KiwiClive
Veteran Member
Anyone else had bad service from Beneteau for warranty work?
We went through horrendous dealings with the dealer and Beneteau on a brand new ST44 due to issues with the engine/drive train install. We had to fight and were going to court until they backed down at the very last moment!
Issue - Engine vibration at 1800 - 2000 revs. Both engines.
Work Done:
1. New engine mounts - D6 versions rather than the D4's - D4's were designed for transom hung outdrive legs and not shaft systems.
2. New cutlass bearings
3. Props re pitched - They came stamped 24/25, when measured one was 24/24 and the other was 24/24.5. Quality was poor. This also explained the difference in turbo boost pressure between the engines.
4. Bend in 1 shaft.
5. Shaft tapers not matched to the props.
6. Shaft threads were still dog threads, neither metric or imperial.
Marine propulsion engineer recommended the struts to be aligned properly but Beneteau refused to do this.
The engineer made centres for the struts and ran a wire up to the engine. The wire did not run through the stern tube correctly indicating that the struts were not aligned properly.
I am expecting the cutlass bearings to wear out prematurely so we'll see.
Great boat, we love it but really let down by the appalling after care from the Dealer/Beneteau with all sorts dreadful squirming and wriggling to get out of fixing the issues.
Boats have problems, that's not the issue. It's how the problems are taken care of that matters. Beneteau let us down badly in this respect.
We went through horrendous dealings with the dealer and Beneteau on a brand new ST44 due to issues with the engine/drive train install. We had to fight and were going to court until they backed down at the very last moment!
Issue - Engine vibration at 1800 - 2000 revs. Both engines.
Work Done:
1. New engine mounts - D6 versions rather than the D4's - D4's were designed for transom hung outdrive legs and not shaft systems.
2. New cutlass bearings
3. Props re pitched - They came stamped 24/25, when measured one was 24/24 and the other was 24/24.5. Quality was poor. This also explained the difference in turbo boost pressure between the engines.
4. Bend in 1 shaft.
5. Shaft tapers not matched to the props.
6. Shaft threads were still dog threads, neither metric or imperial.
Marine propulsion engineer recommended the struts to be aligned properly but Beneteau refused to do this.
The engineer made centres for the struts and ran a wire up to the engine. The wire did not run through the stern tube correctly indicating that the struts were not aligned properly.
I am expecting the cutlass bearings to wear out prematurely so we'll see.
Great boat, we love it but really let down by the appalling after care from the Dealer/Beneteau with all sorts dreadful squirming and wriggling to get out of fixing the issues.
Boats have problems, that's not the issue. It's how the problems are taken care of that matters. Beneteau let us down badly in this respect.