JD Power... Regal upsets SeaRay

Bridog

Well-Known Member
Oct 4, 2006
4,961
Gulf Shores AL / Brick NJ
Boat Info
2016 19SPX OB
Engines
Mercury 150 4S OB
Wow, we were just taken over by Regal for the express cruiser category. That's a spot SeaRay held for the last 4 years right? At least Brunswick's line of pontoon boats is now #1
 
Thanks Richard for the links.. But now I see they beat us in large runabouts and small runabouts too!! :smt021 Very disturbing. I'm sure I'll hear how this doesn't mean anything...tell that to the advertising dept over at Regal.(I already got their e-mail)
 
I don't know the JD Powers folks from adams house cat but if they are giving away awards to folks who pay them, then why are they listened to on a lot of other issues. I think JD Power is doing a good job at being objective. Sea Ray ain't the only mouse trap on the market, and as a production boat they still got some pretty high marks all the way around. That consistancy is long term. Just because Regal won this year is meaningless. Sea Ray will bounce back after they fire a few of those idiots that thought up the 290 and 310DA's and made the decision to install those dumb butt star trek chairs in the sport boats. :grin: Like they say in Football....wait till next year. :smt038
 
Some where I read that JD Powers reports the subjective opinions of a few. This comment was attributed to an employee of JDP. I've only recieved one of their questionnaires. It was for an Audi I bought a few years ago. I wonder if the sample sizes are representative. I do know you can game the system by having your sales people focus on issues that will be included in the survey (should you get one) at the time the product is delivered. The Audi questionnaire was pretty thorough however. Not sure how you could gin up positive responses on a truly bad product. They do have some hokey categories. Who cares if you win on initial quality, but things go south in a year?
 
Rob, I agree 110 percent. And it shows!! I always liked them alot and still do. Just time for SR to step it up now.
 
Check out the Regal website. They are a bit “in your face†with the two awards all over their site. I suppose congratulations are in order, but I just can’t get past the overall look of the boats lines and the odd cockpit configurations. The Regal owners that I know do love them and they have the same intense brand loyalty that we do for SR.
 
Hey STIHL what's wrong with the new 290 I kinda like as still being trailerable and I would not to climb up to get into bed like I do with the 260. Been looking at them real hard. :thumbsup:
 
Well I hate to say it (because I'm generally a big Sea Ray fan), but based on the number of warrantee issues I've had to deal with this year, I'm not surprised the award went to someone else.
 
LB there was a thread 9 miles long on SRO that went into details about my trip to Destin and riding the 290DA. I have seen 1 on the water since that trip. None yet in Gulf waters. I would love for a 290DA owner to get on this board and tell us of their experiences. I have not even seen a 290DA owner on any other board either.

Do you remember the "Thing" by Volkswagen? Totally utility. Remove the top, remove the doors, looked like a old German army car. Just too darn ugly. If I could find one now for under $500 bucks I would buy it to ride in the mud with it.

I don't know for completely sure why I have a prejudice against the boat but if I had to nail it down it would. "It does not flow". Everything has to have a rhythm. That boat is cut up, boxed up, squeezed up and looks ungainly. For $150-170 thousand dollars of my money, the darn thing better flow. :wink: But hey, that's just me. :smt043
 
The marina where I keep my boat is a big Regal dealer and I've tried extremely hard to like a Regal, but the styling is weeny and the layouts on the 28-34' boats are odd and made for day boating and not for me. However, Regal's service and quality are very good. All Regal has to do is tweek their styling (start by taking about twenty pounds of chrome off each boat), and start copying Sea Ray's layouts, and they will really put a hurtin' on Sea Ray, especially with the latest JD Power rating.

On the 290 issue, just look on Yachtworld. Last time I looked, there was ONE 290 for sale, and a ton of new 280s. I'd say, the 290 hasn't been a big seller. I'm not a new boat buyer, but I spent some time on a 310 at the Charleston boat show a few weeks ago, and what struck me was the tiny sink (the size of a large soup bowl), and the funky seat on the swim platform. That seat needs an interlock to keep the boat from starting if it's open. The weight of the boat too seemed awefully high for a hull that size. I hope Sea Ray isn't loosing its way. Regal is ready to pounce.

Sadler
 
I think Sea Ray needs to lay the robot off who makes the plugs for the molds for a while, I think they have TOO MANY hulls, its hard to fit certain boats into slots, I think the 29 is one of them, too many damm Sundancers to chose from.
 
I agree. I think the older (whether it be 3 -10 years) SR 290 & 300 are much nicer than the newer 290/310's. That rear seat is interesting but very wacky. I think I read on another thread about the fact that the opening is very rough fiberglas finish and I noticed that also at the shows. I not a Rinker fan but if you look at the Rinker swim platform seats, they are much nicer and better finished. As for the Regal, I think it is a great boat but just not a SR. I have an older SR and am ecstatic. I agree though that SR needs to step up with there newer models and do some serious tweeking if they want to maintain their audience. I also think it depends on what demographic and what part of the county JD Powers utilizes for there ratings. If you come out to L.I., N.Y. you're in big SR country, if you go somewhere else you might be in big Regal country so demographics/location is very important to ratings also.
Sorry, I'm always told that I'm long winded!!!! :smt021
 
I wouldn't hold out for any design do-overs. I think the entire Sundancer line is committed to this new agressive styling. Just my opinion.
 
For me the difference is the styling.

Regal and others don't resist the temptation to squeeze the boat higher to get more interior space.

I'm more of a traditionalist when it comes to boat styling. Heck, my first exposure to big boats was on a 1924 Alden schooner. Talk about traditional styling.

A friend has a 2005 Regal just a bit longer than our 250 DA. Yet, his has much more freeboard and it looks bad to me.

He and I both attended the Chicago boat show last month. He really liked the Regals and the Trojans (boxy and tall with lots of interior space)....my preference was the SRs and the Formulas (long, low and sleek).

Lots of folks like what's inside and the exterior isn't as important. Me, I have to relish the outside as much or more than the inside.

Quality-wise, I think Regal and SR are pretty much even, maybe the nod goes to Regal.

I noticed that Regal scored higher than SR in the cruiser engine area. Must have been due to Volvo.
 
I'm on my boat today and I had to go by Sea Ray of Charleston for a part. I asked if the 310 was selling. They told me they had sold three 310s in the last month. That was surprising to me. They didn't recall selling a 290.

Sadler
 

Forum statistics

Threads
112,950
Messages
1,422,861
Members
60,932
Latest member
juliediane
Back
Top