Dealer dispute......

Ok, I need some input if you care to share:

I bought a 98 Ranger 29 days ago with a 30 day warranty. The boat is in the shop now for the second time. The first time it was for the fuel pump and the fish finder on the dash.....this time for the trim issue discussed in the other thread I posted. They sent the fish finder off two weeks ago to be repaired.

Well, they called today to tell me that the finder is junk and that they will replace it IF I pay for half of the unit. They said they would take care of the labor.

I bought the boat assuming it had a functioning finder on the dash....if it wouldn't have had one I would have asked for one. I feel I deserve a new finder equivalent to the one I had regardless of the fact that it was used.

Any opinions?

Sounds like your entitled to a new fish finder on their dime IMO. If they give you any push back then push even harder on them. You might try calling the local Ranger rep. to simply tell him your dilema. I had a buddy that was getting jerked around here in Indy and once the Ranger rep. got involved the dealer backed down and lived up to what was fair. Good luck.

TI

I guess the first question i have is: What did the warranty cover? You have to read the warranty and see if it covers the fish finder. I doubt that it would be written to cover half the depth finder. If you are not happy with the boat, does it have a 30 day return written in? If so and your not happy take it back tomorrow. Do not get into a negotiation that will last past your deadline without getting an extension in writing. Written communication is your best friend in these situations. After your protected in writing, then feel free to negotiate with the dealer until you feel like your getting what you originally thought you were getting.

My $.02

No extra charge.

WMamos,

First, I don't want to make you mad, because I am on your side. I want you to get a new sonar unit.

I reality though, I think getting it half paid for and the labor to install a new unit is a pretty good deal. I don't know how old the unit was, but if it was a '98 like the boat, that is not exactly a new system. Well past the original manufacturers warranty.

If you insist on replacing it at no cost, I think they will put an old unit on there, and you probably would be better off with a new unit.

Just my opinion, but if they stick a late '90's technology unit on there you probably won't be happy with it.

topwater

Good point topwater. I assumed you were getting it replaced with the same unit or a similar unit. If you are gaining eight years in technology, take the deal and run. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.

I appreciate all of the feed back and to be honest, I agree with all of you.

I guess what really irks me is that if I would have known it didn't work then I would have only purchased the boat contingent upon them installing a new one. After you make such a big purchase you'd really like to have a full package when you leave the lot and not have to drop a dime in it in the first month except for gas and oil.

What also bothers me is that I have had to take time from work to drive up there twice now in four weeks for warranty issues. Thats a lot of time and a lot of gas.

I'm going to ask my brother-in-law who is also an attorney what he thinks.

I'll let you know how it works out.

Wmamos,

I know how you feel, but just think if you bought a '98 car. They probably wouldn't give a warranty on a car that old. You did say they are backing up the sonar unit a little bit.

I bought a brand new boat in 2003 and my last trip in the fall the sonar quit working. Just reads 0ft. I put the boat on my lake just this week for the first time, and now the sonar doesn't even come on.

I am out of manufacturer's warranty with a 3 year old unit. You are getting 1/2 paid and no labor on a '98. I wish I could get that now.

Cheer up and get your boat out and fall in love with it. Just wait until you start scratching it on rocks and boat docks and ramp mess ups.

I know how you feel about the gas too. My friend was helping me with my boat this week because my leg is still bad and he accidentilly broke the pins holding the bilge pump in the housing, not realizing to push down and turn. Now I have to drive to Rockville to get another pump that will fit into that housing, no one in Terre Haute carries that model. About 80 miles round trip is about $12 bucks in gas, more than the bilge pump.

Anyway the fish are biting real well, so get your boat fixed up the way you like it and you will be happy. I bet that Ranger will serve you well over the long term. I wish I could have afforded a Ranger, but bought a Lowe, because I wanted to stay married.

I always feel bad when I have to put money into my '99 Jeep, until while waiting on the service I stroll down and look at the new ones and see what they cost.

topwater

Maybe you misread his previous post, he said he got a 30 day warranty. To me, that means anything that goes wrong with the boat for the first 30 days he owns it should be fixed or replaced. I would fight them tooth and nail on this one. If they gave you the warranty then by all means they should do whats right and cover it.
Eric H.

Yeah, and considering it NEVER worked to begin with, I wouldn't pay a dime.

Your 30 day warranty isn't worth spit if they don't cover it. Whatever dealer this is, anyone that buys a used boat there should know that if you are offered a 30 day warranty from them it is basically worthless and you will be stuck negotiating for whatever you get done. Yes, getting what they are offering is a good deal for an older boat if no warranty was poffered and they were doing it out of good will. That is not the case here.

Well, what do you know......they had an identical used unit in the back room. Granted its used, but it works......exactly what I wanted. Nothing more, nothing less.

I would have loved to gotten a new unit for half price but the bottom line is that I'm tapped out...according to my wife.

If they wouldn't have had a used finder then push would have come to shove and you can believe I would have been shoving. I just didn't want to fork out anymore cash at this point in time. It all worked out and everyone is happy.

I appreciate all of the responses.

Thanks,
W. Amos

I may be wrong, but the fine print probably does not say it covers electronics 100% that are out of manufacturers warranty.

Nobody ever reads the fine print because it would take a month to read it.