ABSOLUTELY still in love. Check my thread here for more updates.....
What kind of Glastron did you move from? When do you think the new 2021 Yamaha's will hit dealers? The Service Manager (SM) at Surdyke Yamaha in Lake of the Ozarks (the shop I use) said they sold out of all 2020 Yamaha's in May and there are none to be had across the nation. He said typically they hit mid-August or so, but he thought they typically drag their feet on new models to help the previous year models clear-out of dealers. However, this year there are no previous models available and with the Yamaha plant back up and running, he thought they'd be getting new boats out sometime even in July. I am waiting for a 2021 AR195 and was curious to get your thoughts as you recently got yours.
I have a painful story to share. I will be updating this info on the post I had started on this on the Glastron section. I own a 2018 Glastron GTS187. It has the SC'd 250HP Rotax and it went really well, until it didn't. I babied it the summer of 2018 just putting the 20 break-in hours on her. Had the break-in service performed and put her away for the year.
Last summer started out awesome with some great wake boarding. Right after we finished a cabin stay at Stockton Lake where we really had a great time wake boarding and playing, we broke down the next time on our local lake. It started showing a "Check Engine" code". We were only at 49.5 hours, just hanging out in a cove and we go to head in. The boat would shut-down if I went over 2,500 RPMS. So I started idling in for a few minutes and it half-way in it shuts off. It never ran rough and I wouldn't say it died; it was like you turned it off with the key. We had to get towed in and had to take it in for warranty repair. Rotax has a 3 year motor warranty, so we figured we should be fine. This was on August 6, 2019.
I still have never got my boat back. The initial diagnosis was a faulty electrical harness; it was showing continuity across the harness and I guess that's fairly common with BRP electrical harnesses. That got it running, but it apparently still showed a surge. They replaced the electronic control module (ECM) next, yet still the same.
They did a full motor inspection and found some oil around a spark plug boot. They figured, though the chances remote, perhaps their was some oil vapor causing the plug to foul. Changed the spaghetti valve cover gasket to no avail, runs great wide open, but in between it has a slight surge. They do not know what to do and BRP suggests a leak-down test at this point. So the dealer had to order the tool to manually turn the motor to do the complete lead-down test. After getting the tool and doing the test, it showed that cylinder #2 failed with only 38% compression.
Since there wasn't a failure in #1 or #3 cylinders, that ruled out the head gasket. Since there was no oil or fuel in the coolant, that ruled out the piston rings, leaving the valves as the culprit. They weren't sure what exactly the valve problem was, but the problem was with the valves. The SM had them drain the oil, remove and cut open the filter.
Inside the filter, they found small pieces of metal. Not shavings. The Service Manager at that point put in a request to BRP for a new motor. I was finally told this last week. I haven't had my boat for 10 months and I have been livid. I filed a complaint with the Missouri Attorney General's office, but that has not had much effect.
Last week, I started doing hard core research and looking at attorneys. Many would not have waited so long to do so. I found most states have Lemon laws to cover issues like this with vehicles, but these laws do not extend to boats or RV's. However, there is a federal law called the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act of 1975 that does and it stipulates you can also recover attorney's fees and court costs.
Last Fall, I couldn't find an attorney that wanted to get involved with this. Now I have several that want the case and one that has ensured I will owe him nothing should I lost the case. At this point, I am confident I could prevail regardless of whether it is front of an arbitrator, judge or jury. My misfortune has sucked, but eventually you figure if it goes long enough I should be taken care of. Right? I mean I paid almost $40,000 for the boat including extended warranties and accessories.
I've been making monthly payments on a boat I haven't even seen for 10 months. BRP hasn't even approved a new motor and at this point I am not sure I want the boat back. It's like brand new as I babied her keeping the boat in climate-controlled storage except at the lake or on a trip. She still looked exactly like she did when she was delivered when we took her in for repair. Now she's been sitting outside the entire time. Under cover and covered, but outside nonetheless.
I apologize for the super long post. Let me wrap this. I sent an offer last week for the dealer to take my boat and pay off the loan. I owed more than I could have sold it for, but at this point I wasn't worried about that. I mean surely I should be due some sort of compensation. Included in the offer was for me to get a new Yamaha AR195 w/ extended warranty. I would seek no compensation for being w/o a boat for what was going to be a year and I would pay no out of pocket money towards the new Yamaha and my new payment had to be at or less than where I am now. This offer was sent through the Attorney General's office. He fast-tracked it to the dealer.
Yesterday, still not hearing anything, I called the dealer to get an open repair bill/log on my Glastron at the suggestion of an attorney in preparation for a case. When I called the SM, he said I had talked to Mason. I told him I didn't know a Mason, was he with them. He said yeah and that Mason had asked about my Glastron and the condition. He told them it was like new, but it need a new motor from BRP. He said shortly thereafter he received a call from the owner saying they were taking my Glastron back and getting me a new AR195. He said they put my name on one of the first one's they will be getting in from Yamaha. So that's why I am so very curious when the new one's will start hitting dealers.
I don't have anything in writing and will not be satisfied until I have a new boat. I will keep everyone posted!
