PLEASE READ !!! Do not have these people do any work for you

[dcappotto]

Hello all

I had National Marine Center in Florida rebuild my 1990 200hp Evinrude over the winter. This was the worst experience I have ever had with any company. I apologize for the lengthly post but I really need to get my point across so nobody else gets ripped off by these people. After speaking to a lawyer my only recourse was to send them a letter which explains all that I have gone through with this rebuild. The links below are pictures of how I received my outboard as well as the issue with the power pack.

Thanks for listening and beware.


Mr. Doug Worth,

I would have liked to write a letter praising National Marine Center for their
excellence in workmanship, quality, professionalism, and oh yes National Marine Center’s
number one goal, customer satisfaction. Instead I am writing this letter in disbelief as to how
a company can operate and treat their customers as I was treated. When I first called National
Marine and spoke to you, I listened to how you would take my outboard, tear it down, completely rebuild, paint, test run, brake-in, and how I would receive my outboard in like new condition. You went on explaining how thorough your crew would be because the last thing you wanted to see is a customer several hundred miles away having a problem and having to pay a mechanic to fix the problem. Well if how I received my outboard is considered like new condition you are sadly mistaken. This has been without a doubt the worst experience I have ever had doing business with any company.

Now lets talk about the condition of my outboard when I received it. First off I never got a call from National Marine telling me that the outboard had been shipped. I was on a bus on the way to work when at 6:30 in the morning when I got a call on my cell phone from the freight company telling me they had a delivery for me and there were freight charges of $246.10. I could not understand how this could be since I only paid $90 to ship it down to Florida. After waiting
four days with no resolution from National Marine on the high freight bill I decided to pay the bill
and accept the delivery. My wife excepted the delivery because I was at work. When I got home that evening and inspected the outboard I could not believe my eyes. The engine cover and lower cowling was broken and ultimately had to be replaced. I removed the engine cover and after further inspection I found excessive damage to many external parts on the engine. The new
power pack I paid an additional $158 for was damaged on the corner, after looking closely I could see that a large piece of the corner had been broken off and glued back on at your shop. A spark plug had been broken in half, the temperature sensor had been bent over and needed to be replaced, the timing lever adjuster knob had been broken off and needed to be replaced, both thermostat covers on the heads had to be replaced because they were damaged to the point that they were leaking, the vacuum switch on the VRO system was missing and had to be replaced, the shift lever switch was missing (a used one was found at your shop and sent to me). In addition to the damage I also found that the starter I had paid $100 to have rebuilt was never touched, (National did reimburse the $100). I also paid $150 to have the magnets in the flywheel glued back in which I later found had not been done. Looks like you also screwed me out of $250 I paid to have the steering tube replaced. The old one was painted over, I can see the rust coming through the paint. After looking at all the damage and trying to figure out how this could have happened I came to the conclusion that this engine had been dropped at your shop and instead of owning up to it, who ever dropped it glued the piece back on the power pack wrapped it up in black plastic so nobody could see the damage and figured the freight company would take the blame. There is no way I can see all this damage happening during shipping, especially when the power pack had been glued back together at your shop. Since I received my outboard I have spent in excess of $900 to put this engine back in running condition.

I have called National Marine numerous times asking for you and left messages
which you have never returned. Your office manager Oscar, is the most incompetent,
unresponsive person I have ever had to deal with. I have asked Oscar at least a dozen
times for an invoice with a brake-down of all the work that was done on this outboard. It has been two months since I took delivery of this outboard and I still have not received an invoice from National Marine. I have never done business with a company that refuses to give you an invoice after services have been rendered.

I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau for what ever that’s worth. I also talked
to a lawyer in the Miami area who told me to grin and bear it which I have reluctantly accepted.
What I do plan on doing is posting with pictures to the many boating forums I belong to in great detail about your company and how I was treated. If I can prevent you from taking advantage of
just one customer so they do not go through all I have been through it will be worth it.

Along with this letter you will find enclosed some photos of how I received my outboard
as well as photos of the flywheel and damaged power pack as I found them.


Very unsatisfied in New Hampshire


http://www.momentoffame.com/snapshot.html?id=81621

http://www.momentoffame.com/snapshot.html?id=81622


http://www.momentoffame.com/snapshot.html?id=81623


http://www.momentoffame.com/snapshot.html?id=81624

http://www.momentoffame.com/snapshot.html?id=81625

[SeaJay]

I'm not trying to affix blame or designate who should compensate you, but this sounds like damage done during transit rather than a faulty repair job.

Good luck in getting this resolved to your satisfaction.

[VtWarthog]

The links to pictures of your motor do not seem to work for me? I think you should send them as attachments to the repair facility as they are not apt to wait for them to load from mommentoffame.com?

[OldBay]

If you are being charged for work that was not performed, you should dispute the charges on your credit card. Isn't that theft?

[dcappotto]

They would not accept a credit card over the phone. I had to send them a bank check.

[scott-hydra24]

Sending a bank check was your first mistake.

[dcappotto]

What choice did I have, they had my motor and would not ship whitout payment.

[Mist-Rest]

The whole thing sucks and I feel bad for you. Never Never Never take delivery from a trucking company with out inspecting your goods.

I will not rub salt in your wounds. Good luck in any resolution.

[First Light]

The fact that they would not take a credit card says they have had previous charge-backs, probably from previous dissatisfied customers.

[DCKH]

While I hate to say it, if you can’t get it resolved on mutually agreeable terms, go after him in small claims court in your state. Even though he's in Florida, you could argue part of the deal took place in NH. Get your judgment and transfer it to Florida. Force him to hire an attorney and defend. I bet he talks settlement.

[Cracker]

DCKH,
Most of the time, a business that does any work for people out of state has it stipulated in the contract that you must pursue them legally in their own state. In other words the suit would have to be brought up in Florida Courts where National Marine is.

[DCKH]

Then how about a claim under a pro-consumer NH state law regulation/statute

[Brad1]

dcappotto,

Sorry to hear about your problem. By any chance, are you a member of Boat U.S. ?

I ask because in the latest Boat U.S. publication, there was an article about a service they provide to assist in the resolution of marine consumer matters such as yours. I personally don't know how effective their service is but perhaps its at least one potential avenue for recourse.

Come to think of it, are there any marine consumer advocacy groups out there? Maybe we should start one.

[salty_dog]

I am no attorney, but have spent considerable time in the transportation industry. You need to check with your attorney about the carrier's responsibility/liability. It sounds like most of the damage to the motor was concealed by the shipping crate, you do have recourse. Act now, the statute on this runs out very quickly. Your goal is to put the responsibility of proof of damage on the carrier/shipper. The carriers insurance should be responsible for the declared value of the shipment.

Salty

[Cracker]

Consult with Pro Bono Perry here on THT..He has his own vendor area..I am sure he can help

[dcappotto]

salty_dog, There is no question, the damage was not caused by the freight company. Do you think that the freight company would try to repair the power pack by trying to glue back the piece that broke off. Nation Marine addmitted glueing the piece back on, they told me that that persion no longer works there. I am convinced that this outboard somehow was dropped pror to shipment. . What about all of the extra work I paid money for that was not done?

[Jay A]

Sorry to hear of the meyhem however,why did you have the work done in Florida when there are many qualified "Rude" facilities in New England?

Second, I have a hunch that some of the damage may have occured when they received it, ie. by glueing pieces together!

And to others who have their engines shipped,take photo's! It's a good insurance policy to protect your investments!

[ccm]

That sucks. I keep all my work local so I have someone to grab by the throat if there is a problem. $90 seems too cheap to ship to fla. 250 seems about right. Any chance the shipping Co. to florida could have done the damage?

[fowl intent]

dcappatto,

Billing you for work they didn't perform amounts to an unfair and deceptive trade practice. I don't know about Florida's consumer protection statutes, but in a number of states (NC included) unfair and deceptive trade practices, if found to exist, allow for treble damages as well as recovery of attorney fees. If Florida has similar statute, you might try to find a Florida attorney willing to write a letter to NMC, advising that unless your damages are addressed, you intend to file suit. The threat of an unfair/deceptive trade practice suit gives you considerably more leverage in trying to deal with these scumbags. Heck, the lawyer may be willing to take the case to trial at no expense to you if he/she deems the case strong enough, knowing that NMC will likely be held responsible for his fees.

[cberry107]

U sent someone a blank check? Bahahahahahaha!