A little help from you guys. I purchased my boat in May 2013. It’s brand New with the exception of being a Demo boat with around 30 hours on the motor. The reason I got a better price.
The place where I got it had to do three things: (1) 20 hour service, (2) install verticle rod holders, (3) Change out the Humming Bird for a Lowrance. I know 2 and 3 were done wrong because it is going back on 5 March to get fixed.
Dad takes the boat out every month or so just to run it so it does not just sit. Now in March I want to get the motor serviced before I get home only because it will be a year since the last service, and I don’t want to worry about it during peak fishing time.
Seel’s gave me a quote of $500 for a 100 hour service. A friend recommended and place to me, and that place quote over $800–almost double. Now after trading numerous e-mails with the place my friend recommended, it seems they can’t even do something as simple as send an e-mail.
Where do you guys take your boats for service?
Any recommendations for people/dealer that will actually do it right will be greatly appreciated.
The motor is a Yamaha VMAX 4-stroke 250 Horse Power, Super High Output (SHO), year 2012, model VF250LA.
Do you have a 4 stroke motor? And does it have to have the oil evacuated via a pump?
Do you have one of those pumps?
The 250SHO does not have a place to drain the oil/drain plug that I can find in the manual. There is a hand pump or electric pump where a tube is inserted into the same hole as the dip stick. Through that hole, the pump sucks out the 7. something quarts of engine oil. Of course the filter is changed and she gets refilled with new oil.
Any other thoughts from guys that do this?
Yeap, I would do it myself too, but I just want it to be ready when I get home. Then when I am comfortable with the motor, and know my way around it, I will likely do it myself too.
2012 Skeeter ZX22 Bay
Yamaha 250 hp SHO
Minnkota Riptide 101
i have a two stroke yamaha and an inboard 350 chevrolet i use a suction pump or actually a 2 gallon vacuum pump, with a small tube inserted through the dip stick tube, bring it up to operating temp to thin the oil and pump the vacuum pump up and insert the tube and open the valve and let her suck, on your motor on the starboard side there is a shroud that comes off with a few screws that exposes the drain plug it is easy to remove , there is all kinds of info and videos on how to do it, , i just enjoy doing it so i can keep an eye on everything else, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5fOcAQ1-Fw here is a video that might help if you have a pump and this one is more involved if you don’t have the pump then this video will show you how http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPO3EUKPb3o
Charleston Marine on Rivers. Had my 20 hr service done there. Can’t exactly vouch for them since I’ve only been there once but they were nice and the price was fair. Chris V from there has offered plenty of good free advice on this forum too.
Thanks Guys. I’m going to get on the phone tonight (for me) morning for them and ask them some questions about the quote they sent me. It is confusing. For example, the total list of parts add up to exactly $368.89, but the box for “total price of the parts” is $388.10. The amount of sales tax does not add up to any number given on the sheet either.
And I have questions about the parts that after several e-mails, no explaination is forth coming. For example, the parts list has a water pump repair kit for $132.45 exactly $10 more than the Yamaha website. But, the manual says only replace the pump at 300 hours. I’m asking for a 100 hour, which the manual says inspect or replace if neccessary. So, I want to get some insight to how they do business because I ain’t paying for a $132.45 water pump repair kit if they don’t ever put one on–the engine is brand new–it just has been about 9-10 months since the last service. It will be right at a year when I get back that the last service was completed (time for annual service). Dad takes it out every month or so to run it, but it probably didn’t accumulate any more than 15 hours or so.
I’m going to give them a chance to explain some things. But, I won’t be surprised if I go find another shop. Maybe they are thinking I’m trying to push them into a price or something–we’ll see. I will let ya’ll know.
2012 Skeeter ZX22 Bay
Yamaha 250 hp SHO
Minnkota Riptide 101
Update: I’m taking the boat to Tail Walker Marine in George Town. I explained the quote from the other place to the service guy over the phone, and he laughed out loud. Cancelled the other appointment also. Too much of the quote was a mystery, and after researching some the prices on the parts…low and behold, some of the prices are two and half times the price on the Yamaha website. Not to mention, the quote included fictious parts replacement not required by the manual. No way I’m paying almost a $1000 for an inspection and an oil change.
I know there is a mark up on parts and certain items, but come on. Maybe they thought I wouldn’t check behind them on their math either.
2012 Skeeter ZX22 Bay
Yamaha 250 hp SHO
Minnkota Riptide 101
The water pump repair kit on a 4 stroke is an actual water pump, right? I’ve never worked on one, but I just replaced my water impeller on my 2 stroke and that kit was like $30.
the four stroke motors use the same style waterpump as a 2 stroke
a kit is different than an impeller
Yamaha suggests inspecting and replacing as needed the waterpump
as a dealer, im never going to drop a lowerunit and inspect a waterpump, if I take it apart, im gonna replace it.
as a rule Yamaha waterpumps are very durable, and do not need to be replaced every year.
a 100 hour service here for that motor is right about $500, but if you add in the waterpump, it raises the price about $300
Thanks Chris V. Yeap…you are in the ballpark. However, they were trying to replace the thermostat and the waterpump. Both are only due at the 300 hr. Not the 100 hr in accordance with the manual. I was looking for a quote for the inspection assuming nothing was wrong with the motor that included the price of labor, fluids, and parts with the understand that they will call me to proceed if they find something wrong like the thermostat or water pump. The motor is brand new. It only has around 60 hours on it. But, it will be a year since the last servicing. So, I want it checked out and all fluids changed before I get home. The other place could not grasp that concept. They could have had $400-$500 dollars, but now, they will get zero.
I sent the quote back to them to look over and even gave them a second chance. They sent it back and said it was good. Apparently, they have more money than they do sense, and my business is not a concern to them. Very well, Tail Walker is glad to do it for me and they quoted me a little under $400. Done…Tail Walker gets the nod. And, Tail Walker sells and works on the VMAX SHO all the time so, they do NOT need to ask me three times what model…even after I sent pictures for the bigger words.
2012 Skeeter ZX22 Bay
Yamaha 250 hp SHO
Minnkota Riptide 101
i have paid for an initial 20 hour service on both my engines… did the 100 hour myself after the sticker shock. lo and behold!!! one lower unit drained mercury marine blue (which the dealer uses exclusively for lower units) and the other drained dino brown with a nice trail of break-in metals. i wonder how much else they skipped. needless to say i drag my boat across town to a competing dealer for any service that i cant do myself.
the four stroke motors use the same style waterpump as a 2 stroke
a kit is different than an impeller
Yamaha suggests inspecting and replacing as needed the waterpump
as a dealer, im never going to drop a lowerunit and inspect a waterpump, if I take it apart, im gonna replace it.
as a rule Yamaha waterpumps are very durable, and do not need to be replaced every year.
a 100 hour service here for that motor is right about $500, but if you add in the waterpump, it raises the price about $300
Update: Tailwalker Marine in George Town did the maintenance on the boat. Those guys are top notch in my book, and they too care of me. Thanks Tailwalker Marine! I’ll be going back to them in the future.
2012 Skeeter ZX22 Bay
Yamaha 250 hp SHO
Minnkota Riptide 101
I lost a good friend who had been to school on motors. He did repairs out of his shop and could fix almost any engine as well as do scheduled maintenance. Cars, trucks boat motors or trolling motors, didn’t matter what it was, he could repair them. He also gave a lot of free advice on simple repairs and catching fish. Lost him to a heart attack a little over a year ago and still miss him.
Here’s how I see it. I have never met Chris V, but he seems a lot like my old friend to me. He gives a lot of free advice and all of us have benefitted from it by increasing our general knowledge on repairs. I’m thinking I might just invite him up to good old lake Murray and take him fishing. That’s if this dang E Tec will cooperate (can’t blame the E Tec for whatever wild critter chewed up all of the wiring). Sounds like Chris V would be a good friend to have. Chris V, if you see this, PM me if you want to fish Murray. Sometimes I even catch a few fish.
We got lucky on March 1st. Three of us put over 100 fish in the boat. A fun day with friends. Most of the fish were white perch (no limit on them), but we also had some keeper stripers and a couple of largemouth. Biggest striper was around 8#. Boy oh boy, those fried perch taste good! Give me some fried fish, with good home made cole slaw and french fries and I’m in hog heaven!
Another update: Not only did Tailwalker Marine do a good job at a fair price, I got new boat insurance from Strickland Marine. My old insurance was through State Farm. Although State Farm has great auto and home owner insurance, they are not the best for boat insurance. Gotchacovered, Lee Strickland, got me a better policy with a lower deductible for almost half the price of State Farm. Thanks Strickland Marine!
2012 Skeeter ZX22 Bay
Yamaha 250 hp SHO
Minnkota Riptide 101
I know how that is ^