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They built the wrong boat

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Dobby's Sock

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Has anyone else gone to the trouble of building a custom boat (22 SSLX tritoon with SPS) and had Bennington build the wrong boat? Or is that just us?

Our boat is to arrive at the marina tomorrow, but Bennington built an SLX instead of an SSLX -- HUGE DIFFERENCE THERE! They are offering us a small discount to accept the wrong boat, or we can wait until July and they will deliver the correct boat with the same small discount.

Our kids and my husband (who just started a new job), coordinated their vacations so we could spend a week together tubing. No one can change vacation dates now, so if we want to go tubing we accept the SLX.

I don't even have my boat yet, and I'm beyond disappointed. This is not the life I signed up for.

Anyone else? I'd love a happy ending story, because right now, I can't stand Bennington. Too bad they're the only boat the marina offers.
 
If it were me I wouldn't settle for the other boat discount or not. You're paying good money to get what you want and that's what you should get. The wrong boat isn't your problem, it's Bennington's and/or the dealership's. Bennington does make a great boat. I've made direct comparisons to others and I'm so glad I got the Bennington. Occasionally errors do happen, human nature. How they remedy the issue is really what counts. I know you want to use the boat now but waiting a bit longer until July isn't that big a deal. I think in the long run you'd be glad you didn't settle and waited. Just my .02.
 
Thank you for your 2 cents. We have our whole family coming in that week -- coordinating family schedules is a small miracle -- and planned to go tubing. We won't have the break in time for the engine and maintenance to do that. I'm a bit upset. BUT, I do agree. It's important to like the boat.
 
If it was me I’d wait for the correct boat and rent a boat for the holiday with the dealer/Bennington covering the cost of the rental. I would think that’s the least that they could do. That’s a pretty major mistake.
 
If it makes you feel any better I used to own a twin engine (Mercury Racing 525's) deck boat. Boat would do close to 100. I had the boat custom built and spend over 200k. You'd think spending that kind of money you would get top notch service. Nope, horrible service. Had a bunch of minor issues I hounded the owner to fix (no drains in the cockpit, blown stereo amp, a few others). Never did get them fixed when I sold it. I took a bit of a loss but it was worth it to sell it. The boat was awesome, the service was horrendous.

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Renegade34 said:
If it was me I’d wait for the correct boat and rent a boat for the holiday with the dealer/Bennington covering the cost of the rental. I would think that’s the least that they could do. That’s a pretty major mistake.
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Thanks. That might be a solution. I don't want the marina to take a loss, though. They did everything right and feel really bad for us. We initialed every, single line item on the contract to build to make sure that it was correct.
 
My $.02, wait for your correct boat. The dealer should step up and provide a loaner for your vacation.
 
I second what Lakeliving said. The dealer should loan you a boat for your trouble.
 
3rd what Lakeliving said...... Is that other boat comparable to what you ordered???
 
Major malfunction for sure, use theirs or have them rent you a boat, get the right boat with a discount... and apology.
 
Sorry to hear your boat order experience is turning out this way. Hang in there. You spent the time to meticulously pick out the boat you want. You went with Bennington to get the best built boat you can get, and spent more money doing so. I would certainly wait for the boat you ordered, not a compromise.

I totally agree with the advice above. I think you reach out and share the major family plans you had set up around the timing of getting the boat, and request a rental boat be provided during that stretch. However, even if you don’t get a rental for that time frame on their dime, I’d still wait for the boat you ordered. You have a number of summers ahead, and for each one you’d regret not having the original boat you wanted just because of the one vacation that is over and past.
 
Just tell them to let you drive this one till yours get here!! This is totally not your issue and shouldn’t be inconvenienced for there mistake. If it cost the dealer that’s his responsibility to take that up with Bennington. Either way get the boat you want don’t settle!! A boat should be headed your way for vacation... whether it’s yours or not! Best of luck!!
 
Renegade34 said:
If it was me I’d wait for the correct boat and rent a boat for the holiday with the dealer/Bennington covering the cost of the rental. I would think that’s the least that they could do. That’s a pretty major mistake.
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I was thinking the EXACT same thing. Get the boat you ordered to enjoy the many years to come and get a rental this summer vacation. If they don't pay for the rental the discount they give you should cover the rental.
 
Wow ... I’ll be the first to say, I find it extremely hard to think Bennington got a complete boat through the production line incorrectly. I’m more apt to believe when the dealer ordered it, there was a entry error. Mine was handwritten on a bill of sale, but I’d bet they order via computer and there was a keying error. I’m sure the dealer isn’t going to jump under that bus, Bennington is going first ..... Just my 2 cents ....
As stated, ask the dealer to work with you on a “demo” boat....
 
SEMPERFI8387 said:
Wow ... I’ll be the first to say, I find it extremely hard to think Bennington got a complete boat through the production line incorrectly. I’m more apt to believe when the dealer ordered it, there was a entry error. Mine was handwritten on a bill of sale, but I’d bet they order via computer and there was a keying error. I’m sure the dealer isn’t going to jump under that bus, Bennington is going first ..... Just my 2 cents ....
As stated, ask the dealer to work with you on a “demo” boat....
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I was thinking the same thing Semper.
 
Dobby's Sock said:
Thank you for your 2 cents. We have our whole family coming in that week -- coordinating family schedules is a small miracle -- and planned to go tubing. We won't have the break in time for the engine and maintenance to do that. I'm a bit upset. BUT, I do agree. It's important to like the boat.
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I agree about waiting but that should not keep you from nagosiating with your dealer, make them pay for your pontoon rental or even supply you with a pontoon boat for your family vacation. If they want your business and a good reference that’s not asking a lot!
My wife and I had a very poor experiance with our dealer and a few issues with the pontoon at first, so they have been bending over backwards to make good about it.
Don’t cancel your family plans make them give you pontoon to use.
Sorry about your problems.
 
While I sympathize with your dilemma, you have no idea of where along the order chain the error was made. You are defending your dealer because "you initialed everything?" As a moderator, I can't have someone come here and run down a fine company without proof of who owns the screwup. Feel free to be angry (I would be) and feel free to keep us posted as to the resolution, but please refrain from your negative comments about the company. Thank you.
 
Havasu said:
If it makes you feel any better I used to own a twin engine (Mercury Racing 525's) deck boat. Boat would do close to 100. I had the boat custom built and spend over 200k. You'd think spending that kind of money you would get top notch service. Nope, horrible service. Had a bunch of minor issues I hounded the owner to fix (no drains in the cockpit, blown stereo amp, a few others). Never did get them fixed when I sold it. I took a bit of a loss but it was worth it to sell it. The boat was awesome, the service was horrendous.

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And you sold it why???
 
Well, the insurance alone was 6k a year. It had two 75 gallon tanks. Those 525's are meant to be run. They don't like to be babied. I'd easily burn 300 gallons a day. Really couldn't do much with it other than go fast. Skiing or tubing behind it wasn't fun and it was so loud having a conversation while underway was impossible. To this day I ask myself why I bought it in the first place. It was in three boat mags and was the smoothest boat I've ever been on. Really ran great but wasn't practical at all. Also, when I see these young guys with big DCB's (and similar boats) running 1,500 hp the first thing comes to mind is insurance. I had a heck of time getting insurance for mine. I almost couldn't. Every major insurance company I went to immediately turned me down (and my record is spotless). The only company that would insure it was Markel and I had to jump through several hoops to get it insured. Really wasn't fun at all.
 
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