www.iFourWinns.com

I just got an email from dealer #2.
He is following up and presented my case to the head of warranty at VP Canada.
We'll see whats going to happen next.

Pete

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"ROCKHOUND"
2005 Vista 298
Georgian Bay, Ontario.

You know, this is probably of little use to anyone but the lake I live on is almost brackish. The upper lake is fresh, the lower lake is brackish and the middle lake (where I am) is somewhere in between dependant on how much its been raining - for real . Thus my choice for anodes is just confusing for me.
However, I have come to discover with research that my jetboat used zinc from the factory (dealer could never tell me what they were made of only "what the factory sends 'em with" ).
OK, so it is a jet drive but the principal is the same - stainless fittings aluminum housing etc. Now that boat sat in the water and the zincs disintigrated as they should but the drive was absolutly flawless after 3 seasons - even on edges that had been bumped, scraped or just worn away thus exposing the aluminum. There was absolutly no sign of corrosion to be found BUT the drive was always completly submerged while in the water not trimmed up as I have seen some people with I/Os do. Could this have anything to do with it? Anodes have to be submerged to work right? I have had luck in the past with zinc in my area so I think I will ask the dealer to equip the same, or at least get a zinc kit.
planealternative I do hope you get some satisfaction the corrosion issues you and other Volvo owners are describing - it does seem quite excessive - like an issue with thier blend in housing material or poor finishing practice. Being another Canuk with a Volvo on the way I do hope we are going to see you get some form of product backing up here. After watching this and other threads like it I will certainly be inspecting mine often!

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2008 Four Winns 210 5.7 GI/SX
2007 GMC Sierra 2500 Crew
1966 Fed-Up Wife

UPDATE!
So it looks like Volvo Penta is trying to ignore my problem.
At this point all communication is through a VP service dealer who is a great guy. VP told him that absolutely NO stern drives have been replaced under warranty for premature corrosion issues and that they have no such problem.
I was kind of expecting that response.
Anyway, the boat is now in the water and I plan to have a great summer.... however I will continue to push VP on this issue.

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"ROCKHOUND"
2005 Vista 298
Georgian Bay, Ontario.

I'll be checking my boat tomorrow. It doesn't even have 85 hours on it, and I remember seeing some of the paint bubbling on the drive. I hope its my memory fading since its late. My '01 Sea Ray didn't have any issue at all, but that had a Merc.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

UPDATE!
So it looks like Volvo Penta is trying to ignore my problem.
At this point all communication is through a VP service dealer who is a great guy. VP told him that absolutely NO stern drives have been replaced under warranty for premature corrosion issues and that they have no such problem.

-----------------

Lies! You need a customer service rep at VP - NOT the dealer. Ask your dealer to call me and I can tell him all about drive replacement due to corrosion ....

I also finally got my magnesium anodes installed so the boat is in.

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

Hmmm, there are pics of 2 drives now on this forum that have been replaced due to corrosion.......

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

I'm taking pics in a few hours and will have them up tonight..I hope I'm just freaking out after reading this thread and it is not corrosion....

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Your boat is 4 years old, there SHOULD be some signs of paint detioriation and/or corrosion. That is normal, depending on how long and where it was in the water. Let's see the pictures and then it will be easier to tell if there is an issue or not.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

I agree with the good captain here, at 4 years in the water, I would not have pursued the issue. My boat had 5 months in the water, and the drive was blistering and peeling as early as 3 months in the water.

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

Also its safe to say that My drive and Chris' drive are the same make model and year and I bet if you really dug into it, the same batch of castings and paint. Volvo's short comment was my drive had a paint defect.

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

At this time VP refuses to deal directly with me and insists that I communicate with them through a service dealer.
Talk about passing the buck.
The latest claim from them is that it is not their problem and that Four Winns and their dealer network have had ample training in the importance of corrosion protection.
Here are some direct quotes from VP passed along to me by the dealer.

" There is always a chance that errors or omissions have been committed at the manufacturer's plant."

" The literature says that anodes will not usually protect against stray currents. Stray currents can originate with the Marina's shore power installation as well as from the boat's 110 volt installation."

"Boat builders and selling dealers are well informed about the subject of corrosion protection, so it is their responsibility."

This being said... how come my Merc drive on my previous boat, in the same water experienced no signs of corrosion after almost 5 seasons??????

And finally, here's a quote from the VP service dealer that I WAS talking to.

Peter, "insert name of dealer here" is not in a position to intercede with Volvo on your behalf.

Next stop.... Four Winns head office.

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"ROCKHOUND"
2005 Vista 298
Georgian Bay, Ontario.

Call Fourwiins customer service tell them about your problem. They will forward it along to VP. They should call you from their Customer Service center. Volvo in turn deals with the your dealer to make repairs. Thats how it works here in the USA

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

Heres the funny thing....
Called Bill kruger at FW's, he said it's VP's problem.
Called VP, they say its FW's or the dealers problem.
Called the dealer and he doesn't know what to say.
I am once again on talking terms with the selling dealer and they confirmed that the corrosion is abnormal. (do ya think?)
They also claim that they were instructed by FW to ship boats as received which means with aluminum anodes.
Someone has screwed up big time here and I'm going to find out who.
The ball is now in the dealers court.

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"ROCKHOUND"
2005 Vista 298
Georgian Bay, Ontario.

The boats three years old, it was sold on 5-5-05. It was kept on a trailer the first year, and last year was in a freshwater slip. 84 hours on the clock, and its hard to tell from the pics. Looks like its bubbling a little, but not much. My previous boat, an '01 Sea Ray 185, that was never slipped, didn't have one bubble anywhere on the drive. I should have taken a pic of the anode, but I think I'll go ahead and put two new magensium ones on there since it will be freshwater only. What do you think?

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Can't really tell from those pictures. What I can see appears to be normal. The boat was bought in May 2005, when was it manufactured?

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy