Chet Alek Marine: DONT DO IT!

A friend bought a new 9.9 at Chet Aleks Power Sports in Erie. Paid to have it installed there too. Had to take it back for service because something was wrong with the power trim.

In a few days he gets a call that says his motor and 2 new batteries were stolen from inside their fenced in service area. Not their fault I suppose... although we believe it was an inside job. Here's the "kicker" (lol) He says :I have no theft insurance so sorry about your luck.

He said my buddy has to claim it on his own insurance! Wouldn't budge. Then he says don't feel bad you're not the only one. A bunch of other things were stolen as well. Hole cut in the fence. No camera, no witnesses, and no insurance with millions in boats and motors sitting there!

Of course he agreed to sell him a new motor at full friggin price as long as my buddy made the insurance claim.

So as the title says if you need boat work instead of "motor removal service" don't go to Aleks marine!!!!

Thank god my brother owns 2 boats! I will never have to worry about all the fun that goes with boat ownership. I was told that when you buy a boat you are only happy with it for 2 days. The day you buy it and the day you sell it!  After each outing I slip my brother a 50 or 100 dollars and walk away. I know the headaches he goes through.

ORIGINAL: Trout About

Insurance or not, they'd be putting a new motor and batteries on my boat.......on their dime.

I agree, As I am sure the court system would too...Yeah, I'd sue if it came to that.....

ORIGINAL: bulldog1
I'd bet if you read the work order that he probably signed it probably has a clause in there about not being responsible for theft...

You're probably right-on with that one, and in that case, there's not a thing that could be done.

Probably good advice Marty even if he filed his own. We're leaving for Canada next Friday so right now the goal is to get a motor on the boat. I told him let the guy hang the new motor, pick up the boat and tell him the check hasn't arrived yet. Then mail the check back to your insurance co. and let him file a small claim in court. I doubt he'd be stupid enough to do that. I've been told that if he is a paying customer and leaves the boat on commercial property the company is responsible even if they have a sign saying not responsible for lost or stolen items. I guess we'll find out. New motor is supposed to be ready by next Friday.

He's known this guy for over 20 years and always had his big Bayliner serviced there too. If he will screw a long time customer imagine if you didn't know him!

Don't matter if there is a not resposible clause. File the report and sue...WF

You're right Joe, Ed is too nice of a guy...and he even bought a new motor from him! Thats crazy. I'd certainly be done with that mechanic and my attorney would be sending him the letter. Thats total BS treating a long time patron to his business like that...I sure hope word gets around about this incodent because thats no way to treat ANY customers. I'd be done with him.

I know i would be the next one to cut a hole in his fence!!!!!
Just sayin!!!!!

just sayin'

ORIGINAL: beerman0303

Signing something that states "we are not responsible for blah blah blah" doesn't really mean the company is off the hook. Especially since you are paying him money, consumer law comes into play, which is often times VERY favorable to the consumer. Companies will have you sign that with the HOPE that you then think you do not have the right to certain consumer protections.

If there is any negligence on his part any waiver is void.

Update.... oh it gets better:

So he stops in on Friday, guys at the shop knowing we're leaving for Canada the next morning. Guess what... ol Chet has read this thread and he's pi$$ed! Says after this deal we no longer want your business.... after 20+ years! No motor on the boat and he goes on the offensive. "Can you prove there was a motor on the boat for your insurance company" "If you drop your car off at a dealer and something is stolen they aren't responsible" Yeah Chet.... if the motor turns up missing I'm sure they'll cover it.

No hole in the fence! One guy says it was fixed. One says it wasn't the fence but the barbed wire.

BUT... once he sees the actual check he hangs the motor and offers a free winterization. ha ha

I would not take a canoe to that shop.

DISCLAIMER: Dear Chester, Ed is not happy with me for making these posts. You know as well as me that he is one heck of a nice guy. He wishes I never started this thread. Now you pi$$ed me off cause he's bummed about the way things are with you now which is my fault. He was a faithful customer because he likes you. I don't. LOL Meanwhile we're all fuming mad that he even bought the other motor from you. So for the record don't take this out on him because he has nothing to do with it.

Good luck with your business. I hope his insurance company eats you for lunch.

ORIGINAL: pghmarty

Guess what... ol Chet has read this thread and he's pi$$ed!

Don't forget to post this on all of the other fishing sites, CRAIGSLIST boats for sale and boat service sections, Go Erie, Erie tourism forums and every other online forum you can find.

Google the shops name and everyplace you see something about them post something negative.

He is only pizzed now- you might as well let a lot more people know about this and drive him out of business.

It takes thousands of dollars in advertising to offset one free negative post on any of those sights.

He may get away with this incident but he will loose a lot of business.

PS: Insurance company's deny most claims as a way to get out of or at least delay payment.
Civil courts are often much friendlier to the plaintiff
Be sure to ask for punitive damages-you might not get it but it is free to ask for.

 
 
Interesting take Marty.
 
I had the screen go bad on a Nikon point-and-shoot.  After I sent it in, they called me to say that the repair was not under warranty (I had the camera about six months) because in order for the screen to go bad it had to be abused and that the cost to repair it was about 3/4 the price of a new camera. 
 
I told them that the camera had been sitting on my kitchen counter for the last three months, the last itme I turned it on the screen was fine and now its not, so unless space aliens came to my home and abused the camera without my knowledge, the camera was not abused and it was thier problem.  I added that since they already had a charge figured out for the repair, it was obvious that this was an ongoing issues which meant that their screen was not robust enough and they knew it.
 
I went through about six people and they all insisted that it was not Nikon's problem.  Well, on the last manager I lost my patiences.  I told her that I say it is Nikon's fault and Nikon says it is my fault and we are never going to get beyond that impasse.  So here is what I am going to do -- I have a 30 day window that I will not be working so I am going to make it my personal goal to go on the internet and post about my wonderful experience with Nikon customer service on at least 10 sites every day for that 30 day time period.
 
I had a new camera next day aired to me.
 
Imagine that.

lolz...

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/boa/2478670870.html