1997 QX Worst Boat Ever

Disgusted QX Owner · **Joined:** Mon Jun 17, 2013 10:01 am **Posts:** 1

Have had a 97 QX since new, has about 250 hours on 4.3 Volvo Penta. The reason it has so few hours is that the boat breaks in some major way about every third trip. Despite regular maintenance and winterizing, it has suffered from:
Blown impeller (way before it should have needed replacing; required a tow back to dock)
Failed fuel pump (another tow)
Failed trailer bearings (caught fire)
Snap on cover disintegrated
Bumper trim fell off
Failed fuel gauge
Failed water pump (cracked and filled engine compartment with water; barely made it back to dock)
Failed starter (immediately after water pump replacement)
And, most recently, immediately after starter replacement, it began to die under idle and leak oil into the engine compartment. I fear a leaky head gasket.

Simply put, this boat was the biggest piece of garbage ever. I have heard from another owner of the same vintage Horizon, who had virtually the same litany of problems. Four Winns should be ashamed.

hutch9900 · **Joined:** Tue Mar 22, 2011 7:14 pm **Posts:** 456

Some of these items are maintenance items and should be checked or replaced yearly, that goes for all boat manufacturers. If you have owned it since new, how many times have you repacked the wheel bearings? Did you replace the impeller every season or two seasons? I have heard that fuel pumps can be problematic. I do feel bad for you, but without knowing that it was properly maintained makes it hard to tell if it is the manufacturer or not.

NiagaraChillin · **Posted:** Mon Jun 17, 2013 10:36 am

Nice username, kinda limits what you are gonna post about though.... :roll:

So, let me get this right. In 17 years, you have had 4 mechanical problems, 1 normal maintanence issue (impeller), 1 trailer problem, and 2 cosmetic issues???

I'll take your boat right now, sight unseen.

afw200 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 17, 2013 10:41 am

All items mentioned are associated with Volvo, and not Four Winns, with the exception of the rub rail and cover. Four Winns installed the rub rail, but the canvas was bought from another manufacturer. You could have a Cobalt that may even have those issues.

So, I see very little wrong with something that can be directly attributed to Four Winns and their build quality. Any 15 year old boat could have the same issues .

ric · **Posted:** Mon Jun 17, 2013 11:12 am

So let me get this straight... In 16 years of boat ownership aside from the yearly maintenance items (oil, impeller, etc) you've had a total investment of only

Fuel pump = $160
Failed bearing = $50
Snap on cover = $500
Bumper trim = free just put it back on
Failed fuel gauge = $40
Failed water pump = $400
Failed starter = $150

So after owning a boat for over 16 years you have less than $1500 invested in repair???????? You can't even buy a Honda car that reliable!! I boat around 100 hours a year and easily do $1500 in repair a year just from environmental wear and tear.

People think I'm a little crazy, welcome to the Forum and taking over my spot. Everything you listed that broke on the boat is a common wear item that is expected to be replaced in a 15 year timeframe.

captkevin · **Posted:** Mon Jun 17, 2013 11:31 am

Can't believe i'm saying this but "Rick is right on"

pet575 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 17, 2013 12:05 pm

pet575 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 17, 2013 12:10 pm

In all seriousness, this may seem like a tough crowd but I've got to agree with most of what has been said. In short, sh!t happens. The water pump cracking and spewing water sucks and all, but it happens. Not too hard to see problems with the starter coming right after that if it was submerged in the water in the engine bay.

I feel bad for anyone who has problems with their boats. Guess why? Because I've had boat problems. Guess who else has? Everyone who has spent a substantial amount of time boating!

You just roll with the punches when it comes to boats because they are completely unreliable when compared to cars or airplanes. Like one of the earlier responses indicated, some boaters out there would KILL to have as good of an experience with their boat over 15 years as you had with yours.

230 Mike · **Posted:** Mon Jun 17, 2013 1:12 pm

LOL Paul!

Disgusted QX Owner wrote:

And, most recently, immediately after starter replacement, it began to die under idle and leak oil into the engine compartment. I fear a leaky head gasket.

Are you saying that a starter replacement is causing the engine to die and leak oil?

Sorry man, this reeks of 1) someone who has zero knowledge of how to maintain a boat (something that you MUST have if you're going to own one), 2) lots of neglect, and 3) at least one bad winterization.

The boat might be garbage, but we can't tell based on what you've posted.

wkearney99 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 17, 2013 2:21 pm

A boat that old with very low hours is often a bad sign. It usually means someone didn't have the time to use it.. and that often extends to their maintenance schedule as well.

Boats are complex assemblies of many different parts, from many different vendors. Each of those assemblies has it's own maintenance requirements. Just because you're not using them doesn't mean they're not still running into the same maintenance issues.

Rubber being the prime culprit, wear from use is one factor but so is how it degrades over time.

An impeller is a rubber element. Left to sit for a while it will start to get hard and no longer flex effectively. So the next time you get around to running the engine that brittle rubber breaks. It either fails entirely or pieces of it flake off. Those pieces can, in turn, get caught elsewhere in the cooling system. This can lead to other much more expensive failures. Like the water pump. Same thing with the rubber diaphragm in the fuel pump (and all the other pumps, like the bilge ones). It's likely f you'd been running the boat more often the impeller would've been getting replaced more often. This would likely also have brought attention to other signs needing repair (like a weeping water pump bearing).

Gauges have needles in them that have to float very delicately. Leave them in one position (off) and it's entirely possible corrosion will stick the needle in place, leading to it getting broken when power is applied. Why do you think they'd tap the dials on stuff? To dislodge the needle.

The engine compartment should never flood. It should NOT have happened if the bilge pumps were installed, on and working properly. Let an engine compartment get filled with water will absolutely RUIN wiring. A starter is pretty much nothing but wiring inside of it, and is typically low on the engine block. You didn't help it by letting the engine compartment fill up.

A boat that's not used as much runs a greater risk of more expensive repairs.

The very same things can be said for a car. Ignore the belts and tires, the coolant in the radiator, the oil in the crankcase and the like and you'd probably have the same kinds of problems. Would you blame the car?

Sorry if it sounds harsh, but given the statements you posted it's hard to come to any other conclusion.

ric · **Posted:** Mon Jun 17, 2013 3:06 pm

Well the thing that screams neglect is when he said he follows " regular maintenance". There is no such thing as regular maintenance on a boat used only 15 hours a year. Regular maintenance on a boat that neglected is:

Every spring:
Oil/filter/fuel filter
Cap/rotor/plugs/wires
Impeller/hoses/belts/thermostat
Outdrive oil
Carb rebuild kit installed
Bellows
Trailer bearings repacked
Trailer tires checked or replaced if not jacked up

Every 5 years:
Exhaust manifolds
Gimble bearings
Power steering and trim fluid flushed

Even that being said, something that sits around in storage that much is going to have issues from sitting. Gauges will freeze stuck, switches will corrode and not work, electrical motors (trim) will freeze stuck, anything rubber will dry out and crack. You're better off renting a boat if you're only using it 2 days a year.

The sad part is, if he ever sold that boat it would get top dollar for being a 1997 with 250 hours because people think low hours = better. That is probably the worst assumption new boat owners make.

deafwish · **Posted:** Mon Jun 17, 2013 4:35 pm

I smell a rat with this user.
Maybe a bored Bayliner Salesman, using his Boss' laptop?

wkearney99 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 17, 2013 4:52 pm

It would seem odd for a lawyer to post a message like that (given the IP address source). What with the value of billable time and all that. But could be just an employee or someone else posting through that firm's IP address. Who knows?

It sure seems more like a rant than a troll.

So let's all do our best to keep this from degrading further.

www.iFourWinns.com

1997 QX Worst Boat Ever

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