I had a Bmax that wasn't right for my single engine deep v because of the gear ratio, so I put it up for sale on offshoreonly classified.
Dean calls me and says he has a brand new bravo I XR that he used to compare parasitic drag vs. one of his drives and that he will trade me even if my drive is in the good shape that I told him it was. This was supposed to take a few weeks total including shipping time.
I sent off my drive, and after a few months of me calling, an XR drive shows up and upon opening up, it looks okay. I could tell that it had been repainted, but I really didn't look to close.
I had a few hours on the drive and all hell broke loose, it puked drive fluid in the engine compartment through the drive shaft seal and a loud squeal had the boat back on the trailer.
I took the drive to a trusted shop here in Oklahoma to tear down. The guy calls me and said, who the f*** did you get this from. The drive had many critical parts MISSING from it. The vertical shaft bearing and race WERE NOT EVEN THERE and the cone clutch was the only thing holding it in place. There were bolts stripped, missing, vertical shaft trashed, splines twisted, etc. It is going to take a lot of $$$ to get it back together.
I could dismiss this that maybe one of his employees was asleep at the wheel, but it was supposed to be a completely new drive with a few hours on it, not a bastardized rebuilt piece of sh*t!. I have been trying to call the SOB to make some threats on his safety, but his phones go strait to voicemail.
If this jackass didn't live so far away, I'd find him and shove this drive up his ass! BE CAREFUL TO DO ANY BUSINESS WITH THE GUY. TO ALL OF YOU THAT HAVE BMAX'S, SORRY TO BAD, BUT ANYONE NEEDING A BRAVO LOOK SOMEWHERE ELSE!!
Sucks.. I have a close friend that had to sue him and chase him for years to finally get a levy against him and now his is finally getting paid. FINALLY. All it would have took was some time and do the drive right!! He didn't stand behind anything he sold my friend. It was a battle from day one!!
Good luck I hope it works.
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" When you let off the throttle for one second...... That is what you become... Second!!
It is amazing to me that people like Dean have complete disregard for their reputation in this industry. When his phone only rings with complaints and lawsuits I guess that is the time he will learn. I have spoken to Dean many times about buying and or repairing drives. I have never dealt with the Bravo Shop on a transaction so I have never been screwed. I can say now I will never get screwed by Dean because I will never be calling again. I suppose the next thing we will hear if Dean ever replies is that he didn't know the drive was like that. He's the expert ?????????????????????? It must have come from Merc. that way.
32 Fountain Fever with a touch of Gellner/ 202 Chris Stinger
WTF, have you done anything to try and contact this guy, see if he will make it right.. But based on what the other guys have said seems like this is kinda common for him.. Good luck
If I only had a dollar for every complaint online about the "bravo shop". I dealt with him a few years back and had some issues, but I live close enough that I drove my boat/trailer to his shop to resolve the problems. Seems like if you are local, he will take care of you. If you live outta state.......good luck.
Whenever I buy something boat related that is from a company I do not know. I go to this forum and put the name in the search. You will not be suprised.
Post like these will save the next guy some aggervation.
Thanks
I Must be the lucky one....
Only problem I had is when the drives were shipped to me, one fell off the skid and scratched the top cap.
Blew one up and he fixed it.
Broke a few vertical shafts and sent me a new one....sold me some also after that.
I guess you can't please everyone.
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