RUN FROM THE GUN!

Top Gun Marine

Custom Boat Motor Installations
2230-14th Line Bradford/Innisfil

905-775-0862

I had the misfortune of dealing with Top Gun Marine to get my trim motor repaired on my son's Bass Boat.  It is an operation in the middle of nowhere.  There garage is a an old converted barn.  You will recognize the shop by the storage of boats all along the roadside.  Yes that's correct, they are stored on the roadside and moved back and forth as they work on them.  It's OK though because there is a big sign on the front of their barn saying they are not responsible for any damages.  Please feel free to drop your boat on the dirty, gravel ridden road, where it will spend weeks getting pelted with dirt and stones.

I was quoted a really good price on an actual Yamaha trim motor by Top Gun Marine owner Paul.  It was $698.00, what I thought was a really great price.  I spoke to Paul (owner of Top Gun Marine) and thought it was a done deal.  I dropped off the boat and he also offered to fix our prop shaft and replace the prop with an aluminum one.  He also said he would check out the bilge pump and trim gauge.  He told me the prop would be about $80.00 and the prop repair would be about 100.00.  Paul also told us the bilge pump would be about $40.00 and trim gauge probably only needed slight adjustment.

After about two weeks I called Paul up about the boat, wanted to know when I could expect the boat.  He seemed irritated and told me he was very busy and would probably get to it within the next week.  I phoned a few more times and in about a month of time I called up again and let him know I really needed the boat as we would have liked to compete in the perch festival.  His called me the following week (after the festival was over) and t left a voice mail telling me the boat was complete.

His wife Carmel told me that the boat was ready for pick-up and the cost would be $1540.00.  About five minutes later before I could call she left another and told me she quoted an incorrect price and the actual price is $1259.00.  This was a bit of sticker shock but not all together unexpected because I have dealt with car mechanics and the prices are often inflated after the estimate.

I picked up the boat paid in cash.  It actually my son's money as he earned it buying and sell as it is actually his boat.  Everything seemed to work great, so I gave it no thought.  I was very disappointed because I felt that Paul treated me like I didn’t know anything.  I was trying to be as pleasant as possible as the boat means a great deal to my son.

Yesterday, my son and I were preparing to get the boat ready for a fishing trip to Simcoe.  I noticed that the trim made cracking noises on the lower end when raising the motor.  I tried to call Paul for help and he told me to grease the shaft.  I called back after that did not work and I was given the run around.

Now that I was working on the trim motor myself I noticed that it was not a Yamaha trim motor, but an aftermarket Sierra.  I am kicking myself for trusting otherwise and not being more thorough.

I called them back, spoke with Carmel and I told them that I was not happy that I had an aftermarket motor when we did not agree to that.  I was also told them that I was not pleased with the service.  I was upset with the fact that they made me wait a month for my boat.  I also let them know that I was unhappy that they were unwilling to help me now that there motor install was not functioning properly.

What I got was an avalanche of verbal abuse from Carmel, she basically dictated to me the tone of conversation and I was not to discuss any other issue or concern with her other than the trim motor. 

Possibly the worst customer service ever and to actually call it service is almost as comical as it is tragic.  After Carmel was through shouting at me Paul decided to get on the line.  He basically acted like he was Mr. Calm and I was insane.  He told me he never mentioned a Yamaha Brand motor and I had somehow hallucinated that.  It is funny how verbal agreements change after the fact.  I guess this is the risk you take when deals are done verbally.  So now I do not have a working fishing boat, my son is devastated and his bank account is empty.

Thank-you Top Gun Marine.

I should have known better because when I initially dropped my boat off as the place looked like a small barn in the middle of nowhere.  Also there were a multitude of boats sitting all over the lawn and it looked like graveyard of lost boats.  Also, there was a huge sign on front of the barn/garage that said they were not responsible for any damage.  There was an overflow of boats with about five of them parked on the side of a very narrow country road.  I told one of Paul’s assistants that I was not too comfortable leaving the boat on the side of the road.  He told me that is the way they do it and nothing ever happens.  I was stupid, common sense should have told me better or there would be no need for the sign on the barn that says they are not responsible for damages.  There was also another cute sign on the wall inside the garage that reads, “If we didn’t call you F*ck off!”

That should have given me a clue.  There’s a great customer service attitude if there ever was one.

I also would like to mention that when I got my bass boat back, my marine lights were missing and the upholstery on my driver’s seat had three punctures in it.

The morale here is I should have listened to my instincts and common sense.  I was in a hurry to get it fixed and get my son back on the water.  I guess I was stupid and blinded by that.

Please do yourself a favour.  Do not under any circumstance let Paul at Top Gun Marine look after your boat.  Don’t you dare drop your trailer on that property (or on the side of the road in front of the property) Trust me you will regret it.