FW Customer Service disappointment

Guinnydog · **Posted:** Tue Aug 28, 2012 4:33 pm

Contacted FW customer service regarding my factory installed Raymarine VHF not receiving and a water leak in my remote spot light.

After 12 days, FW kindly got back to me and said "No warranty on these items".

I took the radio in to be bench tested and to get a repair quote to see whether it was worth repairing. After a day, the repair tech called and said there was a fault with the receiving circuit, and if I could provide him with the bill of sale, he would replace the radio under warranty. I picked up the new radio yesterday.

Now going to contact Golight and see if they will help me with my spot light.

Thanks Four Winns!!

As a note: FW customer Service had been awesome to deal with up to this point.

ric · **Posted:** Tue Aug 28, 2012 4:56 pm

You have to ask the right questions to get the right answers. If you just ask FourWinns if your electronics are under warranty they'll answer no, because that's the correct answer for your question. Four Winns does not hold any warranty on electronics install on boats. That doesn't mean there isn't one, it just means not from four winns cause they didn't make it.

You have to consult the individual makers of the parts for their coverage.

Example: The yellow trim vinyl on my 2009 Stingray is faded. There is no coverage from Stingray and if you ask them they'll say no it's not covered by any warranty they offered and they can sell you new pieces. BUT, if you contact Omnova (nautolex line) the makers of the vinyl they have a 3/5 year product replacement warranty. First 3 years, they pay for the vinyl and labor to replace it. The last 2 years, they will supply the vinyl but not cover labor.

So, if you wanna get technical my boat has multiple warranties to keep track of.
Anything with a Volvo Penta part #: Volvo penta
Anything Stingray made out of fiberglass: Stingray
Vinyl: Omnova
Gauges: Faria
Switches: Carling
Hatch: Bomar
Radio: JVC
Speakers: Polk
Navigation lights and various hardware and bilge: Attwood
Cover/bimini: Sunbrella

See what I'm getting at here? Boats are not like cars, you have to consult the individual brand that's in question. The marine world is very different then the automotive world. That has nothing to do with Four Winns customer service or the lack you think they have. Maybe they could have said please consult the manufacturer but that's generally considered common sense. You wouldn't call Ikea about your broken Sony TV just because your TV sits on an Ikea tv stand.

NiagaraChillin · **Posted:** Tue Aug 28, 2012 6:16 pm

ric wrote:

You wouldn't call Ikea about your broken Sony TV just because your TV sits on an Ikea tv stand.

That about sums it up....

Pedropup · **Joined:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 10:51 am **Posts:** 104

I understand where Ric is coming from, but Fourwinns should technically at least point you in the right direction. how many people take the "no" from FourWinns and then go and pay for their stuff themselves? They know what agreements they have with their partners and should point you in that direction.

IMHO-----THAT would be customer service and looking out for their customers.

ric · **Posted:** Tue Aug 28, 2012 7:58 pm

Pedropup wrote:

I understand where Ric is coming from, but Fourwinns should technically at least point you in the right direction. how many people take the "no" from FourWinns and then go and pay for their stuff themselves? They know what agreements they have with their partners and should point you in that direction.

IMHO-----THAT would be customer service and looking out for their customers.

Well, I mean it says Raymarine on the box it's kinda a big clue. 10 seconds in google found this:

http://www.raymarine.com/Default.aspx?s ... 3&page=379

I'm not trying to down anyone, we're all family here...

Technologic80 · **Posted:** Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:16 pm

Well, while I have the chance to get on my FW soapbox, I really hate the new layout of the FW company site....errr the layout is fine but they have taken away all of the past specifications and past brochures. Up until 2 weeks ago, you could go and look up the exact specs (engine choices, options, speeds, GPH rates, etc) for EVERY FW boat made all the way back to like 1987.

Ok so its time to cut out the real old stuff, sure. Clogging up the site, not streamline, blah blah blah. But at least keep data up to a certain point (1995?) available on the site. geesh

Diemaker · **Posted:** Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:34 pm

ric wrote:

Pedropup wrote:

I understand where Ric is coming from, but Fourwinns should technically at least point you in the right direction. how many people take the "no" from FourWinns and then go and pay for their stuff themselves? They know what agreements they have with their partners and should point you in that direction.

IMHO-----THAT would be customer service and looking out for their customers.

Well, I mean it says Raymarine on the box it's kinda a big clue. 10 seconds in google found this:

http://www.raymarine.com/Default.aspx?s ... 3&page=379

I'm not trying to down anyone, we're all family here...

You shouldn't need to google anything fw puts on there boats or any other builder, they picked that product for reason and should guide customers in the right directions or deal with the warranty them selves and go after the suppliers for there money, or stop using there product.

ric · **Posted:** Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:49 pm

Diemaker wrote:

ric wrote:

Pedropup wrote:

I understand where Ric is coming from, but Fourwinns should technically at least point you in the right direction. how many people take the "no" from FourWinns and then go and pay for their stuff themselves? They know what agreements they have with their partners and should point you in that direction.

IMHO-----THAT would be customer service and looking out for their customers.

Well, I mean it says Raymarine on the box it's kinda a big clue. 10 seconds in google found this:

http://www.raymarine.com/Default.aspx?s ... 3&page=379

I'm not trying to down anyone, we're all family here...

You shouldn't need to google anything fw puts on there boats or any other builder, they picked that product for reason and should guide customers in the right directions or deal with the warranty them selves and go after the suppliers for there money, or stop using there product.

They picked it cause it was the cheapest bid that fit the requirements. They didn't make it. They didn't design it. They purchased it no different then me going and buying one. They just ordered more.

Baldo · **Posted:** Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:04 pm

Ric oversimplifies this a bit. A reputable, quality builder of boats needs to be specing out components by more than mere price and absolute minimum standards of performance (ie, it works when it leaves the FW factory but who knows if it will be working in 2 months). I believe there is some level of responsibility by FW here, maybe not a "legal" responsibility as in a direct warranty claim to FW, but certainly to point a caller to customer service in the right direction, not just a "not covered" answer. If they have any kind of corporate pride in the boats they are producing, they will at least try to be helpful in a customer's quest.

blue dragon · **Joined:** Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:01 pm **Posts:** 792

Technologic80 wrote:

Well, while I have the chance to get on my FW soapbox, I really hate the new layout of the FW company site....errr the layout is fine but they have taken away all of the past specifications and past brochures. Up until 2 weeks ago, you could go and look up the exact specs (engine choices, options, speeds, GPH rates, etc) for EVERY FW boat made all the way back to like 1987.

Ok so its time to cut out the real old stuff, sure. Clogging up the site, not streamline, blah blah blah. But at least keep data up to a certain point (1995?) available on the site. geesh

http://www.fourwinns.net/
Someone posted it earlier

I can't complain about FW customer service at all, they have dealt with all of my issues. I had a tire crack from dry rot, they sent me a new rim and tire. I had some flaws in the gelcoat, they pointed me to a shop and took care of it under warranty. I had my shower head start leaking, they sent me a new head and hose. I've dealt with Bill Kruger FWIW

RotaryRacer · **Posted:** Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:29 am

blue dragon wrote:

http://www.fourwinns.net/

If the links worked...it would be great. Am I the only one that clicks on "Brochures" and gets the "this page cannot be found" screen?

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:31 am

Nope, happens to me too. Only thing that works is "Parts Catalog"

As far as warranty items/non-warranty items are concerned. When you buy a new boat from a dealer, he really should be your contact through the warranty period, not the manufacturer. If the dealer can't resolve the issue, THEN you can ask the builer direct for assistance. Your dealer needs to be the one to go to bat for you with Four Winns, you should not have to do this yourself. That is what dealer warranty departments are for. Usually most boats are warrantied for 1 year from date of purchase, and within that time frame, the dealer and their warranty manager should take care of whatever you need. Let them deal with it, it's their job. Even if it is out of the "warranty period" I would still call the dealer first.

I had a similar situation with our new boat. Transom remote for the stereo was not working consistently. The first thought that came to mind was call my dealer. Which I did. Their warranty manager dealt with Monterey, and Monterey had the manufacturer of the remote ship me a new replacement in a couple of days. I installed it, and sent the defective one back to my dealer. I never once even considered calling Monterey direct. The boat builder should only be involved if your dealer will not take care of the problem to your satisfaction.

Just my opinion and experience.

Gresh24 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:42 am

I agree with Cap'n. Dealer should be first contact for warranty issues or questions.

ric · **Posted:** Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:05 am

Well, the issue arises of customer education from the dealer at this point. When said person purchased his 2010 boat he should have received a "boat load" of paperwork and documentation for all the systems on the boat and stressed to go through it all and fill it all out. In that packet of paperwork should have been the instructions and product registration mail-ins for the electronics including the Raymarine VHF radio (and the four winns winning edge warranty, volvo penta warranty, etc etc). On that paperwork he would have filled out and mailed in to raymarine to register his product it would have explained it's warranty coverage and he would have known what to do if it broke because the tech support #'s are on the documentation for it.

So to be calling Four Winns 2 years later about the radio means someone didn't bother to do anything they should have when purchasing a new boat. That big folder they give you with paperwork isn't for looks. You actually have to go through it all and mail stuff in. Maybe the dealer wasn't clear or just assumed people know that boats are different then buying cars.

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:18 am

ric wrote:

Well, the issue arises of customer education from the dealer at this point. When said person purchased his 2010 boat he should have received a "boat load" of paperwork and documentation for all the systems on the boat and stressed to go through it all and fill it all out. In that packet of paperwork should have been the instructions and product registration mail-ins for the electronics including the Raymarine VHF radio (and the four winns winning edge warranty, etc). On that paperwork he would have filled out and mailed in to raymarine to register his product it would have explained it's warranty coverage and he would have known what to do if it broke because the tech support #'s are on the documentation for it.

So to be calling Four Winns 2 years later about the radio means someone didn't bother to do anything they should have when purchasing a new boat. That big folder they give you with paperwork isn't for looks. You actually have to go through it all and mail stuff in. Maybe the dealer wasn't clear or just assumed people know that boats are different then buying cars.

You actually expect us to belive this ?? :roll:

You have ZERO experience with buying a new boat from a dealer. Your cred's in this area are non existent.
My dealer took care of all the warranty, registration for ANYTHING that came with our new boat. (Everything in the packet) Including all documentation for the trailer.
All that was mailed direct to me a few weeks after we took delivery. That is how it should work when buying a new boat.

www.iFourWinns.com

FW Customer Service disappointment

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