09' Nitro X-5

[Bass Tracker]

Hi all,



I was at Bass Pro this weekend and I am thinking of going with the 2009 X-5 with Nitro Cover and Keel Guard and Emergency Ladder.



I was wondering if anyone had any opinions about this boat? good or bad, I am just interested, thanks all.



Also, I currently have a 2001 bass tracker PT175 EX, with a 25HP 2-stroke.



The X-5 has a 2009 Mercury 90HP 2-Stroke. So that jump from the 25hp to the 90HP should be great.

 

[Berry Lindley]

I would consider upgrading to an Opti if you plan to use it a lot. The 90 is tough (I have had 3 of these since '91) but will use some extra fuel and oil. If it will be for casual use it won't matter until resale time.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

I would always max out the HP and the TM if you can afford it. I looked real hard at the X-5 this weekend and it is a great boat (and I don't say that too often) I really, really liked it.



TOXIC

 

[Fast Eddy]

I ordered mine last week. My opinion is that if you are looking for the best "bang for your buck" entry level bass boat, this is the one. I was very impressed with the fishability layout of this boat. Ordered mine in black/yellow with the 115 Optimax (Max it out!!!), trailer brakes, and the rachet cover. Can't wait for it to come in so I can start rigging it.

 

[Bill Hamilton]

Was looking at one at our local dealer and it is well laid out, love the higher console and appointments and just a slick looking eye grabber.

 

[Bass Tracker]

How long did they say it would be before delivery of your new boat? Thanks



also what is TM? Thanks

 

[Bass Tracker]

ALso,



Do you all recommend the trailer brake upgrade? well im sure its recommended, but is it absolutely Necessary?





"Single-axle brake upgrade $ 445 "





Pulling boat with a 2002 Chevy Avalanche 1500 Z71 4x4.

 

[Berry Lindley]

I don't know anything about the X-5 yet, but I have a 750DC W/no brakes, and I have not missed the brakes at all. I pull mine with a Trailblazer, don't hardly know it is back there. I think the weight on the 750 is 1380 plus your stuff and fuel for comparison.

 

[Bryan McDonough]

I think you would be ok without the trailer brakes towing with your truck.

 

[Jim B]

The "package weight" on the x5 is 2360. add the bigger motor, gear, fuel etc and you may be close to 3k. Mass does not have a specific law regarding braked but NH, CT, RI and VT all do and its anything over 3k and they are required. With that and some of the hills we have around here for what they cost i would put breaks on it for sure. It will save the truck from premature brake jobs.



basstrackerma where are you getting the boat from BPS or Marine USA? I highly siggest paying Marine USA a visit if you havent already. They will treat you better then BPS will post sale.

 

[Bass Tracker]

Yes BPS. I have been to Marine USA before.



Nothing against them, i just happen to like BPS a little better. And if I am going to pay the same price regardless, then it's a tough choice.

 

[Fast Eddy]

Dealer said that it would take a couple of months. I hope it is quicker than that. I ordered a pretty much standard package so maybe it won't take that long. Toxic is referring to the trolling motor.

 

[Bass Tracker]

Oh of course thanks.



Does anyone know were you can see the actuall X-5 with the diffrent color options?



Nitro.com doesnt have the X-5 colors for some reason, which is actually pretty lame since they are hyping this boat so much.

 

[Jim B]

basstrackerma,

You will pay the same price regardles but think service after the sale. Is bass pro going to treat you like a long term customer or like a number?



I know a couple guys that got boats at BPS since its opened and they have not been happy with the service after the sale or the rigging job when they bought the boats new.

 

[Bass Tracker]

Could you give me some examples of the "rigging jobs"? Thanks

 

[Jim B]

Well, the guys i know. On one boat the oil tank wasnt screwed down and it was flopping all over the place and his hot foot looked like it was installed with a jackhammer. the other guy's throttle was not adjusted properly, the wireing job in the rear compartment looked like hell. Thats all stuff thats minor but could have been prevented.



Take a good hard look at the boats on the floor. When i have ive seen things like really messy wireing, chipped fiberglass from drilling mount screws, hoses that are way too long, stripped screws, etc. You wont see that stuff on the floor at Marine USA or on a boat they deliver.



From what im told when you buy a boat at BPS they pretty much hand you the keys, hitch it up and go. When i picked mine up at Marine USA then went thru the entire boat with me, ran it, went over every feature, and showed me that everything worked before i took it home. They know ive owned boats before and they did it anyway. I also know then when the rigged my z7 they took the time to do a bunch of stuff i wanted rigged a specific way like my hot foot and batteries and did exactly what i wanted. Everything they rigged was done nice and neat. They also found a problem with the hand shift they they corrected before i took the boat not after.



Just so you knww i dont have any affilation with Marine USA. Just trying to help you make an informed choice, having bought boats there and what my experience has been vs what others have experienced at BPS.

 

[Bass Tracker]

That is very good to know. Thank you very much.



Got me thinking now, When you buy a new bass boat for $20k+ do they come with 2 batteries? Probably not

 

[Jim B]

It should come ready to run with a cranking and a trolling battery.

 

[Bass Tracker]

Thank you very much. I love BPS and i dont see myself going anywere but there for any Fishing needs. Including Boats.



I had BPS install a ladder on my current bass boat this past summer, and i was very happy with the outcome.

 

[Jim B]

"Point is not all dealers are alike. Check with others in your area and see if they got the same level of service I did and good luck with your choice.

"

Tom you are 100% absolutly correct and thats the point im trying to make. Basstrackerma has a choice in our area of places to go to buy a new Nitro and he should shop them both without question. I like the Bass pro store too, i think its great store but its the last place i would ever buy a boat. BPS does not have the greatest reputation when it comes to boat sales and service. Ask TRCM from this site how he feels about his BPS boat buying experience. He had a pile of things wrong with his boat that were dealer/rigging related that never should have happened. Sure that can happen anywhere but there are stories like his all over the other fishing sites too from guys that bought at a BPS.

 

[Johnny Nee2]

Basstrackerma we welcome your business.

Jim next time your in the store come by and give me the names of the people that had service problems. We will make it right for them. That is our BPS Tracker policy.

Just so you know all hot foot's are installed with the customer in the boat for correct settings. All boats go out with a full demo. Demo's last for as long as the customer needs, until they are happy.

Before the customer leaves they fill out a customer satisfaction survey were they can write down any thing that was wrong or not to their expectations. Rated from 1-10 any thing that is rated below a 9 is brought to my attention.

BPS Tracker service policy is that from the time you bring the boat in we will look at it within 15 minutes.

If we can fix it with in three hours we will tell you. I think you can find something to do for three hours at 1 Bass Pro Drive, Foxboro.

If we can not fix it in three hours we let you know in the first 15 minutes. (Usually because parts have to be ordered) We then set an appointment with you to come back.

I will not say we are perfect, who is. Where ever you buy the boat you can't go wrong with the X5

Marine USA is a great dealership with good people working there. Knowledge gained from years working sales and service there just helped me get promoted to Tracker General Manager, Bass Pro Shops, Foxboro.

 

[Bass Tracker]

Hi Johnny,



I do have a question. Why is there not a more "finacial choice" in this matter, Especially in this economy, i dont see how Two seperate Businesses (Marine USA and BPS) Can only offer me the EXCACT final price?



This doesnt make sense to me, No free or extra anything for choosing one over the other? even to save one months payment or something to that tune. I think we should have a higher choice when it comes to spending $20,000+ on a non-essential in life, maybe im wrong? (and yes i know a bass boat is really an essential, but i do already own one that i love)

 

[Tim Koepp]

I wondered too why delivery charges are the same acros the country, at least when I tried different zip codes to figure out if there was any potential savings to take a road trip to Springfield or something. I could drive there and back, stay in a nice place for less.

 

[Greg Duggan]

Basstrackerman,

listen to Jim B very closely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

if there is only one thing you lean from this site, let it be service after the sale is way more important than what the salesman is promising you now!

i met with Jonny Nee, he was going to call me when they recieved there first Z8 so i could get a good look at. i am still waiting for that call by the way!( 5 mo later)

i am sure Mr Nee is trying to remmeber that conversation as he is reading this.



i live just over the boarder in NH, i have been to BPS a few times since thay opened, my experience has not been as grand as some others may have had.

they did not stock the Platinum Navionics card nor did they know what i was talking about and they did not have the Ram Mount in stock, i called and they claimed they had plenty, when i arrived, they could not even i dentify the part untill i showed them the mount on one of the boats on display.



the long short here is, BPS hires people just you and i, we may know a lot about fishing but you wouldn't want me working on your boat. i personaly would only buy a boat from my dealer in NH. if you lived closer to them i would be trying to stear you in there direction.



think long and hard before you buy

GregD



Oh, and by the way. i only order my tackle from Northern Bass Supply in Brentwood NH. next day delivery ervy time.

 

[Tim Koepp]

VOCATION:

A regular occupation, especially one for which a person is particularly suited or qualified.

An inclination, as if in response to a summons, to undertake a certain kind of work, especially a religious career; a calling.





OCCUPATION:

a person's usual or principal work or business, esp. as a means of earning a living.



Examples of each at almost any larger, multi-role business. Yes, even BPS.

my examples (face to face) are the great guy in the part dept, and the used car salesman in the new boat area.



Not universal: you will have pleasant surprises.



Agree, however, with the concept of focusing on an enterprise who's sole business is that of your specific need.

 

[TrepMan]

basstrackerma - I went from a 40hp Pro Crappie 175 to a 115hp 700lx, light night and day. Now that X5 with a 90 is almost 80% of max HP. Ideally a 115 would be great, but when you consider a lot of guys with 18-19ft boats rated for 175 only run 150's with great resale, I wouldn't worry if it fits your cash price range. the $2000 bucks is a LOT of money to up to the 115 Opti in my opinion. Now if the boat was rated like the old nx750 to 135hp, i'd say go at least the 115, but 90 will scoot ya pretty good and that is a bullet proof motor, nice 3 cylinder, my buddy Dan N. here on the site has that on his 640lx, and it pushes 50mph, so i'd figure mid-upper 40's on a heaver boat like yours. His does fire like a champ no matter what the time of year on the first crank.



Get what ya like, keep it for a long time, and enjoy!



Trep

 

[Bass Tracker]

Yes the 90HP seems enough for me, again i currently have a 25.



I love my current boat, but i am ready for a bigger/faster boat.



Thanks all for your opinions.

 

[Jimmy Easterling]

Basstrackerma,

I bought the Z6 almost a year ago from BPS. It is a slightly bigger than the X5 but very simular in the layout. The Z6 has two storage areas up front long enough to store rods. A couple of months ago, I saw some 08 Z6's on the BPS lot and they were offering some deals ($1000 gift cards, which is what I got when I bought mine) to move the old years models. I went with the 115 opti and glad I did. My old boat had a Yamaha 90 and was loud and hard to crank on cool mornings, maybe the Merc is not that way. I don't have the brakes on the trailor and haven't seen that I needed them. I pulled the boat through the mountains with my Toyota 4Runner and never had a problem stopping. I normally pull it with my Tundra and have never felt the need for trailor brakes. I bought the most boat I could afford and absolutely love it.

 

[Teri C.]

Basstracker,



I have an 04 Nitro 750 with a 115 Mercury that is still under warranty (motor anyway). Looks brand new and has every upgrade you would want. I may be upgrading to fish bigger waters. I could probably sell it to you for half or what you are going to pay. Not sure I am going to sell it cause I love it but wanted to let you know it's a great boat and I've never had one issue with it.



Teri