Thinking about buying a used turnny boat.

[tipptruck1]

The local marina has a 06 ranger with the wrap still on it. Iam not sure who drove it. But it is wraped in opitma batteries. Features include: Ranger Boat Z package, MinnKota Maxxum Pro 80 lb thrust trolling motor, Humminbird 937 C on console, 3 bank charger, stealth system, custom colors with removaable custom wrap, and Ranger Trail tandem axle trailer with spare tire. It also includes a Evinrude E-tech HO 225. I have been told by the guys at this marina that they are junk. let me add this they sell the erude.  Iam thinking about buying this. They want 40,000 for it. But I have no cluseif I should wait intill next years models are comnig out becasue I can get the years before models for the same price. And yes iam sticking to ranger. I really don't feel like driving 3 hours each way to test drive other brand boats. So whay would be a better deal. Buy the used boat and plus remove the wrap. Its also been sitting for a year and a half now. Or should I wait intill next winter for the new rangers to come out and buy a last years model. Yoy guys with the erude really need to chime in also.

[Daniel My Brother]

Tipp,

I don't know your financial situation, so forgive me if I cross a line, BUT...I don't think I could ever recommend that a student spends $40 grand on a boat that probably won't help you catch any more fish than a $300 jon.

Even top brands like Ranger depreciate in value over time, until they are eventually worth nothing.

Invest that same 40 grand now, then retire early and fish all you want!

Just a thought.

DMB

[Jig Man]

Even if it had a 300 on it that rig would be over priced.  There is a reason that it has been sitting around for a year and a half.  You better not offer anywhere near $35,000 or you may wind up owning it.

[tipptruck1]

Daniel I have more then enough money from my dads estate. As for crossing a line you didn't. Iam pretty open about a lot of stuff including money. I would love a jon boat but I don't small lakes alot. The smallest lake I fish is like 100 acres. Most of the time Iam fishing a 5,000+ acre lakes. I fish a lot of mill lacs, Lake michigan, and the mississippi. I know for a fact a storm can blow up 5 ft plus swells on them lakes. I have seen storms blow 3 ft swells on my local lakes. So its a saftey thing. As for as reasalve vaule iam not worried about it. I plan on keeping the boat for a long time.

Jib Man Thanks I should have knowen that there is a reason its been sitting a long time. I guess I will be getting a non current or a used baot. The same marina had non current rangers for 35 brand new.  

[jdw174]

I'll give you another reason for staying away from that one.  Some of those pros beat the living daylights out of their rigs.  That could be one of them.

[Jig Man]

Jig Man Thanks I should have knowen that there is a reason its been sitting a long time. I guess I will be getting a non current or a used baot. The same marina had non current rangers for 35 brand new.

Now we are talking.  Getting a new noncurrent is perhaps the best way to buy a boat.  Dealerships typically have a "floor plan" and pay a butt load of interest on the boats on the lot.  Some of them will sell the boat at or below cost just to make them go away.  I'd pick out the non current I wanted and start making moves to buy it.  

There is a lot more room to deal on the noncurrents.  Keep an upgrade deal breaker as you haggle.  I sold a lot of noncurrents for as much as $1500 less than I paid for them just to stop the interest.

[maxke01]

tipptruck1 buy the boat you feel comfortable with. Price really is never an issue compared to happiness. Life is way to short for money to stand in the way. Go online and look at maintenance requirements for each boat you plan to buy. If this is the boat you plan on retiring with then dont let cash get in your way. If you plan to sell it in a few years only then would i let pricing get in the way of the smile on your face at the end of the day

[Gatorbassman]

I'll give you another reason for staying away from that one. Some of those pros beat the living daylights out of their rigs. That could be one of them.

I totally agree with this point.

I will add the the Z series Rangers have a hull design that in many peoples opinion is substandard for a Ranger.  The hatch doors don't have alot of needed support. My buddy is having all his hatch door replaces this week because they are cracking due to the lack of support. That is why Ranger built the Z520. The hull is just about the best there is and they went back the the old hatch design.

[tipptruck1]

Fluke I will have to test drive the z520 after ice out. What I didn't like about the z boats was the latch system. I didn't like how you had to be in the boat to shut the hatches. I might also be heading out to test drive a triton. I only have to drive like a hour and a half. So iam going have to see intill next srping to see how munch I can get a z250 for. Or I will be getting a z20.

[IneedAnewScreenName9886691]

Tip- great situation/problem to have!  Good luck in whatever you buy!  My only 2 cents is to seriously consider buying a low milage 1 or 2 year old boat, let someone else take the depreciation IMO.  Many of the warranties continue to the second owner on the newer boats.  

Good luck man!

H.G.

[tipptruck1]

Hey hydrillagorilla2 it is kind of hard choice. I would really like up grade the turbo on my car and get a harley. As munch as I love fast cars I love fishing more. I also grew up around harleys. But I cant see my self putting down good money for a bike yet. I have sat on a lot of bikes and the only ones I fit on are the 15,000 dollers plus bikes. Even used they run like 10,000. So it looks like iam going to pull the tigger on a boat.  

[IneedAnewScreenName9886691]

I understand Tipptruck1.  Do what makes you happy my man!  Sometimes I get going down a path and need somebody shake me a little.

Keep us posted as to what you do and by all means, get pictures to us as fast as possible when you do shoot the thing!  

H.G.

[CGH]

I'll give you another reason for staying away from that one. Some of those pros beat the living daylights out of their rigs. That could be one of them.

x2 or x3 or what ever the count on that post is ;D

No hard feelings mint Dud, But I always seen you as the Car Guy and not that Fishin Guy :

I understand Tipptruck1 it hard to stop or get off a path once one is chosen regardless if that is a path worth following.  But as hydrillagorilla2 said, Do what makes you happy, even if it just for the moment and hope it comes out alright in the long run

[Way2slow]

My Javelin was a CITGO BASS tourney boat and was very nice boat but as mentioned before, that's not always the case.  A lot of the condition is going to depend on the type sponsership.  A lot of the lesser ranked guys fishing the FLW and such are furnished the boat and given a big discount.  They have to sell the boats when they get their new boats to pay Ranger.  If they can't get what it takes to pay Ranger, they have to make up the difference.  Because of this, most of these guys take very good care of their boats because it can get expsensive when it comes time to sell and the boats beat to hell and they can't get what they need to pay Ranger.

[CJ]

Yup, I'd stay away from that one.

There's to many good deals on leftover 2007 boats that have full warranty and they're brand new.

I'll probally get flamed for this but I'm gonna say it. Rangers are over-rated. To many good boats out there for less $$. JMO

[bassdocktor]

Tipp if you are gonna remove the wrap make sure you know what color is underneath it. It'd be horrible to drop the much money and not like the color.

Also you might wanna wait for the Z520 to come out. I'm not a Ranger guy but a good friend and club member of mine is and that's what he's plannig to get. He's on the Ranger pro-staff aswell. But the key to all that is he spends more time on Lake Michigan than anyone I've talked to. He actually bought the regular 520 for the hull over the Z boats. However, as I understand it the new Z520 is the same hull but wider?

Again this is only what I've heard but the Z is a boat you will really have to drive. They can also be a wet ride when it gets nasty. These are just the things I've heard at my club meeting from a guy with a 07 520 with a 225 and a Z21 with a 250.

Either way man good luck. If you wanna look up stuff on Tritons look back there was a good on going thread.

[tipptruck1]

Thanks for the words guys. I have been doing my home work for almsot two years now. I might have to wait on the boat now with a few of you guys suggesting I get the ranger z520.

[Madhouse27]

Tipp, This is a huge financial decision. I think I'd certainly deal with the "hassle" of traveling around a bit and trying out some different models and looking at the inventory that other dealers have to offer. You're talking about alot of cash so I'd be patient and try to enjoy the "shopping" portion of the whole experience. The economy is a bit rough right now and something tells me there are some incredible deals out there for the guy who takes the time to search them out. Maybe you could find a steal on a 2007 Skeeter ZX series boat.