So i have been looking for a boat, and just wonder what kind of brands are best. i am looking for some sort of bass boat for small lakes and the fox. my price range is 10k or less so any imput will be cool.
Metal -Lund
Glass-Ranger
Best time to shop late fall-early winter as far as the age of a boat you would be able to get a newer lund than a ranger i have and had both great boats Yea i woukd go with a lund wait to fall take your time,look them over good
There are a whole lot of options if your price range is $10K. Bass boats have a vaiety of styles, makes, models, etc etc. Last year I bought a 2002 Nitro 17.6 footer w/115 Merc for well under $10K. My was like new and hadn't been taken out more than 10 times prior to me buying it from the original owner. Just keep in mind taxes, title fees, registration and insurance. Not to mention storage fees if you plan on storing it somewhere. Additional costs for me were upgrading the electroincs and trolling motor.
Good luck and keep us posted on what you decide to buy. And Old Salt is correct, boats are usually cheaper at the end of the season because people don't want to pay for winterization and storage.
I got a feeling you should stay from any boats that are being sold by a private party you also have to look at the trailer and motor maybe a dealer with a reputation and a warrantry may be the way to go
yeah i was thinking a dealer to because really i don't know much about boats. i think i will stick with my waders untill this economy passes over.... however dose anyone know of any good dealers near by. i live around elkgrove so any where within an hour and a half drive would be nice
Myself no i always bought private party,but go to lake link,com another fishing forum,click on forum scroll down to boats click on boats and read the
posts, for the last year or so,you should get some ideas there
What I did before I bought my boat was check on boattrader.com. Look at all the boats in your price range and see what you like and what accessories you are looking for. Ranger is a very good boat but you can get a high quality fiberglass boat for a lower price tag. You pay a lot for that Ranger name. I personally fish from a Stratos and I love it. There are a lot of manufacturers to choose from it is just a matter of what fits your needs. Another way to check out a boat is to see if anyone has an open backseat and tag along for a day. You get to see how the boat runs and how everything is set up. Good luck on your boat search.
My buddy just drove to Iowa to buy a 2007 Skeeter 19 foot SX with a 150 Yamama with 12 hours on it for 23,000. Blue Book was 27,000. Look for the deals. If you buy privately. You may be able to sign a bill of sale of paying only 4,000 and you pay less on taxes But then that would be illegal... :lol:
Your best bet is to look for Low hours. I hope ya the best.
Just be careful. For your first boat I would recommend having the boat taken to a mechanic of your choice prior to buying. The hundred of so for the inspection will be well worth it. I made the mistake of taking a great deal on a bass boat but ended up putting almost 3 grand into a rebuild engine the next year. As I started to learn boat maintanence I became aware that although the boat looked good, the previous owner had done absolutely nothing in the way of preventive maintanence when he owned the boat. Another person on this board who will remain nameless :lol: has not even gotten his newly purchased boat on the water yet because of major engine problems that he was not aware of at that time of purchase.
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