Skeeter Vs Ranger 2024
wperry reply :
Sometime over the next year or so I would like to buy a bass boat. I have a bay boat I am keeping since I live near the Chesapeake Bay. There's a Skeeter dealer ten minutes from my house. Two different Ranger guys are several hours away. It's nice to be near the dealer but I really like Rangers. Lookiing at used fiberglass or new Ranger aluminum.
Guess I'm really starting something here.
Jig Man reply :
I'm not a big Ranger fan but I'd take it over a Skeeter.
Lewi reply :
By the sounds of it your already in the Ranger. Several hours away for something that you want and for how long you could hang onto it you go after the Ranger.
basscatcher8 reply :
I just bought a ranger aluminum and cant wait to get it out on the water. I went with the 115 pro xs and the camo no carpet option.
Phoenix Guy reply :
PHOENIX. lol. I say test drive as many different types of boats as possible in a lake you will fish frequently. That way you will know for sure what you like. Don't just buy a name or a boat out of convenience, you will regret it. Make sure you know what you are getting before you buy.
slonezp reply :
If you don't already have a mechanic, picking the right dealer is equally as important as the brand of boat.
slonezp reply :
On 1/7/2014 at 1:37 AM, basscatcher8 said:I just bought a ranger aluminum and cant wait to get it out on the water. I went with the 115 pro xs and the camo no carpet option.
You should have went to the DPR today. I bet there weren't too many guys at the ramp 
RyneB reply :
It seems a few guys have not been very happy with the quality of Skeeters lately. I own a Ranger, but I am not biased. I would take a Cat over a Skeeter.
basscatcher8 reply :
On 1/7/2014 at 9:24 AM, slonezp said:You should have went to the DPR today. I bet there weren't too many guys at the ramp
Couldn't walk to my truck without a brain freeze they can have it lol
Catt reply :
On 1/7/2014 at 9:23 AM, slonezp said:If you don't already have a mechanic, picking the right dealer is equally as important as the brand of boat.
Even more with a used boat!
I've never heard any thing bad about either boat, just a bunch of fan loyalty
tbone1993 reply :
If you buy a new boat I would get something with a dealer that is close. I dont care if I love ranger I am not driving 5 hours to service my brand new boat. Lucky enough for me there is a dealer within an hour drive. My buddy has a triton and that is a 100+mile drive.
Sam reply :
Skeeter - guy in bass club bought one two years ago and had problems with electrical system and the Yamaha that came with it. Guys in bass club say Skeeter has had electrical problems in the past, too. They all avoid Skeeters.
Ranger - avoid the Evinrudes and go with a Mercury. No one has had problems with the hull. One of the guys in the club has a 1995 Ranger still going strong no matter what he does to try to destroy it.
Bass Cats - Fan loyalty almost parallels that of the Bamasux fans. Everyone I know with a Bass Cat loves them and have never had any hull problems. They come with Mercury motors.
Remember to get any used motor's compression checked in addition to having your marine mechanic read the computer data on how the motor was handled and serviced.
As for service, any Mercury repair center can handle the motor. I don't think you will need any assistance with the hull.
Please let us know what you purchase.
Catt reply :
Sam, Jack (fishfordollar) Yates had a 1988 Skeeter Wrangler so that trumps your 1995 Ranger.
wperry reply :
Thanks guys. Maybe I should steer clear of newer Skeeters. I've read a lot of complaints.
If I get a used Ranger with a Merc I'll just have to worry about the usual stuff related to a pre-owned anything. I never was near to a Bass Cat. I never heard of a dealer around here for them.
There's a Merc dealer in every county near me.
The biggest frustration is having to go back to the dealer with a new boat with problems that shouldn't exist to begin with.
tomustang reply :
I have two skeeter dealers by me that have poor reviewsservice. Also have two evenrude shops that can't work on bigger boat motors right.
Service goes a long way so don't put your purchase solely on how close a shop is. Besides how many times do you think you'll go in for repairs?
mjseverson24 reply :
Personally I would go with the Skeeter, they are a little better bang for your buck compared to ranger. The ranger in my opinion has a better ride, while the skeeter seems to have better top speed, i also feel the skeeter drafts a little less water than the ranger. both are great boats, you really cannot go wrong with either.
Mitch
Redlinerobert reply :
Ranger.
I've had two. Brand new 2000 520DVX and a brand new 2007 Z22. Amazing boats and great resale on each.
Itching to buy a new one but waiting for them to build a 22C.
BuckMaxx reply :
ranger with a merc
slonezp reply :
On 1/17/2014 at 3:49 PM, Redlinerobert said:Ranger.
I've had two. Brand new 2000 520DVX and a brand new 2007 Z22. Amazing boats and great resale on each.
Itching to buy a new one but waiting for them to build a 22C.
You're going to have to wait until they're finished with the deep v tins. Remember they build them one at a time 
Catt reply :
What no one has said is are we talking FX, ZX, or TZX, Comanche, or Z
Down here every Ranger dealership has went bankrupt.
It's like welded vs riveted tins, riveted will not sale!
slonezp reply :
On 1/18/2014 at 11:39 PM, Catt said:.
It's like welded vs riveted tins, riveted will not sale!
Tell that to Lund
I saw statistics posted on another forum. There was a grand total of 7500 new bass boats sold in 2013. Ranger followed by Nitro followed by Skeeter, and so on. Ranger had a 30% market share, Nitro 23% and Skeeter 15%. It's obvious to me, Rangers reputation is what keeps them at the top. It's sure not their pricing. Nitro has gotten a bad rap yet they're sitting in 2nd above Skeeter who's pricing can be similar to Ranger.
Catt reply :
Aint saying Rangers don't sell just not around here.
Skeeter, BassCat, & Legend
Xpress & Alweld
You will NOT see a Lund down here!
Dwight Hottle reply :
On 1/19/2014 at 12:51 AM, Catt said:Aint saying Rangers don't sell just not around here.
Skeeter, BassCat, & Legend
Xpress & Alweld
You will NOT see a Lund down here!
You could if you invite Slonezp down. 
slonezp reply :
On 1/19/2014 at 1:55 AM, Dwight Hottle said:You could if you invite Slonezp down.
Those Texans wouldn't know what hit them
Catt reply :
On 1/19/2014 at 2:34 AM, slonezp said:Those Texans wouldn't know what hit them
Bring it! Toledo Bend is a great class room 
Went to the boat & RV show today and what did I find? A new Ranger dealer!
BuckMaxx reply :
7500 new bass boats doesn't seem like very many for a single year. IMO There really is no sense in buying a brand new boat. There are soooo many really nice 5-10 year old boats out there for 1/4 of the chedder. They all might look pretty new but they don't catch any more fish then a used one. I have a 20 year old boat that is in fine shape and I got her dialed in with all the same features as a 50k job.
wperry reply :
Thanks for the input. Majority of opinion is: used glass Ranger. Think I'll keep the bay boat a few years and this fall look for a well maintained Ranger 188 or Z118 with Mercury Optimax 150. Everybody I've talked to is really happy with that rig. I don't fish tournaments so that's big enough for these smallish bodies of water around here.
Price range 15-20K. They bass fish most of the winter around here in the upper rivers, so buying it in the fall will hopefully help with pricing. In the summer I've been busier farming. My daughter lives 45 minutes from Okeechobee so I can use the 18 foot all year round.
WIGuide reply :
If you buy a Ranger you won't have to worry about going back to a dealer because you won't have any issues with it. Also, if you buy it and for some reason don't like it, they have the highest resale value of any boat on the market.
Hi Salenity reply :
I was looking for a used Ranger and found I could get a lot more boat for the money I wanted to spend. I ended up with a Triton several years newer than what I could afford if I was buying a ranger.
flyfisher reply :
On 1/19/2014 at 9:56 AM, BuckMaxx said:7500 new bass boats doesn't seem like very many for a single year. IMO There really is no sense in buying a brand new boat. There are soooo many really nice 5-10 year old boats out there for 1/4 of the chedder. They all might look pretty new but they don't catch any more fish then a used one. I have a 20 year old boat that is in fine shape and I got her dialed in with all the same features as a 50k job.
if everyone stops buying new boats eventually there will be no used ones...
I would buy new for the warranty and peace of mind. Now if i was planning on upgrading in a few years then i would probably go used but otherwise i want to get the boat and have it as long as i can.
bknap reply :
On 1/8/2014 at 4:08 PM, Sam said:Skeeter - guy in bass club bought one two years ago and had problems with electrical system and the Yamaha that came with it. Guys in bass club say Skeeter has had electrical problems in the past, too. They all avoid Skeeters.
Ranger - avoid the Evinrudes and go with a Mercury. No one has had problems with the hull. One of the guys in the club has a 1995 Ranger still going strong no matter what he does to try to destroy it.
couldn't have said it any better my self. dads had a skeeter our first boat and it was a good first boat, but had many problems with it and bought a ranger and you cannot compare the two boats. A Ranger blows the skeeter out of the water in every part of it.
Like sam said, stay away from Evinrudes, get a Mercury!
Everyone is talking about these Phoenix boats but they are hand to hand the same price as a ranger, but rangers have been around for 45 years. Rangers are known as the best boats on the water and id have to agree so if anyone is going to spend the amount of money for a phoenix id most def go with a ranger boat. Bought ours from Dixie Marine in Cincinnati Ohio, great service, cant go wrong
Hope this helps
tomustang reply :
I wonder if Rangers would be cheaper if they didn't always give one away each tournament.
Rangerphil reply :
This is my take! When you have good weather nice calm days all the little things in the boat make each boat different. You may like the looks of this one over that one or this cooler looks better than this one. Now, when the weather turns bad and you are on something like lake Erie with 3-5 foot waves and you need to get back now, I would not be caught in anything but my ranger! I know no matter what I am getting home!
slonezp reply :
On 1/25/2014 at 1:29 PM, tomustang said:I wonder if Rangers would be cheaper if they didn't always give one away each tournament.
Was at the fishing and boat show today. MSRP for a Z521 was $73k and the 621 walleye boat was $83k
tomustang reply :
Ridiculous
gobig reply :
Im a champion guy but IMO ranger is the best made boat on the market today.
Smallie Hunter reply :
Had a 2005 Skeeter and I did not have one issue with it, they are fast but feel hollow and it had a rough ride. I purchased a new Ranger out of the showroom with the evinrude 250 e-tech. Boat is very solid handle big water with no problems. The motor however was a different issue. 6 months 1 injector went. 8 months later a second injector went the factory replaced the injectors and no problems until 6 months later and boom power head goes. evinrude replaced the entire motor with a brand new HD model and since then the motor is a beast. I would say ranger is the way to go but just be careful of the brand of motor you get with it and make sure that there is some kind of warranty.
Trek reply :
Skeeter and Rangers are both good boats. Your not going to have any problems with either boat. I have a Z519 Ranger with a 225 Mercury and love it. But I also live a half an hour from one of Ohio's top boat dealers that sell them. Plus they have two master mechanics of Mercury working for them. Truth is that's what makes the boat. They are awesome to me and always keep my boat running well. Before this boat they use to sell Champion and I owned one of them because that is what they sold. I didn't like that boat as well because it fished nose high and I fished mostly inland lakes and like to flip. The big open water guys love them. Skeeter and Ranger both fish flat and I like them better. Now when it comes to Aluminum or fiberglass there is a big ( very BIG ) difference. The wind will blow an aluminum boat around more but it will fish more shallow. I like a fiberglass for that main reason. Now consider horse power. What ever the boats max rating is have that and nothing less or you will not like it. Nothing worse then a boat with a slow hole shot. You need to remember with gear, gas and full live well you need the power and the boat has a rating for a reason. Plus it always seems like you draw the biggest guy at the ramp. No matter what you choose look it over well.
Champfishnva reply :
Basscat 
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