Comments wanted on quality control and warranty service,and just help--technical and otherwise--from the factory..
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Unofficial Site
Since this site is an "unofficial" one, I wouldn't be surprised if there's no answer - from a factory person. Somebody (factory person) would have to respond on their own. However, if there's another owner interested in this subject they should be encouraged to say something. The typical warranty item will most likely have to be dealt with through the dealer. Quality control seems to be a problem with boat manufacture in general - seems like all boat builders have this problem and for the buyer it depends on the luck of the draw. Sometimes you get a boat with few problems. Technical discussions is what this forum is fairly good for. Realize that a 1,000 boats of a certain model is generally considered a long run, and usually takes a few years, and of those owners, how many frequent this site; probably not all that many. What I'm trying to say is to not expect a lot of really specific answers but that depends on the problem.
Since this site is an "unofficial" one, I wouldn't be surprised if there's no answer - from a factory person. Somebody (factory person) would have to respond on their own. However, if there's another owner interested in this subject they should be encouraged to say something. The typical warranty item will most likely have to be dealt with through the dealer. Quality control seems to be a problem with boat manufacture in general - seems like all boat builders have this problem and for the buyer it depends on the luck of the draw. Sometimes you get a boat with few problems. Technical discussions is what this forum is fairly good for. Realize that a 1,000 boats of a certain model is generally considered a long run, and usually takes a few years, and of those owners, how many frequent this site; probably not all that many. What I'm trying to say is to not expect a lot of really specific answers but that depends on the problem.
poor service from beneteau
MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A NEW 311 BENETEAU SHOAL DRAFT,WHEN WE GOT READY TO STEP THE MAST AND START RIGGING THE BOAT WE DISCOVERED WE HAD NOT RECEIVED A OWNERS MANUEL ON THE BOAT AFTER SEVERAL CALLS AND WAITING A MONTH WE RECEIVED IT.THE LAZY BAG THAT COVERS THE MAIN SAIL IS 9" TO SHORT LEAVING THE TWO FIBRE GLASS RODS PROTRUDING 9" IN FRONT OF THE MAST MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO TAC WITHOUT CATCHING THE FORE SAIL ON IT,I WAS TOLD NOT TO SHORTON THEM AS A NEW ONE THE RIGHT LENGTH WAS ON ITS WAY FROM CHINA ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS AWAY THIS IS PROBLEM THAT BENETEAU HAS BEEN AWARE OF FOR QUITE SOME TIME,THIS ALSO MEANS THAT THE LAZY JACKS DO NOT LINE UP PROPERLY AS THEY ATTACH TO THE LAZY BAG,EVERY TIME WE RAISE THE MAIN SAIL THE BATTONS HANG UP ON THE LAZY JACKS FINALLY LAST WEEK END MY WIFE BROUGHT HER SEWING MACHINE TO THE LAKE WITH SOME BRIGHT YELLOW CANVAS AND WE SEWED IN 22" OF MATERIAL ON THE FRONT OF THE LAZY BAG PER NEIL PRYDES (SAILMAKER) INSTRUCTIONS AS A TEMPORY FIX IN ADDITION TO THE NEW BAG WE ALSO NEED A NEW SET OF LAZY JACKS AS THEY WERE CUT AND ADJUSTED FOR THE WRONG LENGHT OF COVER.THE BATTERYS IN THE BOAT WERE DIFFERENT MANUFACTURES AND NOT THE SAME AMPS RESULTING THE STRONGER BATTERY RUINING THE WEAKER ONE AND THE BETTER ONE GOING BAD ALSO. LEAVING ME TO RADIO FOR A JUMP START TO GET BACK TO MY SLIP,UPON CALLING BENETEAU CUSTOMER SERVICE I WAS TOLD TO EXCHANGE THEM AT A STORE THAT SOLD EXIDE BATTERYS,PROBLEM IS THEY DON"T MATCH AND ARE DIFFERENT BRANDS,I FINALLY BOUGHT TWO MATCHING BATTERYS FOR $180.00 AND INSTALLED THEM MYSELF I OFFERED TO MAIL BACK THE TWO BAD ONES TO BENETEAU,THEY SAID NO AND OFFERED ME TWO SWEAT SHIRTS FOR MY TROUBLE.I"M STILL WAITING FOR A STAR WRENCH SO I CAN EMPTY MY HOLDING TANK OR FILL MY FUEL TANK.THE BACK CUSHIONS ON THE COUCHES ARE HELD IN PLACE BY VELCRO,THE PLASTIC VELCRO HARDWARE THAT IS SCREWED TO THE WOOD HAS THE SCREWS TIPS PROTRUDING THROUGH THE OPPOSITE SIDE AT THE BASE OF THE BOOK SHELFS, WE WERE TOLD THEY WOULD MAIL US SOME TYPE OF FINISHED COVER OR CAPS WE FINALLY BOUGHT SOME ROUND WOODEN COVERS PAINTED AND STAINED THEM AND INSTALLED THEM FOR A TEMPORY FIX STILL NO WORD FROM BENETEAU. I COULD GO ON ABOUT OUR FRUSTRATION IN GETING RESULTS FROM BENETEAU AND BEING ABLE TO ENJOY OUR $85,000 INVESTMENT INSTEAD OF MAKING EXCUSES FOR IT AND WORKING ON IT.BEING A MULTI LINE NEW CAR DEALER I UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF THE WORD SERWICE AFTER THE SALE I KNOW OF OTHER NEW BENETEAU OWNERS WHO HAVE ALSO HAD SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THEIR NEW BOATS IF BENETEAU DOESN"T START MAKING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION A PRIORITY THEY WILL LOOSE IN THE LONG RUN.
MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A NEW 311 BENETEAU SHOAL DRAFT,WHEN WE GOT READY TO STEP THE MAST AND START RIGGING THE BOAT WE DISCOVERED WE HAD NOT RECEIVED A OWNERS MANUEL ON THE BOAT AFTER SEVERAL CALLS AND WAITING A MONTH WE RECEIVED IT.THE LAZY BAG THAT COVERS THE MAIN SAIL IS 9" TO SHORT LEAVING THE TWO FIBRE GLASS RODS PROTRUDING 9" IN FRONT OF THE MAST MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO TAC WITHOUT CATCHING THE FORE SAIL ON IT,I WAS TOLD NOT TO SHORTON THEM AS A NEW ONE THE RIGHT LENGTH WAS ON ITS WAY FROM CHINA ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS AWAY THIS IS PROBLEM THAT BENETEAU HAS BEEN AWARE OF FOR QUITE SOME TIME,THIS ALSO MEANS THAT THE LAZY JACKS DO NOT LINE UP PROPERLY AS THEY ATTACH TO THE LAZY BAG,EVERY TIME WE RAISE THE MAIN SAIL THE BATTONS HANG UP ON THE LAZY JACKS FINALLY LAST WEEK END MY WIFE BROUGHT HER SEWING MACHINE TO THE LAKE WITH SOME BRIGHT YELLOW CANVAS AND WE SEWED IN 22" OF MATERIAL ON THE FRONT OF THE LAZY BAG PER NEIL PRYDES (SAILMAKER) INSTRUCTIONS AS A TEMPORY FIX IN ADDITION TO THE NEW BAG WE ALSO NEED A NEW SET OF LAZY JACKS AS THEY WERE CUT AND ADJUSTED FOR THE WRONG LENGHT OF COVER.THE BATTERYS IN THE BOAT WERE DIFFERENT MANUFACTURES AND NOT THE SAME AMPS RESULTING THE STRONGER BATTERY RUINING THE WEAKER ONE AND THE BETTER ONE GOING BAD ALSO. LEAVING ME TO RADIO FOR A JUMP START TO GET BACK TO MY SLIP,UPON CALLING BENETEAU CUSTOMER SERVICE I WAS TOLD TO EXCHANGE THEM AT A STORE THAT SOLD EXIDE BATTERYS,PROBLEM IS THEY DON"T MATCH AND ARE DIFFERENT BRANDS,I FINALLY BOUGHT TWO MATCHING BATTERYS FOR $180.00 AND INSTALLED THEM MYSELF I OFFERED TO MAIL BACK THE TWO BAD ONES TO BENETEAU,THEY SAID NO AND OFFERED ME TWO SWEAT SHIRTS FOR MY TROUBLE.I"M STILL WAITING FOR A STAR WRENCH SO I CAN EMPTY MY HOLDING TANK OR FILL MY FUEL TANK.THE BACK CUSHIONS ON THE COUCHES ARE HELD IN PLACE BY VELCRO,THE PLASTIC VELCRO HARDWARE THAT IS SCREWED TO THE WOOD HAS THE SCREWS TIPS PROTRUDING THROUGH THE OPPOSITE SIDE AT THE BASE OF THE BOOK SHELFS, WE WERE TOLD THEY WOULD MAIL US SOME TYPE OF FINISHED COVER OR CAPS WE FINALLY BOUGHT SOME ROUND WOODEN COVERS PAINTED AND STAINED THEM AND INSTALLED THEM FOR A TEMPORY FIX STILL NO WORD FROM BENETEAU. I COULD GO ON ABOUT OUR FRUSTRATION IN GETING RESULTS FROM BENETEAU AND BEING ABLE TO ENJOY OUR $85,000 INVESTMENT INSTEAD OF MAKING EXCUSES FOR IT AND WORKING ON IT.BEING A MULTI LINE NEW CAR DEALER I UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF THE WORD SERWICE AFTER THE SALE I KNOW OF OTHER NEW BENETEAU OWNERS WHO HAVE ALSO HAD SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THEIR NEW BOATS IF BENETEAU DOESN"T START MAKING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION A PRIORITY THEY WILL LOOSE IN THE LONG RUN.
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