Bennington Dealer News

ishoot308 · 05-21-2015, 07:49 PM

Edited to say, I thought news was public knowledge. Post removed to respect privacy and will allow owner / owners to announce....

Sorry for the confusion...

Dan

Dad sold the C * C · 05-21-2015, 08:34 PM

Very interesting, that may explain why we saw one running down the lake last weekend. We don't have a lot of Bennington's on Winnisquam, and this looked new and "loaded".

codeman671 · 05-22-2015, 05:05 AM

Wow, would never have seen that coming...

Ryan, spill it! What is going on here?

Winni_Bay · 05-22-2015, 11:32 AM

This info is correct
New Bennington dealer is wiinnisquam marine
channel marine sold allot of them
see how this turns out for warranty work

Happy Gourmand · 05-22-2015, 11:47 AM

So, is Winnisquam dropping Premier? Are they just adding Bennington? As a Premier owner, I hope I and other owners don't become orphaned. It would be nice to have a Premier dealer on Winni.

Winni_Bay · 05-22-2015, 01:19 PM

From what is was told no more premier slow process
some other dealer local will pick them up most likley

WinniMarine · 05-22-2015, 07:38 PM

What was mentioned is in the works. We will still have a relationship with Premier and plan on performing warranty work and parts for some time. Premier builds a good boat but we liked some of the features and layouts on Bennington. We also liked the enthusiasm that the employees had as we toured the factory and we were very impressed. They are heading in the right direction. We saw an opportunity and took it and we feel our customers will be impressed with what they have to offer. They were our biggest competition for a reason. We plan on servicing current Bennington customers and taking care of any parts or warranties. Just as we changed from Four Winns to Crownline years ago we are always looking for the best value for our customers. This wasn't an easy decision but I feel it was the right decision.

More news to come later but we are working to make this a smooth transition for current and future customers of both brands.

Ryan Crawford
Winnisquam Marine

Dad sold the C * C · 05-22-2015, 09:26 PM

Thank you for the quick response, it's better than speculation on our part.

Maybe you should work for the NFL

SAMIAM · 05-23-2015, 08:47 AM

That is great news......We love the folks at Winnisquam Marine but just couldn't pull the trigger on a Premier because we liked the design and quality of the Bennington better.....felt kind of guilty gassing up at WM with my new Q with the sport tower.

SAMIAM · 05-23-2015, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dad sold the C * C

Very interesting, that may explain why we saw one running down the lake last weekend. We don't have a lot of Bennington's on Winnisquam, and this looked new and "loaded".

That was me

.....first ride of the year.

chasedawg · 05-23-2015, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAMIAM

That is great news......We love the folks at Winnisquam Marine but just couldn't pull the trigger on a Premier because we liked the design and quality of the Bennington better.....felt kind of guilty gassing up at WM with my new Q with the sport tower.

Wow that is amazing news. I agree with you SAMIAM. I like you loved Ryan, his parents and the staff. But after having done much research and sea testing the Bennington in my mind was a superior built boat. Looking forward to a new relationship with Winnisquam Marine.

Thanks Ryan for letting us know. I have been to the factory and agree with your comments.

secondcurve · 05-23-2015, 08:31 PM

I am surprised they let Bennington go to Winnisquam.

chasedawg · 05-23-2015, 08:35 PM

Congratulations on your new Bennington Q. Awesome boat. You could not have bought it from Winnisquam. Did you have any idea that this change was going to happen?

chasedawg · 05-23-2015, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by secondcurve

I am surprised they let Bennington go to Winnisquam.

I am surprised as well. I had a great relationship at Channel. They treated me extremely well. I was even asked to help them at the Boston boat shows. I don't quit get it. I'm sure I will learn more in the near term.

WinniMarine · 05-23-2015, 09:47 PM

What dealer holds a brand is ultimately the decision of the manufacturer. We have number 2 market share in the state of NH, Godfrey is number 1 with 4 brands and multiple dealers. Bennington is number 1 as far as volume nationwide. We feel that with their product and our selling style and energy we can gain market share. We have always known our competition very well and we like the direction Bennington is going as a company. We really like the boats as far as layouts, features, options and quality. We have also talked with other Bennington dealers and been told that their dealer support is great which is what allows us to take care of the customer. All of these combined is what creates value.

We are very excited... Thanks for all the positive comments...

Ryan Crawford
Winnisquam Marine

Dad sold the C * C · 05-24-2015, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAMIAM

That was me

.....first ride of the year.

Very nice looking boat!
See, that's where speculation takes you.

Still settling into our new cabin, not sure what we want for a "big boat" yet. Last year we rented a few times dependent on our needs and that worked out. I'm looking forward to trying more offerings from WM.

SAMIAM · 05-24-2015, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chasedawg

Congratulations on your new Bennington Q. Awesome boat. You could not have bought it from Winnisquam. Did you have any idea that this change was going to happen?

Total surprise chasedawg.....thought I was seeing things when I read the forum yesterday.Couldn't be happier to be doing business with Winnisquam again.

chasedawg · 05-24-2015, 11:06 AM

Meanwhile during this transition, Channel has a great deal of Bennington inventory that they have to move. If you know of anyone looking for a quality Bennington I would suggest they give Channel Marine a call. Ask for Jay. Tell them to tell Jay that Chasedawg suggested they call.

tabascocat98 · 05-24-2015, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Gourmand

So, is Winnisquam dropping Premier? Are they just adding Bennington? As a Premier owner, I hope I and other owners don't become orphaned. It would be nice to have a Premier dealer on Winni.

We couldn't agree with you more. We love our Premier--bought a new one last year. Let's hope we do not become orphans!

tabascocat98 · 05-24-2015, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WinniMarine

What dealer holds a brand is ultimately the decision of the manufacturer. We have number 2 market share in the state of NH, Godfrey is number 1 with 4 brands and multiple dealers. Bennington is number 1 as far as volume nationwide. We feel that with their product and our selling style and energy we can gain market share. We have always known our competition very well and we like the direction Bennington is going as a company. We really like the boats as far as layouts, features, options and quality. We have also talked with other Bennington dealers and been told that their dealer support is great which is what allows us to take care of the customer. All of these combined is what creates value.

We are very excited... Thanks for all the positive comments...

Ryan Crawford
Winnisquam Marine

Seriously.....this is quite the news. Not feeling too happy about this as our boat (Premier) was new last year--will be happy if warranty items are covered.

Patofnaud · 05-25-2015, 03:36 PM

Channel continues to maintain Bennington's

<-- New Benni owner @ Channel

WinniMarine · 05-25-2015, 03:49 PM

As I said in a previous post we are keeping a relationship with Premier for some time and will have access to parts and warranty. We are on good terms with the factory. There is a lot that went into this decision but don't worry current Premier owners we are going to help.

The decision to take on Bennington wasn't because we disliked Premier or its product, its just we can offer more to our customers with one brand with Bennington. We would carry both but that's not possible with 2 big brands like Premier and Bennington. They look for exclusively as manufacturers so you can focus on one. There are things I like about both brands...

Ryan Crawford
Winnisquam Marine

chasedawg · 05-25-2015, 07:19 PM

Ok from what I understand from your post Premier owners don't have to be concerned about warranty issues. What agreement have you made with Tom Cooper and Bennington management concerning Bennington warranty issues. Like you mentioned you have been down this road before with Four Winns and Crowline.
As a Bennington owner who do I turn too for warranty support now. And thirty days from now.

WinniMarine · 05-25-2015, 09:20 PM

We will be happy to perform any warranty work on any Benningtons that have been bought from any other dealership. We hope to gain the current Bennington customers business and service is top priority. We did the same thing with Crownline as you mentioned and it gained many great customers that many ultimately bought new boats from us.

We want to make the transition as smooth as possible and keep everyone happy with both brands. We know that's a lot to handle but I can promise that we will do our absolute best!!!

There will also be a transitional period that Channel will be able to perform warranty and get parts. We will see how the transition goes but if anyone has problems or questions they can contact me personally.

Ryan Crawford
Winnisquam Marine

Happy Gourmand · 06-09-2015, 08:23 AM

Will anybody be picking up the Premier line?

tabascocat98 · 07-14-2015, 02:29 PM

Yes. Irwin is picking up Premier . They will be getting them in the showroom in about 2 weeks--confirmed it there yesterday.

caloway · 07-15-2015, 09:11 AM

With Crownline and Bennington, all Winnisquam needs is a NASWA across the bridge and they'll be Channel before the recession.

05-21-2015, 07:49 PM	#1
ishoot308 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Gilford, NH / Welch Island Posts: 6,243 Thanks: 2,389 Thanked 5,282 Times in 2,054 Posts	News Edited to say, I thought news was public knowledge. Post removed to respect privacy and will allow owner / owners to announce.... Sorry for the confusion... Dan __________________ It's Always Sunny On Welch Island!! Last edited by ishoot308; 05-25-2015 at 03:42 PM.

05-22-2015, 11:32 AM	#4
Winni_Bay Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 50 Thanks: 1 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	bennington This info is correct New Bennington dealer is wiinnisquam marine channel marine sold allot of them see how this turns out for warranty work

05-22-2015, 01:19 PM	#6
Winni_Bay Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 50 Thanks: 1 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	premier From what is was told no more premier slow process some other dealer local will pick them up most likley

05-22-2015, 07:38 PM	#7
WinniMarine Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: 12 Sunset Dr. Belmont, NH 03220 Posts: 20 Thanks: 2 Thanked 62 Times in 10 Posts	Winnisquam Marine What was mentioned is in the works. We will still have a relationship with Premier and plan on performing warranty work and parts for some time. Premier builds a good boat but we liked some of the features and layouts on Bennington. We also liked the enthusiasm that the employees had as we toured the factory and we were very impressed. They are heading in the right direction. We saw an opportunity and took it and we feel our customers will be impressed with what they have to offer. They were our biggest competition for a reason. We plan on servicing current Bennington customers and taking care of any parts or warranties. Just as we changed from Four Winns to Crownline years ago we are always looking for the best value for our customers. This wasn't an easy decision but I feel it was the right decision. More news to come later but we are working to make this a smooth transition for current and future customers of both brands. Ryan Crawford Winnisquam Marine

05-23-2015, 08:31 PM	#12
secondcurve Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,117 Thanks: 1,325 Thanked 559 Times in 288 Posts	What happened at Channel? I am surprised they let Bennington go to Winnisquam.

The Following User Says Thank You to ishoot308 For This Useful Post:
pjard (05-21-2015)

05-21-2015, 08:34 PM	#2
Dad sold the C * C Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 273 Thanks: 119 Thanked 62 Times in 40 Posts	Very interesting, that may explain why we saw one running down the lake last weekend. We don't have a lot of Bennington's on Winnisquam, and this looked new and "loaded".

05-22-2015, 05:05 AM	#3
codeman671 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3,493 Thanks: 221 Thanked 811 Times in 487 Posts	Wow, would never have seen that coming... Ryan, spill it! What is going on here?

05-22-2015, 11:47 AM	#5
Happy Gourmand Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ruskin FL Posts: 1,027 Thanks: 188 Thanked 322 Times in 179 Posts	So, is Winnisquam dropping Premier? Are they just adding Bennington? As a Premier owner, I hope I and other owners don't become orphaned. It would be nice to have a Premier dealer on Winni.

The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to WinniMarine For This Useful Post:
chasedawg (05-23-2015), ishoot308 (05-23-2015), Just Sold (05-24-2015), Lakegeezer (05-23-2015), Resident 2B (05-23-2015)

05-22-2015, 09:26 PM	#8
Dad sold the C * C Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 273 Thanks: 119 Thanked 62 Times in 40 Posts	Thank you for the quick response, it's better than speculation on our part. Maybe you should work for the NFL

05-23-2015, 08:47 AM	#9
SAMIAM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 2,894 Thanks: 334 Thanked 1,675 Times in 585 Posts	That is great news......We love the folks at Winnisquam Marine but just couldn't pull the trigger on a Premier because we liked the design and quality of the Bennington better.....felt kind of guilty gassing up at WM with my new Q with the sport tower.

The Following User Says Thank You to SAMIAM For This Useful Post:
chasedawg (05-23-2015)

05-23-2015, 08:35 PM	#13
chasedawg Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Melvin village Posts: 522 Thanks: 512 Thanked 314 Times in 148 Posts	New Bennington Q Congratulations on your new Bennington Q. Awesome boat. You could not have bought it from Winnisquam. Did you have any idea that this change was going to happen?

05-23-2015, 09:47 PM	#15
WinniMarine Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: 12 Sunset Dr. Belmont, NH 03220 Posts: 20 Thanks: 2 Thanked 62 Times in 10 Posts	Bennington What dealer holds a brand is ultimately the decision of the manufacturer. We have number 2 market share in the state of NH, Godfrey is number 1 with 4 brands and multiple dealers. Bennington is number 1 as far as volume nationwide. We feel that with their product and our selling style and energy we can gain market share. We have always known our competition very well and we like the direction Bennington is going as a company. We really like the boats as far as layouts, features, options and quality. We have also talked with other Bennington dealers and been told that their dealer support is great which is what allows us to take care of the customer. All of these combined is what creates value. We are very excited... Thanks for all the positive comments... Ryan Crawford Winnisquam Marine

The Following User Says Thank You to SAMIAM For This Useful Post:
chasedawg (05-24-2015)

05-24-2015, 11:06 AM	#18
chasedawg Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Melvin village Posts: 522 Thanks: 512 Thanked 314 Times in 148 Posts	Bennington Meanwhile during this transition, Channel has a great deal of Bennington inventory that they have to move. If you know of anyone looking for a quality Bennington I would suggest they give Channel Marine a call. Ask for Jay. Tell them to tell Jay that Chasedawg suggested they call.

05-25-2015, 03:36 PM	#21
Patofnaud Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Tilton/Paugus Bay Posts: 239 Thanks: 13 Thanked 64 Times in 45 Posts	And hopefully,,, Channel continues to maintain Bennington's <-- New Benni owner @ Channel

05-25-2015, 03:49 PM	#22
WinniMarine Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: 12 Sunset Dr. Belmont, NH 03220 Posts: 20 Thanks: 2 Thanked 62 Times in 10 Posts	Premier Warranty As I said in a previous post we are keeping a relationship with Premier for some time and will have access to parts and warranty. We are on good terms with the factory. There is a lot that went into this decision but don't worry current Premier owners we are going to help. The decision to take on Bennington wasn't because we disliked Premier or its product, its just we can offer more to our customers with one brand with Bennington. We would carry both but that's not possible with 2 big brands like Premier and Bennington. They look for exclusively as manufacturers so you can focus on one. There are things I like about both brands... Ryan Crawford Winnisquam Marine

05-25-2015, 07:19 PM	#23
chasedawg Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Melvin village Posts: 522 Thanks: 512 Thanked 314 Times in 148 Posts	Bennington warranty Ok from what I understand from your post Premier owners don't have to be concerned about warranty issues. What agreement have you made with Tom Cooper and Bennington management concerning Bennington warranty issues. Like you mentioned you have been down this road before with Four Winns and Crowline. As a Bennington owner who do I turn too for warranty support now. And thirty days from now.

05-25-2015, 09:20 PM	#24
WinniMarine Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: 12 Sunset Dr. Belmont, NH 03220 Posts: 20 Thanks: 2 Thanked 62 Times in 10 Posts	Warranty We will be happy to perform any warranty work on any Benningtons that have been bought from any other dealership. We hope to gain the current Bennington customers business and service is top priority. We did the same thing with Crownline as you mentioned and it gained many great customers that many ultimately bought new boats from us. We want to make the transition as smooth as possible and keep everyone happy with both brands. We know that's a lot to handle but I can promise that we will do our absolute best!!! There will also be a transitional period that Channel will be able to perform warranty and get parts. We will see how the transition goes but if anyone has problems or questions they can contact me personally. Ryan Crawford Winnisquam Marine

The Following User Says Thank You to WinniMarine For This Useful Post:
chasedawg (05-26-2015)

06-09-2015, 08:23 AM	#25
Happy Gourmand Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ruskin FL Posts: 1,027 Thanks: 188 Thanked 322 Times in 179 Posts	Premier Pontoons Will anybody be picking up the Premier line?

07-14-2015, 02:29 PM	#26
tabascocat98 Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 23 Thanks: 33 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Yes. Irwin is picking up Premier . They will be getting them in the showroom in about 2 weeks--confirmed it there yesterday.

07-15-2015, 09:11 AM	#27
caloway Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: exeter, nh Posts: 73 Thanks: 4 Thanked 10 Times in 8 Posts	Channel circa 2008 With Crownline and Bennington, all Winnisquam needs is a NASWA across the bridge and they'll be Channel before the recession.

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colt17 (07-15-2015)