Under the Old Shade Tree

In these times when a dollar has to go as far as it can we all look for the cheapist way, Well when it comes to the care and service of your marine equipment the :cheap way is not the best way". Marine engines and drives are very complacated an require a knowlage of what is wrong and how to fix it and there in no cheap way. You are putting your family and freinds in the water far from shore, and escape is not just walking away. If you have your rig repaired by a sub standard shop or a "Shade Tree mechanic" and some how the repair failes does your man have insurance to protect you from litagation by others for any injury? You might say;" well my buddy knows how to work on boats" but does your buddy have any kind of insurance in case what he did fails and someone gets hurt.Ah! that will never happen, Dream on Alice. now days every body hase an attorney in their back pocket just waiting to sue you for some kind of screw up. And you better have deep pockets if that happens. But more than that, you have some very expensive equipment and it needs to be serviced right, your" Shade tree guy" is not kept up on the latest problems, and proceedures in repair, as well as Service Bulletins that are part of a certified dealers inventory.A certified dealer uses only factory made parts for your equipment these have been tested by the factory to do a proper repair. The certified dealer uses only factory reccomended lubes and oils that are proven to give the longest service life. But the most important quality of a certified dealer is that his techs are trained by the factory in the proper way of doing repair, and has to keep up on those by attending schooling every year to be re certified. Dave's Marine has all those quality's and keeps up on them to stay ahead of any problems. We havn't even discused warranty work, A certified dealer has to be approved by the factory for warranty reinbursement, as well as service in order for this to happen he has to be inspected by factory techs every year to be sure he is up to date on the latest proceedures, Your Shade Tree Guy has no such help. As far as he hnows he's doing it right. "every thing works until it don't" do you want to be in the middle of the river with a tow comming when it fails? I don't think so. In this I have not pointed my finger at any shop or mechanic, but you know what I'm refering to; the guy that works out of his garage, or in his yard, the cheepist guy, or working under a shade tree, Does he even have a business license, a regular business phone, does he do this full time?, or is it just a sideline? You better find out because the onas will be on you in the end not him.....