New Owner says Hello

J

JeffRad54

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 23, 2019
Messages
197
Fluid Motion Model
C-28
Hull Identification Number
FMLT2740K819
Non-Fluid Motion Model
None now
Vessel Name
MARGAUX
Hello everyone,

I'm the proud new owner of MARGAUX, a 2019 R-27 out of St. Louis, MO.
While I am pleased with my expensive new lady, I am not so happy with the ton of QA issues I have found with fit and finish.
Do I have a Monday or Friday built boat? Or is this endemic to RT in general?

I'm curious to hear from other owners of a new RT.

Thanks,
Jeff Radwill
 
Welcome Jeff!
I bought bought my R29 CB in the fall of 2016. There were a few issues but honestly it’s a bit expected with any new boat. What type of things have you come across?
Eric
 
Well, Hello to you and congratulations on your new 2019 R27.

Is this the 2019 R27/OB (outboard and what brand is it?) ?

In order to give responses tell us what "fit and finish" things you have concern about. As Eric posted, all boats and RT is no exception will have some issues to begin with. It's under full warranty at this time so get with your RT dealership and get the issues resolved.
 
Hi Guys,

Thanks for replying.

If I had paid, say 35K for a Bayliner, I wouldn't be so picky about QA. But, I paid enough to buy a Bentley, or an Aston Martin, so I expect things to be perfect. I don't accept that all new boats will have flaws. It's a competence / pride of workmanship / craftsmanship / QA issue that RT needs to address.
I'm creating a document to send to RT with all of my whines which are far too numerous to post here.

Some examples are:
1. Thruster battery was not charged. 8.4 VDC, so it would not charge due to the gate voltage being under the minimum.
2. Cabin door had no snaps installed for the canvas.
3. Windshield wipers only travel 90 degrees vs. 180.
4. Shower curtain missing the end snap to close against the stbd bulkhead.
5. Lots of construction debris left. Dust, particles, utility knife blade rust stain, etc.
6. Sloppy caulk work inside and out.
7. Un-grommeted propane solenoid shut-off electrical wires passing through fiberglass.
8. Cracked head mirror frame.
9. Swim platform shower has stopped working.
10. Many screws driven cock-eyed so not flush with surface.
11. The propane stove uses a AA battery for the igniter. There is no access to change the battery.
12. Steering system not bled. Top Dead Center varies by 120 degrees.
13. - xxx You get the idea.

These are not Dealer problems, these are RT QA problems.
Granted, the dealer should have done a better job prepping the boat for delivery, re: the debris.

There you have it.

Thanks,

Jeff Radwill
 
I would expect when RT gets your document they will take care of you. be patient with them. They are the best Customer Service and will not let you down.
 
Ground rule. Always get a survey done before full acceptance of boat and payment!
Yes, even on new boats!
 
Jeff has a valid concern. The boat should be delivered in perfect condition by the builder and the dealer. Jeff now has to deal with the headaches of getting his concerns fixed and loose out on using his new boat. If new cars were delivered this way companies would be out of business!
 
Jeff, I fully agree and have posted those same sediments. Rangers and Cutwaters are awesome well designed boats. My largest complaint with my C26 when I purchased it new was QC..... The boats provide the comfort expected from a larger vessel, Look awesome at the dock and on the water, are very well equipped. If it's delivered with multiple simple flaws it makes one think what else is not right. As Barry said give customer service a chance to straighten it out. Fluid Motion could take their boats to the next level by improving Quality Control.
 
I would like to echo the OP's QC concerns. My new boat has been at the dealer's yard for over a month, waiting to be delivered to me. There were some very minor issues, like a missing hatch screen and badly scratched shower panels which had nothing to do with the delay. However, the depth sounder component on the Garmin 8616 was defective from the factory. Clearly nobody checked its function before they shipped it out. It took several days, two different transducers, and swapping out the head unit to confirm that the head unit needed to be replaced (that was replaced today). Also from the factory, the hydraulic strut that lifts the engine hatch has a significant hole/leak in the upper part of the cylinder that squirted ATF onto the engine and into the engine bay whenever the hatch was opened. Still waiting for a replacement from Bennet. Apparently RT doesn't have any spares, and they don't care enough to try to expedite one. Fortunately my dealer stepped up and got one ordered which should arrive next week.

Probably a minor issue, but every one of the swage fittings on the wires that secure the mast have exposed wire ends that protrude far enough from the swage fittings that it's easy to puncture a finger (or two) and bleed on the boat. I wish I didn't know from first hand experience. For those who don't know, the wire ends should be covered by the swage fitting.

I expected some tweaking with a new boat, but if it weren't for the great service I've gotten from my dealer, especially the head tech, this would be my first, last and only Ranger Tug. I'll be bringing her home tomorrow, and hoping that the worst is over. And like the OP, I intend to document all the items that fall short of acceptable (more than I've already listed) in the hopes that the somebody at the factory will GAS and pass them along.
 
Welcome to the neighborhood
Enjoy your new Ranger Tug
 
A proper swage has 1.5 the diameter of the cable exposed but not less than 1/8th of an inch. Yep, it will blood stain the boat. on boats I cheat and put heat shrink on the cable first and after swage I slide the heat shrink over the swage and wire.

Finding sloppy craftmanship on a new boat can sink your boating adventure. What's worse is when your best friend drops by to inspect your new toy and makes a negative report..."You Paid How Much?" I have a 2008 and I'm finding sloppy workmanship behind the cabinets in the plumbing and wiring. Love my Tug and looking to step up 2 to 4 feet and New, but I won't pay for sloppy craftmanship and poor QA...If that's the case, I'll buy used and fix it to my standards...

BTW New Owner, I've dealt with the factory often, their response and advise is Top of The Line and free! Not something you find on other Boats of this class...

Tex
 
Almost all the items on the list are minor and can be fixed over a couple hours. RT has always taken care of these issues. I hope RT continues to improve QC on delivery. In the mean time you can count on their customer service. I think that bayliner would be from 1990 for $35k. It would need some work as well.
For what these boats cost I know I am not buying a Mercedes and it is priced accordingly. While I too would like it to be perfect on delivery I also did not look for the Mercedes at $100k more. More than likely it would have issues as well.

I hope they quickly resolve your issues so you can be a happy RT owner.
 
Thanks all for replying.
We all appreciate that we spent a TON of $$$ for our boats.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I could have bought a Bentley car for this $ and I know it would have been PERFECT in every way on delivery. Those who say otherwise simply have never bought a luxury car before. They are never delivered with these sorts of problems.

I tried to resolve my many issues with RT via email. I'm not a phone-call sort of person.
RT absolutely refused to address my concerns unless we talked over the phone. Alan told me that RT would not help and I would have to rely on my Dealer unless I consented to a tel-econ with them. That made me think they did not want a record of our conversations. Bad Vibe. So I called, and recorded the call.

To their benefit, RT sent me parts I needed at no cost. No instructions though and no tools needed for special installation.
I'm not talking wrenches, here. Snaps need an anvil and something else. I don't know what.
I haven't heard from my dealer, but that is not RT's problem. I guess it's up to me to fix everything.

I would not recommend RT to anyone. It's a fine boat, but for the $200,000 I spent for a 27' boat, I expect better. A lot better. A whole lot better.
They can't even design an anchor rode locker properly. The rode and chain jams up every time under the windlass.
I go solo, so how am I supposed to manage the throttle against wind and current with the windlass at the same time?

Anyway, I have given up on what so many here say is the wonderful RT support. They support you if you do it on their terms. They never acknowledge any fault. I have suggested resource support in sorely needed QA and Training, and they have not acknowledged that either. My opinion is that while RT promotes the "Your not buying a boat, your joining a family" thing, they are simply out to make a buck and to heck with a quality product. Sad to say, the hype is more important than the product.

I'd like to post a Word document of my QA deficiencies, but I don't see a way to do that.

Take care, enjoy your boats, and do not recommend RT to your friends.

Jeff
 
Hello Jeff: Sorry to read about your displeasure. Based on what I’ve read I’m going to state the fault rests with RT, the dealer and with you. Yes RT should have caught several of these items before the boat departed the factory however the dealer is responsible for prepping the boat for delivery and therefore should have caught whatever the factory missed. As a new owner you should have inspected the boat prior to delivery, even considered a survey, to make a punch list of things that you were not happy with.....much like buyers of a new house do. Identified items should have been then taken care of before delivery. With that said the dealer is still responsible to correct the problems with the inconvenience of taking the boat back to the dealer, which could have been avoided by what I’ve layed out. I’d call the dealer to review what needs done and make an appointment to drop the boat off to have the problems resolved.

Jim F
 
Try calling Stuttgart to resolve a Mercedes issue or Crewe, England regarding a Bentley. All manufacturers rely on their dealer network to resolve issues and be their first line of defense, they simply can't scale without them. It's unfortunate to hear such a long list of QC issues, but, the point should be to find whatever works best to resolve them quickly. I'm also an email person, but, would do whatever it takes to find a mutually successful resolution. In my case, the Dealership has been 'world class' and responds very quickly as does CW/RT. Best of luck!
 
Hello Mr. Radwell,

I wanted follow up to see if you are still in need of assistance. When I called you to run through your list of items you indicated you wanted to do the repairs yourself and to send all necessary parts to your address, which I did. If you're unable to complete any repairs and you'd like me to get the dealer involved again please let me know. It's my understanding they're about an hour away from you.

Thanks,
-Kenny
 
By putting the onus on the buyer and the dealer of a new boat, many comments seem to be missing Jeff`s fundamental point. Why does a $200,000 boat leave the factory with such poor quality finishing and quality control? That`s not a customer or a dealer issue.
 
My reading of the thread is that most folks took the allegations *very* seriously and were offering suggestions how to resolve the issues. Most of us bought RT/CW boats because the company has an outstanding reputation. Since, we don't know all the facts, we can't be expected to render judgement and apologies if anyone thought my comment was a judgement. That said, it's inconceivable to me that my dealer, who spent 2+ days going over the boat, would have missed so many items...they were Johnny on the Spot.
 
I have had the complete opposite experience. Every issue resolved to my satisfaction. Mostly by RT. I had several of the same issues on the list and a few more over the first year. But if you start with the stipulation that there are no phone calls you are off to a rocky and unreasonable start. I myself do not at all mind receiving parts and replacing myself if it is something I can do. If I did not do it myself then the dealer would have done it without question. I do not care to give my boat up for a week or two so I don't mind but that is just me. But the company response to questions and parts is like no other i have ever experienced. Hopefully they are adding items you pointed out and continue to improve QC.

Let's be honest with ourselves. While I am very pleased with my purchase I am not under the impression I bought a Bentley.
I think RT tries to build a nice boat that does not require a lot of options at a price many can afford. So perhaps a high end Chevrolet with all the bills and whistles. If you want a Bentley you spend another $100K. Hopefully all the issues get resolved and you can sit back and enjoy cruising in some peaceful waters very soon.
 
I’d follow up on Kenny Marrs suggestion. Interestingly enough I just got off of an internet chat with VW of America about my 6 month old American made VW Atlas, a very fine automobile. The only problem I have with the car is that the brakes squeal during the first few miles of driving it, when the brakes are applied. I’ve taken it to the dealership twice to discuss and both times it was explained that this is normal on this car. Not willing to accept that I got on a live chat with VW and after a lengthy conversation it was advised that they stand by the dealerships diagnosis. They went on to state that if I disagreed I should seek out the service manager at my local dealership.....ie the factory relying on the dealership! As in the case of this particular R-27.

Jim F
 
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