TritonGlenn
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2005
- Messages
- 2,785
- Reaction score
- 5
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... 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
