My Sabre 28 has a Westerbeke engine which has been fine for 5 years. This year, on a very long trip the engine started coughing at high RPMs to the point it stalled (but immediately restarted). It sounded as if it was starved of fuel. SO, I asked the yard to check it and replace the fuel filters. On inspection they found the diesel to be cloudy so we agreed to change the filters and pump out the tank/replace the fuel. I also (in a call, no work order signed) asked that he check the pre-heat solenoid as the breaker kept tripping (the plate the solenoid and breaker are on was loose from the engine and I assumed that was the issue, it was). I asked to let me know the cost. When replacing the filters the mechanic found that one of the filter housings was cracked and that it needed replacement. Fine. Part was ordered and I didn't hear a thing for three weeks. I went to the boat one evening and caught the mechanic there by chance and he walked me through what he had done which included bolting that solenoid plate to the engine and replacing all the wiring. I should have inquired at this point but didn't. A week later I called the service manager to ask if they were done as I planned to take her out for the weekend. He explained that after several sea trials the engine was still being starved of fuel and now they suspect its the injectors. OK. I asked where we were at this point in regard to the bill: $4800. My jaw hit the floor. What started as filter replacement and replace fuel. I was never contacted about any of the work they were doing or that it was becoming expensive or ANYTHING. As far as I was told (had I not caught the mechanic after much work had been done) was that they were waiting for a part. This isn't the 1st time I have had an issue either. Apart from an utter lack of communication, once they left the engine anode plug out when winterizing and I nearly sank the boat running the engine. Anyway, we LOVE the marina but cannot work with this service manager any more. The latest is that he billed us $100 to tow the boat to our slip when they launched this spring (never been charged that before and the engine worked so why the tow except to needle me?)
Any advice? Should I just pay the bill and suck it up? Should I rant and rave understanding that they might not offer me a slip next season?
Any advice? Should I just pay the bill and suck it up? Should I rant and rave understanding that they might not offer me a slip next season?