www.iFourWinns.com

Has anyone else had to deal with this company?? We've had our 225 Sundowner in their 3 times and have had the worst service EVER!! Last year we missed most of the boating season because the couldn't get a 50 hour service done. Then, we put the boat in the water once after we got it back. This year, we put it in the water twice and the second time a bearing blew out on the way home. Since they assured us they had repacked them at the 50 hour service (as requested) we had no doubt that they would take care of fixing the wheel. Well, they were until they realized that it was going to involve a new axle as we drove home late at night and didn't know there was anything wrong with the bearing. Suddenly, they "didn't repack the bearings (as requested) -- just "squirted some grease in the bearing buddy", tried to tell us that it stated on the paperwork we declined part of the service (no, they can't read their paperwork correctly -- we declined to accept the replacement transom shower head that they'd ordered incorrectly). They told us the boat would be fixed in 2 weeks -- guess what -- it's been 2 weeks AND THE PARTS HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN ORDERED!! On top of it all the manager, John Davies, hung up when we were trying to resolve the issue!! When we called the west coast rep "Tommy" he essentially told us that they made all of their money for the year in a 3 month period and had to screw as many people as they could in that time frame (nice, huh????). LOVE FOUR WINNS -- HATE COPE AND MCPHETRES!! Anyone got any idea as to how we could get this resolved???

I'd get down there, pick the boat up and get away from them as fast as you can, obviously they have no intention of servicing your boat in a timely manner and the summer is already half over! Find a better dealer or better yet a good independent marine repair shop to do the work. Is this boat under warantee with FW? If so I'd call them and find a better dealer, if not I'd go the independent mechanic route. I ususally do all the servicing myself, but for anything that's over my ability level I go to one of the best independent repair shops on Long Island.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Oh man.... Here we go again. =)

I am VERY familiar with the sales aspect of Cope... I was ALMOST dumb enough to buy a boat for them. In my case - turns out that it was most likely the salesman.

I don't know if you are from the Seattle area - or are using a Cope down in California. I thought about using them for service in my area (Seattle) - as another board member -- Law950 -- has great things to say about his experience with them. I see Law950 on a fairly regular basis, and he continues to get service from them.

I wish I had more advise... I haven't taken my boat to them yet - and I sure hope not to. But, I can feel your pain.

Hopefully Ed will chime in here and can give you a good contact number for someone within Cope that can help you out.

If it's any consolation - I have heard multiple horror stories about them... I had a buddy who bought a used MasterCraft X Star -- the big daddy boat... first time out - engine blew. The previous owner was one of the sales guy or sales managers for Cope... sold with a warranty -- or so they said. Turns out there wasn't. Thank god my buddy is Washington state patrol.

But -- Law950 has had great luck and experience with them - so it shows they are capable of being stand up folk.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

We bought the boat from Pacific Boatland in Vancouver (they are GREAT!!!), but we live in Kenmore so we've been using the Cope in Woodinville (we should have been forewarned when we tried to use the one in Renton and couldn't even get their attention long enough to SELL us a boat!).

The boat has been under warranty which is why we've been using Cope. Their salesmen are quite personable (we've been looking at a larger boat but would NOT buy from them now!) but their service department has been a problem since they opened.

Right now, they've torn the wheel apart (in our driveway) and there it sits. Since they're responsible for the damage they really should fix it but at this point we're about to the point of having it fixed elsewhere and suing them. We didn't find out until late friday that they hadn't ordered the parts. We'll contact Four Winns on Monday. We've had very good luck with them helping in the past.

At least it is reassuring (??) to know that it is not an isolated incident with us.

As a driveway mechanic since 1972 I can tell you, a trailer wheel bearing is a pretty simple device, like front wheel bearings were in the old days of rear drive cars. If a repair shop can't deal with something that simple, I surely would not let them near a BOAT, with a much more complex sterndrive power plant! I installed a new axle and brake system on my old 1994 Load Rite trailer in about 3 hrs, that included snaking the trailer brake line and installing and adjusting the bearings! I'd find another warantee shop for your power package if possible for routine servicing.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Wow...I must be the anomaly....for now probably, by the way this forum sounds. I too have heard horror stories about Cope & McPhetres...but not until after I bought my boat two years ago. Since then, I've haven't heard anything positive about that particular dealer/service dept.

All I can say is as of yet, I have not had a bad experience from them, both in the initial sale and servicing of my boat. Again, I qualify that by saying....yet, because it's sounds like I eventually will according to what I have been reading.

I bought by 220-H out of the Renton, Washington dealership two years ago and had a very positive experience and have continued to over the last two years...especially with the service department, and I can't say why...but I just have. In all fairness though, the guy that actually sold me the boat eventually left because he felt Cope & McPhetres had been unfair to him even though he was their top salesman for years according to him.

A few months ago, I was having problems with my steering wheel making unsual clicking sounds that seemed to be getting worse. I called the service dept and two days later, the service departments GM met me on the lake and went out with me to check the steering problem. Within minutes of going out, he decided that the entire steering assembly should be replaced. He penciled me in that same week, and had a new steering assembly installed within two weeks. It was determined according to the service GM that helped me, that my steering issue was a "minor issue" that Four Winns had gotten reports on and was aware of.

***side note*** The issue has re-occurred with my new steering assembly. I called the same Cope & McPhetres GM that helped me and he reassured me that it would be taken care with another, new one. That was a few days ago. He told me that he would order the new assembly and when it arrives, he would get it in ASAP. I'll keep you posted on this to see how it goes...

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2006, 220 Horizon
Kent, WA.
"Semper Fidelis"

I had the same clicking in mine - but remember reading somewhere that this clicking was normal...??

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Alec

2006 Horizon 190
VP 4.3GL/SX, Sunsport