Report # 3 - When a warranty ain't really worth the paper it's printed on...

Don't even think of purchasing a new Caribbean (or a used one) until you've read this article..

CHECK THEIR WARRANTY.

We've received many complaints regarding the warranty offered by International Marine, and their Caribbean range of boats. In particular, the recent experience of two Caribbean boat buyers shows why it's absolutely essential to confim warranty details, before you buy.

You'll be sorry if you don't - and here's why.

Did you know that Caribbean's limited warranty on new boats is only applicable to the original (new boat) purchaser, and is NOT transferable? That's their words, not ours.

That means that even if you buy a new Caribbean and sell it a month later, the warranty is not transferable to the new owner.

A recent case has come to light where within nine months of taking delivery of his new Caribbean 35, and with only 15 hours on the clock, (and that's not even up to the first service), John decided that he actually wanted a larger boat, and put his Caribbean up for sale. Living on the other side of the Bay, he'd hardly used it.

The boat was purchased by Gary, an avid boat user who tends to use his boat at least a few times a week. But within the first few weeks, Gary noticed some faults with the boat and contacted International Marine for assistance.

Here's their reponse.


We've contacted other Australian big boat manufacturers, including Riviera and Maritimo, and all have confirmed extended warranties that are fully transferable to the next purchaser within the life of the warranty. In fact we haven't found another manufacturer that refuses to allow their warranty to be transferable to the next owner.

Not so Caribbean.

Two questions come to mind:

1. Why would you buy a new Caribbean when if you decided to sell it 15 hours later, you can't offer any Caribbean warranty to the prospective buyer?

2. In view of #1 above, why would any prospective buyer purchase a near new Caribbean when their warranty no longer applies?

From a consumer and boat owners point of view, we think it's unbelievable (and a sad indictment of their standards) that in this day and age, a manufacturer displays such little confidence in their own product by limiting their own warranty to the initial purchaser only, regardless of the age or hours of the boat.

"There are many high quality boat manufacturers out there, but if you think about it, they and their products are only as good as the warranty they supply. The experience of buying the boat may only last a few hours, but the experience of keeping and maintaining and using that boat can last years - and that's where the boat's manufacturers confidence and support for their own product show their true colours." - Warwick

"Why should it matter who owns the boat, as long as the life of the warranty hasn't expired? - John

"One of the internal doors wouldn't close properly, or sit right, and here's the response I got from Caribbean. It's pathetic." - Gary

"So what you're telling me is that according to their letter, if I buy one of their new boats, and for some reason wish to sell it a month later, I can't offer their manufacturers warranty to any prospective buyers????" (Ed: We're not telling you, they are... Or to be accurate, we're just telling you what they're telling their customers... Read the letter. It's very self explanatory...)

"They're running around trying to flog their new "Flagship" Caribbean 47 for over a million bucks, but if I buy it and want to sell it 6 months later, I can't offer any manufacturers warranty to the next buyer?! Who'd want to buy it with no warranty? No thanks. Think I'll stick with the Rivs." - George

"I checked as well, and it's true. With a warranty like that, they should change their name to "Crapabbean." - Glenn