Would you accept this asthetic defect in your Bennington?

[Vikingstaff]

What would you do in these circumstances?

I’ve eluded a couple of times to the approximately 2.5’ x 1’ blemish defect in my port side pontoon above the water line. It was there when we got the boat last year. Since my first inspection last year I was told by my dealer it would get taken care of, as “Bennington stands by their boats”. As a result, I never made a big deal about it, as I really believed it would eventually be addressed by Bennington.

After over a year of bringing this problem up with my dealer they called me (four weeks ago) and informed me that Bennington had denied any warranty coverage on the defect. I then followed up directly with my regional Bennington representative 3 weeks ago. Three weeks later the following email came back from him today:

“I have talked to our Director and we respectfully, will not be able to do anything as warranty for this, the fit & function of the tube is working.

Thank you”

(I am leaving the representatives name out of it for now, but his name is the ONLY thing I deleted from the above email reply).

Thus, the above email respons is the totality of Bennington’s response to me directly. WT__! I have replied to the email and left of voice mail for him to call me back. As of yet, he has not called me back.

I picked Bennington because I wanted the best I could afford at the time. I custom ordered and paid cash for my 2017 24’ SSBXP SPS after over a year of research, planning, and shopping.

I take workmanship seriously! I take quality control and standing by one’s warranty and product seriously! These were all MAJOR selling points when I switched my boat purchase from either a Manitou or Sweetwater Premium to Bennington in December of 2016.

Now I am left wondering how to handle and what to do about this quality control problem and how to proceed with what still appears to be a warranty issue to me.

I know this much, I will no longer be louding Bennington’s 10 year bow to stern warranty. It sounds good on paper, but is only worthwhile if they actually CORRECT a problem with the boat that was inherent with the boat itself. Apparently my situation is evidence that Bennington doesn’t always honor its warranty.

Pictures below of the asthetic defect:

 

[banditz]

If you found the flaw when the boat was delivered they should honor it and fix it. That's problem one of them things where you would have had to call and nag about it weekly. Hope they give in on this.

 

[lakeliving]

That would be frustrating. But for me, that's why I'm not too concerned with how the toons look as long as they don't have carpet growing on them. I love the look of the clean, no waterline toons but don't want the aggravation of keeping them looking like that long term.

With that said I believe my inlaws had toons replaced on their R series many years ago due to some heavy dark marks. That was many years ago though so who knows. Maybe this is the new Polaris difference. Shareholders Jeff!!

 

[Michiman]

Welcome to my world! Unfortunately, while I heard almost immediately from someone at the Bennington H.O. about problems with my boat, the MI rep never, ever responded to multiple emails from me.

Regarding your situation, I would not be happy about it but I also can't see Bennington actually replacing the toon either because it's cosmetic and where do you draw the line. What I might suggest is that you see if they'll cover the cost to put Vantage on them. Or, I found someone over in West Branch that will polish them. Jeff, PM me for more info.

 

[Vikingstaff]

That would be frustrating. But for me, that's why I'm not too concerned with how the toons look as long as they don't have carpet growing on them...Maybe this is the new Polaris difference. Shareholders Jeff!!

What I might suggest is that you see if they'll cover the cost to put Vantage on them. Or, I found someone over in West Branch that will polish them. Jeff, PM me for more info.

I couldn’t add anther quote, but would have also added in the first reply:

I should have been on it intensely from the beginning in hind sight. I should not have extended the benefit of the dought on getting it fixed.

I probably should let it go. Sure would be nice if the cosmetic defect wasn’t below and to the right of the port side door. Really, Bennington could have messed up in a number of better spots on those dang toons, but nope - its right there every time you board. Anyway, letting it go would certainly be less aggravating.

And finally, Vantage product or polishing are potential options for sure. I did talk with the General Manager at the dealership. He brought up both. He also said he’d be willing to work with me on the Vantage product. Which I translated into he might give a discount on it, but who knows.

I also have some other options I could look into from a State of Michigan consumers protections standpoint. However, it’d be nice not to have to go down a more adversarial and time consuming path via the Michigan Attorney Generals office. I’ll have to give it a bit of time and thought before going down any paths like that. However, I’m also one to keep my options open too.

Time to go crank some music and clean my boat.

 

[Jim Rampello]

May be a bit off topic but nonetheless similar IMHO!!

I made a recent discovery this weekend regarding a dealer placed "defect". Since the water has actually warmed up enough to swim, while swimming I looked under my boat and noticed a wire that was hanging a bit low. I pulled it back up into the wire clamp, all is good. Then I saw it, a 5' long gouge on the inside of my starboard pontoon. Above the water line about where a scissor trailer could hit and scratch it. The burrs were bent in the aft direction so I assume that they hit it with the trailer while putting my boat on it when they made delivery. I have no trailer and was planning on having him do all the transportation to and from the lake as well as winterizing/cleaning and whatnot. Now I am wondering what to do, what will my boat look like in 5 years with this kind of handling??? Has anyone had them fill the gouges with weld and ground smooth? Knowing the aluminum is only an eight of an inch thick concerns me down the road. I worked in a sheet metal shop when I was much younger and know they can do this kind of repair, even if it is mainly cosmetic.

Dealer is getting a call!!

 

[Michiman]

Therein lies the problem for many of us with pontoons. For one reason or another, we are at the mercy of a third party to transport, service and store our beautiful Benny's.

That wasn't the case when I owned a bowrider which I sold ten years later for 90% of what I bought her for.

Let's be honest, the nature of pontoons make them much more difficult for many of us to maintain them year after year in "showroom" condition. At least for me (a self avowed perfectionist), that is the primary drawback to this type of boat. That said, I enjoy my pontoon so much that I'm working very, very hard to let the cosmetics go and just have fun with it. It will be a long journey, however...

 

[w5pfg]

To answer your title question: No

To answer your first question in the thread: It depends. I would have probably gotten that commitment to "take care of it" in writing from day one, seeing the type of noticeable blemish. Without that in writing, you might be up the creek without a paddle. I have made that same mistake more than once and probably will do it again before I'm dead and gone.

Do I think it can be remedied with aftermarket treatments and products? Probably.

I completely understand how your loyalty to the brand and dealer may be jeopardized by this situation. They owe you a resolution. It should not cost you anything. That is beyond a "minor" cosmetic blemish if the photos are 100% accurate and unaltered. It would amount to a long, deep scuff in a fiberglass boat -- totally unacceptable from a new product.

You might need to ask yourself the question: "Is it worth continued frustration and aggravation to get this resolved or is it best to move on and enjoy the boat -- not looking back?"

 

[Vikingstaff]

Oh the picture are 100% unaltered. That’s how its looked since day one in that one spot. The rest of all three toons are perfect. Its just a very weird but sizeable and noticeable blemish right there on the upper half of that particular pontoon.

You are also 100% correct on getting it in writing. I am really kicking myself right now about not getting the commitment to remedy the defect/blemish in writing on the spot or not taken delivery. I know better than taking a verbal “commitment” on something like this, and yet I did. D’oh!

The regional service representative I was dealing with is now directing my concern further up their administrative chain. I do at least appreciate that. As he said, it was his director that made the final call on not covering it, so at least I can begin to follow up with him.

 

[w5pfg]

Oh the picture are 100% unaltered. That’s how its looked since day one in that one spot.

I apologize about my wording about it being altered. I didn't mean it to sound like I was saying the photos could have been doctored-up. What I really meant to say to say was more along the lines of "has anything been applied to that area already" or "was the photo taken in natural light or under some artificial lamp." Even applying a light filter on a smart phone can really make a difference in how something looks in a photograph.

I once had a car that received $15,000 dollars in hail damage during a tornado in Amarillo, Texas. If I stood back and took photos, the car looked flawless!!! Every insurance claims adjuster said it was nearly impossible to photograph the extent of the damage.

Good luck in this process!

 

[Vikingstaff]

Got ya. lol. I was not at all offended or anything; just clarifying. I figured it was a legit curiosity question.

No special filters or anything. Just me and my iPhone on normal settings when they were putting it in the water. At the time I figured I’d get 2-3 quick pictures for posterity, or in case I needed to send any into Bennington.

 

[BulldogsCadillac]

Kinda looks like it was sanded in that section, maybe after Sharkhide had been applied. This could be completely stupid sounding, but I wonder what applying some in the area would do? I "think" doing a full light sand would even it all. DON'T DO IT BECAUSE I SAID THAT! In other words, just my opinion, take it for what it's worth.

 

[Maholli]

Have to toons wrapped u will be very happy and u can play of the blackout.. its marine grade wraps..

 

[Maholli]

Has been 2 years in salt water and fresh.

 

[Michiman]

Maholli, that looks awesome! Did your local shop use any particular brand of "marine grade" wrap?

 

[Vikingstaff]

Kinda looks like it was sanded in that section, maybe after Sharkhide had been applied. This could be completely stupid sounding, but I wonder what applying some in the area would do? I "think" doing a full light sand would even it all. DON'T DO IT BECAUSE I SAID THAT! In other words, just my opinion, take it for what it's worth.

Good eye! When it originally went in for its 20 hour service, the dealership looked it over in more detail to see what they could do. They started to see if they could “buff it out”. They stopped early in the process since it seemed to be looking worse, not better, due to those buffing streaks.

 

[Vikingstaff]

Has been 2 years in salt water and fresh.

Those toon wraps are fantastic. I didn’t even know you could do something like that outside of the Vantage coating. Love the custom look of your set up, and you passing along another idea.

My concern is durability, but it looks like yours are holding up well after two years.

 

[Maholli]

Yeah man that toon i trailer all over and it has taken a beating. Zero issues and lifttime warranty on the wrap, that material 3m makes it and its like a rubbery thick stuff i could not tear or anything with my hands.

 

[Baja 252]

If your saying it looked like that when it left the factory, I'm surprised QC let it out the door. Almost looks like it was sanded or rubbed with steel wool.

 

[Vikingstaff]

If your saying it looked like that when it left the factory, I'm surprised QC let it out the door. Almost looks like it was sanded or rubbed with steel wool.

I know it looked that way when it got to us up here in Michigan for delivery to us. The discolored blemish is what it looked like upon receipt of the boat. The rubbed looking area was the dealership trying to see if it would buff off after it arrived and I pointed it out. Since that started to make it look worse, they stopped.