Worst mistake of my life. Would not recommend a ranger tug.

[Bobby Beard]

Update.. I was hoping to remove this post but that's not happening doesn't look like.
Dealer sent out his guy, he found AC line was ran up over the duct work causing the pan to over flow, that's fixed now. The door latch is fixed. They found turbo locked up, would be back in two weeks to replace. It's been about a month... was told there is a wiring issue with generator. No time frame given for repair.

Basically boat is still broken and I can't use it.. paying the payment and insurance and slip.. for it to sit and wait for ranger to get around to fixing it.

I was hoping everyone was correct in saying ranger service is superb and they would take care of everything. Not for me!
This is about to get real ugly.

 

[Mr. T]

I'm really surprised, please keep us updated, It seems something needs to be done beyond the dealer level.

 

[Brian B]

Maybe its time to consult with a consumer protection attorney. Make sure you cover all the bases before the warranty expires to protect yourself. Document everything.

 

[Andrew Custis]

Bobby,

First of all, I'm sorry this is still going on and we still don't have a resolution to everything on the list. I understand the turbo issue was addressed at the visit from our dealer but as a precaution, a new one would be ordered. I will confirm this is still the case. Regarding the generator and other items, I'm working on having a resolution in place that will involve our factory direct response which could include sending my guys out directly to resolve the issues. Ill have an update tomorrow with the plan.

Thank you,

Andrew Custis

 

[Bobby Beard]

I'm really surprised, please keep us updated, It seems something needs to be done beyond the dealer level.

Believe at this point dealers hands are tied pending response from factory. It's the factory that isn't providing repair or relief.

 

[Bobby Beard]

Maybe its time to consult with a consumer protection attorney. Make sure you cover all the bases before the warranty expires to protect yourself. Document everything.

Agreed.

 

[Bobby Beard]

Bobby,

First of all, I'm sorry this is still going on and we still don't have a resolution to everything on the list. I understand the turbo issue was addressed at the visit from our dealer but as a precaution, a new one would be ordered. I will confirm this is still the case. Regarding the generator and other items, I'm working on having a resolution in place that will involve our factory direct response which could include sending my guys out directly to resolve the issues. Ill have an update tomorrow with the plan.

Thank you,

Andrew Custis

I would disagree that replacing a turbo that keeps locking up as a "precaution".. a turbo that was in fact seized up when tech arrived. I was told two weeks to have it replaced. I can not even get a return call to find out if or when it will be replaced. I've seen no attempts by Ranger Tugs todate to step in and assist or put pressure on Volvo to respond. There has been zero relief offered to offset the fact the boat is not in serviceable condition. I have asked to return the boat, I have rejected acceptance of the boat verbally and or implied. I have asked for the boat to be picked up, repaired and returned in working condition. All request have been denied. I can not use the boat properly, I do not feel safe using the boat and I am getting zero service. The only response I get at all is "we are working on it and we will get with you tomorrow". Do the right thing here and step up the service or give me my money back! Like I stated in a email today, Ranger Tugs have 10 days to repair all items on the list. I am done waiting and I'm done being pushed off.

 

[Bobby Beard]

It's a shame I spent so much money on a brand new boat and I have to beg for months and months to get anything fixed on it. Absolutely the worst customer service I have ever seen out a company of this caliber. A brand new boat that I can't even use!!! Not to mention all the cost of ownership for it to sit in a slip broken.

 

[HappyPlace]

Bobby,

Quite an ordeal to say the least. I'm sure you are extremely frustrated. I just wanted to chime in with our experience purchasing a 2014 R31 CB from a broker (not a Ranger dealer) in South Carolina last year. We had the boat delivered to Maryland at our marina. We missed out on the new owner experience the factory provides since we purchased it used.

1. Anytime I have contacted ANYONE at the factory for questions relating to parts, service or general questions, it has ALWAYS been a timely, positive experience! (I have made many inquiries about maintenance, parts, and general operation too, being a new owner.)

2. Whenever we post questions on this site, we have ALWAYS received lots of positive helpful input!

3. Although our local Ranger dealership (http://pocketyachtco.com) is a good distance from us, they are ALWAYS willing to help us out and give us guidance, even though the boat was not purchased through them.

I definitely feel your anger and frustration, but it seems like most of the problems were not addressed by your dealership and it went downhill from there, adding insult to injury.

My wife and I are extremely happy with our Ranger Tug. We recommend our local dealership (as we have sent many perspective buyers to them). Our experience with the factory has been nothing short of awesome. We would not hesitate to purchase another Ranger in the future. I truly hope you get your problems resolved and can get on with an enjoyable summer season!

Al Sr.

 

[Bobby Beard]

Bobby,

Quite an ordeal to say the least. I'm sure you are extremely frustrated. I just wanted to chime in with our experience purchasing a 2014 R31 CB from a broker (not a Ranger dealer) in South Carolina last year. We had the boat delivered to Maryland at our marina. We missed out on the new owner experience the factory provides since we purchased it used.

1. Anytime I have contacted ANYONE at the factory for questions relating to parts, service or general questions, it has ALWAYS been a timely, positive experience! (I have made many inquiries about maintenance, parts, and general operation too, being a new owner.)

2. Whenever we post questions on this site, we have ALWAYS received lots of positive helpful input!

3. Although our local Ranger dealership (http://pocketyachtco.com) is a good distance from us, they are ALWAYS willing to help us out and give us guidance, even though the boat was not purchased through them.

I definitely feel your anger and frustration, but it seems like most of the problems were not addressed by your dealership and it went downhill from there, adding insult to injury.

My wife and I are extremely happy with our Ranger Tug. We recommend our local dealership (as we have sent many perspective buyers to them). Our experience with the factory has been nothing short of awesome. We would not hesitate to purchase another Ranger in the future. I truly hope you get your problems resolved and can get on with an enjoyable summer season!

Al Sr.

Thank you Al for the words of encouragement about the factory. I feel like I've given ample opportunity and time to have most of these issues resolved. Honestly I feel my issues haven't been a priority from day one and I am extremely disappointed in ranger service..

 

[Andrew Custis]

Bobby,

I agree that this situation has taken a turn for the worst and we could have all done things better to have these items taken care of quickly and effectively. Sometimes involving third parties makes it so much more difficult as the priority isn't the same. With that being said, I am organizing a flight out next Monday night to work on your boat Tuesday and Wednesday. I will be bringing my right hand man who is certified on all of the Volvo engines and will be able to diagnose and repair anything related. We will bring a turbo with us and pull it off an in stock engine if we cannot obtain from Volvo in time. I will address the Generator issue and make sure any wiring and all systems are operating as they should. Please confirm this is acceptable and I will purchase plane tickets tomorrow.

Thank you for the opportunity.

 

[Bobby Beard]

Bobby,

I agree that this situation has taken a turn for the worst and we could have all done things better to have these items taken care of quickly and effectively. Sometimes involving third parties makes it so much more difficult as the priority isn't the same. With that being said, I am organizing a flight out next Monday night to work on your boat Tuesday and Wednesday. I will be bringing my right hand man who is certified on all of the Volvo engines and will be able to diagnose and repair anything related. We will bring a turbo with us and pull it off an in stock engine if we cannot obtain from Volvo in time. I will address the Generator issue and make sure any wiring and all systems are operating as they should. Please confirm this is acceptable and I will purchase plane tickets tomorrow.

Thank you for the opportunity.

Andrew that would be great! I will make sure I'm here and available. Anything to get this done and behind us.

 

[South lake]

Bobby, what you've experienced is inexcusable. I tend to agree with Al that the dealer owns a big part of this. Who is your dealer so we all know?

 

[The Masons]

Like everyone who have read your account I am very sorry you had such a bad impression. Mine experience has been the opposite - after buying our new 2013 R27 Stella Blue we had some issues become apparent (defective naugahyde of the seats, a problem with one of the galley lights, etc.), but in every case Andrew Custis or one of his team addressed my problems quickly and with genuine concern for me and the boat. Hopefully your situation will serve as a wake-up to the factory to not allow this sort of escalation to occur going forward.

 

[Jake]

Bobby, what you've experienced is inexcusable. I tend to agree with Al that the dealer owns a big part of this. Who is your dealer so we all know?

Yes, that dealer should no longer be a Ranger Tug dealer. Reason I doubt I will ever buy an "expensive" new boat. Too many dealers think every boat customer is a mechanic and they should be able to fix any defects themselves.

 

[Brian B]

Jake raises a very valid point about service from a dealer. I wonder how these "techs" are trained? Do they get Ranger Tug factory training? Do they get Volvo training on a regular basis to keep up with the technology? This is also something for a perspective Yamaha buyer to consider where they will have the o/b engine serviced. My buddy who is a certified Master tech attends factory training yearly from Yamaha, and Evinrude to maintain his certification.

 

[JamesTXSD]

Yeah, if you aren't in the PNW, a supportive dealer will make a BIG difference. Some boat manufacturers use boat brokers, as opposed to a full-service dealer. Ranger Tugs has made owners loyal by taking good care of those owners; but if a dealer at the other end of the country can't/won't support the buyer, that really shouldn't be a slam on Ranger Tugs factory folks. Seems to me that the OP is now getting factory support that very few manufacturers would provide. Also seems that this has been lack of dealer support... and Ranger Tugs is picking up where the dealer dropped the ball. Watching from the sidelines, maybe the title of this thread should be: Would not recommend this particular (un-named as yet) dealer.

 

[baz]

The time/effort/expense that Ranger Tugs Customer Support puts forth to deal with this sort of issue truly amazes me at times. The Ranger Tugs reputation is more than maintained by these efforts.

I really do hope that Bobby's issues get resolved and knowing Andrew I know that it will be. 🙂

Keep us posted Bobby.

 

[Disaster Relief]

Hello and I hope your issues are getting resolved. I have a feeling I know what Dealer you may have bought this from, if so, you probably know they are a small dealer. I'm just going to try to relate my experience in hopes that it may ease a bit of your anxiety. Even though you have had more than your share of problems and I feel for you, they have worked overtime to address some issues I had. It is obvious they have a lot on their plate. When I first saw their operation I knew that I could take my time, just so I could be sure that everything had been shook down. So I left the boat there and visited it several times so I could get the bugs out so to speak. They don't have a certified mechanic on staff per se but they do have a guy that I found to be very knowledgeable that works on minor and perhaps major stuff. I knew I needed to give them some extra time to get things done. It's been almost a month since I bought my 31CB and I'm leaving in it this weekend to take it to its new home, but, all this was my prerogative. This gave me time to put several hours on it and feel sure that everything was ok. This is not a huge dealership like Galati or Legendary or others that have a huge presence. I liked the fact that it was a smaller outfit. I didn't mind if things took a little longer, in fact I knew it probably would. For me all this was a plus. At the big dealerships I would not have been able to spend quality time with my huge investment like I have at this dealer. Made me feel much more comfortable about the whole thing. I will be leaving there with several hours of experience with my 31, not just a test run.

The bottom line: they gave me a smokin' price and there was no pressure. I have put them through much more than one could expect from most dealers. By this weekend they will have put my boat in and out 3 times now, allowed me to stay in their marina over a weekend for free, spent hours with my questions and concerns and each time they washed and spiffed up the boat. I'm sure by now they are ready for me to go but I believe if I still had any issues they would keep it and get it fixed, no problem. It may take them a little longer in the future because of their location or my location to them. The Volvo Tech had to be scheduled which only took a few days and one is nearby there and there is one close by where I'm going.

My last boat was a Silverton 33C that exploded at a fuel dock last year. Every experience is a learning one, trust me Silverton and all the others have their issues as well, but that's another thread starting with fuel tank placement and quality control.

No doubt Ranger Tugs is having some ramping up pains. I think they are producing a third more boats now than they were last year or the year before. I'm in business for myself and everyday ain't perfect. I've left one voice mail about an auxiliary motor mount and the call wasn't returned from the factory. However I mentioned this to the dealer and he addressed the issue for me, not immediately but within a few days.

Still, my overall opinion is that the design and engineering is in the excellent category. Overall I am very pleased. I've researched the Volvo power plants and am satisfied that they will deliver good service with a low amount of problems. It looks like the factory was in a bit of a hurry when doing the fit and finish on a few things but I'm ok with it as long as it gets resolved.

All this time I took to finally take actual possession of my new 31CB also allowed me time to study things in detail. The dealer was instrumental in helping me to know exactly what I was getting into. I have no doubt they will address my future issues. So far they have been very attentive and I have no reason to think they won't continue. In fact they have made me feel like a friend.

What I'm hoping is that this bad experience will turn into a positive one. I'm watching and waiting with you and I think many of us are. For now I'm giving the Ranger Tugs folks and your dealer the benefit of the doubt but fully understand your frustration.

Keep us all in the loop.

Brian Suggs
Disaster Relief
Ranger Tugs 31CB

 

[Champ]

We bought our R-23 directly from the factory last year taking delivery in Marlboro, NY Labor Day weekend. I can say it was the best buying experience we ever had. These guys are the best there is. We bought our R-23 sight unseen after taking a ride on an R-21 and realizing it would not work for us. Jeff, Andrew, Ralf and the delivery driver are all customer comes first people. The R-23 meets all our needs and doubt at this point in our life we would ever need another boat but I would without hesitation recommend Ranger tugs to anyone who would ask.