| Dear Nelson (Suzuki Panama)
I appreciate your assistance in this matter. I think that I need to provide you with the history of our epic regarding our E-TEC 200 HP motor:
I purchased the motor 3 years ago from Earl Meck in Bocas. Earl who is the owner of Bocas Offshore Services "BOSS" aka Bocas Links, was the ETEC distributor in the Bocas del Toro at that time. My reason for purchasing the E-TEC was basically two-fold. At that time I felt that Earl could be relied upon to provide service, and the E-TEC motors came with a 3 year warranty against all defects etc. As it turned out, I was terribly wrong in my judgement on both matters.
We used the motor on our 25 ft AB hard bottom inflatable without any problems for approximately 1.5 years. We followed standard practice of using the ETEC mixing oil, checking all fluid levels, changing Racors etc during that time. I might add that this boat and motor are on my primary "excursion" vehicle, which I carry my clients on some very involved trips. I purchased both the boat and motor new and at the same time specifically for my business. I take my responsibility to my clients to be paramount, and must rely on my equipment and consequently the service from the dealer, who sold me the equipment.
One day, while returning to my lodge, a warning flashed onto the "link system" saying that the motor was running hot. I took the boat to BOSS in order to have the problem sourced and repaired. They said that the bottom unit needed cleaning due to sand, and they said that they needed to replace a pump/filter, which they said they performed -under the warranty- They related that the overheating was an anomaly that they couldn't source.
Shortly after this repair work in May of 2009, I left for the States, and we flushed the motor and raised it at our dock for storage until we needed to use it in November. In October I called my staff to have them take the boat to BOSS for a total servicing in preparation for our upcoming season. They took it to BOSS for that servicing, and retrieved it after BOSS said that it was ready.
I returned in mid-November to instruct an Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician program that lasted for a week. Afterwards the group of guides, who were taking the program, and I took the boat over to Punta Valiente, which is a 20+ mile open ocean crossing. Approximately 15 miles out, the motor died. I checked it out to discover that nothing had been done in the line of servicing the motor. The old racor filter was still in place, and fortunately I was able to clean it, and coax the motor back to life. Upon returning to Bocas we changed out the Racor, and actually didn't use the boat again until the Christmas season. I didn't have the opportunity to speak with BOSS, since I had to return to the States for a family emergency.
During the Christmas season my employee was driving guests in the boat, and it died again. Earl came out to inspect it, and related to me that my driver had hit coral with the propeller. At that point I still believed Earl, and followed his recommendation to purchase a refurbished bottom unit from the mechanic -who at that time was performing all of the Fishing Store's ( the Panamanian BRP representative ) repairs-
When I returned to the Bocas in early January, I inspected the old bottom unit and propeller. I also had several other captains in the area look at it, and we all agreed that the bottom unit never hit anything. Regardless, I had to purchase the refurbished one, and after it was installed, I discovered that the boat was not attaining the same power as before.
After running the motor for approximately 6 hours, I was carrying a group of clients on a tour when the motor died again. I returned it to BOSS, who related that it needed a new alternator. I had that installed, and then they said that the pistons had blown.
I then had them contact the ETEC dealer in Panama City to inquire, if the motor was under warranty. We subsequently shipped the motor to the Fishing Store in May of 2010. BRP issued a warranty to cover the repair in June of 2010. We continued to ask the Fishing Store when the motor would be repaired, and they kept telling BOSS "another 2 weeks," until I lost my patience and got involved in the process in November 2010. Yes, that is over 6 months later!
At that point -after hearing the Fishing Store and BOSS's explanations, I realized that both were not being truthful, which obviously had been my concern when BOSS said that my driver was to blame for the bottom unit failure. Frankly, I suspect that they never repaired anything, and though I left it with them on 2 occasions, they failed to service it properly, if at all.
Not knowing who to trust, I contacted BRP in the US, and had them get involved. I also contacted my attorneys in Panama and the US. I really didn't want to resort to that process, however I was being victimized by BOSS and The Fishing Store. It was at that point that BRP and The Fishing Store started to respond. I will add that I have included both of my attorneys on all of the communications with BRP since I contacted them.
Eventually, the motor was repaired by the Fishing Store, and they have assured me that it is as "good as new." When I asked that they send a technician to install it in Bocas, they wouldn't agree. I offered to pay the technician's travel expenses as well When I asked BOSS, if they could do the installation, they related that they didn't have the proper electronic connections to make their computers work with the motor and software, so I am caught, once again, in the middle. BRP in the US wouldn't answer my emails that I sent to all requesting a technician to perform the installation. Additionally, at this date BOSS is the local Suzuki dealer, so the nearest BRP dealer is in Panama City, and I offered to pay their technician's travel expenses to complete the warranty! My question is this: why wouldn't they want to do that?
Needless to say, my concerns are the motor hasn't been properly repaired, and even if it has been; I won't be able to install it and diagnose it properly. If I do accept the motor, and they install it, BRP will have no further responsibility, which is totally unethical. Furthermore, I won't have any servicing capabilities in the future from BRP or BOSS.
BRP (Enilson from BRP) related that the warranty ended in September, which is interesting, since the Fishing Store had the parts and permission to perform the warranty work in June, and it sat there at their shop for all that time. Their response to me and to BRP was that they had "internal" problems. As I learned, those internal problems had to do with their mechanic -the same one who was recommended by BOSS- was stealing from them. BOSS related that The Fishing Store fired him, and therefore they didn't have a mechanic who could fix the motor, so once again I am in the middle of a he said/he said, and not able to trust anyone.
So, what I need is a mechanic to inspect the motor at The Fishing Store to ensure that it has been repaired. I am afraid that your connection to Suzuki may present a conflict of interest, so frankly, I am not sure what to do. What would be best for me, would be to leave the motor in Panama City and sell it to cut my losses. I would prefer to sue BOSS, The Fishing Store and BRP, however that's a lousy path to tread.
At least I have finally written down my experience, and will indeed share it with everyone I can, so that they will avoid anything to do with BRP and its affiliates.
If you have a recommendation, I look forward to hearing it. I do know that BOSS is the Suzuki dealer in Bocas, and frankly they would be the last dealer on the planet to ever touch anything that we own.
Sincerely, Tom Kimbrell
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