March Pumps--Possibly the Worst Customer Service Ever!

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

The below is from another post. As it stood, March was gong to send me a new pump. They, and TESCO, Charlotte, NC, lied. Said pump I returned was perfect. They refunded my money (or are) but would not send out a new pump as the rep promised. Can't get him on the phone now either.

Well, I ordered a new identical pump from another one of their distributors. The attached link to YouTube says it all. Warning, mildly adult language.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZSg...ature=youtu.be

How about that! I removed the old pump and installed the new, new pump in its place. Not so much as a different hose clamp. I guess the youTube link will stay up until I get a letter from their lawyer.

​ORIGINAL POST: Good news! March pumps last 30 years and they are perfect. They don't even have a warranty department! All according to regional March rep.

Well, evidently they have a warranty dept. now.

I bought a new wet end kit and installed it and it wouldn't pump--zero. Pump is below water line, so there is flow through even when the pump is off--no prime issues. Motor is fine and impeller spins up like it's supposed to (one would think if the old pump puts out like a fire hose). No water. I think the impeller has excessive end float. Factory guy said it should be '.015-.025"'. I said great, the new one that won't pump measured +/- .043"; it has more float than the one that I took out! (Recall, I shimmed the impeller to reduce the float and it's still pumping.) Well, that made no difference. 'You know it's got to have clearance to turn; right, .015-.025". Turns out my sea strainer must be clogged, but it isn't. 'How big is your through hull?' The same size it's always been. Well you know 'the inlet may not be large enough'; it's sized to your pump housing fitting. Turns out I now need a restricter valve to create back pressure or the unit won't pump; the old pump never needed it. Well, 'your discharge line may be the wrong size'; it's sized to the discharge on your pump. "What size is your boat?" The same size as it was when the old pump was pumping. Anyway, on and on. Nothing could be wrong on their end. I learned how these pumps are "bullet proof because they are injection molded" and, evidently, immune from manufacturing defects because "that's all we do." Then the guy calls me back and wants to know if I got the magnet too hot because 'sometimes that can happen and cook the magnet'; room temperature. He said it 'never really happens'. I asked why that would be a concern if it never really happens and he indicated that sometime in the past someone got things a little hot at the plant. Injection molding involves some heat, right?

Three calls and 29 minutes later, he decided to have me send the unit back for a replacement, understanding that 'the new one won't work either.' In other words this guy is a BS artist because March pumps are failure proof. Hell, I wouldn't even have gotten that far if I hadn't leveraged the distributor with getting the credit card company involved. This is an example of really poor customer service.

Some examples of really good recent customer service have been my dealings with Sams, Floscan, Wesmar and the root canal dude.

[krush]

HAHA, I love it!

[PeterK]

Robert, I wish you wouldn't beat around the bush so much and tell us what you really think...

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Robert, I wish you wouldn't beat around the bush so much and tell us what you really think...

I WAS nice. I wished him a happy Father's Day when I texted the first video to him.

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Important technical bulletin from the field. Same caveat viz language applies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8CPElV708A

It's important to stay up to date on your March Pump technical details.

[SEVEN]

He doesn't pull any punches does he.

[MVCaprice]

Love the videos!!!!

[krush]

Where is the cheapest place to buy a March pump?

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Lowest I found was $167.90 net from Burt Process Equipment, Hamden, CT. Stay away from eBay purchase from TESCO, Charlotte, NC. If you get a bad pump, and apparently there is a bad run out there, Joe Tyson at TESCO won't be much help.

[krush]

Which model did you order?

The water cooled one is $243: http://www.burtprocess.com/shopping/0130-0158-0200

It's cheaper else where: http://www.flagshipmarine.com/marinepumps.html being one place