Yanmar after sales service

[seafox]

I think for a 7 year old motor I would accept it as wear and tear myself.

[kiwikol]

The purpose of my introducing this post was threefold: 1) to determine whether my appalling dealings with Yanmar have been experienced by others (yes!); 2) to seek advice regarding the lack of anodes; 3) to share my experiences with others either with Yanmar engines or contemplating buying (think very carefully!). The feedback I am getting, here and elsewhere, is certainly not complimentary to Yanmar. Currently a local agent has now removed the core and started (without authority!) rebuilding using Belzona. Cost at present is $500 (although the removal of the core was “easy” ! ) and the total bill expected to be $1000 !! Does all that sound like a great deal or that "Your satisfaction and goodwill are important to us and to your dealer.” –quote Yanmar. I believe the fault was unquestionably an original assembly problem and yet Yanmar seem happy to ignore the implications to their reputation and future sales. The CGA appears a likely action and I feel confident there is a case to answer. –Kiwikol, Nelson.

[seafox]

Hi Kiwikol, PM me. I have worse stories about Volvo....

[Alan Wheeler]

KiwiKol, I think you are being totaly unreasonble. I would say you have failed to do regular inspections and maintanance over the 7yrs. I would also look at this from the "glass half full" side. The fact that the thing lasted 7 yrs not assembled correctly,if indeed that is the case, tells you how good it must be.
Yanmar make very good products and parts are certainly not expensive. Especially if you compare to other manufacturers.
I have never experianced anything negative over the years with their engines. They have always performed very well for their intended use.
You are also taking their words out of context. No engine manufacturer is going to replace a faulty component 7yrs later.
No one has said anything negative, yet you state

The feedback I am getting, here and elsewhere,

Only one person has said they have had poor service and that is not even in NZ.
Here in NZ, Yanmar is nothing more than a sales centre. They have excellent reps. But they are not service technicians. Yanmar have Authorised Service centres around NZ. These Technicians are trained to specialise in the Yanmar engines. If you want to deal with the service side of Yanmar, it is these centres you are dealing with. I can not speak for other countries. So your Authorised service centre should be able to make the call, get the yes or no and then make the repair.
If you think $1000 for a heatexchanger is expensive, you haven't dealt with many other makes then. Try Volvo parts. That'll make you weep.

[seafox]

$175 Volvo anodes. $40 transport added to account for a volvo mech to walk from the boat next to ours and do the 1 year warranty oil and filter change. Needed a mortgage to pay for that account!!

[kiwikol]

Wheels – you quoted me correctly but failed to notice, or ignored, the words “and elsewhere”. And you cannot be expected to know the limited extent of the repair work in relation to quoted costs. You are indeed very fortunate to have “never experienced anything negative… with their engines”.I too have been very satisfied with the engine until this episode, and no doubt would have remained so until I needed to have Yanmar’s support. The Yanmar agent was not prepared to ‘make the call’ regarding liability – even telling me I shouldn’t have a workshop manual and (incorrectly) disputing the stated service requirements therein until proved to him otherwise!

If my expectation was that Yanmar would be interested, supportive or even slightly concerned that a problem had developed that just might be related to their assembly procedure, or merely indicate that customer’s satisfaction was important to them, then yes, I am “being totally unreasonable”. The fact is, I waited 2 months to extract any comments from them and then it was defensive and with disinterest to the point of being downright rude. It was only after a last resort reference to the CGA that for a brief moment I thought we might be getting somewhere. Not to be unfortunately and others will now be determining the facts and liabilities – hard to accept that it has to go this far. We all have a right to our own opinions and given the full facts you might see things differently. Maybe I’ll write a book sometime. Watch this space. But in future I will be taking any manufacturer’s mission statement with a sack of salt and recommend others do likewise.

Seafox – you are lucky to have anodes! I haven’t, and it took Yanmar 3 years (yes three!) to answer my question why not (and then not a satisfactory answer). I have now formed my own opinion on this.

[AnchorageGuy]

I don't know of any marine engine manufacturer that would get involved with a 7 year old engine under any circumstances. Any of them will refer you to the local service department in your area for repairs but not a warranty issue after 7 years. You indeed ask too much. Not maintaining an engine and doing required maintenance is not a manufacturers issue. It is the result of neglect of the owner. Not knowing the proper schedule and required service is not an excuse. If you drive your car until it falls apart when regular service would have found an issue is not the car maker or the dealers fault, but yours. Take the responsibility and spend the money to get it fixed right. If you do not have the skills and knowledge to service it then hire someone and notify them when certain engine hours are met to do the proper service. My experience with Yanmar here in the US in over 15 years has been outstanding and this is what I do for a living for over 30 years. A little cheese with that wine?

[Alan Wheeler]

Kiwikol, I will rephrase what I am saying, as I don't thinkn you are following me. Yanmar is not a NZ company. They have a NZ distributor. They are sales agents. Yanmar in NZ, which used to be Power Marine but have restructured and have seperate devisions for each product range they sell. Ynamr happen to one division. If you want to talk to Yanmar the engine manufacturer, you have to go overseas to Yanmar themselves. As I said, the authorised service centres should be able to do that for you. If the service tech you are dealing with is not able to help you, it is him that is being the issue, not Yanmar. The Service tech makes the first call, if he can't, it goes to the agnet, if they can't it goes to Yanmar.
You seem to blaming Yanmar for an issue they probably know nothing about.

[seafox]

Seem to be a real variety of Yanmar agents in NZ too. In some locations it is a case of whoever puts their hand up becomes one.