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Random Quote: Once you go Cat you'll never go back (Eliot - nana's couch 2 GB2670)
Never had any problems with any of the superchargers. Some do have a rattle to them, but it is only noticeable with the cowling off and it is completely normal. Glad to hear you'll be back in action soon bp!!! Don't forget to make sure the oil gets drained via the drain plug down by the gearcase from now on, that will prevent any sludge build up.
Cat O Lies - 9/13/2006 11:30 AM It sounds to me like Meeks has worked this issue the best they can. Unfortunately, it can be painfull dealing with a large company like Mercury.
Hmmmm, I have found that most of the time it is the Dealers that tend to be the difficult ones. Mercury has been top notch to deal with, as far as I'm concerned. Glad to see BP has Merc gettin' things done.
Boat is back in the water and runs great.
Mercury did the right thing, even though I though it took a little longer than I would have preferred. I will still rate Mercury high("B") on customer satisfaction, because no manufacturer that I know of gets an "A", so "B" rating is very good. Thanks Mercury.
One of the things not mentioned here is that Meeks Marine is only a servicing dealer, and they are always stacked to the ceiling with boats from Marine Max and such. Many of these boats have rigging issues that John and Steve have to ferret out and try to resolve. From personal experience, I can tell you that anyone that has dealt with Meeks always returns as they know their business, but because of all of the issues from other dealers, they can't always get you back on the water fast! Any of the manufacturers can have issues from time to time, I was a service manager at a dealership with Mercury, Johnson and Yamaha and a lot depends on who the rep is and who at the factory the rep has to deal with! Usually the SKA and basspro types get special treatment, but us normal people just have to wait for the chips to fall. Personnally, I am suspicious of the Verados due to the complexity( John Meeks and I disagree on this!) and I will keep my 200 MercClassic with carbs until all of the dust settles. Northstar
One of the things not mentioned here is that Meeks Marine is only a servicing dealer, and they are always stacked to the ceiling with boats from Marine Max and such. Many of these boats have rigging issues that John and Steve have to ferret out and try to resolve. From personal experience, I can tell you that anyone that has dealt with Meeks always returns as they know their business, but because of all of the issues from other dealers, they can't always get you back on the water fast! Any of the manufacturers can have issues from time to time, I was a service manager at a dealership with Mercury, Johnson and Yamaha and a lot depends on who the rep is and who at the factory the rep has to deal with! Usually the SKA and basspro types get special treatment, but us normal people just have to wait for the chips to fall. Personnally, I am suspicious of the Verados due to the complexity( John Meeks and I disagree on this!) and I will keep my 200 MercClassic with carbs until all of the dust settles. Northstar
I trhink this is a very fair response but it's time we all agreed it's not gonna get any better. Customers want better MPG, better perfoprmance, better emisons and better features like auto sync controls. The only way you are gonna get that is with better technology , that is going to require more complex training and better techs in general. You are not gonna be in the business and work on EFI's's much longer. Much like the techs in the cars business that wanted carbs back, it did not happen. The marine biz is gonna learn how to work with computers and code or they will be working on lawnmowers.
The is not a merc thread, this is all of them. And before you say etec's are getting back to basics, they are not, they have a mess of ECM's and wil have more as they become fly by wire in the future. Zuke has gone to elec controls, Yam is not more tha 1 year behind....
remember the buggey whip.....the march of technology....get up to speed or get brushed by the wayside....I saw many car techs 10 years ago muster out as they could not adapt.....
This year during the White marlin open the Viking in the slip next to us crashed into the rt. 50 bridge causing considerable damage when her electronic controls failed. I know they are the way of the future and they sure are sweet on the Verado's but that really made me wonder about reliability. The captain said he had heard of another Viking it happened to while they were in a marina and he ended up crashing into another boat.
... Customers want better MPG, better perfoprmance, better emisons and better features like auto sync controls. The only way you are gonna get that is with better technology , that is going to require more complex training and better techs in general.
I know it seems weird but it's kind of just the opposite. The more complex technology becomes the easier it generally becomes to troubleshoot and to maintain. I think your example of folks not keeping up might have more to do with personal attitudes of having to learn a new technology and less (nothing?) to do with the capacity to learn. But you are right; any hardass that thinks the wave of the future isn't really the future will be left out of that future.
Fishcop - There was just an incident involving a brand new ocean liner that lost steering control with its new hi-tech steering system and did a sharp turn, injuring a couple people onboard. I think it happened in Florida?!? Sounds similar to what you’re saying about the probs those Vikings had.
Its really not that uncommon for the electronic controls in some sportfishermen to have the occasional burp. I've seen two seperate boats run into the dock when one trasmssion didn't come out of reverse. I've had one engine not rev up in reverse, just go into gear, back to neutral and then reverse and was fine. Never come into a dock faster than you are willing to hit it. Both boats I saw crash were showing off and backing hard into the slip. When they had a problem there was no time to react.
More electronics have some advantages, easier to diagnose, can see problems develop quicker, etc. But IMO salt water and fancy electronics just don't mix well.
Its really not that uncommon for the electronic controls in some sportfishermen to have the occasional burp. I've seen two seperate boats run into the dock when one trasmssion didn't come out of reverse. I've had one engine not rev up in reverse, just go into gear, back to neutral and then reverse and was fine. Never come into a dock faster than you are willing to hit it. Both boats I saw crash were showing off and backing hard into the slip. When they had a problem there was no time to react.
More electronics have some advantages, easier to diagnose, can see problems develop quicker, etc. But IMO salt water and fancy electronics just don't mix well.
That's funny! A couple years ago I was mating on a 62 foot boat during the White Marlin Open and the owner had hired a very respectable captain out of Florida to fish the Tournament with us. I asked him why he backed so slowly into the slip when all the boats around us were flying into their slips. He told me you only back up as fast as your willing to crash.
fishcop - 9/26/2006 5:17 AM
He told me you only back up as fast as your willing to crash.
I wish everybody followed that advice......I am constantly amazed at the dock when I see just the opposite behavior.....sometimes with the same results.....crunch!
Northstar, I have nothing put postive comments about Meeks. I agree they are the "go to service center" when there is a serious problem, which is why I use them(even bought my first new outboard from John Meeks).
... Customers want better MPG, better perfoprmance, better emisons and better features like auto sync controls. The only way you are gonna get that is with better technology , that is going to require more complex training and better techs in general.
I know it seems weird but it's kind of just the opposite. The more complex technology becomes the easier it generally becomes to troubleshoot and to maintain. I think your example of folks not keeping up might have more to do with personal attitudes of having to learn a new technology and less (nothing?) to do with the capacity to learn. But you are right; any hardass that thinks the wave of the future isn't really the future will be left out of that future.
Fishcop - There was just an incident involving a brand new ocean liner that lost steering control with its new hi-tech steering system and did a sharp turn, injuring a couple people onboard. I think it happened in Florida?!? Sounds similar to what you’re saying about the probs those Vikings had.
It was the old "pilot error" that caused the ship to turn and injure pax. Nothing to do with technology, if this is the ship you are referring to
Re: 2nd Verado failure (costs tournament) 
