the call. I spent the next 45 minutes outlining the problems and he listened.

Two days later he called, apologized, and offered me a new boat at no charge. During the conversation, I told him I had always wanted to see how boats were built. Two weeks later, he sent a corporate jet to Logan and picked me up. They took me to dinner and put me up in a motel. The following day, I was taken to tour their test facility on a local lake and they offered the opportunity to try any boat I wanted. Then the President took me on a tour of the factory followed by lunch.

I realize that is an extreme example but that is what happens with very good customer service and standing behind a product.

You shouldn't expect a response this good, but you also shouldn't be left hanging with a defective product.

I don't understand why you hesitate to name the "brand" of the boat you refer to since the "company" went above and beyond to cater to you in the end... I would want that kind of "advertising" if I was the "President" of said company...

TiltonBB · 05-04-2020, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cal Coon

I don't understand why you hesitate to name the "brand" of the boat you refer to since the "company" went above and beyond to cater to you in the end... I would want that kind of "advertising" if I was the "President" of said company...

The President became a distant "friend" of sorts because of the problems. When we went to lunch I asked questions and pointed out things on their boats that I thought could be better, from a consumers point of view. Seven years later, while at the New Your Boat Show, I ran into him and he was still extremely friendly and personable. About 5 years after that, I ran into him at the Miami Boat Show and he was still the same guy. A real people person. He has since retired but he was a real credit to the company.

Subsequent to that boat, I bought four more of that brand of boat. While I have no knowledge of the costs of the flights and hospitality I would guess they were still ahead financially from selling me boats.

As an interesting side note when we landed in Cadillac Michigan (Big hint) I was met by the two warranty people who wouldn't talk to me two weeks before that. They took me to the motel and waited to take me out to dinner. I was thinking: How is this possible? Two weeks ago they wouldn't take my phone calls, now they are carrying my luggage!

iw8surf · 05-05-2020, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

The President became a distant "friend" of sorts because of the problems. When we went to lunch I asked questions and pointed out things on their boats that I thought could be better, from a consumers point of view. Seven years later, while at the New Your Boat Show, I ran into him and he was still extremely friendly and personable. About 5 years after that, I ran into him at the Miami Boat Show and he was still the same guy. A real people person. He has since retired but he was a real credit to the company.

Subsequent to that boat, I bought four more of that brand of boat. While I have no knowledge of the costs of the flights and hospitality I would guess they were still ahead financially from selling me boats.

As an interesting side note when we landed in Cadillac Michigan (Big hint) I was met by the two warranty people who wouldn't talk to me two weeks before that. They took me to the motel and waited to take me out to dinner. I was thinking: How is this possible? Two weeks ago they wouldn't take my phone calls, now they are carrying my luggage!

What year was this?

Cal Coon · 05-05-2020, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

The President became a distant "friend" of sorts because of the problems. When we went to lunch I asked questions and pointed out things on their boats that I thought could be better, from a consumers point of view. Seven years later, while at the New Your Boat Show, I ran into him and he was still extremely friendly and personable. About 5 years after that, I ran into him at the Miami Boat Show and he was still the same guy. A real people person. He has since retired but he was a real credit to the company.

Subsequent to that boat, I bought four more of that brand of boat. While I have no knowledge of the costs of the flights and hospitality I would guess they were still ahead financially from selling me boats.

As an interesting side note when we landed in Cadillac Michigan (Big hint) I was met by the two warranty people who wouldn't talk to me two weeks before that. They took me to the motel and waited to take me out to dinner. I was thinking: How is this possible? Two weeks ago they wouldn't take my phone calls, now they are carrying my luggage!

Still makes no sense to me as to why it's such a big secret. It makes me wonder if it's just a made up story you like to tell to impress other people... I have a brother in law just like that, (which makes me skeptical)... No big deal, I don't really care, was just curious.

TiltonBB · 05-05-2020, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cal Coon

Still makes no sense to me as to why it's such a big secret. It makes me wonder if it's just a made up story you like to tell to impress other people... I have a brother in law just like that, (which makes me skeptical)... No big deal, I don't really care, was just curious.

Well, I really don't need to make up stories to impress people. My real story is pretty good. (Since you decided that is an issue.) I have several hundred feet of waterfront, 13 boat slips, 10 residential waterfront units, and other investment properties in Gilford and Laconia too. I have ongoing business relationships with multiple local establishments in Moultonborough, Center Harbor, Meredith, Laconia, and Gilford. So be careful before you make unfounded accusations about someone you don't know. That is not a place that you should go.

So that's that, since you asked.

But if will help you to sleep better at night the company is Four Winns and the President was Rick Fulmer and Four Winns was owned by OMC at that time. Rick's secretary was Laura Gaeta. If it helps to remove doubt, OMC's Chief Legal Counsel was named Peterson. He stopped returning my calls too.

There! Hope you feel better! Maybe think about improving the tone of many posts you make on this site. A lot of them have a negative almost nasty tone to them. That is not what we are here for. Have a nice day!

Descant · 05-06-2020, 12:01 PM

@TiltonBB. You must be my landlord.

radioman · 05-01-2020, 04:00 PM

Tuck, you are a saint!! That said, you need to keep on the local dealer. Get a lawyer and get his advice, and see where it goes. Best of luck. please keep us posted.

Cal Coon · 05-01-2020, 04:47 PM

At the VERY LEAST, Sea Ray ought to give you a loaner (that is comparable to your model) FOR AS LONG AS THEY HAVE YOUR BOAT, so you have something to use while they take their time with yours, unfortunately. Then, at least, you can have a "boating season". That is BS if they are refusing to give you another loaner... If that's the case, there's another old saying: "Going postal"!!

05-01-2020, 03:53 PM	#4
TiltonBB Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Gilford, NH and Florida Posts: 3,068 Thanks: 726 Thanked 2,238 Times in 957 Posts	Step it up! You have tried to be a gentleman but that didn't work. It's time to be heard. 1. Contact the highest ranked person you can get at Brunswick. Chairman of the Board? President? 2. Make complaints to the BBB, the Attorney General, and every agency you think may have some leverage to deal with Searay. Taking this long to deal with a warranty claim and a manufacturers defect borders on fraud. 3. Send a certified letter to the President of Searay, the top person at Brunswick, and their legal department. Don't ask what they will do for you tell them what you will accept. Give them 30 days to make it right. 4. Tell the dealer that they should have enough leverage with Searay to have taken care of this a long time ago. Let them know exactly what you will be doing if they do not get this resolved. 5. I would tell everyone you contact that if this ends up in court you will be issuing daily press releases about what has transpired. You have been deprived of the pleasure and enjoyment that you should have had from a new boat. I would demand a new boat or a refund of 100% of the purchase price and any additional expenses you have incurred. Do you think they want to get dragged into court and risk the publicity that would surround that? You have been wronged, they need to make it 100% right. No jury that sees your pictures and hears about the engine freeze up will decide against you. You may be able to locate an attorney that will take this on a contingency basis. On the face of it it looks like an easy win.

05-04-2020, 07:20 AM	#7
upthesaukee Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 5,615 Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 2,483 Thanked 1,987 Times in 1,087 Posts	Investigative reporter You can always try one of the Boston TV stations investigative reporters. Channel 4 and 25 come to mind. I would suggest ch 9, but nobody covers NH like they do 😎👎. Dave __________________ I Live Here... I am always UPTHESAUKEE !!!!

05-01-2020, 04:00 PM	#15
radioman Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Gilford Posts: 217 Thanks: 6 Thanked 75 Times in 50 Posts	Sea Ray Tuck, you are a saint!! That said, you need to keep on the local dealer. Get a lawyer and get his advice, and see where it goes. Best of luck. please keep us posted.

05-01-2020, 11:03 AM	#1
MAXUM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kuna ID Posts: 2,755 Thanks: 246 Thanked 1,942 Times in 802 Posts	Few interesting things to point out here. Irrespective of the manufacturer a huge selling point is always the built in warranty that is essentially touting we make a quality product, so much so that we stand behind it 100%. Great lip service, but the question is do they when a problem arises. Like anything man made mistakes happen, whether it be a result of poor engineering or a mistake in manufacturing. I agree 100% that the dealer here MUST serve as an advocate for you. As an individual there is only so much you can do to get and hold the manufacturer's attention. The dealer however has or should have a very tight relationship with the manufacturer and be able to get in touch with the right people at any time to ensure you, the customer, remain satisfied in rectifying the situation to YOUR satisfaction. Based on your writeup it doesn't seem as though you are being in anyway unreasonable in expectations if anything quite accommodating. Considering this is not an inexpensive item, all the more reason that the dealer should be bending over backwards to keep you happy. That is what they are there for, to be the face of the manufacturer and frankly it should be them that is pushing this on your behalf. I find it interesting how terrible customer service is these days across the board. Honestly I am really surprised that SeaRay is treating you like this as they are one of the most well known brands out there and seem to not just sell boats but the entire "lifestyle". Disappointing indeed and I don't blame you one bit for never wanting another one. The thing that really stinks about this is now you are at some point stuck with a boat that you have little confidence in and I'd have a hard time selling a problem to somebody else. Bet the dealer won't, for a nice commission.

05-01-2020, 12:16 PM	#2
Hillcountry Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: In the hills Posts: 2,420 Thanks: 1,677 Thanked 786 Times in 466 Posts	Sad to hear that your dealer and manufacturer dropped the ball in many ways... Ther was an old saying...”we’re giving you our famous OUT OF SIGHT” warranty! Then, as soon as you leave and are “out of sight” you are forgotten. Sound like their business practices...

05-01-2020, 01:18 PM	#3
TheCaptain Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Sorry to hear that. I had a similar experience, but with a 2019 Sea Ray 190 SPX (also purchased new). I acknowledge it's considered an "entry level" boat but I still feel it was lacking in quality. On delivery day, the shifter was near impossible to move back and forth. After a couple new shift cables were installed, the tach and all other gauges stopped working. Only gauge that worked was the speedometer. There were multiple snaps that pulled out from the fiberglass, as well as the screws holding the plungers to the engine hatch. After about 50 or so hours the boat wouldn't start. Service said it was a ground wire not properly secured to the engine, causing some sort of fault in the circuit. I have to say though, the dealer offered to and was very accommodating in fixing all the issues above. There's only so much time you're willing to lose on the water while the boat is in service, and I didn't "trust" the boat anymore. The boat was traded for a Monterey this spring so we'll see how that does. The point being that Sea Ray definitely has that brand reputation established, but they'd better be careful - word can travel fast.

The Following User Says Thank You to TiltonBB For This Useful Post:
ushaggerb (05-02-2020)

05-03-2020, 05:16 PM	#6
TiltonBB Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Gilford, NH and Florida Posts: 3,068 Thanks: 726 Thanked 2,238 Times in 957 Posts	I am not just pontificating, I have been there and made it happen. Many years ago, I bought a major brand boat (I won't name) at the Boston Boat show and had a multitude of problems with it. Among other issues, the drive failed, a piece of a piston fell off, the ignition switch failed and I had to "hot wire" the boat to get back to shore. A dealer in Hyannis tried to charge me for a "sea trial" after fixing a warranty problem in the outdrive. I got to a point where I told the manufacturer "You name a part of this boat and I will produce a repair slip for it". Everything on the boat has broken at least once, and the dealer service has been horrendous. (And that doesn't even get to the trailer that was delivered with no brake fluid in the surge brakes) I made a lot of noise. The chief Legal Counsel would not return my phone calls any more. The National Warranty Director and the Eastern Region Warranty representatives had stopped talking to me. I was running out of options without using the legal system. One day, on a hunch, I telephoned and asked for the President of the company. Much to my surprise he answered the call. I spent the next 45 minutes outlining the problems and he listened. Two days later he called, apologized, and offered me a new boat at no charge. During the conversation, I told him I had always wanted to see how boats were built. Two weeks later, he sent a corporate jet to Logan and picked me up. They took me to dinner and put me up in a motel. The following day, I was taken to tour their test facility on a local lake and they offered the opportunity to try any boat I wanted. Then the President took me on a tour of the factory followed by lunch. I realize that is an extreme example but that is what happens with very good customer service and standing behind a product. You shouldn't expect a response this good, but you also shouldn't be left hanging with a defective product.

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to TiltonBB For This Useful Post:
ApS (05-03-2020), garysanfran (05-03-2020)

The Following User Says Thank You to upthesaukee For This Useful Post:
TheTimeTraveler (05-04-2020)

The Following User Says Thank You to TiltonBB For This Useful Post:
upthesaukee (05-04-2020)

The Following User Says Thank You to Cal Coon For This Useful Post:
Sam603 (05-05-2020)

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to TiltonBB For This Useful Post:
CubRun (06-15-2020), ursa minor (05-06-2020)

05-06-2020, 12:01 PM	#14
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,480 Thanks: 1,393 Thanked 1,667 Times in 1,086 Posts	@TiltonBB. You must be my landlord.

05-01-2020, 04:47 PM	#16
Cal Coon Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Lakes Region Posts: 475 Thanks: 179 Thanked 158 Times in 100 Posts	At the VERY LEAST, Sea Ray ought to give you a loaner (that is comparable to your model) FOR AS LONG AS THEY HAVE YOUR BOAT, so you have something to use while they take their time with yours, unfortunately. Then, at least, you can have a "boating season". That is BS if they are refusing to give you another loaner... If that's the case, there's another old saying: "Going postal"!!