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Random Quote: Civilization Stops at the shore line
OK let me start by saying I am just a bit upset here to say the least.* I bought my Karavan trailer last November but it was not even registered till this last spring,*so actually my warrantee should be good till this coming next spring.
Anyway, my trailer has been in the water (salt water) 2 times since it was bought... once to put it in and the second to haul it out.
When I brought the boat to be winterized the wheel cylinder was broken and leaking...* I needed to replace the wheel cylinder, replace the brake pads and top off the brake fluid.* The total tab came to $187.26.* I figured screw it I'll pay for it and get reimbursed, what the hell it is under warrantee here.
I just talked to Brad at Karavan trailers and he said that his boss Leo Mercus (sp?) at ext 128 said that being that it was in salt water that the warrantee is void.* Now I am not pissed because I am out $187.26 but that I spent $3,000 or so for a trailer and they will not stand by it.* I left a message on Leo's phone and told him I was not very pleased at Karavan's work ethics.* To me if you have a warrantee and you use your trailer*properly they should stand by their product.* I even had flushes put in for the brakes as an extra.
I will keep you all posted but if I was you and you were looking for a trailer for your boat I would advise against buying a Karavan trailer as I am now finding out that they do not and will not stand behind their product.
I don't think I have heard the last from Leo but by the sounds of it he will not be willing to fork over the little money it cost me to have fixed.
Basically buyer be ware when buying a trailer.
I will be e-mailing Karavan trailers later today and have already called where the trailer was bought and let them know how Karavan sticks up for their products by stiffing the people who buy them.
Keep you posted later.
__________________ "May your poles be bent and your lines stay tight!!!" <*{{{{{><
1998 Grady White 208 Adventure (sold)
2003 Hydra Sports 212 CC
19?? 12' Duranautic
When I brought the boat to be winterized the wheel cylinder was broken and leaking...
Salt water wouldn't have broken a wheel cylinder.
Hint: Always leave your trailer parked with the brakes disengaged. That is, pull forward enough that the coupler is not compressed in the braking position. If left in the braking position, the master and wheel cylinders are partially exposed to the atmosphere and can rust. This will shorten their life and cause premature leaking. The brake shoes can also stick to the drums and lock the wheels. Ask me how I know!
First off it needed new pads due to leakage on the brake pads due to brake failure.* Only needed the pads on that one wheel.
I told the dealer about the problem and they referred me to the owners manual on how to be re-embersed.* I brought the boat to a closer dealer to get winterized and once there found out about the brake problem on the trailer and did not want to risk driving it another 1 1/2 hours with the boat on it with the brake broken.* Where I got the boat winterized was not a Karavan trailer dealer, and there was no way I was going to drive another 1 1/2 to get to a dealer that sells Karavan trailers with my boat on it being broken.* Right now I feel glad that nothing happened to the trailer (like the wheel freezing up on me) when I was towing it in the first place.
It all comes down to the unwillingness of Karavan trailers to back up their trailer when something broke.* I highly doubt that putting a trailer in salt water 2 times in a year, plus with me flushing both times with fresh water to be voiding the warrantee.* That my friends is just plain poor business and I will NEVER buy another Karavan trailer again and will tell everyone not to either.* And if you do buy one I won't ever say I told you so but you can be sure I will be thinking it when something goes wrong.
Now you got me worried. I have a Karavan too that came with the boat. Bought it from a local boat dealer so if I do have problems, hopefully the local guys will stand behind it????
I have a Boston Whaler 190 Nantucket (a salt water boat, I might add) that comes with a factory supplied Karavan trailer.
I have e-mailed Karavan and Boston Whaler requesting their respective positions on the warranty or lack of, if the trailer is used in a salt water environment.
Best of luck on this one. Within the last year I have owned two trailers; a Float-On aluminum/stainless and a Karavan galvanized. The Karavan came with a Boston Whaler 150. I understand that you get what you pay for in most things and there is just a huge difference in an aluminum/stainless torsion bar suspended trailer and a leaf spring small wheel galvanized trailer. Maybe B/W wants you to relive the 60's when it was a big deal to have a galvanized trailer. It seems to pull fine, but it ain't fancy.
After I raised some hell yesterday at work about this I got home last evening and there was a message on my phone from Leo Mercus saying that he wanted me to now fax him the invoice (which I just did this morning) and he was very interested in talking to me on the phone today.
As soon as I do this I will post the outcome of our conversation here.
Either way I will still be disappointed because one should not have to raise holy hell to get a simple obvious repair done under warrantee when you know it was not due to any reason other then faulty equipment.* There is no way that being in salt water 2 times could have ever caused the cylinder to fail, especially when I had fresh water flushes installed at an extra expense to me and used them.
However, maybe this will wake Karavan trailers up that this salt water business of voiding warrantee is a no-no, and will help anyone else in the future with this type of problem.
__________________ "May your poles be bent and your lines stay tight!!!" <*{{{{{><
1998 Grady White 208 Adventure (sold)
2003 Hydra Sports 212 CC
19?? 12' Duranautic
Well here we go.* I talked to Leo Merkes (his number is 1-920-928-6200 ext. 228) and he told me straight out that salt water usage will voil your warranttee on Karavan trailers.*
I explained to him that there is no possible way with me having a flush kit installed and me putting the trailer in salt water 2 times and also flushing could cause the wheel cylinder to break.* Then Leo said that if it was a defective part that he would need to see it so that I would have to mail him the parts.* I said that will not be a problem but then on top of what it cost me to be fixed that I will also expect to have shipping of these parts to him reimbursed also.* He said that would not be a problem but he would still need to look the parts over.* We shall see what actually transpires.
I will be sending Leo the parts on Monday 10/25/04 when I drop off my father in laws boat.* I will keep you all posted as I find out info for myself.
__________________ "May your poles be bent and your lines stay tight!!!" <*{{{{{><
1998 Grady White 208 Adventure (sold)
2003 Hydra Sports 212 CC
19?? 12' Duranautic
I have previously had a Karavan galvanized trailer too (1993-95). They seem to be a nice "freshwater" trailer. Boat always loaded good, however, even though galvanized, mine was not saltwater friendly. I hosed it down religiously every time out in the salt. At the end of the first year had to replace the brakes. Brake backings, shoes, springs, were made of steel. I put in a flush line. During second year the brake lines rusted through and had to be replaced, had to replace the wiring, and the brakes again. Inside one of the drums the whole brake assembly, shoes and all came detached and spun freewheel inside the drum. Third year the frame rusted through in several places. Sold it in its third year.
Just so that I have this right. Karavan BOAT Trailers does not cover their trailers after*getting dipped into salt water??? Why not save some more money and buy a painted trailer? At least with a painted trailer you know right up front*that it was designed for fresh water.*
__________________ 2003 Boston Whaler 255 Conquest w/ twin 200 HPDI's
I've never been a racist. I don't like the white half either.
Mark426, I don't want to make you feel bad but my trailer is galvanized and not painted.* I bought it from a dealership that knew it was going in salt water.* I believed that this trailer was made for salt water being that it was galvanized and the trailer that the dealership recommended.
However, the only way to really know if you are covered is when and if (hopefully you won't ever have to) you ever need warrantee work done.
I am just telling you that I heard it right from the person who does the overseeing regarding Karavan trailers warrantee work.* Leo told me straight out that they don't cover warrantees after it has been in salt water.* I am just letting you all know what I am going through.
You can take this info or leave it but at least I am letting you all know up front.* The battle is not over and I am still going to send my parts to Leo and maybe, just maybe I will get reimbursed but that has yet to be seen.* I will let you all know on this thread of the outcome when that time comes.
__________________ "May your poles be bent and your lines stay tight!!!" <*{{{{{><
1998 Grady White 208 Adventure (sold)
2003 Hydra Sports 212 CC
19?? 12' Duranautic
Owner stands behind his stuff. I have had fenders, bearing caps, lights, hoses, ect replaced without question. Each time he did bearing job on the trailer for nada... Thank You Drive Through...
I think thats ridiculous, where did he expect you to use your trailer. My buddy had a kravan trailler that he towed his grady white 232 with and his springs broke after just two years. I think maybe you should just sell your trailer and get a new one. I'm ordering my new boat with a road king. Most of the aluminum trailers down south are so much more superior to this galvanized crap we have up here. Good luck!
I had a Karavan trailer with my Trophy 1802. The left side brakes locked up during the first season. Like mentioned above make sure to release brakes after you park the trailer - this applies to all trailers. I didn't - hence the problem. It was a galvanized trailer and used exclusively in salt water. My dealer replaced brakes on both sides for free so I've no complaints. After two seasons it still looked like new. This sounds more like a dealer problem to me. But the warranty does state that you must send the parts back for warranty and it does not mention anything about salt water usage. Warranty is located here:
Karavan trailers and warrantees 
