Angry X45 Customer over Warranty

[hullwatson]

I have a 2008 X45 and after the oil pressure dropping and the boat getting sluggish we stopped it and looked at the engine. The oil was fine, so we started it back up and still only 15MPH. Was told today it was becuase the Scoop on the belly of the boat was missing and that

1. it could be that the engine got too much water and did that on default
or
2. It got something up in it and we needed to buy a impller motor.

The mechanic said he had a Brass scoop and that was better. Mastercraft used to use those but now went to plastic. We didn't run over anything that we could see and there was no scratches at all to the bottom. I feel that it broke due to a cheep piece of plastic on it and now they say its not covered under warranty . So, we will be out of over 200.00.

Does anyone know what I am talking about or had this problem?

Isn't a boat worth 110K worthy of a brass SCOOP? Or should at least have the crappy piece under warranty?:mad:

[JKTX21]

I think it's worth hashing out with your dealer, everyone's opinion here won't count for much!

The fact that outside interference could have removed your scoop could be the issue.

[ttu]

it's still under warranty, what has happened with the dealer so far?:confused:

[hullwatson]

ttu....
So, far the Mastercraft mechanic at Lake Lanier, GA (the closest one to us) said it was not covered under warranty and that we should buy the brass cover instead of replacing it with a plastic one. They are going to take it for a test run tomorrow on the lake to see if we have to replace the Impeller or not.
I am just sick to my stomach. We flew all the way to Michigan to purchase this boat and had it shipped to Ga to us from the dealer.
How do you know it is covered under warranty?

JKTX21...
How could outside interference cause this to come off? It is protected by the trailer and if something came off the road to hit it there would be a scratch on the boat. but there is not one.

[cdm]

where did you buy the boat from in Michigan? Action Watersports? If so, Call Action, and have them warranty it through your local dealer.. I have worked with them for years. They should take care of it..

CDM

[Jerseydave]

I don't have an X-45, but on my '05 X-star the intake grate hits the trailer bunk. Maybe yours does too and that caused it to break/fall off? Just guessing, but worth a look.

When the boat would only do 15mph, what temp was the engine at that time? Have they checked for codes at the dealer?

With a missing intake grate, the impeller should be checked/replaced. How many hours on the boat? I replaced my impeller at 150 hours just to be safe.

Sorry to hear of your troubles, hopefully you can get things resolved with MC and/or the dealer.

[hullwatson]

CDM
Yes we bought it through Action Water Sports, and they are on my list for the first to call in the morning. I really hope they take care of it. we called them as soon as it happened, but didn't hear the "news" till after they were closed.


njskier
It does not hit the trailer bunk at all. The hours are 70 hours, and I am not sure if they have checked the codes or not. I will ask them tomorrow... As far as the engine temp, it was not over heating. I do not remember, the exact temperature but it was not hot.

[JKTX21]

ttu....
So, far the Mastercraft mechanic at Lake Lanier, GA (the closest one to us) said it was not covered under warranty and that we should buy the brass cover instead of replacing it with a plastic one. They are going to take it for a test run tomorrow on the lake to see if we have to replace the Impeller or not.
I am just sick to my stomach. We flew all the way to Michigan to purchase this boat and had it shipped to Ga to us from the dealer.
How do you know it is covered under warranty?

JKTX21...
How could outside interference cause this to come off? It is protected by the trailer and if something came off the road to hit it there would be a scratch on the boat. but there is not one.

I'm not sure how it could happen, doesn't seem like parts just fall off of boats. Poorly designed parts may have a greater risk of being knocked off in transit or on the lake I would assume.

Sounds like Mastercraft is recommending an upgraded part, why don't you offer to split the parts and labor with them since it's such a piece of s***.

[hullwatson]

I will if I have to. I have a friend that has a similar boat and when inspecting his versus ours thats where we spotted it missing.. I do not know why it is missing... I just feel it should be covered under warranty... We have only had it 3 months. It stays covered and in a enclosed garage with my other "toys" so who knows....

[hullwatson]

Do you know Chris Wilson? He is the salesman who sold us the boat...

[ttu]

i don't know if the warranty was changed, but went and look at my 07 manual and it states 1 year for "other component parts" (excluding engine and transmission).

are you the 1st owner?

if so i would think mc would take care of it.

[hullwatson]

I will go and look at my manual too.. My husband has it with him as of right now.. We are not the first owner. The first owner was the owner of the Dealership I think...

[barefoot]

I'm confused...

The boat ran sluggishly. Today, your mechanic said it was because of the plastic scoop. You didn't resolve the issue with the dealer so you've already written a letter to the CEO of MC about the issue? And you're upset that he hasn't gotten back to you...today...about the issue? Did you think it was maybe it was because he was in a meeting? What's the time frame on this issue really?

First, there is a proper chain to resolve a issue. My guess is if you are buying a $110k boat, you probably have people working for you. If that's the case, wouldn't you want your people to work within their parameters to solve a problem instead of jumping to the person in charge? I know I do. Second, I don't even think it's about a $200 scoop. That's too insignificant, in comparison to the value of the boat, to get all worked up about.

So what is it? What's made you so upset? I'll your question: I do believe they should put a brass scoop on the boat. But they didn't. So what are you going to do about it? It sucks spending more money then you planned. If you don't want to spend the $200, replace it with a plastic one.

[bxroads]

I'm a cheap bastard but also wise enough to value time. We've already spent $200 talking about it. Don't sweat the small stuff.

[hullwatson]

Barefoot... I have not sent the letter as of yet.... The dealership at Lanier I feel is taking advantage of the fact that we did not buy the boat from them but there is NO way we can take our boat to Michigan everytime something goes wrong.. and who knew something like this would happen so soon....????
Of course we will replace it with the brass one and fix the problem.. I just don't understand why they changed it from brass to plastic in the first place.. HUMM let me see ???? could it be $$$$$

I think you would be upset about this situation too if it happened to you..... What kind of problems have you had with your boat? Have you had to come out of pocket for something?

We pay enough for this boat and bought an extended warranty as well... also, its not the cost of the scoop.. its the cost of the impeller that we will have to replace as well...


bxroads
If you value time and feel that way then why did you waste time to make that comment? Im sorry this conversation has brought in negative attitudes... and I can't believe to think you would not be upset if this happened to yall....

[barefoot]

It was a harsh response on my part. For that, I apologize. I don't want you to feel more frustrated then you already are.

My harshness stems more from discussions that start about components failing on boats and people blaming the boat manufacture for the problem. The components are purchased from a supplier. The supplier is most likely selling these components to other boat manufacturers (CC, BU, etc.). The components don't make up brand, but the design elements of the manufacture (in this case, MC) that create the competitive advantage. What makes a MasterCraft a MasterCraft is the engineering: hull design, interior design, and the craftsmanship that brings it all together.

I can't answer why they changed the scoop from brass to plastic. Maybe the supplier went out of business. Maybe they couldn't meet the time/production/engineering requirements. In any case, maybe they are using brass now. I don't know.

I have an '83 S&S. In mid '83, they changed from wood stringers to glassed stringers. Why they did it mid '83 is beyond me...but I'm happy to say mine are glassed. I've been able to do the majority of the work on my own (or with the help of some very talented friends). I happy to say--knock on wood--nothing serious has gone wrong since I've owned the boat.

As for the dealer, I'm sure you went to look for your boat with them. If they had the boat and you didn't buy from them...I can understand why they would be upset and take advantage of you. If you went to them and they didn't have the boat you were looking for, but you gave them the opportunity to find it and they didn't or couldn't, then they shouldn't be upset at you.

One reason the dealership is upset at you is because you were a potential customer (read: potential payday for the dealer) that they lost. In this market, in this economy, boat sales are down...way down. The dealer probably feel burned. Slated. And they are trying to make it up in some way. I don't think it's right, especially if you would like to build a relationship with the dealer.

[sand2snow22]

I'm not sure what the new scoop is made out of, but if it's anything like MC's new drain plugs I wouldn't call it plastic. It's more of a composite. Hard to explain, but it's like a combo of metal and plastic. It's not bendable. There is probably a good reason for the switch. Cost savings might be part of it.

[bxroads]

The most used and most reliable handgun in the world is made of "plastic" (hint: Glock)

[bxroads]

I can't believe to think you would not be upset if this happened to yall....


Well you better start believing it. Its a boat. $200 is a drop in the bucket. You've spent WAY to much time chasing $200............

[2RLAKE]

i'll just say good luck, this will work out, and you will be glad you bought an awesome MasterCraft. Keep driving this through the dealer, elevate it within the dealer to the owner, then you can call MC or come back here ... hang in there

[mayo93prostar]

hull, why did you buy the boat in Michigan when you live in Georgia? Did you consider the possibility of needing warranty work when you made the purchase? How much did you save by going to the Michigan dealer over the one in Georgia? Is it more than the cost of this repair? I hope so. On the other hand, I think MC dealers should handle warranty work regardless if they sold the boat. If it is like car dealers, they get reimbursed by the factory. Maybe they do, I do not know since I do my own work on my boat, but it cost less than 10% of your boat.

In another vane of thought, It seems odd to an owner with an old school carburated boat without electronic sensors that the oil pressure would be low because a water scoop broke but the temperature was fine. I would question the mechanic on this or how sure you are that it did not overheat and check that he checked the engine codes to be safe.

[Jim@BAWS]

I am sorry....this whole story does not add up. Low oil pressure foes not come
from a pick up on the bottom of the boat. They are not related at all.

So you paid $110,000 for a boat in Michigan???Why???That was a good deal???

I wish I could sell an X-45 for $110,000 !!!

If you got a great deal then a $200 part is no big deal. I know I know it is not the part
you are expecting to be taken care of....probably so would I.

Breaking plastic or metal pieces IS NOT COVERED. If you hit your tower, bend your prop etc. Are those items to be covered? You drove to Michigan for what you fell was a great deal on a boat. Fix it and use it another day

Jim@BAWS

[hullwatson]

The most used and most reliable handgun in the world is made of "plastic" (hint: Glock)

And the most important part of the gun is made of metel and NOT plastic.... i know because i own a GLOCK 40

[hullwatson]

Well you better start believing it. Its a boat. $200 is a drop in the bucket. You've spent WAY to much time chasing $200............

YOU ARE SOOO MISSING THE POINT......

[JohnE]

I always get a kick out of people coming to this site just to b*tch about a dealer or MC. Not meaning to offend the OP, but it's true.

And with the statement "I already wrote a letter to the CEO of MC", it seems that solving your problem was not your top concern. But I can guarantee that if the CEO was inclined to respond (I highly doubt that he would) he'd say it is a dealer issue.


First off, if you are buying a new MC from a dealer out of territory, you should have a good reason to do so. And I believe you need to put it in writing to the dealer you purchased it from.

But with that said, every MC dealer is bound by their dealer agreement to service any MC brought to them in a timely manner. Regardless of where and how it was purchased.

As far as the plastic vs. bronze hood.........The plastic/ composite is perfectly fine. But the bronze is naturally stronger. If I were replacing a broken one, I'd buy the bronze.

Still doesn't seem like this broken hood is the root of the problem though.

[hullwatson]

I am sorry....this whole story does not add up. Low oil pressure foes not come
from a pick up on the bottom of the boat. They are not related at all.

So you paid $110,000 for a boat in Michigan???Why???That was a good deal???

I wish I could sell an X-45 for $110,000 !!!

If you got a great deal then a $200 part is no big deal. I know I know it is not the part
you are expecting to be taken care of....probably so would I.

Breaking plastic or metal pieces IS NOT COVERED. If you hit your tower, bend your prop etc. Are those items to be covered? You drove to Michigan for what you fell was a great deal on a boat. Fix it and use it another day

Jim@BAWS


I never said that is what I paid for it... and I wouldn't expect them to cover a tower that I hit and dented either.. IF there was a scratch or dent on the bottom of the boat where the piece was I would feel we ran over something but that is NOT the case... I am getting it fixed.. If you read everything I said and didn't skip parts you would know that it is at the dealer now getting fixed.....

[hullwatson]

hull, why did you buy the boat in Michigan when you live in Georgia? Did you consider the possibility of needing warranty work when you made the purchase? How much did you save by going to the Michigan dealer over the one in Georgia? Is it more than the cost of this repair? I hope so. On the other hand, I think MC dealers should handle warranty work regardless if they sold the boat. If it is like car dealers, they get reimbursed by the factory. Maybe they do, I do not know since I do my own work on my boat, but it cost less than 10% of your boat.

In another vane of thought, It seems odd to an owner with an old school carburated boat without electronic sensors that the oil pressure would be low because a water scoop broke but the temperature was fine. I would question the mechanic on this or how sure you are that it did not overheat and check that he checked the engine codes to be safe.

I knew we would need warranty work ADVENTUALLY but not this soon.. that is why we purchased an extended warranty....It was my understanding that any Mastercraft certified dealership could work on the boat...We drove to the dealer in GA, Tenn, and flew to Michigan for FREE because I have a ton of frequent flyer miles, they picked us up and even paid for lunch....so it really cost me less to fly there than to drive all over GA and TN... It was the boat that we wanted and the best deal... The people at the GA dealership had a boat when we went there but we told them we were looking around and would let them know. We let them know we found a better deal and were sorry that it didn't work out. They didnt "find" us a boat or do any extra work. I as a sales oriented person would NEVER do that to someone and not buy from them..

I posted this because I wanted everyone's advice on what they thought could be wrong and if what they were saying was correct... I appreciate your advice and as soon as the dealer opens I am going to have some questions for them .. I have made a list of things to ask from all of the posts.. I appreciate the advice

[bbymgr]

The most used and most reliable handgun in the world is made of "plastic" (hint: Glock)

Two completely different types of polymers. I've never had a piece fall off a Glock. :rolleyes::D

[JohnE]

I knew we would need warranty work ADVENTUALLY but not this soon.. that is why we purchased an extended warranty....It was my understanding that any Mastercraft certified dealership could work on the boat...We drove to the dealer in GA, Tenn, and flew to Michigan for FREE because I have a ton of frequent flyer miles, they picked us up and even paid for lunch....so it really cost me less to fly there than to drive all over GA and TN... It was the boat that we wanted and the best deal... The people at the GA dealership had a boat when we went there but we told them we were looking around and would let them know. We let them know we found a better deal and were sorry that it didn't work out. They didnt "find" us a boat or do any extra work. I as a sales oriented person would NEVER do that to someone and not buy from them..

I posted this because I wanted everyone's advice on what they thought could be wrong and if what they were saying was correct... I appreciate your advice and as soon as the dealer opens I am going to have some questions for them .. I have made a list of things to ask from all of the posts.. I appreciate the advice

MC has territory restrictions for new boat sales. I think this policy negatively affects all involved but that is a topic for another day. Your dealer definitely knows/ knew this FWIW. The extended warranty is not through MC directly and a MC dealer does not have to accept it.....but the flip side is that ANY boat mechanic can accept it and submit for payment.

[hullwatson]

i'll just say good luck, this will work out, and you will be glad you bought an awesome MasterCraft. Keep driving this through the dealer, elevate it within the dealer to the owner, then you can call MC or come back here ... hang in there


Thanks.. I am just upset that we just got it and spent a lot of money on it and its broken.. I am hoping that we can get it fixed and looking forward to no more problems...

[bcampbe7]

Thanks.. I am just upset that we just got it and spent a lot of money on it and its broken.. I am hoping that we can get it fixed and looking forward to no more problems...

Welcome to boat ownership... Not being mean, just sayin'.

Having to spend $200 after just buying an '08 X45 does suck (hell, the thought of buying an '08 X45 makes my a$$ pucker!). Building a relationship with your local dealer after buying your boat will go along way to a pleasant boating experience.

Once you become more familiar with your new boat, you be able to better recognize/diagnose problems. After a while you will just fix these types of problems in your driveway. No big deal.

This will get fixed and you will forget about it the next time you go out. All will be well.

[hullwatson]

I wanted to say thank you for all of your advice.. I am sorry I upset anyone and the people at the dealership it is at now have been nice and will take care of it I am sure and no matter what even if we have to pay we will.... I was just upset at the fact that the part should have been better quality .. if it used to be brass it should still be brass... We have had nothing but a good experience with Mastercraft I am just upset at the fact that it seems to be a less of a quality of a part than in the past and if it was a better quality we probably would not have had these problems.

[bcampbe7]

I imagine there is a logical explanation for swapping the materials. If the pick-up is close to the bunk then there would be a potential for it to be bent when loading/unloading the boat. Brass bends. Sounds like the pick-up is composite (not really plastic) which would not bend when loading/unloading.

[JohnE]

They switched to composite for cost reasons. The composite is fine though IMO....but I'd still switch to bronze or brass or whatever the old ones are if I had to change them.

Do we even know that this is the cause of the problem though??