Price Question on Ranger Boat

[Christopher Laurencio]

One of my fellow members in my Bass club is selling an old Ranger Bass Boat and I was thinking of buying it, but wanted to know what you guys thought of the price, age, motor, etc.

Boat:

1989 Ranger, not sure of the model - 3??V

Length - 18'

Beam - 88"

Single Console, extension deck

New Carpet

New Ranger seat skins from Ranger (all seats)

New 24v, 65lb, MK TM

New GPS

NEW Fish Finders in Bow and Transom.

Ranger Trail, Trailer (no visible rust)

Alum wheels, single axle, fiberglass fenders



Outboard:

1996 Johnson Fast strike 150 hp

(NO Transom Saver, he told me the engine locks itself with bracket?)



Condition - Boat appears to be in really nice shape, very clean new carpet, Gelcoat has bright shine, Dark Blue and Gray Sparkle, gray hull.



PRICE - $7k,

Is this to much for a 1989 boat with a 96 Johnson.

How fast will this boat go, is it a stable boat for Tourney fishing and family fishing?

 

[Bill McElroy]

Sounds like an excellent boat at a fair price,...the resale value on a Ranger is high do to their long standing quality and reputation,..so you can expect to have to pay a little more....but with all that new stuff on it...it's worth it!!



It'll probably run in the low-mid 60's...and yes,..it'll be fine for tourney and family fishing!!



Buy it!!...It won't be available long at that price!!

 

[Thomas Macaluso]

agree with Mac. Your basically getting a 1996 boat with new carpet and seats . If the hull is sound and the trailer is in good shape . Then it

 

[Robert Lariviere]

That is about anaverage price for the boat. At one time that was the boat to have. Its a good engine. And yes the motor does use the bracket from the motor instead of a transom saver. Even my 2000 225 has that and its what I use. Good luck with the boat if you get it.

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

Thanks, MAC & TomMac -



Other than visually looking for issues with the boat, such as gelcoat cracks at the corners and transom, how do I know it's a sound boat, did the older rangers have good transoms, that's really my basic concern, considering the hull is a 1989, by the time I'm done with this boat it will be very very old, so I'm buying this as my boat till it falls apart on the driveway.



The guy in the club said he will contact me first before selling it, so I get first dibs.

 

[Bill McElroy]

I'm 99% sure even the '89's had solid 1pc transom's...no wood in them!! That's a good boat CJ...it'll last as long as you want it too as long as you take care of it. (That goes for ANY boat), but I'd buy a well cared for '89 Ranger at that price in a heartbeat BEFORE i'd buy any other mfgr's boat at that age,...and you can go into it knowing that if you have any issues,..Ranger WILL take care of it!!

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

Mac, thanks for the info. Very much appreciated.



Chris

 

[Bill McElroy]

no problem....

 

[JR F]

You can always send it to ranger to be refurbished..it will come back NEW...JR

 

[Texas Transplant]

If it's been taken care of, it seems to be a good deal. The biggest problem I see with some people buying something like this, is that it doesn't look the same as the newer styles.



They still fish and run well. I can't tell you how many compliments I get on my 95 Stratos (that I bought used 18 months ago). It's not as old as the one you are considering, but the same still applies. It is a good clean boat that was taken care of.



Best of luck. I wouldn't wait too long.



Tex