Disappointing experience with a new Sea Ray

[Tuckntruck]

Posting an update at the end.

[thinkxingu]

I think I'd see a lawyer about doing something about that. I'd also call the BBB and light them up everywhere on social media while going to the very, very top of the company. Good luck.

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[SAB1]

I’m shocked you have been as patient as you have been. I would contacted the the BBB and NH atty general long ago. From what you describe I would say your Marina has done a poor job for you as well. If you want to try to salvage the the summer I’d hire a lawyer now.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Tuckntruck

As much as I enjoy the idea of a vindictive law suit, in reality the time and money I’d invest vs. just walking away isn’t worth it.

If I don’t see my boat up here in the next week, I’ll probably pay the lawyers a socially distant visit. I’ve spoken to the president, just feels like lip service. In reality I just want out from Sea Ray. Don’t want a new 270, or 310. I’d love to order a 328ss or chap, but can’t really do that until I know what’s actually happening with the current boat.

When we bought originally it was a split between the large functional space for us + a ton of kids, and the Brand reputation/ warranty. Maybe other will have better luck, hopefully if people are looking at a new Ray- maybe it’s a bit of a heads up if they see this post. Hopefully they at least ask questions before throwing down 6 figures.

It's not about being vindictive, it's about holding the company responsible/getting results. I agree with above on the NH AG and consumer protection bureau as well.

At this point, a check to walk away or new boat would be the only acceptable options. Why not just keep the loaner? What has your dealer done?

I'd have snapped long before this over a rowboat, never mind a six-figure vessel.

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[TiltonBB]

Sent you a PM

[VitaBene]

HI Tuck, sorry to hear about your hassles and hope they get it solved so you can enjoy when the time comes! Great pics (not the hull shots)!

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Tuckntruck

Loaner was sold after the end of last season, and we didn’t like the colors/options. I have filed a complaint with the AG. This whole thing is far from over I’m sure. Point of this post was just to share my experiences, give a heads up to people who may be considering the brand/ model.

I’m intentionally trying not to convey how pissed off I am, because I don’t want this to sound like I am intentionally trying to harm their business. I am simply sharing my experience with the brand in a manner which I can support with e-mail and communications if the need arises.

Understood. Sorry you've had to deal with this, and best of luck. Oh, and welcome to the forum!

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[8gv]

While I suppose the remedy Sea Ray chose might have met the requirements of their warranty, a different issue arose when they were negligent while the boat was in their custody.

At that point the right thing to do was to offer to replace the boat with a new one and deal with yours as necessary.

It may or may not have been reasonable to require some additional funds for the "trade up" but in that case your boat should have been values as undamaged.

Then Sea Ray would have turned a bad situation into a good one.

While the whole virus thing is not their fault, everything else is.

Get a lawyer.

[camp guy]

The ball is squarely in the selling dealer's court, 100%, and it is deeper into his court because of his failure to 'secure' your boat during the winter. I agree with the other posters, get a lawyer, but, also, I agree to light up social media with this story divulging both the name of the boat (Sea Ray) and the name of the selling dealer. Let'm squirm a little. It is all their fault. In the recreational marine trades it is all about reputation, and so far I'd say the dealer is doing a poor job. People need to know with whom they are dealing.

[SAB1]

Originally Posted by camp guy

The ball is squarely in the selling dealer's court, 100%, and it is deeper into his court because of his failure to 'secure' your boat during the winter. I agree with the other posters, get a lawyer, but, also, I agree to light up social media with this story divulging both the name of the boat (Sea Ray) and the name of the selling dealer. Let'm squirm a little. It is all their fault. In the recreational marine trades it is all about reputation, and so far I'd say the dealer is doing a poor job. People need to know with whom they are dealing.

I agree with camp guy. Your marina should have put you in a new boat and dealt with the issues themselves.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Tuckntruck

I agree, want to make it clear however - Sea Ray had my boat over the winter, they were the ones who neglected to winterize it, not the marina. The boat never came back up here.

It should never have gone to Sea-Ray with you as the owner—once the dealer screwed up the inspection (or lack thereof, equally negligent), they should have taken the boat back and dealt with Sea-Ray on their own with you as a happy new—properly remedied—vessel owner.

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[sunsationdave]

Hello Tuckntruck

I went trough this in 2013 on a 2012 28 ft bowrider new left over boat
I will keep brand a secret due to agreement
I had a leaking hull all of 2013 boat went back to factory to have a new hull put on bottom only they split the the hull it took allot of my time to get it to go back to the factory told them i was getting lawyer and they the agreed to repair it a factory so come spring 2014 I got the boat back
dealer was putting it in the water they called me right away
the same problem leaking hull boy i was pissed
I emailed head of sales/ ceo and called them
I gave them 3 month to send me a new boat or they will not be building boats for a long time for building bad boats
it worked i never spent a dime on a lawyer maybe i got lucky
they agreed to have dealer temporary fix my boat and agreed to let me use my old boat while they where building me a new 2014
they sent me a certified mail with this agreement i had to sigh
I had to drop all action against them and not bash them on the internet
u did that all ready so that might change things for you
at no cost to me i got that new boat 2014 in July of 2014
before u pay for a lawyer try to get emails for big people at factory i did this with only a few emails to CEO/ sales rep for my area
i told them i will contact all boating associations/ agencies that regulate boat building codes . they had a old hull mold they where using
overall i got a 2 year newer boat and came out of it happy
they finally stand by their product
its not fun i have owned 12 boats in the last 20 years this was first for me
good luck
Dave

[MAXUM]

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]

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]

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]

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.

[radioman]

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]

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"!!

[gilfordboater]

Well that freakin' sucks. No two ways about it. Good luck.

[Descant]

An attorney to help with negotiations sounds good. I would be cautious about suing. It sounds like a good case, but the time delays can be horrendous. In the meantime, you're out $100,000 and you have no boat. Could be years.
If there is a lemon law for boats like there is for cars, that might be a bonus.

In 2017-18, Brunswick was trying to sell SeaRay. They announced in June 2018 that SeaRay was no longer for sale. I wonder if, in that time frame, there were personnel changes that set the stage for some of the lack of response that we're seeing here?

[tis]

Originally Posted by Descant

An attorney to help with negotiations sounds good. I would be cautious about suing. It sounds like a good case, but the time delays can be horrendous. In the meantime, you're out $100,000 and you have no boat. Could be years.
If there is a lemon law for boats like there is for cars, that might be a bonus.

In 2017-18, Brunswick was trying to sell SeaRay. They announced in June 2018 that SeaRay was no longer for sale. I wonder if, in that time frame, there were personnel changes that set the stage for some of the lack of response that we're seeing here?

I was also wondering if the sale situation had anything to do with this lack of response. What a terrible situation.

[JEEPONLY]

Originally Posted by Tuckntruck

I’m not really interested in a lawsuit. In reality I just want them to take the boat back so I can move on and forget this mistake. Given that they won’t, looks like I’ll simply be selling the boat once it gets here, take the loss and never deal with sea ray again.

They already know they’ve lost my future business. I’ll just make sure to share my story with anybody I hear thinking about a sea ray. Give them a cautionary tale I guess.

I sold boats, in the Lakes Region, for eight years. There were a few times when I was amazed at the lengths/seemingly expense manufacturers would go to, to NOT replace boats that were totally f'd up.

We had a customer (mid-50s) with kids finally out of the house. He drove a tracker-trailer across country and his wife was one of the nicest people you ever could meet. They bought their "dream boat"! No, I wasn't involved in the sale.

After two years of wrestling, they got a minimal buyback ( from a very high- profile name manufacturer), and never looked back.

I bumped in to the wife, about ten years later. I recognized her right away, and she recognized me. Life does have some grace! We hugged! Her husband had passed away, and she still lamented about the abuse they suffered at the hands of the business.

Again, glad you've made peace wit this- you are, by far, better off doing this!

[garysanfran]

When they were taken over by a company that makes bowling balls.

[Descant]

Originally Posted by garysanfran

When they were taken over by a company that makes bowling balls.

Google "Today, Brunswick Corporation is best known for its boating-lifestyle brands such as Mercury Marine, Sea Ray, Bayliner, Crestliner, Harris Boats, and Boston Whaler."

[garysanfran]

Well, I've always thought the Boston Whaler was a good boat...The others?

[LakeTimes]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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?

[Biggd]

You want to get your story on TV. Contact one of the TV stations that investige consumer issues. If it gets on TV news you will get results.

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[Cal Coon]

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]

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]

@TiltonBB. You must be my landlord.

[thinkxingu]

They sent this back to your dealer, right? What did they say? I gotta think there's some outrage on the dealer's behalf—I know I'd be livid if my customer's boat came back like that.

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[Biggd]

Unacceptable!

[Winilyme]

Tuck...in additional to all the other actions you are taking, the least of which is that you aren't giving up...you need to leverage social media. Companies, Sea Ray is probably no different, hire people to monitor these channels as they HATE the fast spreading negative publicity that can result from the use of them. Keep your narrative as concise and non-emotional as possible. Tell your story factually and articulate the non-action (or poorly executed action) by Sea Ray that you've been subjected to. Include photos when you can.
Lastly, insist that Sea Ray make you whole. I also like the suggestion above about engaging the consumer arm of a local TV station. Have you looked into that?

Above all, don't give up. Sea Ray wants you to go away quietly and unfortunately, you need to do the hard work to show that you won't. Flood social media with your story but don't come across as a Debbie Downer as people will sour on that quickly (by the way, you have not been coming across that way on this forum).

You need other tools fighting on your behalf. Your relationship with Sea Ray has tanked so, minus other pressures, they have given up on preserving that. You need to make it clear that they now need to focus on retaining their 'good' name with other folks that will be hearing your story. The AG, a good lawyer and broadening your use of social media are the right next steps. Good luck and please keep us updated.

[8gv]

My view is that there is no relationship with Sea Ray.

There is only a relationship with the dealer.

Did the dealer inspect the boat for the original issue? Apparently they did not.

After getting the boat back from its latest "spa visit" did the dealer inspect it before handing it back to the customer? Apparently they did not.

It would be best if the dealer had stepped up earlier but at this point a new replacement boat is in order.

[Susie Cougar]

Years ago, on Route 1 in Delaware, there was a car dealership who sold a customer a lemon. I think it was a Mercedes.

Apparently, after having no luck getting any type of resolution, he decided that he would protest in front of the dealership. He did this for at least a couple of years, I think. Everyone that was going to the beach would honk and wave at him. I think the only thing that happened is the dealership got more customers.
I’m so sorry you have to be going through this. It seems like there should be a solution.

[BroadHopper]

One of the best boats I had, it was built before Brunswick took over. My opinion, all Brunswick boats reminds me of Bayliner quality.

As Dr Pilliod use to shout 'Sea Rays belong in the seas"!

[Taz]

I had a similar experience with another manufacturer. Boat had to be returned to the manufacturer in Florida as the non-skid floor was delaminating mostly on the swim platform. The boat was returned in worse condition than when it left minus the delamination. TV needed replacement, every cushion in the cockpit needed replacement, stereo jack for IPOD did not work, pop up cleat mid port leaked when it rained. There is still leaking into the aft cabin on occasion and bilge where it shouldn't when it rains I think from not being sealed properly between top deck and hull as entire top deck needed replacement. There is much more but too much to list. The one difference between your case and mine is that the manufacturer stepped up and fix a majority of the issues and were very responsive.

As far as the dealer. Mostly, they were responsive but there were some issues that they did not/would not get involved in and I had to go directly to manufacturer to remedy and no one should have to do that. The dealer should.
That stinks you are dealing with this.

[tis]

We toured the Sea Ray factory at Merritt Island. That was when Sea Ray was Sea Ray. Apparently it isn't now since Merritt Island closed.

[thinkxingu]

It's only been a little over a week, but any updates?

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[Cal Coon]

I would think that if the owner of the marina where you bought your boat had any integrity at all, he would be so embarrassed and ashamed of Sea Ray for the way they have treated you, that he would be doing everything in his power to assist in correcting all the wrongs that have been done to your boat even if it means taking a loss to resolve your problem(s) so that at the very least he can salvage his own reputation. How many times can he allow Sea Ray to treat his customer's like this and he not stand behind his sales??? If I were him, and Sea Ray was treating my customer's like this, I would tell Sea Ray to come get their boats off my property!!

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Cal Coon

I would think that if the owner of the marina where you bought your boat had any integrity at all, he would be so embarrassed and ashamed of Sea Ray for the way they have treated you, that he would be doing everything in his power to assist in correcting all the wrongs that have been done to your boat even if it means taking a loss to resolve your problem(s) so that at the very least he can salvage his own reputation. How many times can he allow Sea Ray to treat his customer's like this and he not stand behind his sales??? If I were him, and Sea Ray was treating my customer's like this, I would tell Sea Ray to come get their boats off my property!!

Absolutely—I would've taken the boat back long ago and dealt with Sea Ray to get it fixed and then sold it when I was confident it was good. That's Business 101 though, according to a friend who works in customer service for an American auto maker, "everything's a spreadsheet with an acceptable level of error."

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[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Tuckntruck

None what so ever. I refused the boat back when I tossed the update up- haven’t received a call back from the marina or Sea Ray.

Sea Ray failed to respond to the NH A.G, and I’ve retained a lawyer, they would have received the demand letter on Friday so I expect to hear something next week, otherwise it’s off to belknap superior court.

It sucks because the weather has been perfect for getting some boating in, and “my” boat is sitting in the water, however I won’t touch it. The repairs I can see are concerning, however I’m more concerned about what I can’t see. I have zero faith in the boat, and honestly, zero faith in the brand. They have literally broke. Almost every part of the boat. (Hull,motor,electronics,drains, furnishings, etc)

I'm sorry to hear things haven't moved forward. I don't recall you mentioning the dealer—I'm not sure how many there even are around here—but do you think they've honestly done everything they could?

BTW, and not to throw this thread off-topic, but there seems to have been some problems with the new Sea-Doo 170 engines (one of which is in my new ski). I've had zero problems, but two guys on a Sea-Doo forum I'm on have—blown up within 10 minutes. One dealer replaced the ski; another dealer is pulling the engine and sending it to Sea-Doo, who will examine/fix OR return a new one. The former happened the same day, and the guy's got ~10 hours on a new machine; the latter will be out of a machine for at least 6 weeks.

I'm glad you're seeking legal action, but it blows to have to AND miss some good boating.

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[garysanfran]

That buying a new boat is not a good idea. Buying a slightly used boat (with a documented history) is the way to assure these issues are not present.

[garysanfran]

Originally Posted by Tuckntruck

I don’t know? I’m not sure how I imagine that this won’t end up getting their name dirty. If we end up in court, then part of our plan is to make every aspect of this, and the fact that we had to take them to court to gain remedy as public as possible.

Had I read about what I’ve had to go through with my boat, I definitely wouldn’t have looked at Sea Ray. The 5 years components and lifetime hull warranty was a huge selling point for me ( plus the size of the SDX for all the kids). However if I thought the warranty was pointless I would have walked right past it.

I hope the name of the dealership is revealed.

[TheTimeTraveler]

Originally Posted by garysanfran

That buying a new boat is not a good idea. Buying a slightly used boat (with a documented history) is the way to assure these issues are not present.

Sometimes a used boat (like a used car) becomes someone else's headache!

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by garysanfran

I hope the name of the dealership is revealed.

There’s only one Searay dealer in the area...not to tough to figure out...

Dan

[Poor Richard]

Wonder what the fine folks over at Club Sea Ray forum would have to say about all this...not that is matters from a recuperation standpoint but it'd be interesting to know their thoughts on all this nonsense.

[Cal Coon]

Not only should you just be reimbursed for this "Lemon", but people need to be fired for the way this has been handled, and for the way this boat has been returned to you supposedly "fixed". Total incompetence. Totally unacceptable.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by garysanfran

That buying a new boat is not a good idea. Buying a slightly used boat (with a documented history) is the way to assure these issues are not present.

Well-maintained, well-built used boats are a great way to go. They don't have to be slightly used either. I bought a 1992 Tollycraft with 1600 hours on the engines last year. It's built like a tank and I can't find any structural deficiencies. Our first time operating it was a 16 day/1000+ mile cruise that went wonderfully.

[TiltonBB]

One of the main reasons my experience with a defective boat was different is because I purchased it in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts (With all of its faults) has some good consumer protection laws. I am sure your lawyer in New Hampshire will be aware of the consumer protection laws that can be utilized.

In MA General Laws Section 9: (3A) "A person may assert a claim under this section in a district court, whether by way of original complaint, counterclaim, cross-claim or third-party action, for money damages only. Said damages may include double or treble damages, attorneys' fees and costs, as herein provided."

I repeatedly pointed out that if a satisfactory deal was not offered then I would be entitled to triple damages. Three times the cost of a boat and trailer amounted to a significant number.

The only reason someone will make a decent settlement offer to you is if they realize that the alternative, via bad publicity and a court order, will potentially cost them even more.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by Tuckntruck

It can be all over the map - boats don't have the same lemon law protections that cars do, and it seems to be harder to get people on " misrepresented the condition intentionally". there are tons of used boats that are excellent boats, and plenty that have been abused. I think I'd feel safer with a valet boat that's ben stored indoors for it's entire life. Trailered boats near the coast would scare me a little (maybe less so for shorter boats)

That's kinda funny, our last boat was a year 2000 trailered boat near the coast, but we kept it pristine and the current owners are on their second year with it and love it. We used it in salt and fresh water, but when used in salt water, it was always flushed immediately after.

Our Tollycraft was a fresh water boat that was stored in a heated building in Michigan half it's life. It had only been in the ocean once before we bought it.

I'm really sorry you have had such a miserable time with your new Sea Ray. I cannot imagine why they would treat a customer so poorly, especially when the issues weren't exactly nit-picky. Makes me think the division of Sea Ray that makes your boat (assuming they have divisions for different types of boats) might be having some financial troubles.

[Descant]

I expect it will be a long time before this actually gets in front of a jury, if ever. If there is an eventual settlement, as often happens, there will be some sort of non-disclosure agreement wrapped up in the deal. So, who thin ks we will ever hear anything from the Sea Ray side? Not me, but I have to think there is some sort of thought process behind their actions, or lack of action. Just can't imagine.

[Winilyme]

Originally Posted by Descant

I expect it will be a long time before this actually gets in front of a jury, if ever. If there is an eventual settlement, as often happens, there will be some sort of non-disclosure agreement wrapped up in the deal. So, who thin ks we will ever hear anything from the Sea Ray side? Not me, but I have to think there is some sort of thought process behind their actions, or lack of action. Just can't imagine.

One benefit of social media is that it tends to amp up the pressure for a company to settle QUICKLY given a NDA won't eliminate the damage done to their reputation before it's been signed. For example, NDA or no NDA, as far as I'm concerned the damage has been done. Going forward, when I'm ready to purchase a boat, I'll remember this string (I'll even refer back to it) and the fact that Sea Ray (or the dealer) failed to respond publicly (at least on this forum) to confirm or refute the allegations. There's usually multiple sides to a story and the alternate sides aren't typically shy about explaining theirs. The fact that the dealer and Sea Ray have refrained from doing so makes them guilty in my mind. Bottom line, I'm simply not going to take chances and will side conservatively before spending that kind of money. I will never purchase a, or from, Sea Ray.

Recognizing that the boat was purchased in Massachusetts, some will argue that maybe the dealer or even Sea Ray haven't seen this string. Unfortunately that's their problem and it's why so many businesses work hard to monitor social media venues - especially those that match up with their footprint (I would think anything having to do with Lake Winni would be foremost on the minds of a MA dealer). Businesses work hard at this so they can nip problems in the bud. This seems to be a big failure on their part.

Finally, you would think our local Sea Ray dealer would at least step in to say that it wasn't THEM that sold the boat. Without any such statement, their reputation is being damaged even as they are an innocent bystander. Perhaps, a stretch I know, they could even step in with a PR win and offer some intervention or consultation.

[Poor Richard]

Originally Posted by Tuckntruck

Via some smaller groups on social media it has come to my attention that there are a fair number of customers who are having the same issues regarding repairs, fulfillment of warranty and workmanship...

I'm no lawyer but I read those words and think "class action".

[TiltonBB]

Why not send a link to this thread to the people you are dealing with at SeaRay and every upper level person you can get an email for. There should be links available for investor relations, advertising, Etc. Bomb them with emails and they will get forwarded internally to people in a decision making capacity who you may not be able to get to on your own. They won't be pleased to see the extensive amount of bad publicity they are getting on a very active and popular website.

In the past WMUR has done some consumer affairs/complaints stories. Call and ask them if they would like to do a story about this. Their reporter standing in front of the dealership you bought it at might result in some additional pressure on SeaRay.

Ask the Laconia Sun if they would like to do a story of local interest. They may decline if significant advertising dollars come from the dealer but it never hurts to ask. It might give the dealer additional incentive to call the higher ups at SeaRay and demand that they fix this.

[TheTimeTraveler]

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

Why not send a link to this thread to the people you are dealing with at SeaRay and every upper level person you can get an email for. There should be links available for investor relations, advertising, Etc. Bomb them with emails and they will get forwarded internally to people in a decision making capacity who you may not be able to get to on your own. They won't be pleased to see the extensive amount of bad publicity they are getting on a very active and popular website.

In the past WMUR has done some consumer affairs/complaints stories. Call and ask them if they would like to do a story about this. Their reporter standing in front of the dealership you bought it at might result in some additional pressure on SeaRay.

Ask the Laconia Sun if they would like to do a story of local interest. They may decline if significant advertising dollars come from the dealer but it never hurts to ask. It might give the dealer additional incentive to call the higher ups at SeaRay and demand that they fix this.

Excellent ideas!

[brk-lnt]

Originally Posted by Dave R

Makes me think the division of Sea Ray that makes your boat (assuming they have divisions for different types of boats) might be having some financial troubles.

All of SeaRay is having financial troubles. What is really concerning about this is that they got out of the "big boat" business, and have stopped building anything over 40ft to concentrate more on the segment where they have traditionally been better situated, which is the smaller fresh water boats.

[tis]

Too bad there isn't a Sea Ray discussion somewhere on Facebook. John Deere was on there a while ago and I complained about my shift on my Gator. Previously I had it picked up by the dealer and nothing was done. They told me they shifted hard. Hard? You couldn't shift it! So John Deere told me to call them and eventually it ended up getting fixed with JD, dealer and us all paying one third. This is making a long story short, but I wanted you to know that they do care when they think a lot of people are seeing issues.

[tis]

Too bad there isn't a Sea Ray discussion somewhere on Facebook. John Deere was on there a while ago and I complained about my shift on my Gator. Previously I had it picked up by the dealer and nothing was done. They told me they shifted hard. Hard? You couldn't shift it! So John Deere told me to call them and eventually it ended up getting fixed with JD, dealer and us all paying one third. This is making a long story short, but I wanted you to know that they don't like it when it becomes public.

[brk-lnt]

Originally Posted by Tuckntruck

I’d be amazed if they’re in financial trouble.

It's pretty well documented. Brunswick tried to sell the Sea Ray division, but couldn't find a buyer for it. Their 2019 overall sales were down.

You are not being an a-hole at all, but you bought a budget production boat from a struggling company. I think you are going to need to really stick to your resolve on this to get it settled.

[upthesaukee]

5 years of Brunswick Corp

Dave

[Cal Coon]

Originally Posted by Tuckntruck

The decision to sell wasn’t based off currently poor numbers, it caught a lot of people by surprise at the time. That was happening when we were purchasing the SDX, we dug a fair amount before pulling the trigge. 2018/19 metrics are off because the lost the 40+ft market on the lakes/ SE, however they sold more units in the sport boat market between 18/19 than they did any in the 5 years preceding . The parent company still has decent market cap, cash on hand and volume. I disagree that sea ray is in Dire financial straits. They are much better off than the were around 08 etc.

Regardless of the balance sheet, their behavior so far has been irresponsible. Honestly, I don’t care if they’re walking around the edge of bankruptcy, you still answer the phone, you still call your customers back, and when you have a material defect that puts a family at risk (sinking in the middle of the broads in early May with a bunch of kids on board would have been a disaster) you go out of your way to make sure they know you are taking care of it.

When you do send the boat back- it had better not have more things on it broken then when it went in for repair!

This is exactly why I say some "people", plural, not just one individual, needs to be terminated over this catastrophe. This is totally unacceptable. The owner of the dealership you bought this boat from should be right by your side in dealing with Sea Ray in all this mess... As far as I'm concerned, he is just as responsible since he represents Sea Ray. Where is he??? You need him fighting for you.

[ACME on the Broads]

]

Sorry you and your family are dealing with this!

Earlier in your thread you mentioned "the dealer has bent over backwards" for you; after reading all the posts, it appears the dealer has bent over backwards for sure but not on your behalf; clearly they own 50% of the problem & resolution.

Name the dealer so that other good people don't get burned, who knows, perhaps it will force the dealer to dig into their "goodwill" stash and provide you and your family an alternative solution.

Here's hoping you get some relief!

[WinnisquamZ]

This story reminds me of AMF and Harley-Davidson in the 70’s. Just about killed the brand


Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

[ursa minor]

Originally Posted by Tuckntruck

For what it’s worth, Sea Ray has still not responded. The boat has been back For a month, shakedown was May 7th. I Rejected acceptance then.

I have no idea what the marina, or sea ray have done, or if they have done anything whatsoever. Neither have responded to the AG or lawyer, or my initial phone calls since it came back.

While this forum is certainly influential, I’m curious if you’ve considered posting your experiences on other boating forums. While more of a fishing/ fishing boat forum The Hull Truth is not only Florida based but also has a huge readership that does not suffer manufacturers ignoring customers that have QC issues. From my experience reading there over a 10 year span (not a member) they can be very “passionate”. If you’re being ignored anyway, something to consider. Certainly wouldn’t make life any more pleasant for Sea Ray / Brunswick Corp. So sorry you’ve had to deal with this, this is supposed to be the fun stuff. I hope this gets resolved quickly and correctly for you.

[Cal Coon]

This is so unfortunate. I just don't understand how something like this can happen. Especially since the boat is still under warranty, ( I believe you said in an earlier post).

[Bootkie2]

There's a 270 SDX at PBM for sale......."runs great, floats well"
https://paugusbaymarina.com/boats-fo...a-ray-sdx-270/

Someone probably read this thread and traded it for a Formula ASAP before things hit the fan.

In all honesty (joking aside) this is terrible and I hope you get it resolved quickly. Thanks for sharing with us.

[Woody38]

If you are a membr of BOAT/US they would go to bat for you and SeaRay surely would listen. They represent a huge segment of the boating population
which manufacturers understand that they stand to lose business.

_________________________________________


I am a retired workaholic and continuing aquaholic

[Descant]

Te above are all interesting suggestions. I can see up and downsides to many. Listen to your lawyer, not the amateurs.

[VitaBene]

Originally Posted by WinnisquamZ

This story reminds me of AMF and Harley-Davidson in the 70’s. Just about killed the brand


Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

I hear you, but they also saved it! I have 2 AMF bikes, 43 and 40 years old going strong.

[Tuckntruck]

Originally Posted by Bootkie2

There's a 270 SDX at PBM for sale......."runs great, floats well"
https://paugusbaymarina.com/boats-fo...a-ray-sdx-270/

Someone probably read this thread and traded it for a Formula ASAP before things hit the fan.

In all honesty (joking aside) this is terrible and I hope you get it resolved quickly. Thanks for sharing with us.

Ha, runs good floats well might be a decent selling point!

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Tuckntruck

Sea Ray finally responded to the Lawyers demands. I won’t post the letter but the gist of their response was ,” The owner had several contact at sea ray he could have reached out to, a bunch of Bs about how good their customer service is, CV-19 was the cause for the delay, and they are confident the marina can fix the few “cosmetic” issues, however in alignment with keeping me happy, they Have talked to the marina and will work with them to “trade” me into another boat - and that the marina will be in touch with me.


Well that’s awesome, because the GM of the marina was just as baffled as me, nobody had talked to him and he had no idea what “trade” means. Additionally they don’t have any similar 270SDX’s in stock right now, however I can confirm that on New boats there is no unfinished plywood, or red expanding glue visible anywhere under the boat.

If they think I’m paying money to move into another sea ray, I will jump in the Plane and fly to TN just so I can laugh in their faces.

At least they're moving towards a resolution—good luck!

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[garysanfran]

Sounds to me that their defense would not hold up in front of a reasonable arbitrator/judge. The evidence usually speaks for itself.

[iw8surf]

Originally Posted by Tuckntruck

Eh, the overall tone was “ We don’t know why you’re upset, look at all we have done for you”. They included all of their “communications” with me as proof, however all of that happened after I demanded a new boat in March/April - after they had messed around for 8 months.

Semi telling that they claimed to have been working out a deal with our marina, only to have the Marina tell me flat out they had no idea what sea ray wanted to do, or, who they had talked to. The person of contact they named in the letter bears the namesake- but would not be the person who they would talk to about this- e.g the paralegal BS’d the steps they were taking in trying to draft a letter that looked like they were bending over to accommodate me, when in reality they’re doing nothing of the sort. They also claimed that they “never received” either of the two letters from the Nh AG- the first regular mail, the second certified and signed for. I have now missed all of May, and half of June, and am quite done with this. Demand letter expires in 10 days- only for the sake of not appearing to be on a money grab we’ll wait out the 10 days, if they don’t buy me out at or make me whole at that point, then I hope I can teach them a lesson.

Curious, youre going to take another sea ray? If that was my only choice id take it and trade it in somewhere else for a totally different brand... yall are out for me!

[tis]

Do you really think all Sea Rays are terrible now? It was such a nice quality boat that I would hate to think it isn't anymore. Maybe this was just a lemon?

[tis]

That's very sad to hear. Sea Ray used to be such a great company, it sounds like things have changed a lot.

[tis]

As I said, when we toured the Merritt Island Sea Ray Factory a few years ago they were so into quality control. I wonder if things changed when they closed that. Not even sure if they closed all of it but I don't think Sea Rays are made there any more.

[Tuckntruck]

Looks like there may be some positive traction/news. I guess fingers crossed.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Tuckntruck

Looks like there may be some positive traction/news. I guess fingers crossed.

Good luck!!!

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[Tuckntruck]

Well, it’s been a long process, however the Marina pushed the OEM to an acceptable resolution. I’ve since gone through and deleted my posts, and will be asking a MOD to delete the thread. It took a lot of work, however at this point we are happy with the resolution.

Thank you for the inputs and suggestions, appreciate it,

Tuck. See you all out on the lake (probably just not in the weekends!)

[Juiced06GTO]

Don't leave us hanging are you at least getting a new boat?!?!

[MeredithMan]

...Mr Tuck's settlement most likely included an NDA, which would explain the limited explanation and the deletion of his posts and requests for deletion of the thread.

Just happy for him that he received a settlement that was acceptable.