Brand new Mercury outboards....apparently not reliable

[airplanemechanic]

I've always been a Mercury fan and I'm a mechanic so I know stuff can just "break" but this is unacceptable.

My neighbor bought a brand new Sun Tracker 22 foot barge with a brand spanking new 2017 Mercury 150 four stroke on the back. Absolutely immaculate. Bought it brand new at the boat show a few weeks ago. A few days ago they took it out for the first time. The whole family in their swimsuits, loading their towels, etc. We even walked by them walking our dogs and wished them the best. That's when hell broke loose, literally.

The brand new engine had 3 hours on it and it suddenly froze up. They had to be towed in. Come to find out, a valve spring gave dumping the valve into the cylinder destroying the engine. I was awestruck. I've never heard of that happening to ANY new outboard.

Needless to say, Mercury is hanging a brand new engine on the back of the boat. An $11,000 dollar outboard lasted 3 hours. Unbelievable.

 

[Divine Wind]

Solution? Learn to sail.

Although motorboating women is fun, I've never been a fan of power boats. Sailing and kayaking are my main water vehicles.

Too bad about the Mercury. Nice that they replaced it. Let's hope it's just a one-time thing.

 

[Iceweasel]

I've never heard of anyone manufacturing engines with no failures. It happens to all of them.

 

[miketx]

I've always been a Mercury fan and I'm a mechanic so I know stuff can just "break" but this is unacceptable.

My neighbor bought a brand new Sun Tracker 22 foot barge with a brand spanking new 2017 Mercury 150 four stroke on the back. Absolutely immaculate. Bought it brand new at the boat show a few weeks ago. A few days ago they took it out for the first time. The whole family in their swimsuits, loading their towels, etc. We even walked by them walking our dogs and wished them the best. That's when hell broke loose, literally.

The brand new engine had 3 hours on it and it suddenly froze up. They had to be towed in. Come to find out, a valve spring gave dumping the valve into the cylinder destroying the engine. I was awestruck. I've never heard of that happening to ANY new outboard.

Needless to say, Mercury is hanging a brand new engine on the back of the boat. An $11,000 dollar outboard lasted 3 hours. Unbelievable.

You're a mechanic and haven't learned the "shit happens" rule? What's up with all those warranty claims in new car dealerships?

 

[DGS49]

This 2017. Normal QA should prevent something like this from ever happening. The dealer should be jumping through hoops to make this customer happy. Not just satisfied.

 

[miketx]

This 2017. Normal QA should prevent something like this from ever happening. The dealer should be jumping through hoops to make this customer happy. Not just satisfied.

Perhaps you haven't noticed but people in general are becoming more and more LESS responsible and more likely to not give a damn at a job or claim center. It's taken me 6 weeks to get my phone fixed and all I had to do was finally after 10 phone calls and untold "press one to....." cycles of bullshit and talking to people who did not want to help me, I got it fixed over the phone. Finally. No one gives a shit anymore. It's always not my problem or let someone else do it, or hey, it'll be ok.

 

[DGS49]

Don't generalize. I have had occasion to hire 4-5 contractors to do work on my house over the past few years. My preference is to find small contractors with a pickup truck and a couple helpers. I have had my roof replaced, repaired a retaining wall, drywall replacement in the basement, garage door repairs, and had a new brick pillar built for my mailbox and newspaper.

In every case the contractors were prompt, competent, helpful, and willing to do minor extra work without charging me. Prices are a fraction of what my neighbors are paying for the same thing. I paid $12k for my new roof, while one neighbor paid almost $30k for a very similar house.

I avoid big companies with their brick & mortar and high overhead charges, and I've found that to be the best course, when possible. Go small, check references.

 

[Iceweasel]

Don't generalize. I have had occasion to hire 4-5 contractors to do work on my house over the past few years. My preference is to find small contractors with a pickup truck and a couple helpers. I have had my roof replaced, repaired a retaining wall, drywall replacement in the basement, garage door repairs, and had a new brick pillar built for my mailbox and newspaper.

In every case the contractors were prompt, competent, helpful, and willing to do minor extra work without charging me. Prices are a fraction of what my neighbors are paying for the same thing. I paid $12k for my new roof, while one neighbor paid almost $30k for a very similar house.

I avoid big companies with their brick & mortar and high overhead charges, and I've found that to be the best course, when possible. Go small, check references.

In other words you hire unlicensed illegal aliens.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Wait-$11,000 for a replacement outboard?!?!