1 Star -- I would not recommend this shop…read more
I found Mike at Clovis Boat & Trailer Repair through a recommendation in a Facebook boating group. Unfortunately, what started as a relatively simple starter replacement turned into three separate trips and more than $3,000 out of pocket, and my boat still wasn't running correctly when I finally took it somewhere else.
My experience was as follows:
1. First visit:
I brought the boat in for a starter replacement and oil change. I also asked about rebuilding/cleaning the carburetor because the boat wasn't idling properly. I was told they don't rebuild or clean carburetors.
2. Second visit:
I brought it back for a new impeller and spark plugs, hoping the plugs might help with the idling issue. During this visit, the starter bolts were also broken. I was told the rear bracket supporting the starter "didn't need" to be there, so the bracket was removed.
3. Third visit:
The boat overheated after the impeller replacement. I was later told that one of the mechanics had misaligned the belts. I needed a new manifold and an upper bellow, along with other parts. Mike told me, "We check the boats before they leave, and we may have let yours go before starting and testing." I appreciated that he acknowledged the possibility, but I was still left paying out of pocket for repairs resulting from the situation.
Then the starter bolt broke again.
Mike replaced the bolt, but when I got the boat home, I discovered that the distributor wiring harness was completely unplugged. I sent Mike a picture showing the disconnected harness. His response was essentially dismissive, and I didn't feel like there was much concern about the fact that the boat had apparently been returned to me without even being properly tested.
I took the boat to the lake, and it wouldn't start.
At that point, I took it to another mechanic.
The difference was immediate. The new mechanic opened the engine bay and immediately identified several issues:
-The starter was missing the rear support bracket, which he said was allowing excessive torque and contributing to the starter bolts breaking.
-The timing was too far advanced.
-Hoses from the carburetor were in the wrong location for breathing
-The carburetor did not need to be rebuilt; it simply needed to be cleaned.
-Most importantly, the engine had been overheated previously and the cylinder head had a crack that had not been identified.
After the new mechanic addressed the issues, the boat idled perfectly and I have not had the recurring starter bolt problem.
My biggest issue isn't that a repair shop can make a mistake. Mistakes happen. My issue is the apparent lack of quality control, final testing, and oversight of the work being performed. I was told the boat was being checked, yet I received it back with an unplugged distributor, recurring starter problems, timing issues, and ultimately a cracked head from the overheating incident from poor quality checks.
Mike himself is a personable guy, and I have nothing against him personally. However, based on my experience, I don't feel comfortable recommending the shop.
I also got the impression that less experienced workers were being allowed to work on my boat without adequate supervision. Whether that was his son or another employee, I can't say for certain, so I'm not going to make that claim as a fact. What I can say is that the quality of the work I received was not acceptable, especially considering the amount of money I spent.
If you're considering using Clovis Boat & Trailer Repair, I strongly recommend getting a second opinion and making sure the boat is actually started, tested, and thoroughly inspected before accepting it back.
For me, the additional expense, repeated trips, downtime, and ultimately having another mechanic diagnose and correct the problems made this a very frustrating and expensive experience.
