Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/25/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  In April, 2023 we gave Champion Marine a deposit on a 2024 Clearwater 2800CC. We made the deal with the understanding Champion Marine would help us secure financing. They assured us financing would not be a problem. We gave them a $19,000 deposit, feeling that everything was in place. We later found out this business is not certified to provide financing to their customers. Aftrr financing fell through, they drug us along for weeks, telling us they could help us secure a loan. After we finally pulled out of the deal, we were told we could get a refund of the deposit after the boat sold. When the boat didnt sell, they blamed it on us for not ordering the correct upholstery package. The manufacturer, however, installed the wrong one. Now that the boat has apparently sold, we are getting no information about a refund. After months of trying to reach the owner, *****, we still have not received a return call. This dealership has been misleading and uncooperative at every turn since the deal fell through

  Business Response

  Date: 10/25/2024

  On December 30, 2022, the customer chose to place an order for a custom-built 2024 Clearwater 2800cc. The customer signed the purchase contract on this date with an anticipated build completion date of approximately April 20, 2023.
  
  Champion Marine is a boat dealership, and does not provide financing, yet, as a courtesy, we provide contact information for several finance companies and brokerages that we work with. A customer is more than welcome to secure their own financing or pay in full upon delivery, as we are not a finance company.
  When it comes to a custom-ordered vessel, Champion Marine requires a non-refundable down payment based on the customers pre-approved financing terms.  Custom-ordered vessels are not ordered without financing secured. Many times, an ordered boat may take longer to be built than a standard financial pre-approval, so all customers are told they need to maintain their financial status in case a new approval is needed when the vessel is delivered.
  For this particular sale, the customer did receive an approval through Rock Solid Funding, and, consequently, they provided their non-refundable down payment via cashiers check in the amount of $19000.00 on January 20, 2023.
  
  After the manufacturer delivered and Champion Marine paid for the custom-ordered 2024 Clearwater 2800cc, Champion Marine purchased and rigged twin engines, and added the customers personalized options they requested, such as the 12 Garmin GPS with a radar dome.  After several weeks, we were informed that the customer was not able to be re-approved at the terms they were previously approved at and decided they were no longer going to be purchasing the vessel they ordered. Champion Marine is a small dealership that endured a substantial financial hardship by the customer breaking the purchase contract.
  
  We aggressively tried to sell the 2024 Clearwater 2800cc vessel and have taken it to several boat shows in an attempt to sell it after the customer broke the purchase agreement. After 18 months, we were finally able to sell the vessel at a substantial loss from the original purchase agreement.
  The dealership did not blame anything on the customers;however, it was explained to them that when you order a custom-ordered vessel to your personal specifications, these options are specific to the customers personal preference which ultimately hindered the sale of the vessel and created a financial hardship for the dealership.
  
  Champion Marine has spent nearly 18 months with this customers custom-ordered vessel because the customer did not honor the purchase contract they signed. And per that sales contract that was signed before the vessel was even ordered, the customer is not entitled to any kind of refund.  Please see #4 of Additional Terms &Conditions initialed by both customers on the attachment.