Boat cover discussion (continued)

  • Thread starter Glenn DesOrmeaux
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TritonGlenn

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After the boat cover discussion, I went out to my boat to get the information off of it. The more I looked my cover over, the more I started to realize some of it's deteriorating condition - split seams at the motor cover and holes by the windshield. I suddenly remembered - this cover has a 5 year warranty.



So... I get on the phone yesterday with the manufacturer. I speak with a very polite lady named Heather, who asked me to take some pictures of the damaged areas and send them to her. I informed her that I would be moving on the 14th of this month, and asked what the chance would be of getting a new cover before then. She told me she would order it right then so that it would get out in time.



Well... today I get a phone call. She said she had sent me an email, and since I was 35 months into my "5 year warranty", that I was in the "prorated" part of my warranty (prorating starts at 30 months she told me). When I bought the cover, I remember it having a "5 year warranty", not a "Limited Warranty" or anything like that. So, a polite discussion ensues. She informs me that she can give me 40% off of a new cover. I tell her "that's not a 5 year warranty... that's a 2 1/2 year warranty with a discount program attached at the end". My cost at 40% off??? - $284.40. Looking at the website at a brand new one of the same brand / model - the retail cost is $214.99!!!



I immediately went on the defensive, but tried my best (actually, I was fairly sucessful), at maintaining my tone of voice. I did, however, inform her that I was not going to recommend their product to anyone, and that the company would be hearing from me again, as I had every intention of calling my friend, who is a small-claims attorney, to at least call them about it (actually, totally composed throughout the conversation). Upon hanging up and calming down a few minutes, I came to the realization that I'm not going to bother Andy (my friend) with this case. There are too many lawsuits in this country anyway over small, piddly crap, and I'm not going to waste my time and energy (or my friends time and energy) over this.



So, I call back to speak with her again, and she tells me that she has (on her own) called several people to investigate what she can do for me. As the retailer I bought it from now sells that same cover for $214.99, she offered me 40% off that price, not their "suggested retail price" of approximately double that amount.



I'm still not happy about having to shuck out $125.99 plus $20 shipping for a new cover, that SHOULD be covered under their "5 year warranty" (notice... no "limited" in that statement), particularly because I never received anything from either the retailer or the manufacturer stating that the warranty was "limited" or "prorated".



So... I'm stuck in a delima. Yes - $145.99 (shipped) isn't a bad price for a new cover. I should just shut up and let it go, as I've already paid her for it. However, it's ticking me off to no end that a company can advertise a "5 year warranty", and I still have to pay anything for a new one after only 3 years. I feel like I just had to buy a new set of tires - same concept. "5 year warranty" = 1 year warranty + a discount on every subsequent year after that for 5 years.



Another point of contention regarding this transaction. She tells me that her supervisor looked at the pictures of the broken seams on the engine cover, and "they" have determined that it was partially my fault because my engine is (get this) "tilted down partially", and that they recommend that the outboard be "at full tilt" when storing. WHO STORES THEIR ENGINE FULLY TILTED UP??? I informed her that nobody that I know stores their engine fully tilted up, and that Mercury wouldn't recommend that for storage because it puts stress on the transom and tilt piston. She asked if I had proof, so I called Mercury Marine and got a lady to send me the portion of the manual (page 15) tha
 
So then, you have no beef and the rest of us should potentially stumble into an ambush when we could be warned of enemy on the objective?
 
I don't mean to infuriate you, but gosh darn it, you post this long story with no point that I can see. The company has a well-intended customer service person [but you don't tell us what company so we too can get the great customer service]; they also have an apparently deceptive warranty [but you don't tell us what company so that it can be avoided or so that we don't suffer your fate]; and this in light of the fact that there is at least one guy here actually looking to buy a new cover. So in return I say, what point should we have gotten from this post? If your point is only that you want to share that this unnamed companed screwed you over, but it was not as bad a screwing as it could have been, then I'll offer :wub: and a big--":eek:, you dodged that one!



Now, let me tell you about my insurance company--a story that I know would infuriate you-;).
 
Glenn,

What did the folsk actually say the new "warranty" wil be? A 5 year or a prorated one? You have a right to be ticked......like you said you have the 5 year warranty not a limited warranty.



BUT, the good thing is that you have a new cover on the way...the bad thing is that you had to pay. I am in agreement with you that you should have not had to pay. You bought the cover in good faith and they should warranty their product in good faith.



I will not get into the Marty thing...jsut let it go man....



Carlos
 
I'd check the box on the new one and see what the warranty on it says. If it is not a limited warranty, then you have a beef, granted it is not worth a tremendous amount of effort on this. I am a bit of a obsessive/compulsive nut, and save all of my receipts and warranty info. on everything. Every now and then it comes in handy.
 
Hey, if the guy had said he was just venting to his forum shrink, then I wouldn't have said a thing. He said it was a follow on to the other cover post. I won't be sorry on this one.
 
Glenn, I sure hate to see you go. Say what you want to say. If folks have a problem with it, so be it. Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. I sure do not agree with everything I read here, and I am sure others do not agree with things I say. Post what you want, if someone feels like it needs correcting, let them do it. You do not owe anyone an explantation. I hope you change your mind.



Bubby
 
Come on Glenn, lots of folks out there like Marty..just ignore and move on dude!



I think of it this way from my Marine time....always one around that would say something cross just to say something...and then I had to listen, now I do NOT have to HAHAHAHAHHAHA I can ignore hahahahahah
 
I agree Carlos, In one ear and out the other. Smilin the whole time. Listen to the good and ignore the rest.



Jaws
 
Carlos,

The "new" warranty on the new cover will start all over again - 5 year "limited" warranty, which basically means that after the first year of "warranty", I'm then paying out of pocket for any future replacements on a pro-rated deal.



Berry,

The original cover came from BPS, and it was not a "limited" warranty, it stated "5 year warranty". I know this because I always investigate "limited" warranties before buying stuff. Looks like I now have to investigate "normal" warranties as well. It was not until I called the manufacturer that I found out it was a "limited" warranty. She said the retailer should have noted it in the shipment. When I informed her it was shipped direct from the manufacturer after I ordered it online, she just didn't have much more to say on the subject. The cover is still in BPS's lineup, and according to BPS newest listing, it has a "6-year warranty with 2-year FREE replacement". HOWEVER, the manufacturer actually said that is a BPS warranty - the manufacturers warranty is actually a "5 year limited warranty". So... that's pretty weird too. A retailer that puts a one year "extra" warranty on something that is "limited" to begin with. If they only gave me 40% off a new cover at the 3 year mark, what do you think the percentage off is at the 5 1/2 year mark? I'd be willing to bet that you would pay about $210 for that $215 cover at that time. Can you really call that a warranty??? I would get more off with my military discount at the right time of the month. That is what infuriates me about this so called "warranty". It's bull.



Bubby, Carlos, Jaws,

You're all very right. I'm just going to ignore people like him from now on.



Ahhh... the things that can all be washed away with a few drinks.... :lol::lol::lol:



All the best,

Glenn
 
Glenn, thats the same exact thing that happened to me when my old dowco cover for my 882 went to pot. I called them and they offered to sell me a cover at the pro rate " discount rate" or $550 for a cover i paid like 300 for when i bought the boat. I declined and ordered an aurora.
 
Glenn, good to see you're past this. That cover thing still stinks, but from what I can tell I think you probably did as god as good as you could do.
 
My short reply, I know that Glenn did his research before he bought the cover (because thats the kind of guy he is), somewhere along the way the warranty was changed.

BF
 
I have talked to several people who've had the same issues with covers. I think this type of warrenty might be more common than one thinks. Kind of like car tires. I used to have cooper tires on a boat trailer. One of them blew. Got a new one but was pro rated for the wear.

Like of lot of things in life you just gotta eat the @#it sandwich and move on.

fatrap
 
Bruce,

:)

Thanks bro.



Fatrap,

Seems like the older I get... the more of them "sandwich's" I've been eating. :lol::lol::lol:

All the best,

Glenn
 
I've had a large brown lunch bag full of those sandwiches lately Glenn.. Would you like to share lunch the next few days??



Uncle Billy
 
The issue isn't so much the money, as is the deceptive warranty on the original purchase. Right now, the warranty is spelled out much more clearly on both BPS's site and the manufacturers site. At the time I bought the original, it was not. Hmmmm.... I wonder how many complaints came in before they made it clear what their warranty really was? ;)



When I bought the Aurora cover for my 1994, I knew 2 things - EXACTLY what the warranty was, and the fact that I was "paying for it". You know what? That was money well spent, because that cover is still in existance, even though it's a friend using it instead of me right now.



If a boat cover company would actually build something that lasted their entire warranty period, I wouldn't have an issue with "paying for" that warranty. But the way most warranties actually work, they are designed this way. Either:



1) Pay us for what the cover is actually worth, and when it rips / tears / etc... and you are ticked off.... go buy some other brand and start the process all over again.



2) Pay us more than this POS is actually worth, and when it rips / tears / etc... we can sell you yet another POS at a "discount" that is still more than what the product is worth.



I only have one real regret at this time... that I can't currently justify a new Aurora cover for my boat right now. Since my boat will only be outside for another 5 months before it has it's very first "real" home (new garage), the new cover will only be used 5 months, and then for the drive down to TX. After that, the cover goes on a shelf until I need it for some overnight fishing trip or something. If it wasn't going in a garage, I wouldn't have even wasted my time with all this - I just would have called Aurora. I wish I could have afforded to do so the day I purchased this boat in 2005. I wouldn't be having these issues right now - I am absolutely sure of that.



All the best,

Glenn
 
You mean their are companies out there that don't honor their warranties?

Tell me it ain't so Glenn:wacko:
 
Me personally......I'd of been on them like a pitbull on steak. They better stand by a warranty they promote because a LOT of people choose products based on warranty. I would never threaten a lawyer unless I was fully prepared to follow through but I most certainly would have let them know that the BBB and the State AG, Consumer Advocate, fraud division, Ombudsman, Economic Development Council and any other organization at the State or Local level that I could get the number to, that was consumer based would be getting a call and correspodence. I can usually get things worked out to my satisfaction. Is it worth the effort? Sometimes yes, sometimes no, but sometimes it is just the principle of the deal.



TOXIC
 
You know, I'm not going to let this go without comment. None of you guys know me from Adam, yet you use terms like "lot's of folks like him," "in one ear and out the other," and "ignore him." That is BS. You make it out like my post was a crime; I simply asked him what point he was trying to make; explain the value added to his diatribe. If you want to stroke him and enable his behavior, have at it, but you don't have to make me the criminal to do that--that's Crayola.



He goes directly from "leave my posts alone" to "I'm not posting any more" after simply being asked to make his comment relevent and I'm the bad guy? That's a :lol:!
 
Actually, what I gathered out of this post is when you buy something, be sure you read the warranty on the product, much like a buyer beware. I'm glad you said something, because now i'll check my warranty since i never bothered to check the fine print. Thanks Glenn for the info.



Thanks,

Eric
 
Eric,

Thanks for the comments. I'm glad you were able to get something from the posting. I greatly appreciate the response.

All the best,

Glenn
 
Glenn,

Agree with Eric, makes me really LOOK at the warranty and look at the fine print. Dang shame...and we wonder why the lawyers are so prevalent in everything in our society???
 
Imagine that... all 3 of us agree and we all do the same line of work, Glenn is a CPO, I'm a CPO and Carlos is well... a Gunny. Great minds think alike.



Eric
 
Hey NOW whats up with the "well...Gunny thing HAHAHAHAHAAH"



Lets not start the Navy Marine Corps thing again..... HAHAHAHAHA:p
 
Carlos,

You don't know about that one little important difference between Chiefs and Gunnys? You mean you have never heard the story of the "golden phone"? It's in regards to a gold phone found in all the Marine Corps base chapels around the world. Do you want me to write up a new post about it, or maybe email it to you in private? :cool:

Semper Fi,

Glenn
 
I'll tell you what I learned about the Navy... I learned I was glad to be a Marine!!!



I'm giving CIII a "battlefield promotion" (I can do that as a Company grade Occifer - O-3) Henceforth, CIII shall be "THE" Gunny to you deckhands...:lol:
 
Greg,

Uhhh... I'm not following you on this one brother.... What does CIII have to do with this? He didn't even post in this one. Did I miss something? (I'm seriously confused on this one) :huh:



:lol::lol::lol:



All the best,

Glenn
 
wtf.gif
 
About 3 or 4 posts above yours... CarlosH = CIII....
 
It's bad enough that I have to listen to all the ethnic trashing of Poles. Your always wanting to Polish this boat polish that prop. Now your trashing my beloved Navy. Will the grief never end. This was about boat covers and hopefully no one is trying to Polish them.

fatrapinski
 
HAHAH You guys are too funny! Glenn, I have not heard the one about the Golden Phjone...but I can ONLY imagine HAHAHAHHAAH



Thanks Greg! I have been worse things before HAHAHAHAHAHHA



Glenn, I am also called CIII here at times too!
 
Hey Fatrapinski...



How about arranging another nice "boat ride" for us Marines? Say, this time instead of letting the five sided travel agency pick a place... you pick someplace warm and friendly... I've had enough of warm and unfriendly to last a lifetime... Maybe you and the other "deckhand" could also arrange mint julips, deck chairs and umbrellas for us... :lol:



P.S. We should be referred to as "Sir" and "The Gunny"... white jackets on the deckhands would be nice...



P.P.S. No I do not have a death wish... I just know that you are both far, far away... :p
 

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