Getting to be an un-happy nautique owner!

[SkiTundra]

As an isolated incident what the OP experienced isn't the end of the world. Nautique needs to fix his boat, pay the dealer to look over it really well for other potential probs, and fix their mfr'ing and QC holes.

I bought a new 08 211TE in July of 08. We've been stuck dead in the lake twice, a third time limped back with hot water filling the bilge (heater core leak) and had 13 incidences where we planned to go out and either weren't able to due to problems or had to cut a day short due to problems (one of these we could have gone out but were a bit misinformed by our dealer that we shouldn't without a functioning blower). We have less than 70 hrs on the boat because of all the down time. My wife now gets nervous about what will happen next time we're out and we stopped inviting friends out because of how often people would drive up to the lake only to have our new Nautique not working. Nautique have honored all of the warranty repairs (9 claims at last count) and have extended the warranty, but it's worn me down and cost a lot of money hauling it to the dealer (or paying them to make lake calls) not to mention all the down time.

There's more that I'll fill in on my original thread when I get time, but as of now it's been fixed once again. We've had 3 outings without incident (a record) and then a keypad lockup (not a showstopper, but irritating and concerning for an ASIC/PROM based system) on the 4th outing. Needless to say this isn't the family experience we expected from a Nautique.

[Hayden]

We have 2011 210 fully loaded a year old now about 60hrs in New Zealand.

1. Waited 4-5months for bimini and had hard time getting answer out of Nautique what was going on. Waiting much longer than first told
2. Equally waited for horn speakers, our dealer tried super hard to get them.
The bimini was fitted 7pm on Christmas eve and our boat waited at dealer for 2 weeks for this to come in which was late again and again.
We purchaed boat in April I beleive to have it ready for summer being after 25th December. It arrived late August and realistically wasnt up to spec until xmas eve. Fair amount of stress getting to this point. Not good enough. Our boat also kept 2 hours away so a pain.

When boat came in 2 noticable chips in gel coat interior. It had wrap on it so left the factory with these blemishes. Those should have been fixed was easy to see.
Few minor blemishes but not worth worrying about in hull. we had a NZ built fishing/sport boat new before this and my brother especially is a perfectionist and noted our old boat was finished better and i unfortunaltey agree it was when we first got our nautique.
3. Ballist impeller also died at about 50 hours and had to be replaced.
4. Minor paint issues with tower. Due to removing brackets for bimini when dropping tower. paint is wearing off both brackets and tower.
5. Then had squeaking and movement in tower which most people have with this tower. Fairly bad and parts had to be replaced due to bad design of a bracket which bends.
6. Then an extra plate had to be added to tower to lock it with quick realease bolt you screw into tower. No more just tunr handles around and drop tower they are locked in place now by a bolt.
5. Duck board was noticably not centered, and another boat came in also like this. You could see it and tell clearly underneath brackets wernt centred.
6. Have a leak in water or heat pump hose at moment but looks minor.
7. Few issues with Zero off.
8. Very dissapointed stereo is not user freindly on linc. you have to click through screens everytime want to change song. No software upgrades available but guess what they have fixed on new linc 2. Anyone who tested the boat on linc 1 would have found this a real pain and still no fix for linc 1 owners apart from putting in another remote on the drivers side which we are doing prob cost another $300+.

Most of these things have been fixed, yes dealer and nautique maybe good and will try to rectify problem but doesnt mean should be happening.

A. We spent $140,000+ on a boat/trailor package, you would expect a custom boat to be mostly hassle and worry free. There is certainly new owners who are having annoying/ possibly avoidable problems.

Great if you have not had any issues with your boat but if you were one of us you would also be annoyed. You dont buy a new boat expecting any issues. Our dealer was excellant but suspect had decent amount of stress from this trying to put things right.

We are hoping this season everything is ironed out and can really enjoy the boat. Love the boat overall but like others dissapointed with the above.

Cheers

[Laptom]

2007 230:

- Broken TPS within 30 hours
- 6 Cushions with broken stitchen (no shoes on boat)
- Another broken TPS sensor (poor design due to water dripping when opening engine hatch
- Compleetly broken alternator (really a design flaw, 2x 5" bolts from inferior quality with a heavy alternator and a belt on it... Has to break eventually, so be aware everybody).
- Dozen of small issues (broken water temp, depth finder, ballast pumps, dash lighting (compleetly black), broken dash parts, stereo, amplifiers, etc.)

This boat left us broken on the water 3 times already in 300 hours.

Don't get me wrong, I love this boat, but please don't say it is a quality product. It is simply not.
Because it is a hand made product I expected the most perfect and flawless boat, most of the things are fabrication errors (like the upholstery), but there are some really design flaws in it (be aware of the alternator bolts on a 2007 and 2008 ZR6 engine).

I can justify this boat at the moment. Friends and family are enjoying it every time, but I don't trust it...

[Chexi]

As an isolated incident what the OP experienced isn't the end of the world. Nautique needs to fix his boat, pay the dealer to look over it really well for other potential probs, and fix their mfr'ing and QC holes.

I bought a new 08 211TE in July of 08. We've been stuck dead in the lake twice, a third time limped back with hot water filling the bilge (heater core leak) and had 13 incidences where we planned to go out and either weren't able to due to problems or had to cut a day short due to problems (one of these we could have gone out but were a bit misinformed by our dealer that we shouldn't without a functioning blower). We have less than 70 hrs on the boat because of all the down time. My wife now gets nervous about what will happen next time we're out and we stopped inviting friends out because of how often people would drive up to the lake only to have our new Nautique not working. Nautique have honored all of the warranty repairs (9 claims at last count) and have extended the warranty, but it's worn me down and cost a lot of money hauling it to the dealer (or paying them to make lake calls) not to mention all the down time.

There's more that I'll fill in on my original thread when I get time, but as of now it's been fixed once again. We've had 3 outings without incident (a record) and then a keypad lockup (not a showstopper, but irritating and concerning for an ASIC/PROM based system) on the 4th outing. Needless to say this isn't the family experience we expected from a Nautique.

I would take a good look at your local / state lemon laws and see if you can get them to take the boat back. Sounds to me like you got a lemon.

[BroncoSki]

If it makes you feel any better I live next to Harley Clifford and he has had to swim his new X-star in a few times because the transmission has already blown on him 2x.


Ive got a question: What is the consensus on how long a boat interior should last before we start blaming it on Nautique?

[SkiTower]

Ive got a question: What is the consensus on how long a boat interior should last before we start blaming it on Nautique?

Depends on usage and whether it is stored out in the open or not. If you don't take care of it, I can see it going in a season...

[Nautiqueman]

What fun it is to buy a new Nautique 196 in 2002 and could not convince my buddy to buy a good boat, instead he bought a 2002 Malibu, much to my disappointment! However, the real gloating for me was towing him in on Friday afternoon to the marina with the Nautique. It gives you a long time to think about Nautiques and the quality when you are being towed by one!

An observation I have had in this post is the amount of passion and demand that 80K brings in a new buyer is just like the folks over at the Airforums site- the place for folks like me that own Airstream campers. Whenever someone has spent a lot of time and money for fun, they don't expect to mess up their time enjoying their toy. However, if you think these boats have problems, own an American Icon - an Airstream and you will discover another brand with quality, but lots of problems as well. Face it, all of us are capable of making mistakes, I just do everything I can in my business to make sure I take care of them when they are made.

I wouldn't switch either brand for anything! Nautiques and Airstreams rule!

[SkiTundra]

However, the real gloating for me was towing him in on Friday afternoon to the marina with the Nautique.

My '08 211 Nautique has been towed in to the marina twice by competitors. And we once used a 20 year old pontoon to tow it to the ramp to haul it in for repair.

[AirTool]

... And we once used a 20 year old pontoon to tow it to the ramp to haul it in for repair.

Ouch.

[Nautiquehunter]

I got towed in by a Colbalt. Now how do I blame CC for not putting enough gas in it?

[SkiTower]

I got towed in by a Colbalt. Now how do I blame CC for not putting enough gas in it?

I'd like an answer for that. It's the only time (so far) I've been towed...200 yds from the marina!

[SkiTundra]

I got towed in by a Colbalt. Now how do I blame CC for not putting enough gas in it?

The same way someone blames McDonald's for selling hot coffee? Or Anheuser-Busch for emotional anguish when the beautiful women in their ads don't show up? Of course your odds are 50/50, McDonald's lost, Anheuser-Busch won.