www.iFourWinns.com

Can you imagine what this will look like in two or three more years unless Volvo replaces it? My boat has less resale value do to this defect.

_________________
Guns kill people like spoons make people fat.
2007 Horizon 190 Gxi
97 Pathfinder SE 4x4
73 International Scout II

UPDATE - Volvo has agreed to replace my drive and pivot housing. They have classified this as a paint defect.

I am really impressed with Volvo at this point they are proving to be an incredible company.

_________________
Guns kill people like spoons make people fat.
2007 Horizon 190 Gxi
97 Pathfinder SE 4x4
73 International Scout II

Great news Dave. I think a few of us, including me, might have been a little concerned that you were in for a fight. Good to know Volvo is stepping up and doing what is right. Hopefully Merc is as good if I ever have a problem. If not, I'll wish I'd gone Volvo.

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Paul
2007 Four Winns Horizon 220
Mercruiser 350 Mag MPI w/ Bravo III Drive
2004 Ford Explorer Limited (V8-AWD)
Pomme de Terre Lake (Southwest Missouri)

Congrats Dave! That's great news for sure!!!

I am waiting to hear (hopefully) the same news as well! Should have some more info this afternoon...

_________________
2009 H180 w/3.0 Merc
Homebuilt Minimax Hydro
2011 Zodiac Cadet 310

Do you plan on asking if the anodes should be changed for dedicated freshwater use (assuming this is the case)?

_________________
2006 Horizon 190, Volvo 4.3GL, Sunsport
towed by 2007 4Runner 6 Ltd

Well, I must say it doesn't look like a paint defect to me. However, I'm amazed that they agreed so quickly to a complete replacement. That will also give you more ammunition if the problem happens again.

_________________


Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Im just gratefull they agreed to fix it. They are stacking up to be the best large corp Ive ever had to deal with. My dealer ordered me magnesium anodes for my lake water and said he will also check all the grounding wires for us and add any that might be missing. The Customer service rep I dealt with said the file is good reference incase we are back here again next fall.

_________________
Guns kill people like spoons make people fat.
2007 Horizon 190 Gxi
97 Pathfinder SE 4x4
73 International Scout II

Chris any update on your drive? I encourage you to call vovlo and speak to the customer service reps.

_________________
Guns kill people like spoons make people fat.
2007 Horizon 190 Gxi
97 Pathfinder SE 4x4
73 International Scout II

So Dave, what was your dealer's role in your resolution? Did you go direct to VP, did your dealer have to go to bat, etc.?

_________________


Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Mike - my dealer is a great guy. They have been great on every little thing we have had issue with like when the oil sender puked 2 quarts into the bilge and we brought it over on a Sunday afternoon, to drop it off, he was there bringing trash from his house or something and offered to fix it while we waited....we didnt and left it all week.

Stan ( our dealer ) said he would go to bat for us and started the ball rolling with the tech folks but he also told me flat out from the begining that I could get better results by calling myself. The customer has all the power. I know that if this had not turned out as well as it did that they would have stripped my drive and repainted it for us. He is that kind of guy.

I started with Fourwinns they called VP VP called me and I had a solution in 2 days after I sent them pictures.

Really pleased with this whole thing other than needing a new drive at all.....

_________________
Guns kill people like spoons make people fat.
2007 Horizon 190 Gxi
97 Pathfinder SE 4x4
73 International Scout II

Everything is in Volvo's hands right now. My dealer has done a bunch of inspection and sent pictures and info to Volvo. He has also found more corosion on the pivot housing that I did not see.

I mentioned your case to my dealer, and how it was resolved, and he is agreeing that it is starting to look like a paint defect as well.

Unfortunately Dave, I can't use your Volvo contact (that you sent in your PM) in the U.S., as the warranty/complaint department from Canada is a different entity. So far my dealer has been on top of the problem, so I am going to leave it to him. Having said that though, I am going to mention to Mike (my dealer and the owner of the dealership) if he thinks I should call Four Winns or just leave it to him. I trust him on this one; he is a friend and has been taking care of my family members for years.

So, right now it's the waiting game. If you don't mind Dave, I would like to bring your pictures in to show my dealer for a comparisson, if that is alright with you? I am going to pick up the boat tomorrow morning so that I can put it in winter storrage (it has been cold enough up here to snow the last 2 nights; quite a difference from the 20+ deg C weather we had here last week), and whatever is going to be done to the drive will be waiting until the spring.

Keep your fingers crossed for me everyone!

Cheers

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2009 H180 w/3.0 Merc
Homebuilt Minimax Hydro
2011 Zodiac Cadet 310

Chris good luck with it, please be sure there is no missreprentation or confusion between the photos. It is clear in the photos that we have similar issues in similar places.

_________________
Guns kill people like spoons make people fat.
2007 Horizon 190 Gxi
97 Pathfinder SE 4x4
73 International Scout II

If you think that's bad you should see what outdrives can look like when slipped in salt water where I am. Unfortunately, it is one of the drawbacks of I-Os in general, but it can even happen on outboads as well, I have heard of it over on the hulltruth.com. My 19 year old Cobra has a lot of spots that don't hold paint well, but the actual alu surface has really not eroded much, just gets that layer of light alu corrosion and seems to stop at that. If I can get the anti fouling paint we have to use to hold on one season I'm happy. I'd consider an Ocean Series Volvo for my next boat, if I don't switch to an outboard.

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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

Lou - I agree and had we slipped in salt I would not have bought this boat.

_________________
Guns kill people like spoons make people fat.
2007 Horizon 190 Gxi
97 Pathfinder SE 4x4
73 International Scout II

Too bad FW does not build any more OB powered boats, years back they did and even build the 200 Horizon and 205 Sundowner as OB models...but dispite the issues, I might still get an IO next time, since the modern OBs are so complex that you can't do much to em except change the spark plugs. Despite the surface corrosion, my old Cobra has held up well and I am going to run it as long as I can get parts.

_________________
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