Motorguide the latest to fail

[flatheadsteve]

They gone! What technologies they had have been sold off to Lowrance and simrad. No word yet if they or lowrance will provide support for existing models.

 

[LDUBS]

What I didn't know was Motorguide, Lowrance, and Simrad share the same parent company, Navico. Navico in turn is owned by Brunswick Corp, which also owns Mercury Marine and a long list of boat brands. Crazy.

 

[flatheadsteve]

What I didn't know was Motorguide, Lowrance, and Simrad share the same parent company, Navico. Navico in turn is owned by Brunswick Corp, which also owns Mercury Marine and a long list of boat brands. Crazy.

Mercury stepped into the electric motor game too so I guess with the lowrance ghost they didn't see the need for the rest of the lineup? Shame ...guess minn kota is about the only game left for a simple cheap no frills trolling motor. Maybe Lawrence will market a simple transom mount type. Guess their is always the Amazon and Chinese brands ....

 

[FuzzyGrub]

I saw this a few weeks ago and was disappointed. My Xi3 has been doing great. Was watching the used market for a 55lb Xi3 or Xi5 and add the pinpoint system to it. This was to replace a W55.

I had a Pinpoint system in my Amazon cart. It was around $350. It quickly went to $500 and out of stock after the announcement. . I think other parts will dry up quickly.

 

[fwman1]

If anyone finds out how parts and service for motorhome will be handled, could you please post back here? I love my XI3.

 

[FuzzyGrub]

If anyone finds out how parts and service for motorhome will be handled, could you please post back here? I love my XI3.

From the MG site:​

Notice​

All future trolling motor production is transitioning to the Lowrance® and Simrad® brands to create a unified, cutting-edge fishing experience. As a result, manufacturing under the MotorGuide® brand has ceased. Ongoing support for MotorGuide owners will continue as before.


I'm hoping the Xi3/Xi5 come back unchanged with a Lowrance badge. Probably won't know that until this coming spring.

Even before this, you had to ship the trolling motor to one of the few service centers. The shipping costs were high. I think there was only a 2-year warrantee, which if the case, mine ended last spring. I had already resigned myself that I would have to do any repairs. After the first year, got rid of all the original packing materials, too.

TrollingMotorParts.com

 

[Keith Kirchoff01]

I saw this a few weeks ago and was disappointed. My Xi3 has been doing great. Was watching the used market for a 55lb Xi3 or Xi5 and add the pinpoint system to it. This was to replace a W55.

I had a Pinpoint system in my Amazon cart. It was around $350. It quickly went to $500 and out of stock after the announcement. . I think other parts will dry up quickly.

There is an x3 on Facebook $500

 

[FuzzyGrub]

There is an x3 on Facebook $500

The W45 I have is still in good working condition. I'm going to wait it out and see what happens in the spring. I tend to keep things for quite awhile, so want to have good parts supply. I might have to switch to MK.

 

[thill]

I hate to say it, but I understand why they weren't succeeding. I've had maybe 5 Motorguides, over the years, and pretty much all of them had issues. The pedal steers had pedal issues, the remote units had steering issues, and the one tiller handle unit locked up unexpectedly. I'm at the point where I steer clear of the brand, although I know many that love them.

Still, fewer names in the market is not good for us consumers...

 

[David Atkins]

What I didn't know was Motorguide, Lowrance, and Simrad share the same parent company, Navico. Navico in turn is owned by Brunswick Corp, which also owns Mercury Marine and a long list of boat brands. Crazy.

In order to control the market you first have to own the market, Brunswick started buying up boat manufacturers, and everything boating many years ago, they bought Wahoo Boats were I was the Production Manager and they moved the entire plant to Lincoln, Alabama; at that time they were buying up every boat company they could along with many other boating accessory companies!

Just what it was!

 

[user 26281]

Just my opinion, I don't think that Lowrance would acquire MotorGuide, and concede all sub $2000 motors to MinCostly, Haswing, ie. With the Recon and Ghost prices, I would think most of MotorGuides line would fit in perfect.

As long as they support current motors, I'm good.

As for future purchases, it seems like the major brands are going to the top end units, and pushing them out of my price range.

Would hate to go to Haswing, but their prices and quality isn't that bad.

 

[Billyfish]

I bought a Newport Transom mount 55lb for my HM canoe. It’s performed fine now for near two years.

 

[Makaw]

What I didn't know was Motorguide, Lowrance, and Simrad share the same parent company, Navico. Navico in turn is owned by Brunswick Corp, which also owns Mercury Marine and a long list of boat brands. Crazy.

This is correct and a lot of people don’t realize that a TON of these brands are owned by the same parent corporations. I have an inside connection that tipped me off the Motorguide brand was being dissolved. Navico/Brunswick will still be making trolling motors, just not as Motorguide. I believe it will be under the Lowrance brand, actually.

I’ll see if I can find out anything on how Motorguide product support will be handled.

 

[David Atkins]

Just my thoughts about major manufacturers buying out smaller firms.

Worked for local boat builder as Production Manager, we were bought out by large firm and then they moved to Alabama location, few years later they stopped building my boat altogether, no longer in production at all and these were awesome boats!

I think it's all about controlling the market!

 

[flatheadsteve]

Just my thoughts about major manufacturers buying out smaller firms.

Worked for local boat builder as Production Manager, we were bought out by large firm and then they moved to Alabama location, few years later they stopped building my boat altogether, no longer in production at all and these were awesome boats!

I think it's all about controlling the market!

It's their way of creating a monopoly while skirting monopoly laws. Then they create a cheaper product that they can charge more for.