Marinemax Miami and Houston

If you have searched for a boat dealer, you have probably seen Marinemax Miami and Marinemax Houston as the main branches of a highly recommended boat retailer by many users.

Marinemax is a boat dealer with more than 15 years in the boating industry. According to their profile, they specialize in “Sea Ray Dealer, Boat Service, Boat Repair, Used Boat, Boat Brokerage, Luxury, New Boats, New Yachts, Used Yachts, Yacht Brokerage, Fishing Boat Dealer, Boating Classes and Trips, Yacht Charters, Boat Charters, Boating Getaways!, MarineMax Vacations, Boat Shows, Finance and Insurance, Boat Parts and Accessories”, and many other services.

They believe that they give to their customers a “wealth of experience that can match them with the perfect boat”. They even consider that they provide a “world-class service, financing and insurance”. But that might not be the case. Let me share my experience with this boat retailer.

My experience with Marinemax Miami

In 2015 I bought a new Searay Sundancer 330 from this boat seller. However, the boat presented a life threatening fuel leak and a carbon monoxide alarm that went constantly off. They came to check and fix the boat 13 times, for almost 2 years. They even changed the Kohler generator. Once they finished the repair, they told me several times that boat was ready. But that wasn’t the case.

Then they refused to accept the return of the boat under the pretext of their invoices, please read their conditions carefully before buying. As you can see, even if the boat is new, you still sign the invoice, where you can identify that the seller sold the boat as is without any warranty.

If you want to know other similar experiences, go to Marinemax Reviews.

Boat buyers should beware of hidden problems in boats

When it comes to boats, there are many systems, compartments and accessories that cannot be easily inspected or tested. It’s these items you can’t see that most often cause serious problems, so research is needed for large purchases.

In the case you are not familiar with boats of mechanics in general, you can bring along a person specialized in boat inspections. This will help you to buy a boat and prevent you from buying from someone that claims the boat is new or represents it has a warranty that it really doesn’t. It will prevent you from a headache and loss of money.

Before buying a boat, you need to know what are the main problems that you should check:

• Engine

If you buy a boat with an engine failure, a serious problem or accident might occur. Check the oil and plugs to make sure they are in good condition. Listen how smooth it sounds while running.

• Electrical systems

Turn on each and every electrical switch, from lights to electronics, one by one. Then turn them all on at once. Take a look at the fuse box and check the wiring condition.

• Boat structure

Any visible damage or separation, such as damage to stringers, should be taken seriously. Also check for leaks at hatches, ports or seams. The union of the hull and the deck is another point to observe, looking for any abnormalities in the hull.

Due to the number of parts and pieces that a boat has, there is usually no guarantee that all parts have been checked before purchase by sellers like this one. This is why sea trials are so important.

And extremely important, before buying a boat. Read carefully the terms of the contract before signing. Boats are a huge investment. It is important not to have confidence in your dealers and service departments promises and representations.