JCPERF

I still dont get it with some of these engine builders.I stand behind my stuff to the end.If there is any issue, I take care of it.Even if I am not responsible, I still do right by the customer.Making the customer happy is #1.Word of mouth and reputation is king.It is eay to pass the buck and point fingers to get out of a situation but in the end the customer is not happy.Good luck in the future.

Audiofn

Nice!!!!

Anarchy Powerboats

Good job Dean, I expect to have the same results in my suit againt Kachina within the next 8 months. Depositions begin in a few weeks and we are preparred to go all the way with these clowns. People willing to stand up to the marine industry con-artists are few and far between, for that I salute you.

Cam-shaft

Good work on your lawsuit. However, not trying to burst your bubble, hopefully you realize the money you saved on those motors was probably made up in attorney cost. Therefore, why even buy an engine from a company such as that. This is a constant problem in the marine industry.
Thanks, Cam-shaft.

cig1988

Great news Dean and sure your not the only one that had this problem.

Young Performance

Dean,
Glad to hear that you prevailed. Several years ago I used these guys for repowers in stock boats that had motors that froze, filled with water from reversion, etc. The only thing that I bought were I-4's, V-6's and stock small blocks like a 305 or 260 hp - 350. One of my customers heard about them and ordered a pair of motors to replace his broken 340 MIE's in about a '82 Formula cruiser. He had them shipped to me and I installed his accessories and did the install. After only 2 hours, one broke. The head surface was so untrue that the head gasket would not seal and leaked water in the cylinders. I contacted them and told them the problem and he told me to pull the head and have it fixed. Instead of replacing the head, he had me cut .020 from the head and use a shim to correct the head gasket thickness issue. I would have never done it that way. Surprisingly, it worked and everything was fine until I tried to get paid. It took several months and he wanted me to take half of what the bill was. He evevtually paid, but probably only because I had bought almost 15 motors from them. I never bought another one.
Bottom line... if you are going to have a warranty, stand behind it 100%. It may or may not be your fault as an engine builder, but that just comes with the territory.
Every engine builder runs the risk with every motor that it may have a parts failure beyond their control. It's a chance you take and must be willing to deal with it. If the parts are made by humans, they can break. Thats why you use the best parts you can. Fix it and keep your customer happy, because without them, you don't have a business.
If a builder doesn't have a warranty, you shouldn't buy anything from them anyway. If that builder doesn't have enough faith in his stuff to stand behind it, then why should a complete stranger. There are to many of us that have warranties to bu from one that doesn't.
Eddie

dean51267

Agreed, I thouyght I did my homework and was buying something new from GM, but at some level you have to trust people will do as they promise, and will continue to do what they have in the past. All said and done I did lose money on this, and a fair amount of it, but I have spent more and gotten less satisfaction in other places, so I am okay.

That said, had I heard this story from someone else I would have just avoided them all together. Maybe this will help the next boater do so.

Biggus

I've bought a few motors from them over the years and always had good luck but I never had to use the warranty.

I'm curious on the GM Powertrain claim. About 10 years ago I bought a pair of 454 HO long blocks from them. If GM does not claim to have anything to do with them, where do the motors come from? Mine were brand new, not recons Are they assembled by some unknown from new components?

29scarab

Congrats Dean!!

dean51267

I can't tell you, and wish I knew, however if there is a warranty claim it will be between you and John at Marine Engines, and he will do everything in his power to say it was your, or your installers fault.

I kept using the "you did not build them, I did not install them, so neither of us screwed the other, someone just made a mistake, they need to know so they can fix it, we both have other parties to look at, someone just made a mistake but responsible people want to fix their mistakes, no one walks on water, let's just figure out the facts and go from there, all you and I have to do here is cooperate, you only sold the motor, I only wrote checks, I can deal with the company direct if needed, just call the company rep, let the company rep defend this so you don't have to" all that politically correct crap, and all it got me was cussed and screamed at. Finally he did admit the motors do not come from GM, that they caried no warranty, and he would have to warranty them himself. I tried long and hard to find out where they came from, he kept giving me different names so I would call the places looking for a rep, but all of the places he said they came from said they had no business relationship with him, and had no idea what I was talking about.

When it was all over my attorney said "tell us where the motors came from, or pay the warranty claim yourself", he paid it himself, but only after I shoved it down his throat with the Visa claim, the pending court action, and a little help from a few other friends. After it was apparent I could get no where playing straight I did play dirty here and there, all legal and all, but there are ways to play dirty and create very difficult situations for others if you have to.

So, that said, there is no warranty, unless you go through what I did, and it cost a hell of a lot more to do that than just shop elsewhere.