Prop Damage

[mikef9844]

I damaged my prop and have been wanting a new one, so I ordered one. It should be here sometime next week. In the meantime, I really want to go out saturday but my prop is still damaged. The day it happened we continued to ride for less than an hour and it had a little vibration at low RPMs, but at wakeboarding speed it didn't feel any different. Do you think I could run it for maybe another hour or two? Or will the fact that it is off balance damage the sterndrive?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Prop Damage

Do not run that prop on your boat until you get a new prop and/or get that one repaired. You can damage your sterndrive.

 

[JustJason]

Re: Prop Damage

You also want to make sure you didn't damage the prop shaft. Start the boat and put it in gear without the prop on, if you can see any wobble at all in the end of the shaft then it really needs to be repaired.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Prop Damage

A good prop shop should be able to fix that in a day. Call around and see if anyone can do it. That way you'll have a backup prop once your new one comes in.

 

[mikef9844]

Re: Prop Damage

I will check the shaft later today. The only prop repair shop within 100 miles of me wanted $85 to repair that, and when I tried to negotiate with them about the price the lady that owns the place started yelling and cussing at me in the middle of the sore! Is $85 a resonable price? I have no idea how much it should cost but that seemed extremely expensive to me when I just bought my new 4 blade for $130. I was completely shocked when she started yelling at me even with other customers there! But then again, she lived at the shop, there was dust everywhere and nothing looked new, and I'm a 23 yr old college student that she prolly thought was some punk kid that didn't know what I was talking about. Oh well thats East Texas for you.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Prop Damage

No that's probably about close. I was charged 75 bucks to repair a prop a month or so ago, but I'm sure it varies place to place.

 

[boatguya1]

Re: Prop Damage

Yelling at a customer in this situation is totally uncalled for. I do have a question though, what is it that makes people think boat/marine prices in general are negotiable? I see this all the time on rentals and repairs. This question is not necc directed at the OP just a general question.

James

 

[JustJason]

Re: Prop Damage

because in all actuallity, everything is negotiable depending on how hungary somebody is.

 

[boatguya1]

Re: Prop Damage

because in all actuallity, everything is negotiable depending on how hungary somebody is.

So your thought is that these people try this most everywhere they go? Maybe I'm screwing up here, I usually look at/ask the price then decide if I want/need something based on the price. Sure, if I'm buying used at a garage sale or flea market I dicker. I may buy a new refrigerator from Home Depot, Maybe I should wait for a sale then go in and offer $100 less. I guess they kind of already do it with price matching.

James

 

[mikef9844]

Re: Prop Damage

There certainly are things that are negotiable, especially hand work and labor on a damaged prop(or anything else). I agree there should be a set standard price to repair a prop (or anything else). But then you have to look at the degree of difficulty, materials cost, labor costs, time that goes into the repair, etc. In my case I felt like it was a small thumbsize chip and wasn't as intense of a repair, compared to if all three blades were ripped to shreds. That is where I would negotiate a price, but I didn't get to that point due to the yelling and cussing, I just took my prop and left. I realized I had no idea what a prop repair should cost thats why I went to the shop, but for them to treat me like that, there is absolutely no excuse. By the way it's called Callahan Marine in Lufkin, TX and the old lady that "owns" the place and "lives" there is the one that was out of line. I will never go back and like I told the lady leaving, I will tell all my boating friends about the experience and to also not go there, but its not like the place was a booming, profitable business from the looks of the run down shop, oh well.

 

[JustJason]

Re: Prop Damage

So your thought is that these people try this most everywhere they go?

Yes absolutely. Many moons ago before I got into boating as a career I was a manager and sales coach for a high end audio/video chain. One of my jobs was coaching staff in defending our prices, and how to counteract bids/offers, especially lowballs. I also coached in how to sucessfully negotiate prices. We had our up and down months. And believe me on our down months we were more willing to bargain.

As far as the refrigerator goes. Do some market research. Read the papers. If you can find a clipping that says Home depots sales are poor. Clip it and bring it in. Find what you want, ask to speak to a manager and very politely say something like "Hey I know your sales are down and I'm sure you guys are looking to move some product. I am interested in that fridge marked at $$XYZ, if you have 1 new in a box ready to go I am preparted to offer you $$XYZ in cash". Then show him the clipping. The worst he's going to say is no.
You shouldn't feel cheap or scummy for trying to negotiate the best price on something for yourself. Once you think of every dime you spend as a business transaction and also that there is nothing personal in business... then you will more likely have more winning transactions that favor your own wallet then just paying retail on everything. The retailers want to feel they have command on their prices. And very true some place have it written in the policey stone not to negotiate. But you don't know until you try.

 

[45Auto]

Re: Prop Damage

It won't hurt your boat at all to run it with the dinged up prop for the one day. I see boats running for years around here with props a lot worse than yours. My neighbor chewed up his prop and skeg about a month after he bought his boat in 2003. See pic below. Tip of the blade nearest the camera is broken worse than yours, hard to tell from the pic. Been running like this for 6 years now with no problems.

 

[bhammer]

Re: Prop Damage

So your thought is that these people try this most everywhere they go? Maybe I'm screwing up here, I usually look at/ask the price then decide if I want/need something based on the price. Sure, if I'm buying used at a garage sale or flea market I dicker. I may buy a new refrigerator from Home Depot, Maybe I should wait for a sale then go in and offer $100 less. I guess they kind of already do it with price matching.

James

I try to negotiate just about everything I buy. Sometimes I do good and sometimes not. Heck even Wal Mart will negoiate with you. was buying steaks and got $2 off them becasue they were 2 days until the expiration. Took them home and put em on the grill that night. They were even better knowing I saved.

Want to know how far I go on prices. I get a discount at my gas station for $.04 listed price. I spoke with the manager and told him that I drive 62 miles a day and will fill up once a week at his store only. I will also buy from inside the store.

Bought a pair of $49.99 trainer skis for my 6 year old son at acamedy and paid $38.99. Just told him I was there and would buy now with cash or I would find them on the internet for cheaper. He marked them down for me.

The rule I use though is I don't haggle them or beat them up. I generally ask them for a discount and let them come to me with a price. If i say I will do something, then I follow though with any promises or threats. threats like I won't buy them here type....