Lakeland Marine

Lakeland Marine is a premier marine service center located in the same location for over years that is family owned and operatedOur technicians are certified by many marine manufacturersLakeland Marine has won the prestigious Consumer Service Index award for over six years from *** ***
and are in line to be awarded it for the season. The repair in dispute from *** *** is in no way caused by Lakeland MarineOn July 12, *** *** brought in a *** Boat that was in very poor shape due to age and lack of maintenanceMechanically the drive train and controls were very worn and original equipment showing alot of corrosion and wearThe upholstery and wood are rotten and torn due to age and lack of maintenanceWhen *** *** was advised of this he stated that Lakeland Marine was responsible for the worn and damaged upholsteryLakeland Marine emailed *** *** the pictures showing the damage was from years of useLakeland Marine has pictures on file.The first repair completed on Julu 23, was a spun engine couplerIt is a wear item that breaks down in time due to lack of annual maintenanceLakeland Marine gave *** *** an estimate and he approved, upon working on boat Lakeland Marine noticed other worn and failing components*** *** was advised and approvedLakeland Marine explained what could cause a coupler failure to occur to *** ***, he stated that he had the boat surveyed and their was no was the transom was softLakeland Marine did a "tap" test to see if any soft material could be detected*** *** also stated on that date that their have never been any repairs done to transom and that surveyor inspected transom to that effect(Please read notes to follow on repair order dated 8-2-14) Repairs were completed and *** *** picked up boat*** *** used the boat and stated that the boat had never ran as good as it does after repair.We then received a call from *** *** stating that after using the boat all day it would not go forwardLakeland Marine informed *** *** to bring boat back to us to inspectupon inspection Lakeland Marine found that the new coupler was damaged, Lakeland Marine explained to *** *** the only way this could happen again is because under power the transom was flexing** *** was then informed that the only way to prove it was to remove the outdrive, engine and transom assembly and inspectCustomer okayedWhen Lakeland Marine disassembled we found that someone in the past had done some inadequate patchwork on transom that was only visible when disassembledCustomer then admitted to the fact that it may have been doneLakeland Marine had different qualified fiberglass repair shops come give estimates to replace rotten transom*** *** chose to take it to his own repair shop to have transom replaced as well as other fiberglass repairs doneAll fiberglass shops agreed that the transom was damaged due to water leaking into boat*** *** then agreed to that fact and admitted that previous work was done for a water leak (which he denied when asked in the past)When removing drive, engine and transom assembly their was a lot of rusty corroded hardware that took extra time to remove, clean and prepLakeland Marine had to re-drill all holes that *** ***s fiberglass shop drilled w***gLakeland Marine installed new transom o-rings and gaskets, installed transom assembly engine and drive with new coupler, as well as fixing other components that were bad due to age of boat and lack of maintenanceLakeland Marine tested boat and checked over everythingAll work done by Lakeland Marine was complete. *** *** was kept aware of all the issues we were having due to the corrosion and age of boat** *** was advised of the completion of boat and given the finished repair orderHe stated that he would not pay Lakeland Marine and he was going to sue Lakeland Marine and he would stop payment on credit cardHe was advised that Lakeland Marine would only accept cashiers check or cash for payment(*** *** is not the original owner of the ***.)The first coupler failed due to lack of maintenance and age, the second coupler failed due to a damaged transom that *** *** paid to have replacedLakeland Marine advised *** *** of the two possibilities and he adamantly stated that the surveyor said it was solidThe failure was do to a soft transom that would only flex under extreme loadLakeland Marine is not responsible for any cost incurred to *** ***

Revdex.com:I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.The opening statement made by Lakeland Marine along with thefact that they had a police boat in their yard for service was the main reasonI went to their shop for service. Not being from [redacted] I do not have a feelfor shops I can trust based on reputation. So, I went off what I read on theirwebsite and what they had in their yard to give me an idea of what they arecapable of.   I was on vacation in[redacted] the weekend of July 12. Not July 17th as [redacted] stated.My boat was running fine until coming out of the channel and I tried to get upon plane. The boat seemed to be slipping out of gear. I then smelt a burntrubber odor and the boat would only move forward at idle speed. This was the initialincident and after finding Lakeland Marine on the web and talking with [redacted] attheir shop about what happened to my boat is when I brought the boat to them totroubleshoot and repair. At the time, [redacted] seemed to believe it was a badcoupler but would not know for sure until they looked at the boat. On July 17th,I called Lakeland Marine to check the status of my boat. [redacted] had confirmedthat the coupler was shredded and would need to be replaced. They pulled the outdrive already and will have to pull the motorto get to the broken part and replace it. He said its fairly common to see thishappen and that it will be fixed in plenty of time for our next trip. He alsosaid that before they go any further they will need a deposit of $500. He toldme they are looking at 6-8hrs of labor ($95per hr) and anywhere from $300-500in parts. This may address the shifting issue but wont know until the mainissue is repaired. When he mentioned what was involved, I asked him to replacethe shift cables because I was unsure of how old they were and the boat wouldbe apart anyway. He agreed that it was a good decision and that the motor wouldbe out anyway so it will save some on the labor of the cable replacement.  On the weekend of July 26, we returned to[redacted] to pick up our boat and enjoy a weekend on the water. My wife paid forthe repairs over the phone and was not told about the $78.50 extra they chargeif paid by credit card. We figured that out when we reviewed the work orderafter picking up the boat. Also, the quote given by [redacted] of $1500.00 plus taxand shop fees, was now $2195.00. The reason given by [redacted] as to the highercost was that it took them longer to dial in my new shift cables. We picked upthe boat from Lakeland Marine around 11:00 on the 26th of July. Wedrove it back to our camp site at [redacted] and put the boat in the water.While driving the boat with friends, the power steering went out on me. Ilooked in the engine compartment to find my power steering fluid all over myengine and boat with the cap sitting on the floor near the bildge pump. We wereable to get more power steering fluid from a fellow boater. After filling the reservoirand cleaning the mess, we were back boating. While driving the boat I noticedmy trim indicator was no longer working however the trim was actuating.Lakeland Marine forgot to reconnect my trim gauge after the initial repair.While driving through the channel, my shift unti came right out of the mount onthe boat. Evry single screw in the shift unit that holds it to the boat waseither loose or stripped. This was not the case when I brought the boat in dueto the cables have never been replaced until I had them do it. When pulling outof the channel and getting the boat up on plane, me coupler went out again. Ithen called Lakeland Marine while getting the boat back on the trailer. Thetotal time driving the boat was about 45 minutes. From the initial pick up ofthe boat to until the time I returned the boat back to them was a mere 3 hrs.When I dropped it off I waited for some time before anyone would wait on me.The mechanic that did all the work was the person who finally helped me. When Itold him everything that had happened, he said “ I don’t want to speakout ofline but that should be covered by warranty”. It was my understanding as wellthat this was clearly a warranty job which is why I brought it back tothem.  On Aug 6th, I contacted[redacted] at Lakeland to find out the status of my boat. While it was there, amonsoon had gone through [redacted]. I had a few upholstery shops look at my boatfor quotes while it was there. The shops had told me my boat was full of waterwhen they called me back with an upholstery estimate. Although my boat is a1989 [redacted], the interior was all original with some noticeable wear. I did notbring my boat to [redacted] for upholstery work or fiberglass work for that issomething he is not certified to perform. I called [redacted] and asked that heremove the water from my boat which he did after having it sit like that for acouple days. While talking with [redacted], he mentioned that there are cracksaround the transom and that there is some silicone on it as well. This issomething that should have been noted the first time he had the boat. He saidhe was going to get a few fiberglass shops to come and give him a quote becausehe felt the transom was soft. I did tell him that I had the boat inspectedbefore and that it was deemed solid. But, I allowed him to check anyway. Hecame back with a quote of $4100.00 for transom repair from a fiberglass shop.He never gave me the name of the shop that gave hme that quote. I called evryfiberglass shop in [redacted] and the highest quote I got was of $2500.00. I choseto have a well known reputable shop directly across the street form LakelandMarine to perform the job. When I drove up to [redacted] to look at my boat anddeal with the fiberglass shop I spoke with [redacted] and he told me “The onlyreason a coupler goes bad is from a soft transom or poor alignment” He told methe alignment was perfect. I am not a boat mechanic but based on that comment,this was something that should have been inspected on the initial repair. Iwalked over to the fiberglass shop to speak with [redacted]. At which time he receiveda phone call from [redacted] telling him to charge me an extra 10% for LakelandMarine. I was standing right next to [redacted] when he got this call. This is nothearsay of rumor. [redacted] must have thought I was still by my boat when he madethis unprofessional call. After having [redacted] as the boat and quoting me$2000.00 to do the job, I asked if he would also fix some chips and scratchesacrude on the boat over the years. When discussing all this I asked that [redacted]sshop do all the fiberglass repair. Anything not done right was to be broughtback to [redacted]. [redacted] was to take no part in any fiberglass work as his shop isnot certified to do so. Emails have gone back and forth with [redacted] and Icommunicating the boats process. Most of these emails were initiated by me.Oncethe boat was finished, [redacted] had called me with a total. I asked why I was beingcharged for a warranty job to which [redacted] had no answer and asked that I speakwith [redacted] on the matter. When talking with [redacted], he stated that the transomwas bad and that it was not his fault but mine. Yet he submitted a warrantyclaim to [redacted] for the coupler to which they honored. [redacted] told me “if[redacted] knows that you have a soft transom they will not pay claim.” Hesubmitted a false claim to them which they honored. He said he would not chargeme for the part yet my bill (which should have been warrantied) came to$2010.40. I have no way of know what he did and didn’t charge me because Ishouldn’t have had to pay any of that. Especially if it was warrantied fromthis company called [redacted]. When I disputed these charges with him and the factthat he was charging me 20% over retail on parts and way over the quoted pricesas well as what the labor times book for in the marine industry repair manualsI did indeed tell him that if he expected me to pay this I would sue him. I didnot mention disputing the charges on my credit card to him. He must haveassumed that from previous disputes with other people. [redacted] threatened tohold my boat unless payment was made by either cash or bank check. I spoke withpolice in my town and they informed me that what he was doing was illegal dueto the fact that they due accept other payment and are not allowed to force orintimidate people to pay as they see fit. However, when I went to [redacted] toretrieve my boat, I stopped by the local police department for assistance towhich I was told they would not get involved. At this point I was forced to pay[redacted] in order to retrieve my boat. I am try to resolve this without having togo to court and will exhaust all other channels before doing so. I feel [redacted]at Lakeland Marine owes me $2010.40 for the final bill which should have beenwarrantied as well as the $773 I feel he overcharged me for the initial repair.To R&R a boat motor books for 6 hrs I was charged 16hrs and then 20hrs thesecond time it went back to his shop. I have not decided to pursue additionaldamage he caused to my boat while at  hisshop or pain and suffering and loss of work to deal with this issue.  Regards,[redacted]

Per our first response we value our customers and we feel our original response was detailed. Do to the age and condition of his boat it will continue to need ongoing repairs to keep it running. Lakeland Marine will offer 10% off parts on future service. We have been in business for over 20 years and stand by the work we completed.

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.The opening statement made by Lakeland Marine along with thefact that they had a police boat in their yard for service was the main reasonI went to their shop for service. Not being from [redacted] I do not have a feelfor shops I can trust based on reputation. So, I went off what I read on theirwebsite and what they had in their yard to give me an idea of what they arecapable of.   I was on vacation in[redacted] the weekend of July 12. Not July 17th as [redacted] stated.My boat was running fine until coming out of the channel and I tried to get upon plane. The boat seemed to be slipping out of gear. I then smelt a burntrubber odor and the boat would only move forward at idle speed. This was the initialincident and after finding Lakeland Marine on the web and talking with [redacted] attheir shop about what happened to my boat is when I brought the boat to them totroubleshoot and repair. At the time, [redacted] seemed to believe it was a badcoupler but would not know for sure until they looked at the boat. On July 17th,I called Lakeland Marine to check the status of my boat. [redacted] had confirmedthat the coupler was shredded and would need to be replaced. They pulled the outdrive already and will have to pull the motorto get to the broken part and replace it. He said its fairly common to see thishappen and that it will be fixed in plenty of time for our next trip. He alsosaid that before they go any further they will need a deposit of $500. He toldme they are looking at 6-8hrs of labor ($95per hr) and anywhere from $300-500in parts. This may address the shifting issue but wont know until the mainissue is repaired. When he mentioned what was involved, I asked him to replacethe shift cables because I was unsure of how old they were and the boat wouldbe apart anyway. He agreed that it was a good decision and that the motor wouldbe out anyway so it will save some on the labor of the cable replacement.  On the weekend of July 26, we returned to[redacted] to pick up our boat and enjoy a weekend on the water. My wife paid forthe repairs over the phone and was not told about the $78.50 extra they chargeif paid by credit card. We figured that out when we reviewed the work orderafter picking up the boat. Also, the quote given by [redacted] of $1500.00 plus taxand shop fees, was now $2195.00. The reason given by [redacted] as to the highercost was that it took them longer to dial in my new shift cables. We picked upthe boat from Lakeland Marine around 11:00 on the 26th of July. Wedrove it back to our camp site at [redacted] and put the boat in the water.While driving the boat with friends, the power steering went out on me. Ilooked in the engine compartment to find my power steering fluid all over myengine and boat with the cap sitting on the floor near the bildge pump. We wereable to get more power steering fluid from a fellow boater. After filling the reservoirand cleaning the mess, we were back boating. While driving the boat I noticedmy trim indicator was no longer working however the trim was actuating.Lakeland Marine forgot to reconnect my trim gauge after the initial repair.While driving through the channel, my shift unti came right out of the mount onthe boat. Evry single screw in the shift unit that holds it to the boat waseither loose or stripped. This was not the case when I brought the boat in dueto the cables have never been replaced until I had them do it. When pulling outof the channel and getting the boat up on plane, me coupler went out again. Ithen called Lakeland Marine while getting the boat back on the trailer. Thetotal time driving the boat was about 45 minutes. From the initial pick up ofthe boat to until the time I returned the boat back to them was a mere 3 hrs.When I dropped it off I waited for some time before anyone would wait on me.The mechanic that did all the work was the person who finally helped me. When Itold him everything that had happened, he said “ I don’t want to speakout ofline but that should be covered by warranty”. It was my understanding as wellthat this was clearly a warranty job which is why I brought it back tothem.  On Aug 6th, I contacted[redacted] at Lakeland to find out the status of my boat. While it was there, amonsoon had gone through [redacted]. I had a few upholstery shops look at my boatfor quotes while it was there. The shops had told me my boat was full of waterwhen they called me back with an upholstery estimate. Although my boat is a1989 [redacted], the interior was all original with some noticeable wear. I did notbring my boat to [redacted] for upholstery work or fiberglass work for that issomething he is not certified to perform. I called [redacted] and asked that heremove the water from my boat which he did after having it sit like that for acouple days. While talking with [redacted], he mentioned that there are cracksaround the transom and that there is some silicone on it as well. This issomething that should have been noted the first time he had the boat. He saidhe was going to get a few fiberglass shops to come and give him a quote becausehe felt the transom was soft. I did tell him that I had the boat inspectedbefore and that it was deemed solid. But, I allowed him to check anyway. Hecame back with a quote of $4100.00 for transom repair from a fiberglass shop.He never gave me the name of the shop that gave hme that quote. I called evryfiberglass shop in [redacted] and the highest quote I got was of $2500.00. I choseto have a well known reputable shop directly across the street form LakelandMarine to perform the job. When I drove up to [redacted] to look at my boat anddeal with the fiberglass shop I spoke with [redacted] and he told me “The onlyreason a coupler goes bad is from a soft transom or poor alignment” He told methe alignment was perfect. I am not a boat mechanic but based on that comment,this was something that should have been inspected on the initial repair. Iwalked over to the fiberglass shop to speak with [redacted]. At which time he receiveda phone call from [redacted] telling him to charge me an extra 10% for LakelandMarine. I was standing right next to [redacted] when he got this call. This is nothearsay of rumor. [redacted] must have thought I was still by my boat when he madethis unprofessional call. After having [redacted] as the boat and quoting me$2000.00 to do the job, I asked if he would also fix some chips and scratchesacrude on the boat over the years. When discussing all this I asked that [redacted]sshop do all the fiberglass repair. Anything not done right was to be broughtback to [redacted] was to take no part in any fiberglass work as his shop isnot certified to do so. Emails have gone back and forth with [redacted] and Icommunicating the boats process. Most of these emails were initiated by me.Oncethe boat was finished, [redacted] had called me with a total. I asked why I was beingcharged for a warranty job to which [redacted] had no answer and asked that I speakwith [redacted] on the matter. When talking with [redacted], he stated that the transomwas bad and that it was not his fault but mine. Yet he submitted a warrantyclaim to [redacted] for the coupler to which they honored. [redacted] told me “if[redacted] knows that you have a soft transom they will not pay claim.” Hesubmitted a false claim to them which they honored. He said he would not chargeme for the part yet my bill (which should have been warrantied) came to$2010.40. I have no way of know what he did and didn’t charge me because Ishouldn’t have had to pay any of that. Especially if it was warrantied fromthis company called [redacted]. When I disputed these charges with him and the factthat he was charging me 20% over retail on parts and way over the quoted pricesas well as what the labor times book for in the marine industry repair manualsI did indeed tell him that if he expected me to pay this I would sue him. I didnot mention disputing the charges on my credit card to him. He must haveassumed that from previous disputes with other people. [redacted] threatened tohold my boat unless payment was made by either cash or bank check. I spoke withpolice in my town and they informed me that what he was doing was illegal dueto the fact that they due accept other payment and are not allowed to force orintimidate people to pay as they see fit. However, when I went to [redacted] toretrieve my boat, I stopped by the local police department for assistance towhich I was told they would not get involved. At this point I was forced to pay[redacted] in order to retrieve my boat. I am try to resolve this without having togo to court and will exhaust all other channels before doing so. I feel [redacted]at Lakeland Marine owes me $2010.40 for the final bill which should have beenwarrantied as well as the $773 I feel he overcharged me for the initial repair.To R&R a boat motor books for 6 hrs I was charged 16hrs and then 20hrs thesecond time it went back to his shop. I have not decided to pursue additionaldamage he caused to my boat while at  hisshop or pain and suffering and loss of work to deal with this issue.  Regards,[redacted]

Lakeland Marine is a premier marine service center located in the same location for over 25 years that is family owned and operated. Our technicians are certified by many marine manufacturers. Lakeland Marine has won the prestigious Consumer Service Index award for over six years from [redacted]...

and are in line to be awarded it for the 2014 season. The repair in dispute from [redacted] is in no way caused by Lakeland Marine. On July 12, 2014 [redacted] brought in a 1989 [redacted] Boat that was in very poor shape due to age and lack of maintenance. Mechanically the drive train and controls were very worn and original equipment showing alot of corrosion and wear. The upholstery and wood are rotten and torn due to age and lack of maintenance. When [redacted] was advised of this he stated that Lakeland Marine was responsible for the worn and damaged upholstery. Lakeland Marine emailed [redacted] the pictures showing the damage was from years of use. Lakeland Marine has pictures on file.The first repair completed on Julu 23, 2014 was a spun engine coupler. It is a wear item that breaks down in time due to lack of annual maintenance. Lakeland Marine gave [redacted] an estimate and he approved, upon working on boat Lakeland Marine noticed other worn and failing components. [redacted] was advised and approved. Lakeland Marine explained what could cause a coupler failure to occur to [redacted], he stated that he had the boat surveyed and their was no was the transom was soft. Lakeland Marine did a "tap" test to see if any soft material could be detected. [redacted] also stated on that date that their have never been any repairs done to transom and that surveyor inspected transom to that effect. (Please read notes to follow on repair order dated 8-2-14)  Repairs were completed and [redacted] picked up boat. [redacted] used the boat and stated that the boat had never ran as good as it does after repair.We then received a call from [redacted] stating that after using the boat all day it would not go forward. Lakeland Marine informed [redacted] to bring boat back to us to inspect. upon inspection Lakeland Marine found that the new coupler was damaged, Lakeland Marine explained to [redacted] the only way this could happen again is because under power the transom was flexing. [redacted] was then informed that the only way to prove it was to remove the outdrive, engine and transom assembly and inspect. Customer okayed. When Lakeland Marine disassembled we found that someone in the past had done some inadequate patchwork on transom that was only visible when disassembled. Customer then admitted to the fact that it may have been done. Lakeland Marine had 2 different qualified fiberglass repair shops come give estimates to replace rotten transom. [redacted] chose to take it to his own repair shop to have transom replaced as well as other fiberglass repairs done. All 3 fiberglass shops agreed that the transom was damaged due to water leaking into boat. [redacted] then agreed to that fact and admitted that previous work was done for a water leak (which he denied when asked in the past). When removing drive, engine and transom assembly their was a lot of rusty corroded hardware that took extra time to remove, clean and prep. Lakeland Marine had to re-drill all holes that [redacted]s fiberglass shop drilled w[redacted]g. Lakeland Marine installed new transom o-rings and gaskets, installed transom assembly engine and drive with new coupler, as well as fixing other components that were bad due to age of boat and lack of maintenance. Lakeland Marine tested boat and checked over everything. All work done by Lakeland Marine was complete. [redacted] was kept aware of all the issues we were having due to the corrosion and age of boat. [redacted] was advised of the completion of boat and given the finished repair order. He stated that he would not pay Lakeland Marine and he was going to sue Lakeland Marine and he would stop payment on credit card. He was advised that Lakeland Marine would only accept cashiers check or cash for payment. ([redacted] is not the original owner of the 1989 [redacted].)The first coupler failed due to lack of maintenance and age, the second coupler failed due to a damaged transom that [redacted] paid to have replaced. Lakeland Marine advised [redacted] of the two possibilities and he adamantly stated that the surveyor said it was solid. The failure was do to a soft transom that would only flex under extreme load. Lakeland Marine is not responsible for any cost incurred to [redacted].