Bennington Speedometer Problems

[Jake]

Of they can't or wont fix it, then there warranty is junk. That doesn't make me feel real warm and fuzzy. We can't fix it, is not an option. I agree, they should fix it or replacement it with something else, ie GPS. Have they apologized and given you a plan or time frame?

They can't (after 7 attempts) and won't replace it with a GPS as I have insisted. They have offered no apology. I met the VP of sales at the Detroit Boat Show and he took the time to speak to me and offered his help to resolve the problem. He even gave me his card and said he would call me the next day. However, he never called and I had to call him. He then refered me to the warrenty repair department who told me they can't replace it with the optional GPS system due to the cost. They didn't seem to care that I had the boat in the service department 7 times for the same problem. The VP of sales I met told me at the boat show, and I quote, "the fix will never work and they should have never put speedometers on these boats." He also told me they should replace it with a GPS and he would "do what he could" to help. So much for that after he never even called me as promised.

I don't intend to trash Bennington, I love everthing else about the boat. However, this is my experience to date and the problem is still not fixed. This has been a terrible experience and I will not buy another Bennington if the problem is not fixed PROPERLY.

2010 Bennington 2275RLI-TT
225 Yamaha

[stickman]

Just curious if you have suggested they replace it with GPS and you split the cost with them. Although this is not the optimum solution for you (you are out some money), what it would do is to remove your frustration, have a more usable piece of equipment on your boat, eliminate the repeat visits for you, and show you that they are trying to make it right.

Although you would be out some, you wouldn't be out the whole amount of a GPS (yet would have the benefit of a GPS), and they would be out some but it would eliminate a (for lack of a better term) nuisance item that they can't seem to satisfy for a customer. Not sure they would go for it, but I suggest you try.

In the end, both are out some, but both are happy - - and best yet, you can get back to boating, which is after all, why you bought it in the first place.

Happy boating!

[Jake]

Just curious if you have suggested they replace it with GPS and you split the cost with them. Although this is not the optimum solution for you (you are out some money), what it would do is to remove your frustration, have a more usable piece of equipment on your boat, eliminate the repeat visits for you, and show you that they are trying to make it right.

Although you would be out some, you wouldn't be out the whole amount of a GPS (yet would have the benefit of a GPS), and they would be out some but it would eliminate a (for lack of a better term) nuisance item that they can't seem to satisfy for a customer. Not sure they would go for it, but I suggest you try.

In the end, both are out some, but both are happy - - and best yet, you can get back to boating, which is after all, why you bought it in the first place.

Happy boating!

No, I did not. If it worked for a significant period of time before it broke I would have considered this. However, it did not work from the day I took delivery. I understand that things happen but by the 4th or 5th attempt to fix the problem they should have taken my circumstances, inconvienience, and transport expense into consideration and offered another solution. I suggested the GPS after the 3rd speedometer and 3 months of dealing with this had passed but they declined because it incurred a addition expense for them.

[1roadking]

NO SPLIT. THEY NEED TO OWN UP AND FIX IT. YOU PAID PREMEMIUM MONEY FOR A PREMIUM BOAT. THEY NEED TO GET A RESOLUTION, PERIOD. THEY MAKE ALOT OF MONEY ON THERE BOATS AND BRAG ABOUT THE GREAT WARRANTY, THEY NEED TO FIX IT OR REPLACE WITH GPS. I WOULD BE FURIOUS, ESPECIALLLY AFTWER THE VP OF SALES AND MARKETING SAID THEY WOULD. I HOPE THEY DONT TREAT ME LIKE YOU.

[Ron Burgundy]

I wouldn't settle for anything less than a GPS replacement. Maybe you can write a letter to the CEO, or at least threaten to. You shouldn't have to go to that extreme, but it sounds like they are being unreasonable.

[Jake]

This morning I emailed all the Bennington contacts I've been dealing with a link to this discussion board. Hopefully it will get their attention (If all my posts start getting flag you'll know why, LOL !)

Ironically, I recieved my owners satifaction survey from Bennington yesterday - can't wait to fill it out.

Thank you all for the comments.

Jake

[Jake]

Does anyone have experience with the aftermarket analog GPS speedometers? There are a couple (Livorsi,Autometer, etc) that seem like they would work in the stock configuration.

[Bill1031]

Jake, I emailed my sales guy (very nice and easy to get along with) I attached a couple of my posts and couple yours. He wrote back and said they would try and fix this week? I was really just asking if he had heard of any problems with the speedo and he said they had and that is why they changed for 2011. I have the Garmin GPS to the right of wheel and it tells the speed but it would be nice if the main one worked. I would be more than happy to pay half to have the newer style if it matched. I may call and ask. Last year I had issues with the cover. Thought they would replace it but instead they sent more fabric and modified mine. The first time they added more material down the middle but that was not the problem (side to side). My problem was front to back that I could not snap it. It seemed a about 2 inches short. They sent it out again and it works much better but one snap in front does not line up. My future solution will be to either buy a new one in a couple years from Bennington or get a custom one made. Other than those two issues I have not had any other problems with the boat. It has been great! By the way I have also noticed on later 2010 and newer, that the covers fit much better than mine and look like maybe it was re-designed. Bill

[Jake]

Jake, I emailed my sales guy (very nice and easy to get along with) I attached a couple of my posts and couple yours. He wrote back and said they would try and fix this week? I was really just asking if he had heard of any problems with the speedo and he said they had and that is why they changed for 2011. I have the Garmin GPS to the right of wheel and it tells the speed but it would be nice if the main one worked. I would be more than happy to pay half to have the newer style if it matched. I may call and ask. Last year I had issues with the cover. Thought they would replace it but instead they sent more fabric and modified mine. The first time they added more material down the middle but that was not the problem (side to side). My problem was front to back that I could not snap it. It seemed a about 2 inches short. They sent it out again and it works much better but one snap in front does not line up. My future solution will be to either buy a new one in a couple years from Bennington or get a custom one made. Other than those two issues I have not had any other problems with the boat. It has been great! By the way I have also noticed on later 2010 and newer, that the covers fit much better than mine and look like maybe it was re-designed. Bill

Bill -
Glad to hear they acknowledged the problem and are trying to fix it. Hopefully the fix works better for you. My dealer has been great and has bent over backwards to help me but the parts they get don't work very long or at all. I'm sure it's a design or manufacturing flaw but Bennington won't say exactly what. Needless to say, I don't have any confidence in their ability to complete a permanent fix.

Good luck and thank you for your input.

[GregF]

Why do you need that kind of precision on a speedo?
Most outboards have a pickup in the foot that works pretty well with a pressure speedo. I got one that is 0-35 and seems pretty much right against my GPS +/- 3-4 MPH. At some speed it is right on and swings around that point.

[PlaynDoc]

Since I'm new to boats, and I don't own a Benny, (or any boat yet) maybe I should stay out of this.... But here's my question... Is there a 'lemon law' on brand new boats, like, on cars? Seems like you've purchased something the dealership has demonstrated an inability to repair.

Edit:

Read this and take it to the dealer: http://www.avvo.com/legal-guides/ugc/ho ... lemon-boat

[JDB]

The speedo is obviously junk if they have been unable to get a good one after so many attempts.

Bennington clearly didn't do their homework or testing on this component and needs to acknowledge what a huge expense and waste of time this has been for you trying to get it resolved.

Pitot (pressure) type speedos have been used for many years in tournament ski boats and can be very accurate.

Put whatever speedo you want on their and send Bennington the bill.

If they don't pay it, put it on the wall of shame around here somewhere.

They will pay - one way or another.

[bassn386]

Jake, I'm really sorry to read about your issues with the speedo. I know this will be of no help, but yesterday evening I took along my Garmin GPS for my car to see how far the boat speedo was off from the GPS. In the "View Map" mode it will give speed and direction. The differences in speed readings between the GPS and the speedometer were less than 1 mph from 1,000 through 4,000 rpm. I think someone said on this thread that Bennington equipped their 2011 models with a GPS speedometer. I know that there is an option for a Depth finder/GPS, but I don't remember reading anything about the speedo being GPS enabled.
Your ongoing issues with Bennington give me cause for concern. Bennington has been one of the top rated pontoons by JD Power and Associates for customer satisfaction. Maybe if you were to find their web site and send them an email it would get back to Bennington.
Again, this is of no particular help, but after I got used to my 99 Four Winns, I hardly ever looked at the speed. I relied on the tach and could get the boat up on plane and feather the throttle without ever looking at the speedometer. I intend to try and do the same with this boat.

[LSVLance]

My Malibu Wakeboard boat had dual pitot speedo pickups that worked very well for reading speeds, but I desperately wanted to upgrade it to a paddle wheel driven perfect pass type cruise control system for consistent pulling speeds when wakeboarding. After a ton of research, I decided to pass on the almost $1000 upgrade as both manufacturers of the systems knew there was turbulence problems with my particular hull design and their paddle wheels and they both recommended against installing it on my boat.

They call a system like this on a pulling boat a "marriage saver" because it can make the most inexperienced driver give an excellent pull for the wakeboarder. I was bummed I couldn't put it on my boat.

I have never heard of a paddle wheel speedometer pickup on a pontoon boat, where is the paddle wheel located? Is the problem with the paddle wheel itself or the instrument reading the signal in the dash? I just can't imagine that type of pickup working well on the bottom of a pontoon anyway which is probably why Bennington changed their design.

That said, they should work with their buyers to get a correctly working speedometer in their expensive high end boats. They are probably fighting you on this because they know if they bend for you, there are a WHOLE bunch more out there that will want replaced speedometers as well. It's a tough one.

I know what I'd do though...I'd hold their feet to the fire and the internet is a powerful force in that regard.

Good luck Bennington owners on this.

[Jake]

Why do you need that kind of precision on a speedo?
Most outboards have a pickup in the foot that works pretty well with a pressure speedo. I got one that is 0-35 and seems pretty much right against my GPS +/- 3-4 MPH. At some speed it is right on and swings around that point.

Greg -

I really don't care to have a speedometer but It came with the boat and I don't want a big, broken speedometer in my face every time I'm on my brand new boat. It's funny, one of the first questions anyone asks when they are on my boat is "why doesn't that work." The next statement usually is "you paid how much for this thing and it's still not fixed." I then proceed to tell them my experiences with Bennington.

I've been looking at the Livorsi and Autometer gauges because they seem like they will fit the stock hole in the dash. I know they are much more then I need but I also need to replace the broken one with something since the stock system doesn't work.