Azure...replacing all 188 hulls

[Swishguy]

Troops
I bought the boat from hell...188 azure elite. Nicest looking best built boat I have owned except the thing tries to kill you! Trim tabs fixed my porpoising & tidal wave entering the rear problem but the boat still listed badly(either side even with even weight distribution) & once in a while would allmost nose dive sideways on decel or acceleration.
anyway my dealer sold 3 of these & Azure is replacing all our hulls. They must know they have a problem! They are paying the shipping bill to & from the factory & giving us all the new updated hulls at no charge!
All the 20' & larger boats are great but the 188,s have handling issues.
Anyway thanx to Azure(Bennington) for the great customer service!!!

 

[pine island fred]

Re: Azure...replacing all 188 hulls

Good for business that they are backing up their product without a hassel. Good for you. FRED

 

[oops!]

Re: Azure...replacing all 188 hulls

sounds like a hooked hull.......have you given the boat back yet????

just for fun and giggles.....run out and take a stringline to the keel and the chines........it could be that the mold destorted and it got a hook that they didnt notice till coustomers complained.....


one thing tho......they are replacing the hulls.....not cheep to do from there point of view.....especially when builders are dropping like flys.....


good on them

 

[5150abf]

Re: Azure...replacing all 188 hulls

I would imagine they would just put your engine and drive in a new boat, probably cheaper and less work to do that, hence all the upgrades.

I work for Bennington and it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling every time I hear a story like this, nice to work for a good company.

I never understood why companies fight things like this, it only costs you more in the long run, proven fact , happy customers sell boats.

I am on the pontoon side and I know we are one of VERY few companies still working 5 day weeks.

I'm glad this worked out for you.

 

[QC]

Re: Azure...replacing all 188 hulls

Make sure you get your trim tabs back!!!

 

[lets_fish]

Re: Azure...replacing all 188 hulls

wow. what years would this cover? i was considering buying a great looking 07 188 leftover. Glad i didn't buy it.

 

[Swishguy]

Re: Azure...replacing all 188 hulls

Mine was an 07(1st year). Don,t know about the 08,s because the dealer never sold any more 188,s after all the handling troubles we had. They are basically gonna pull out the drivetrain & install it in a brand new boat. I only put on 12 hours in 2 summers due to the handling issues alltho it has a lot of hours just floating on the lake.
Issues were
severe porpoising with trim all the way down(trim tabs fixed this)
wave of water coming in the back of boat on deceleration; even with 1 person on board(trim tabs fixed this too)
rack & pinion replaced after 1st ride(no power steering)
Huge gel coat cracks appearing even after boat just sitting on the trailor
listing & nose diving on acceration & deceleration

Motor ran great tho(4.3 efi)
It is a great looking boat(had it custom built) & get a ton ofcompliments at the dock.
I call it Anna Kornakova boat. Looks amazing but it don,t perform.

 

[RollingWanderer]

Re: Azure...replacing all 188 hulls

...
I call it Anna Kornakova boat. Looks amazing but it don,t perform.

LMAO!!!

Props to Azure for standing by their product. I'll be sure to look at them when we're ready for our next boat.

-RW

 

[tjchapin]

Re: Azure...replacing all 188 hulls

I have an 2007 188 elite with 305, no problems handles great.

 

[Swishguy]

Re: Azure...replacing all 188 hulls

They didn,t put a 305 in a 188..I tried. 4.3 efi is the biggest they would go. I had mine custom built & begged for a 5.0 but they would not cave.