I bought a new Yamaha outboard motor at McLaughlin’s RV and Marine in Fargo, ND. I subsequently brought it back to McLaughlin’s service department every fall for winterizing. Last summer, when I put the boat back in the lake, it stalled within a few minutes. The diagnosis was a ruined lower gear unit because the lower lubricant plug had apparently become loose or had not been inserted at all.
The lower unit is serviced during the winterizing process. McLaughlin’s, however, refused to accept even partial responsibility for the motor’s failure just a few minutes after subsequent use. I was forced to take what I felt was a major step of filing a lawsuit in small claims court. However, I did not have a mechanic as an expert witness. The judge did not seem to understand outboard motor servicing, so denied my claim.
This spring I brought the motor to a another licensed Yamaha dealer’s service department for repair. The mechanics at this service department, on inspecting the damage, said that only one thing could have caused this lower unit oil plug to fail: it was improperly installed during the winterizing process. Repair cost more than $1,600. While there’s nothing I can do now, I wish to relate the facts of this case to someone who may be considering this dealer’s service department. It did not stand behind its work, even for a loyal and longtime customer.
McLaughlin RV & Marine Reviews
I bought a new Yamaha outboard motor at McLaughlin’s RV and Marine in Fargo, ND. I subsequently brought it back to McLaughlin’s service department every fall for winterizing. Last summer, when I put the boat back in the lake, it stalled within a few minutes. The diagnosis was a ruined lower gear unit because the lower lubricant plug had apparently become loose or had not been inserted at all.
The lower unit is serviced during the winterizing process. McLaughlin’s, however, refused to accept even partial responsibility for the motor’s failure just a few minutes after subsequent use. I was forced to take what I felt was a major step of filing a lawsuit in small claims court. However, I did not have a mechanic as an expert witness. The judge did not seem to understand outboard motor servicing, so denied my claim.
This spring I brought the motor to a another licensed Yamaha dealer’s service department for repair. The mechanics at this service department, on inspecting the damage, said that only one thing could have caused this lower unit oil plug to fail: it was improperly installed during the winterizing process. Repair cost more than $1,600. While there’s nothing I can do now, I wish to relate the facts of this case to someone who may be considering this dealer’s service department. It did not stand behind its work, even for a loyal and longtime customer.