# Sunset Marine off nine mile. Beware!



## MerkDeez (Nov 20, 2011)

I have had a problem with my 2004 tohatsu 18hp 4stroke for a few weeks now. Idles and starts fine, and will run wide open and then shut down and the red oil light comes on. I did a complete tune up myself and went through the motor when I had time, Still had the problem(figured I still would.) I have been flooded with work, school, and was going out of town this weekend. I decided I would take it to Sunset Marine on the corner of Nine mile and Copter since it is so close to my house and it was just "easy" I told the fellow at the counter what the problem was and that I thought it was the oil pressure sensor from what I had read online. He said it would get it in and out for me and ready for when I get back into town. 

Went in today, He said it was all fixed and it was 163.94... $10 dollars for the part and 1.5 hours to install a F**king sensor. I almost lost my mind. But against my better judgement I paid the guy and was given my receipt, he said have a great day. So i walked out, looking for my boat... It was at the very back of the lot, barely visible, in a puddle of mud. I look over and see three employees "smoking and joking" none of which come over to help me back up to my trailer or pull the boat out of the mud that "they" put it in. 

I have had boats get 100 hour service, power pole bushing replacement, and a tach installed in less time then it took them to do a compression check and install a oil pressure switch.


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## markw4321 (Oct 4, 2007)

Understand you are angry...that said, I don't know about anybody else, but personally I can't recall getting away from a boat repair shop anytime in the past 10 years with a bill less than $200.00 when a mech was working on a diagnosis and repair. And half of the time what they ended up doing and charging me for did not totally fix the problem. 

That is why no matter how busy I find myself I try to trouble shoot and do my own repairs when able.


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## Too much junk (Jul 8, 2011)

Thanks for the heads up! I do think thats a little excessive. I know they gotta make a living but people cant pay that.


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## a (Oct 2, 2007)

that place has had a bad rep for years....didn't someone's stolen tower end up being recovered there? Im suprized they have employee's, but not idle ones!


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## MerkDeez (Nov 20, 2011)

markw4321 said:


> Understand you are angry...that said, I don't know about anybody else, but personally I can't recall getting away from a boat repair shop anytime in the past 10 years with a bill less than $200.00 when a mech was working on a diagnosis and repair. And half of the time what they ended up doing and charging me for did not totally fix the problem.
> 
> That is why no matter how busy I find myself I try to trouble shoot and do my own repairs when able.


Internet search and even owners manuel had limited into on oil pressure switch. I would have, should have, next time I know. As for paying for work; Yes, I have walked away with a cap off rebuild in excess of $6500 dollars for the boat under my name. every penny I spent, in my mind, was worth it for that shop to do the repairs and they earned every dollar of it. There was no Diagnosis, it was a sensor and we both knew it. Then for those assholes to not bring my boat around or even walk out to it and help me hook up was "class-less"


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

Given some of the opinions of that place, sounds like you actually did ok dealing with them...

Sent from my LG G2X using Forum Runner


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## Rhenium (Sep 27, 2012)

Ive heard bad things about them. Sounds like some of us who know people in school @ George Stone for marine mechanic have it lucky.


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## Hydro Therapy 2 (Sep 11, 2008)

Really?


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## jaster (Oct 7, 2007)

Does the same guy still own and run that place? David..... Cant remember last name?


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## SHunter (Jun 19, 2009)

I miss Doc's Marine. The head mechanic liked working with Mercurys and he always treated me fair when he worked on them.


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## Clam (Nov 10, 2007)

I only bought one part from them and they treated me right. I have worked at a service dept and its always funny when someone brings their vehicle in for repair but they already know what's wrong. If you already knew what's wrong and It's so quick why didn't you do it? You had time to do a FULL service. What if he did what you said and just installed a sensor and you went on your way but the problem was still present, maybe a wire broken or chaffed. How would you be talking about his place then? I assume to pay an hour labor for diag then additional to repair. If it can't be diagnosed in an hour call for additional time.


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## MerkDeez (Nov 20, 2011)

Clam said:


> I only bought one part from them and they treated me right. I have worked at a service dept and its always funny when someone brings their vehicle in for repair but they already know what's wrong. If you already knew what's wrong and It's so quick why didn't you do it? You had time to do a FULL service. What if he did what you said and just installed a sensor and you went on your way but the problem was still present, maybe a wire broken or chaffed. How would you be talking about his place then? I assume to pay an hour labor for diag then additional to repair. If it can't be diagnosed in an hour call for additional time.





I know that he called me and said he ran it in his tank and the problem never occurred but he just changed this part anyways. So really what diagonis was done? I, like said, did know know much about this part other then the few post on the internet. I am not a mechanic, nor do I work on outboards for a living. Anyone that owns a boat can change their oil, plugs, filter, impeller, and lower unit oil. 
It's also comical to make a post on the Internet and for someone to read half and then post a dumb comment about how the customer is never right. What about their customer service where I had to wade in two inches of mud and water to get my boat? Who was there to guide me back?


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## capt'n slim (Feb 8, 2008)

Sounds like u had a good experience with sunset, u want some horror stories just search him on this and every other forum on the gulf coast. Less than 200$ and a little mud puddle sounds good i wouldnt complain about that. What i would be worried about is that 10$ part he put in he probably pulled it from a scrap motor in the back. David once sold me a faulty part, in his defense it was used and thats a risk u take, then told me for another 100 or so he could send it off and have it rebuilt, needless to say he painted the part black and handed it back, finally i took the whole boat up there for him to fix the part and he pulled another trim pump off another scrap motor and replaced it and tried to tell me it was the same part, it wasnt even the same color it was old and rusted, then he tried to charge me another 100 or so "install" this part, needless to say i hooked my shit up and left.


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## Clam (Nov 10, 2007)

I bought a used carb from him a while ago and the price was fair. I'm not defending his service dept because I really know nothing about them. I'm just stating my experience with customers who have problems, bring them in for repair but already self diagnosed the problem and tell you what to replace.


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## inshorecatch (Oct 1, 2007)

If you do some research this company has many complaints has changed names and still is not the place to go. If you need a GREAT mechanic call David from Davolr marine. Hes GREAT did I metion that hes is fair priced and has no hidden fees. He services all motors loves mercury and comes to you. Did I mention he was GREAT! http://davlormarine.webs.com/


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## xxxxxxxxxbowwave (Jan 18, 2012)

*expensive?*

All I can say is that you would probably drop dead if you ever got the bill for an oil change on a Harley!


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## KingCrab (Apr 29, 2012)

Question,,, Did it fix it?


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