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Author Topic: completely off topic but need to post so others are aware  (Read 835 times)

Offline mudchuck

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So disappointed in the repair shop/marina I initially took the motor to. Gaines did me absolutely no good for what I paid for and I'd never ever recommend them to anyone.
I went there on the advice from The Boat Headquarters in Swanton, as they said best to go to the shop that also deals Tohatsu. I go there on a Saturday, no mechanic on duty on weekends, should've been my 1st red flag, then I filled out the work order request asking to have the motor tuned, trouble shoot the carb specifically, and have the lower unit lube replaced since I bought the boat in May with no idea of when the motor was last serviced so I figured I'd pay to at least check a full check up by a dealer, knowing the bill would be steep but at least I'd have some indication of the motor condition.
I got the voice message the motor was all done the following Monday and I called back and said I'd pick it up the following weekend and restated I wanted the lower unit lube replaced. I get there, again, no mechanic on duty. The invoice is very spartan in explanation, and the girl at the counter had no clue what was done and had no way of getting the mechanic in touch with me at that time to discuss details, so rather than hold up the line, I just paid the bill and took my boat home. I wasn't able to launch that Saturday and went out Sunday instead. Get to the launch, startup no issues except neutral idle sounds really fast. I then hear something rattling around under the motor cover and I decided to pull back up onto trailer and check it out.
I pulled the cover to find that one of the bolts that holds the carb intake cowling was completely off and rolling around inside the plastic and the gasket & metal shroud are just hanging there.
Boy was i upset! I was beginning to think I was ripped off. I take it home, re-attached all that was loose and looked at the bill again. I paid for 3 hours of so called carb cleaning & inspection with a comment that the main jet had fallen out so it was reinstalled, tested and ran okay.
Now I'm really upset, since never did anything else on the motor as requested. I snapped pics and emailed them to the owner with the message that we needed to get this poor service ticket so called work resolved. I got an email reply from the owner saying the mechanic will call me the next day. Two days later and after a couple phone tag tries, the mechanic that worked on my motor leaves me a voice message saying he saw the photos in the email and said he never touched that part of the carb, and he only unbolted it from the head inlet and turned it upside-down finding the main jet really loose. He didn't even leave his name so I had no idea who had left the voice message. So I called them and after some drilling, got his name and insisted on chatting with him. Eric finally gets on the phone and we go thru what the expectations of the work order were and what he actually did, and he reiterates that he never touched the intake on the carb. I asked how can you possibly say that when you unbolted the entire carb from the head and when you reattached it you didn't inspect everything like the invoice says you did? No way!, that was NOT the condition I left the carb in when I dropped it off, because I had the cover off at the boat launch that morning troubleshooting myself because the motor wouldn't start, so took it to Boat HQ who sent me to Gaines, so unless gremlins unbolted it, then it must've been the you the mechanic that worked on my motor. I got nowhere with him at this point as he kelp talking in circles. We then discuss the idle RPM. I stated the manual says 1000 and it sounded like it was twice that. He says well you can bring it back & I'll adjust it, and I'm like, no way and I driving (3hrs round trip) all the way out there for you to turn a screw a 1/4 turn and tell me all is good. I then demanded to talk to his super, who then I get Travis on the phone, who I go thru the whole ordeal again with, as he comes out swinging with he has no idea what work was done on my motor and wants me to explain it all. (Is this starting to sound like a professional squirrel circus act or what?! How can a shop manager not know what his mechanic has worked on...but I digress), so I asked him pointedly if he were in my position, would he accept what I received as being done correctly which he replies no, and I then asked how are we resolving this, to which his reply is bring the motor back, which I said no way, not driving all the way out there for less than five minutes work and he was supposed to have the owner get in touch with me to look at adjusting the bill but that hasn't occurred and most likely I shouldn't get my hopes up that the owner will call since it's been over a week now.
That said, I can only resort to chalking this up to "live & learn" and try to inform as many as I can that this shop it not worthy of your money and certainly will never get mine again.
If public shaming is what it takes to get these guys to take care of poor service then so be it.
I paid w/CC, so i am thinking to have the CC stop payment, but it has been a few weeks now, so probably too late.
Okay, done venting my spleen, so I will take Crayfish's advise and try Lake 7 Woods next time, since they're around the corner from me.
I hope everyone that reads this will at least share that Gaines is poor service and don't bother with them.
The bill was for 3 hours shop labor and about $8 in materials, over $300 total...I could've bought a new carb for that

Offline chilly-willy

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Re: completely off topic but need to post so others are aware
« Reply #1 on: Aug 11, 2016, 11:38 AM »
Did you pay by credit card? if so call them "the credit card company" their number is on back of card.. should tell them you were scammed and see what they can do about it.. like a stop payment to them and get your money back? That's why you use you debit / credit card as credit cause it will protect you on purchases... don't use it to much cause I think it will go aginst credit rating sooner or later... but for sure if paid that way contact them.. sorry to hear about the problems Wilson marina out here is the same way.. found in the long Run its better and easier to do my self...

Offline chilly-willy

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Re: completely off topic but need to post so others are aware
« Reply #2 on: Aug 11, 2016, 11:54 AM »
I don't think it to late maybe check with the fraud devsion of the cc company just say they have been giving you the run around etc for x amont of time.. you sent emails save those and the photos cause it is evidence... for the cc compay to help you you need evidence.. to prove you were wronged that why I always contact threw e mail..  and get writen  responses phone calls don't help..no record of whats said...  but you can prove you contacted them buy showing call logs and phone bills etc..like said earlier sorry to hear about the run around trouble you had...

Offline Light liner

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Re: completely off topic but need to post so others are aware
« Reply #3 on: Aug 11, 2016, 12:17 PM »
That sucks
It might be out of your way but gilles is top notch they're in
East montpellier

 http://www.gillesmarine.com/
Champlain
Memphremagog

Offline TRT

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Re: completely off topic but need to post so others are aware
« Reply #4 on: Oct 21, 2016, 03:00 PM »
Yep 2nd Gillies, Mike is the owner and would have dealt with your situation completely different.

 



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