Offshoreonly.com - How to pizz off your boat tech

Okay, here goes....

I sold a motor on E-bay, fairly nice motor, 440hp Gen 5 454. Guy calls me and asks a BIZILLION questions, I tell him everything I can, straight as an arrow. Still more questions, so I tell him to call the machine shop who built it. He calls the Carl, the Machinist, two hours of conversation later he calls me back. Wants to know more, so I tell him to call shop who pulled the motor, after two hours of conversation he calls back, says he wants the motor, I am liquidating, motor, dressed, sells for $4200.

He calls later and says Corey is to install the motor, Corey is my mechanic, I think "why would a buyer drag a boat from Atlanta to KY to have a motor replaced, lots of boat dealers between here and there". He says "well, I do not know anyone here, and your guys pulled and built motor, yid, yid, yada". I think it is weird, but not my issue or problem.

He called Corey earlier, wanted to know what exhaust to buy (motor was sold without exhaust). Corey gives him merc BBC exhaust numbers, two or three sets. Guy calls back wants to know if part number XYX will work. Corey says "I guess". Buyer gets exhaust off e-bay.

Corey is my mechanic, Carl is my machinist, both are friends and accounting clients (I run a mid size CPA firm and have done them HUGE favors, they have paid me back in spades). So I have some interest in how the job goes.

Buyer arrives Friday, I meet him Saturday morning at boat shop (I had to so some employee stuff with Corey's mechanic.). He pays me for motor. Seems a bit strange, but who knows, we are all warped in this hobby of ours.

Well, boat needs more than a motor, it has sat for YEARS, steering froze, trim froze, don't know about the rest of it.

Exhaust needs higher risers, it is older deep V single engine boat, exhaust is wrong, buyer is mad as hell that Corey "gave him bad advice".

Then we find story about steering, trim, all that stuff. It is a mess. We were expecting a boat that was operational expect for motor.

So the whole relationship turns sour. I am at Corey's shop till 2:30 Saturday morning trying to make it work, Buyer knows none of this. Corey is straight as an arrow, takes responsibility where he should, never when he should not.

Gen 4 motor replaced, everyone thought it was Gen 5, there is a difference in remote oil filter housing, more argument. Corey calls me last night at 9:30, wants to know if I have an ideas. I call some other marine shops I am the CPA for, find the parts, get to shop at midnight and get it fixed. Buyer knows nothing of this.

Finally everything works, Corey sticks to original estimate, buyer is PISSED because he had to stay over two days. I had planned on inviting him over Sunday for award winning ribs and BBQ, but after he showed his azz, I backed down.

Lessons:
If you have major work done, expect their to be glitches, mechanics are not Gods. If your boat needs more than expected, it is your responsibility.
Buy your parts from mechanic if you want him to install them. You do not take your eggs to McDonalds to b cooked, do not take parts to mechanic to be installed.
BE NICE - an azz hole gets cut off in more ways than one. This guy lost all warranty I may have given, or Corey may have, because he was an azz.
PAY A FAIR RATE - if your mechanic is a square guy, and you are an azz, your mechanic may not get "in your face", but believe me, you will burn bridge after bridge....

To the mechanics, if you get a guy with a '89 28' Scarab from Atlanta area wanting work, RUN!