To the folks thinking of buying a Yamaha: I will never buy one again.

[davel501]

I will never buy another Yamaha after this latest round of dealing with their customer service.

I called in for help on my tower saga. I was really looking for any help I could get even if that meant buying another tower at hopefully something less than the $6k list. The guy I talked to was so rude and obnoxious that all I can say is the company does not deserve to be in business.

The guy had the nerve to deny that there was even a design issue. I offered to forward the email from the chief designer at the company that made the tower that contradicted him. He said no. There is no issue.

I asked what would have happened if the tower collapsed and I was killed and my next of kin were suing them. He accused me of threatening him and said he would not be threatened.

They don't deserve any more of my business.

 

[davel501]

Here is the background on the tower issue that folks are seeing: https://jetboaters.net/threads/wake-tower-cross-beam-bending-ballooning.5119/

 

[swatski]

I will never buy another Yamaha after this latest round of dealing with their customer service.

I called in for help on my tower saga. I was really looking for any help I could get even if that meant buying another tower at hopefully something less than the $6k list. The guy I talked to was so rude and obnoxious that all I can say is the company does not deserve to be in business.

The guy had the nerve to deny that there was even a design issue. I offered to forward the email from the chief designer at the company that made the tower that contradicted him. He said no. There is no issue.

I asked what would have happened if the tower collapsed and I was killed and my next of kin were suing them. He accused me of threatening him and said he would not be threatened.

They don't deserve any more of my business.

Wow. It's a shame.

Unfortunately, I can relate... And, incidentally, also a tower issue.
https://jetboaters.net/threads/warning-2015-18-yamaha-“ar”-boat-owners-with-forward-swept-wakeboard-towers.14828/

I, too, unfortunately intend to stay away from purchasing Yamaha products as much as I like a lot of their technology. I bought a new boat from them and was treated like a complete fool.
(getting the finger is not my idea of fun, when I spend 60k cash on a toy)

Do you know the name of your "customer service" guy? One of them is Sean Dixon. Wonder if it's the same conceited 20something y.o. punk.

--

 

[GiddYupJoe]

I have the same tower issue. Sorry to hear your not getting the answers you deserve. Just curious... is it worth calling again in hopes of talking to someone different? Wishful thinking!

 

[davel501]

Wow. It's a shame.

Unfortunately, I can relate... And, incidentally, also a tower issue.
https://jetboaters.net/threads/warning-2015-18-yamaha-“ar”-boat-owners-with-forward-swept-wakeboard-towers.14828/

I, too, unfortunately intend to stay away from purchasing Yamaha products as much as I like a lot of their technology. I bought a new boat from them and was treated like a complete fool.
(getting the finger is not my idea of fun, when I spend 60k cash on a toy)

Do you know the name of your "customer service" guy? One of them is Sean Dixon. Wonder if it's the same conceited 20something y.o. punk.

--

I did not catch they guy's name. The guy I talked to was very aggressive, clearly taking the fight to me by trying to keep me on my heels. I get it, everyone makes mistakes and this one happened a while ago. A respectable company would have made it right.

 

[Betik]

why I am not surprised

 

[twentiesforever]

Im super late to the game but what is the current tower issue?

 

[blacksapphirez]

tower must be too expensive for them to swallow... sad

 

[Betik]

@twentiesforever our towers are fine, no worries.
it is the AR guys have to deal with POS designs.

FYI: https://jetboaters.net/threads/warning-2015-18-yamaha-“ar”-boat-owners-with-forward-swept-wakeboard-towers.14828/

 

[davel501]

@twentiesforever our towers are fine, no worries.
it is the AR guys have to deal with POS designs.

FYI: https://jetboaters.net/threads/warning-2015-18-yamaha-“ar”-boat-owners-with-forward-swept-wakeboard-towers.14828/

I didn't know that it was AR towers too. My boat is a 242 LS. It swelled so bad it split the welds.

 

[Betik]

The 2015+ ARs are the ones that are really really life-threatening.
2010-2014 ARs I think are okay.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

@davil501 Call back and insist on talking to his mommy !

 

[swatski]

Regarding the 2015+ AR towers:

While visiting with my dealer to pick up my trailer was looking at boats and kicking tires. One of the salesman volunteered and opinion on how much they dislike the AR towers (sic!) - when they move the boats around and need to put those down they are "always afraid of messing up those hand-wheel bolts' threads"...
(He did not know anything about my troubles and I did not say anything. Just not worth it.)

But, I have a very bad feeling my story is not the last we heard of an AR tower falling on someone's head...

--

 

[cj3737]

WOW!!!! that definitely changes my mind about the AR line.... I was kinda throwing the idea around of sticking to the SX side of the house (little more cost efficient new) and getting a monster or aerial but now I can see the benefits of going that way... Other than cost, safety is the number one and if Yamaha can seem to accept thier design is garbage, they dont deserve the xtra 2k for the tower.....

 

[adrianp89]

We will see how Yahama responds to my engine problems - if it doesn't go well you can put me in the never buying again category.

 

[Ancient canoe]

If you have an email from the chief designer of the tower regarding the design flaws trapping water, then I would think you have a pretty good case to file in small claims court or something.

 

[cj3737]

If you have an email from the chief designer of the tower regarding the design flaws trapping water, then I would think you have a pretty good case to file in small claims court or something.

I dont think a chief designer would release a product that has known design flaws... Itll probably come down to the manufacture process which should be QC'd then QC'd, then QC'd again but apparently there is someone in the chain that missed a step..

Im about halfway thru @swatski post about the tower collapsing and obviously there are a few design flaws in the AR towers... They apparently know something if the mechanics warn not to cross thread the bolts and the X towers have a different attach design...
Be it water intrusion or the fact that ANY compentent engineer, at any level, should know that if you thread steel into aluminum, the aluminum WILL ALWAYS FAIL. Coming from an extensive aircraft corrosion background, I can tell you, not only will the weaker metal fail 100% of the time, having 2 dissimilar metals in contact will cause corrosion and eventual failure. I just cant believe a major corp like Yamaha wont fess up and fix the issues under warranty or not...
It wouldnt cost them much to redesign and issue a fix covered by the company. If anything it would bring more customers in knowing the company will own up to any design flaw and get them remedied immediately. @swatski event is terribly unfortunate and i sincerely hope there is a resolution by Yamaha in the near future.

 

[LTM1964]

I have the same tower issue. Sorry to hear your not getting the answers you deserve. Just curious... is it worth calling again in hopes of talking to someone different? Wishful thinking!

When I wasn't getting satisfaction on my failed timing chain and gears I tried to talk to someone else. When I called, the reps that answered would only forward me to the voice mail of the rep I spoke to originally. They said it was best to keep the case in the hands of one rep. Fortunately, the rep I got was pleasant and was mostly consistent on keeping me updated; that didn't really help as she had no authority to get things done and I couldn't tell she knew anything about boats. When I repeatedly asked to speak to her supervisor, she gave me a name and number for someone at a different location. I believe she also tried to get me in contact with her supervisor. The supervisor would not accept my calls or return messages. I think their system is designed to keep you from contacting anyone in an authority position.

My dealer's service manager was able to talk to the appropriate parties though.

 

[Stevenpigsooie]

I would put this on your dealer to handle. They will always have contacts and leverage that an individual owner does not. In my opinion that goes for all possible warranty claims.

 

[Grover70]

You know, I just put in a warranty claim on a crack in my console. My dealer, Purcell's in Jacksonville, took the claim without complaint, submitted it, and Yamaha approved it in a few business days.
All contact I have had with the dealer has been positive, as well as with Yamaha. Unfortunately, company reps can be like police on a traffic stop. Depending on who stops you and the mood they are in will determine if you get a ticket or not. They have over 20,o00 employees not including part time!!

My wife's father is a lawyer and he told her, when dealing with an issue, you go for the head, not the feet.

I don't believe in giving up! If you keep at it, and you push the right buttons, eventually, you can win out. Yamaha is like any company. Posting on social media, sending in letters, calling. Eventually, you either get the right person and they relent. Or maybe just meet you half way.
In any case, in the immortal words of Daniel Day Lewis' Last of the Mohicans, "Never give up!"

You can't let one bad apple in the "customer service" world ruin your mission.

Sometimes it's as simple as the approach. Read, "How to Win Friends and Influence People." It's made my "complaints" bulletproof!

Here is my warranty claim almost a year after purchase: Crack in the footwell of my console