Florida dealers moving from Ranger Tugs?

Hey--

I just beginning my Ranger Tug purchase (in about 15 years) and I have been doing a ton of research (like nothing will change between now and 15 years from now). I just happened to notice that two dealers in Florida are clearing the last of their Ranger Tug inventory and then they are done selling Rangers.

http://www.seagatemarine.com/default.as ... d=on&t=new

and

http://rangertugsinstock.com/

Welfings (the second link) seemed to be fairly critical in their description of what's going on.

Anybody know anything about this? Are the two situations linked to the same set of conditions? Are there things I need to know as a potential future buyer?

There are two sides to every story. From my perspective Ranger is a great company and looks out for the interest of their customer, the end user. They are superior to most boat manufacturers. They are there when some of the dealers who may have sold you the boat may not be around. I am not saying that these particular dealers are not good, but if things change and the dealer/manufacturer synergy is not meeting expectations of either party then parting of ways may be the right thing for both and in the best interest of the end buyer.

I have had the pleasure of working with both of these dealers for a long time. Tommy and his team at Seagate Marine are some of the best in the business when it comes to after the sale support and we are sad to have them gone as a dealer. Just as they state, they will continue to support the buyers of these boats and so will we.

Over time, things change and so do people. Their business model and focus may not match ours and why we make the decision to part ways. Sometimes this isn't easy as you might read from the Wefings Marine link but our motto has never changed. Service to our customers is our first priority and the reason we have decided to stick with Edgewater Yacht Sales and Pocket Yachts as our Florida representation. Edgewater Yacht Sales who is our primary dealer for the Gulf and West Coast of Florida and Pocket Yachts for the east with Cutwater have been 100% dedicated to our brand with recent developments of dedicating their business to only sell Ranger Tugs and Cutwater Boats as their new boat lines. These are partnerships we have developed which help keep the focus on our brand and the end user which has proven to work with them being two of our largest dealers in the world.

We look forward to helping you with your purchase in 15 years! 😀

Andrew,

Thanks for your response. I received some private mail in response to my question too--seems like there are relatively solid business plans in action here, and I am glad to see that. Things do change and the ability to implement (and sometimes survive) change are critical to effective business across time. Keep up the good work there!!

Nick

After we sold our 40 foot carver we decided to drop down to a smaller boat. Started looking at mid 30 foot sea rays and others. I just went to the Tampa boat show and fell in love with the ranger 29 cb. Not as roomy as I wanted but amazed at the boat. After reading this post and doing lots of research I'm a little concerned. I also don't like the fact the only dealer is 3 hours away. We live in north Florida and the nearest dealer is Pensacola. Wefings would have been perfect for sale and service. Also scary the dealer in Pensacola didn't even have the different models in stock so that I could take my wife and show her. I would expect a dealer to have several of each model considering they are the only source in my area. Maybe I'm wrong. I have to also question if i purchase one and have warranty issues who would fix it? As much as I hate to say it I think I will mostly likely pass on the ranger brand.

Bobby

Hi Bobby,

You may want to reconsider your position. Ranger stands behind their product and that is what matters. Keep in mind some dealers have no mechanics in house and will send an outside firm to perform warranty work. The boat is an assembly of many parts from various manufacturers and there are service people all over. I bought my boat in Massachusetts and was down in Key Largo with an air conditioner issue. Ranger contacted the Dometic people and in a day a technician was at my boat and made the repair under warranty. Just because a dealer is close doesn't mean you will get service. I know of a particular dealer that sells Nordic Tugs and if you were a mile away from him the service stinks. I'd rather have a company that is 3,000 miles away that can make things happen than one a mile away that walks away once you take the boat. Ranger is about customer service and that is what matters. You will find tons of testimony on this site that backs up what I am saying.

Thank you Knotflying. Good to know. I will keep reading.

We purchased a 2016 Cutwater this year . The Ranger/ Cutwater dealer that we purchased the boat from did a great job in the sales presentation and closing the deal. We took delivery in April and have put 80 hours on the boat with minimal issues. We chose the Cutwater because of the Quality , Pilot house design , the great amount of amenities and use of space , it can be trailered , very seaworthy , and most of all the emphasis put into customer service. Knotflying , I hope that the customer service that you experienced is given to all Ranger and Cutwater owners. The Jury is still out !
BB marine
26 Cutwater

We purchased a used 2012 Cutwater...had several questions about our new purchase, Company Customer Service has been outstanding!! They back their product!!!

Add my support to those listed above. We bought a 2012 R29 last year, and even though it was after signing on the purchase, Andrew at Ranger Tugs found a vibration in the drive line and had a new transmission put in AT NO CHARGE. How many other companies do you think would have done that? Ranger Tugs and Cutwater boats have by far the best customer support I have ever seen.

Same company for Cutwater and Ranger. I would bet the quality customer service transcends to Cutwater.

....I agree.

3 hours away! Wow you are golden!!! The closest Ranger dealer to us is about two to three days away - and there are as good or better shops much closer anyway. The few issues I have had, Andrew or one of the guys have been on it. Issues that arise are generally not associated to Ranger’s work but aftermarket products that most if not any marine shop can fix. For example, there are lots of VP and Yanmar service centers closer by.

If your boat delaminates, which is highly unlikely, then you have bigger problems than worrying about a 3 hour drive. Andrew and gang will work with marine shops in the area, not simply a Ranger outlet, to get things fixed. I have nothing but good things to say about the Ranger team.

Besides, just having a Ranger dealer right next door to you, that may not be dedicated to Ranger/Cutwater isn’t going to help anyway. I have to think that if the factory is tweaking dealers that it is based on what is best not just for them/dealer but for the customer too. Just because the closest auto dealer in the area happened to be a Chrysler dealership, that’s not going to make me buy a Chrysler any time soon! Ha :!:

I can only second the opinions about ranger tugs and cutwater staff. You won't find any better support anywhere else.

My Ranger R-25 is almost 10 years old now and they still support me. Definitely not an expectation when I bought her new and I can only say it is pretty amazing. The dealer I bought her from is about 3 hours away and doesn't sell them anymore of their own choice. I just call the factory directly and they always help out.

I would think that if there was a dealer issue it is more than likely on the dealer side, not the manufacturer. You don't stay in business as long as they have, with so many satisfied customers, without doing things the right way.

I'm still a major fan!

1 have bought to boats from Wefing's in Florida. I would do it again. As long as you know how to get a hold of Andrew Custis at the Ranger Tug factory you will have no worries. My only suggestion would be a requirement for the dealer to be or get to be a Volvo Penta authorized service center.

I bought my first R21EC from Wefing's at the Atlanta Boat, Jan. 2009. I met with Marc and with Jeff. Jeff was there representing Ranger. I've contacted and visited both Wefing's and Ranger. Always gotten good response from both. I couldn't really ask for any better suppport. GA is a good distance from both.

I served in senior management positions for more than 40 years including CFO, COO and Deputy CEO. I can't count the number of business plans I prepared and/or reviewed over the years. Situations change, businesses have to change with them. Sometimes a business will change directions because they alter their goals.

I've sensed a big change in Ranger's business model over the past few years. Good, or bad change? It doesn't seem to have negatively affected their sales, or their service. It does seem to have changed their relationship with their dealers. Since I'm not part of Ranger's management team, nor a retail boat dealer; I can't offer judgement .

I've also seen changes in Wefing's business model over the same period. It's a small business, operating primarily in unique area: lower SE United States. It seems like most dealers need to carry a wide range of products to survive. I sense the boating industry has been brutal to mgf's, distributors and retailers. From where I sit, it looks like Wefing's has expanded their product line.

I boat in GA; for years I also kept a small trawler in AL, on the TN River. Maintenance and support was spotty. To get Yanmar support in AL; I had to wait for the tech to make his circuit. In GA, I asked Wefing and Ranger for support recommendations; and, finally was referred to Yanmar. Wound up being referred to a local dealer, whose techs had just been trained and knew less than I did. Did I expect either Wefing's, or Ranger to come to GA and provide support? NO!

My experience with I/B and O/B engines has also been the same. Spotty, at best. One's best bet is find good support, then buy the product. But, we don't do it that way do we? We see and buy a shiny new car/boat/house/TV/etc.; then live with the support consequences.

When one is purchasing anything, it's smart to know what support one can expect before buying. Ranger is absolutely the best boat mfg I've seen, or heard of providing an excellent product and after sale support. The same with Wefing as a retailer. Marc went way of out his way to support me.

Looks to me like a difference in business models. We don't all agree, do we? Look at the change the BMW motorcycle business went thru in the US. At one time, one could find a small local retailer who sold and supported BMW motorcycles. Not today, support centers can be far and few between. Look at the recent issue with Telsa. They would like to sell direct to the buyer, but ran into pushback from those supporting going thru distrubutors.

Neither Ranger, nor Wefing deserve any bad mouthing. IMO. Accolades only!

Thanks for everyone's comments regarding the Florida dealer network. It is an important topic for current owners and those in the market looking to buy.

To follow up on Andrew Custis’s comments….we are 100% dedicated to the brand and I will say “Service” is something we take serious at our dealerships. As sales have rapidly increased over the past several years so has our dedication to our boating customers. But…. as many of you know, keeping up with Fluid Motions continued innovation and success is a challenge to say the least! While in some cases you may not find us in your back yard we are able to communicate with your local distributor and service centers to complete any warranty work or trouble shooting needed.

With respect to inventory… we maintain two/three of each model on site or in production at all times. Sales over the past several years have been amazing…so timing is everything! Inventory is tight and comes and goes depending on boat shows, deliveries etc. For example, we had almost 20 units in stock before last week’s Tampa boat show. We have fifteen units in production including four more customer pre-sold boats all due over the next month or so. For current availability visit http://www.moderntugs.com. Please call or email me to arrange a showing or sea trial at any time.

Thanks for everyone’s support and those involved at Fluid Motion for making boating possible for so many!

Emile Petro III
Moderntugs.com
850-341-1105

Will be at your Pensacola location tomorrow Emile.

Edgewater":1smne3w7 said:

To follow up on Andrew Custis’s comments….we are 100% dedicated to the brand and I will say “Service” is something we take serious at our dealerships. As sales have rapidly increased over the past several years so has our dedication to our boating customers. But…. as many of you know, keeping up with Fluid Motions continued innovation and success is a challenge to say the least! While in some cases you may not find us in your back yard we are able to communicate with your local distributor and service centers to complete any warranty work or trouble shooting needed.

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Evening Emile,

Do you happen to be a certified VP Diesel servicing dealer?

Thx, CN