Eds Marine Superstore Another Eds Marine Rip Off Ashland Virginia

 I almost blame myself for taking my boat to Eds for Service. I have heard all the complaints, but they are the closest Susuki dealership to my home. I thought I would give them a chance. Major mistake. I have a Susuki DF 250 that was sending a code and would not start. I recently took it to Eds and after 3 weeks sitting in their yard, they looked at it. The service department called me yesterday and asked " We have 4 hours into trying to fix the problem, what do you want to do". I responded "I dont understand, why are you asking me what I want to do?" The engine is under warrenty so I called the Suzuki extende plan company Corner Stone. They said they do not pay for substantial amounts of diagnostics time because they have tech that dont know what they are doing.

I talked to the GM at Eds (Marc). After several minutes of talking to him I was able to figure out he was asking for a blank check to continue diagnostics work. So the bottom line is that Eds wants to be compensated for the diagnostics time no matter how long it takes them to find a problem. He said I was already into them for $1200. in diagnostics time. I told him I did not authorize 1.5 days in diagnostics time. The sign at the service counter clearly states that customers are responsible for up to 2 hours of diagnostics time. He said he would reduce it to 4 hours. I told him I could not give him a blank check to continue to try to find the problem. He said OK come pick up the boat and you owe 400 in diagnostics time. I told him that was not fair. He said if you want the boat bring cash. I assume they have had problems with customers disputing payment before.

I went by there today to pick the boat up. They have it behind a locked fence. Kind of reminds me of an impound lot or tow lot. If you do not come up with the cash to get your boat back, they will start tacking on storage charges. Once your boat disappears behind that gate you better be able to come up with the cash they want to release it.

They brought the boat out and I looked under the consol and in the back of the boat. They left everthing un-done. They left the battery switch hanging off near the fuel line. I went back into the service department and asked them to have someone put the boat back together. I was afraid they created a fire hazard. The lady at the service desk said that if you dont want them to continue all work stops. So be ware of stopping work with them. You will get back the pieces only.

I took the boat to another suzuki dealer today. I showed them the Eds invoice and they thought it was rediculous. They looked up the code and emmediatly identified that that issue was a factory, safety recall. Eds had no clue about that. They thought it was very bad for Eds not to be aware of safety recalls. 

Eds operates on a border line illegal business model. They know if they rip customers off for 2-3 hundred bucks at a time they can get away with it.

I also purchased a 17 thousand dollar motor from them a few years back. They really dont care that you were once a customer. I really do not understand how they stay in business in a town like Richmond. There repution precedes them. It was not hard to find complaints about them online.

The motor came loose from the stearing when I was going through an inlet. The bolt that attaches the stearing to the motor came out because Eds installed it the wrong way. Only by the grace of God and some quick thinking, we did not have everyone thrown off the boat and killed. The boat stould straight up and spun around. I talked to the GM Mark about that after it happened. They have no quality control at all so if you get any work done please be sure to check after them.

The motor they took off durring the re-power. A 225 Optimax, worth 8 thousand dollars was thrown on a wooden pallet like junk. I had a buyer for that motor but he did not want it anymore after Eds dammaged it. I complained to the sales guy Dave and he got attitude with me. They finally agreed to paint the cawling.

This is by far the worst operation I have ever seen. I am 54 years old and have owned boats my entire life. Be ware of Eds Marine and learn by my mistakes.