2022 bass tracker classic xl quality?

[Gavin1818]

looking at buying a bass tracker classic xl from a local dealer. ill start by saying I know bass tracker is a entry level boat so I don't expect the world, After doing some research I was reading the consumer reports and they were awful, cracking welds, leaking boats, Tracker taking 5+ months to fix issues and this makes me very weary. I always thought these were decent boats made decently well that would last me a good while. Anyone has any experience with these new trackers are they really as bad as the consumer reports make them sound. and are there any other company's that maybe fall in around the 19k mark for a decent boat and trailer?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

[Woody B]

I've had mine since December.  I've fished multiple times per week every week since then.  (I've got 70 hours on the motor)  I haven't had any problems.  It has no leaks.  The only water that gets in it is from rain.  I've beat the heck out of it fishing and unloading and loading in the wind.   Still no leaks.  If were a glass boat it would have needed repairs.   

 

So, as long as you realize it's the economy sub compact of bass boats you should be fine.   

[Gavin1818]

3 minutes ago, Woody B said:

I've had mine since December.  I've fished multiple times per week every week since then.  (I've got 70 hours on the motor)  I haven't had any problems.  It has no leaks.  The only water that gets in it is from rain.  I've beat the heck out of it fishing and unloading and loading in the wind.   Still no leaks.  If were a glass boat it would have needed repairs.   

 

So, as long as you realize it's the economy sub compact of bass boats you should be fine.   

ok cool, i was reading all the consumer reports and made me almost run in fear with everyone saying how awful their warrantee is and how horrible of issues they were having i saw 10+ instances on there of cracked welds and tracker not warrantying them

and also any benefit of going with the pro 170 its more money for less motor and cant find a difference other than the bigger live well and rod box

[Gavin1818]

The other this is whats the big difference between the classic xl and the pro 170 and is it worth the money

[Woody B]

The Pro 170 has a larger casting deck, an 11 gallon fuel tank, gauges and more storage.  I've extended my casting deck and added storage.   I considered the Pro 170 but my wife said the black Classic XL would look better behind my black truck.  Happy wife, happy life.   As I've said before I'm pleased with mine.  You can get the Pro 170 with 50 horsepower too.  

 

[12poundbass]

You need to take everything you read online with a grain of salt no matter what the brand is or what the product is. I’m willing to bet that the denied warranty claims for cracked hulls were from people beaching their boats or running aground or hitting stumps while cruising why wouldn’t they deny the claim.

 

Keep in mind too that Tracker is the number one selling boats on the market by far, so naturally they’re going to have more complaints than other brands. 

[Craig P]

Bear with me on this response…it’s probably going to go around the world but it is relevant….

 

I now have a Crestliner Storm 1600, I recommend adding that boat or the 1700 to your search as a good comparison to the Classic.

 

I previously had a Tracker ProGuide V16 Deep V.  As time went by, my fishing style and needs / wants changed and that was the reason for the switch.  I had the ProGuide for 4 years and I never had any real issues with it other than what I would label as fit and finish.

 

I enjoy working on boats and adding finders, trolling motors, wiring, batteries, etc. I know that Tracker inside and out. Fast forward to my Crestliner that has received the same treatment as that Tracker with add-ons, OMG! that Tracker was tough to work on and the Crestliner fit and finish is WAY better than Tracker so I can understand why other people have issues. However!

 

Most complaints are from people who purchase directly from Bass Pro. If you can find a true servicing dealer in your area, your experience is going to be much better.  I purchased my Tracker from a true dealer who do their own work. If a weld cracks or anything else under the sun, they fix it at their shop. They do not send it back to the factory like Bass Pro leaving people without their boats for months on end as well as questionable quality repairs.

 

So there you have my long winded story. Lol.  Short version. Would I buy another Tracker?  I would not, I’ve seen the other side. Had my needs not changed, I am certain that I would still be happy with my old Tracker. 

[Gavin1818]

1 hour ago, Craig P said:

Bear with me on this response…it’s probably going to go around the world but it is relevant….

 

I now have a Crestliner Storm 1600, I recommend adding that boat or the 1700 to your search as a good comparison to the Classic.

 

I previously had a Tracker ProGuide V16 Deep V.  As time went by, my fishing style and needs / wants changed and that was the reason for the switch.  I had the ProGuide for 4 years and I never had any real issues with it other than what I would label as fit and finish.

 

I enjoy working on boats and adding finders, trolling motors, wiring, batteries, etc. I know that Tracker inside and out. Fast forward to my Crestliner that has received the same treatment as that Tracker with add-ons, OMG! that Tracker was tough to work on and the Crestliner fit and finish is WAY better than Tracker so I can understand why other people have issues. However!

 

Most complaints are from people who purchase directly from Bass Pro. If you can find a true servicing dealer in your area, your experience is going to be much better.  I purchased my Tracker from a true dealer who do their own work. If a weld cracks or anything else under the sun, they fix it at their shop. They do not send it back to the factory like Bass Pro leaving people without their boats for months on end as well as questionable quality repairs.

 

So there you have my long winded story. Lol.  Short version. Would I buy another Tracker?  I would not, I’ve seen the other side. Had my needs not changed, I am certain that I would still be happy with my old Tracker. 

I was just looking at the crest liner if you don’t mind me asking how much did you end up paying. 

[Gavin1818]

I hear a ton of techs say Crestliner have transom issues is this true? 

[desmobob]

I bought a Bass Tracker Pro 170 back in 2014 and was very uneasy about it, knowing it was entry level and low-budget.   Eight years later, I have no complaints and consider it an excellent bang-for-the-buck boat purchase.  When I've run into other Pro 170 owners at the ramp or on the water, they have had very positive experiences, too.

 

But it's always a crap shoot... are the new ones built to the same specs and quality control of the older ones?   It takes years for a product to build a reputation but it can still get changed for better or worse afterward.  

 

Internet reviews are helpful but the accepted belief regarding them is that most satisfied people don't bother to post reviews while the majority of unhappy people do.  

 

 

[Gavin1818]

5 minutes ago, desmobob said:

I bought a Bass Tracker Pro 170 back in 2014 and was very uneasy about it, knowing it was entry level and low-budget.   Eight years later, I have no complaints and consider it an excellent bang-for-the-buck boat purchase.  When I've run into other Pro 170 owners at the ramp or on the water, they have had very positive experiences, too.

 

But it's always a crap shoot... are the new ones built to the same specs and quality control of the older ones?   It takes years for a product to build a reputation but it can still get changed for better or worse afterward.  

 

Internet reviews are helpful but the accepted belief regarding them is that most satisfied people don't bother to post reviews while the majority of unhappy people do.  

 

 

Awsome thank you, I have seen positive reviews to but tons of people say all these aluminum boats crack and leak and I’m not sure if that’s partly just people having strong opinions towards glass boats or if it’s typically true, I’m young and don’t know a ton about boats

[desmobob]

1 hour ago, Gavin1818 said:

...I’m young and don’t know a ton about boats

 

There's only one real way to learn!   Dive right in!  ?

 

Best of luck to you with whatever you choose to buy.

[Gavin1818]

1 hour ago, desmobob said:

 

There's only one real way to learn!   Dive right in!  ?

 

Best of luck to you with whatever you choose to buy.

Thank you very much!

[Stratocat_Joe]

I purchased a Classic XL in July of 2020 and love it.  I've had no issues with mine.  I bought it from BPS in Springfield,  MO and didn't have any issues.  I'd recommend you join some of the Classic XL forums that exist on social media...there's even a Heritage/Tracker Classic XL forum on here to read through. Most of the cracked welds I've read about occured when people upgraded the trolling motor to a higher-powered TM (I think the 80 HP Ultrex is the most common culprit).  Plus, denied warranty claims tend to come from individuals who have modified their boat in some manner.  The Classic XL forums are full of people customizing their boats and it really shouldn't be a surprise that some modifications will possibly void the warranty.  Also, be aware of the boat's limits.  It doesn't handle rough water/wind well.  And, although you can fish a tournament out of it, it's not really designed for it.  I put a 7lb. bass in the live-well while I was getting ready to take pictures and it almost filled up the 9-gallon live-well.  I couldn't imagine putting 2, much less 4, other fish in there, too.  But, I don't fish tournaments...I just love being on the water and this boat affords me that opportunity!  I also looked at the Crestliner Storm 1600, but it was a little more expensive (at the time) and is a slightly smaller boat as I recall, although it came with a larger live-well and locking rod storage.  Although I readily admit that the Classic XL isn't the same bargain it was a couple of years ago (I bought mine at $11,795 w/50hp and I think it's now $15,995), I'd still recommend the boat as it's hard to find anything comparable at that price point. 

[Craig P]

5 hours ago, Gavin1818 said:

I was just looking at the crest liner if you don’t mind me asking how much did you end up paying. 

 

I bought mine before things got Covid Crazy so rather than throwing a number out there, I paid what was listed on the Crestliner site for that model, configured the way I wanted it.  Similar to Tracker, there is no haggling, the price is the price.

 

 

4 hours ago, Gavin1818 said:

I hear a ton of techs say Crestliner have transom issues is this true? 

 

I am a member of a couple of Crestliner groups and it does appear at one time they did have some transom issues but that was years ago.  The newer designs / methods are solid and I would not let old tales ruin your future decisions.

 

To touch on what @Stratocat_Joe mentioned about size.  The Tracker Classic Beam is 2" wider than the Storm but I recommend standing in each one.  The deck on the Storm is SO NICE and does not come to a dart like many other boats, giving you much more space.  You won't notice it standing next to it but once you climb in, you'll be surprised.  As an example, a friend of mine loves crappie fishing so we stand side by side fishing / watching Livescope and we do not get in each others way.

 

[Big Rick]

1 hour ago, Craig P said:

The newer designs / methods are solid and I would not let old tales ruin your future decisions.

Solid advice here. You'll run yourself ragged chasing every negative comment and review on all brands. Find a boat you can afford with the best fit for your style and buy it. If you're that worried about it falling apart buy an extended service plan. Sometimes peace of mind is all that's needed. 

 

Just make up your mind, buy the boat, and go fishing!!  The rest will sort itself out.