What's Wrong With Nitro? 2024

BassnChris reply :

Today at Thanksgiving dinner I was asked what's wrong with a Nitro? Why does everyone say they are inferior?

The only answer I had was, "I think back a bout 10 years ago, they had issues with transoms and quality control."

So I thought I would come back to you all and get schooled on What's wrong with a Nitro and why do people bad mouth them?

Thanks

Chris

Sam reply :

All I know is that the BPS Power Pros don't seem to be able to service their products as would be expected.

Personally, I have not heard any negatives about the Nitros.

Looking forward to reading the replies to get educated on Nitros.

S Hovanec reply :

My biggest beef with BPS/Tracker/Nitro is the lack of motor choice. When I was boat shopping in 2005, I liked the Targa alot, but didn't want to be forced to buy a Merc.

tnriverluver reply :

I think the biggest issue with Nitro boats is that in the early years they were much like the Bayliner brand. Built cheap and sold to large numbers of mostly beginner boaters that either could not afford or did not know how to properly maintain their vessels. Leave them out in the elements uncovered 24/7 365 days a year for years on end and stuff rots and breaks. Just because of the shear number of boats sold compared to other brands also gives the opportunity for more negative feedback. Their latest offering from around 2008 on up seem to be catching up with the competition in terms of both quality and also price. I would not hesitate purchasing a new Nitro if I could afford a new boat or needed one.

Pa Angler reply :

Hello,

Check out the Hooked Hull post in this forum. I have a 2011 Z7 boat that is being replaced by Tracker Marine with a 2014 Z7 do to a hook that developed in the hull I purchased mine through a stand alone Tracker dealer and most of the dealer issues I have read about come from boats purchased through BPS. Before the hooked hull my Z7 was the best thing since sliced bread and I often tell my fishing buddies that if it were a woman I'd marry it.....LOL.

The way Tracker has delt with a warranty issue is incredible Tracker received the replacement paperwork on 10-29-2013 and the scheduled completion date is 12-11-2013.

The fit and finish of my Z7 was outstanding the battery compartment was gel coated not like the Nitro's of yesteryear. Without question I would buy another Nitro.

Tight Lines

Pa Angler

Jig Man reply :

They are better than they used to be. A couple of my friends are now running the Z8s with 225 Optimax Mercs. They seem well built.

They used to be very low quality and didn't hold up well. They also were completely under powered like they were designed for a first buyer who didn't know much. That also made them the fastest depreciating boat on the market. I haven't checked that lately and hope they are doing better.

MacP reply :

Buying a Nitro or a Tracker is the equivalent of buying a car from Wal-Mart. I know many other's will disagree, but they depreciate the fastest and there are more of them for sale in my area than any other manufacturer by about 3x. There's got to be a reason for that. Again, your mileage may vary.

BassnChris reply :

So far, sounds like it was QC issue that might be put behind them?

Pa Angler has a good story about them standing behind their product.

The NADA seems to have them hold close to average resale value.

Maybe there are more available because there are more sold? Not say'in.......just asking?

They sure seem slick in the store and at the ramp.

As far as competent repair guys.......could always go where I wanted to go.

Thanks for the input......keep it coming.

flyfisher reply :

The only problem i have with Nitro is that i don't have one in my driveway....

And yes, more will be available because there are more sold. I am totally guessing here but i would bet they top the list of most boats sold year after year and since they are labeled as a "beginner" boat people are going to want to upgrade which makes more available.

Long Mike reply :

On 11/30/2013 at 9:11 AM, MacP said:
Buying a Nitro or a Tracker is the equivalent of buying a car from Wal-Mart. I know many other's will disagree, but they depreciate the fastest and there are more of them for sale in my area than any other manufacturer by about 3x. There's got to be a reason for that. Again, your mileage may vary.

It's very simple. If a company manufactures and sells three times as many boats as any other, it stands to reason that there would be three times more of them on the "used" market than any other.

BTW, Wal-Mart doesn't sell cars. It would be great if they did. I would love to buy a Ford, or Chevy, or Dodge Ram from them at their discounted, fixed prices. For that matter, I would love to buy, a Tracker, or a Nitro, or a Skeeter, or a Ranger from them. You are inferring that Wal-Mart sells low quality goods. You are wrong. Does Wal-Mart sell a lower quality ipad than any other store, or a lower quality flat-screen Sony TV?

As for your statement that a Tracker or a Nitro depreciates faster than any other boat, I would very much appreciate it if you could provide some factual information to support your claim.

Everyone likes to bad-mouth Nitro and Tracker, but no one ever talks about the fact that there are more Nitro and Tracker boats SOLD than all other companies. There's got to be a reason for that.

MacP reply :

Cursory internet searches will show most people what they need to know.

For every person I've met that's loved their Tracker/Nitro there's another that wishes they had something else. I don't care whether it's any stigma associated with the company or that they are truly unsatisfied. Don't care. I'm going to be sure that my money is well spent. The previously mentioned internet search would make me hesitate to purchase one. I'd rather not have that kind of doubt when purchasing something that valuable.

Many people still buy some car manufacturer's vehicles day in and day out - even though reliability indexes show that they are much worse than other manufacturer's offerings. That's a bad bet. I don't have the luxury of gambling with my money. You may luck out, you may not. I'm not going to make that bet.

zewski@live.com reply :

I'm a Nitro owner, and I really love my boat, that said, I never had a ranger or a bass cat. I think its just like Honda and Volkswagen. There is pros and cons for everything on the market. KVD is using a Nitro, it can't be that bad!? And never forget, boats dosent catch fish!

Brian Needham reply :

On 11/30/2013 at 11:26 AM, MacP said:
. I'm going to be sure that my money is well spent.

I am too..........that's why I bought J Will's year old Z9!!!

Brian Needham reply :

I own a nitro and its a great boat as far as I can tell.

I read all the "horror" stories and with each one of them there was something that didn't feel right about the story............ then I watched who was actually buying a new or used nitro, and I found it was some people I really respected and their opinion.

the resale myth is bunk too...... if I buy a nitro for 40K, and you buy a ranger for 60k of course you are going to have "higher" resale... but when I sale mine for 35k and you sale yours for 50K in a year who really comes out ahead? the NITRO........ plus that 20K buys a lot of gas, tackle and hotel rooms.

I am not saying Ranger, bass cat, Triton, ect ect do not make a great boat because they do.

What I am saying if 98% of the people that bash nitro have never rode in one, much less owned one, so you got to take it for what its worth.

flyfisher reply :

Yeah the whole resale thing is tough to say really. I looked for reports and without going and compiling it myself i didn't find anything. resale should be more looked at percentage of MSRP that it is worth 5 years down the road not what the value of the boat is.

I personally don't buy anything based on resale value. If i am anticipating selling it then i should get something else in the first place. I look for value for what I am getting and while I do not own a Nitro or any bass boat other than my kayak a Nitro would be high up on my list should i ever decide a glass boat will be in my future.

I have a feeling a river Jet boat would be bought before a glass boat though

Brian Needham reply :

On 12/1/2013 at 3:19 AM, flyfisher said:

I have a feeling a river Jet boat would be bought before a glass boat though

I am glad I learned how to run a trolling motor in a tin boat, that's for sure! LOL.

flyfisher reply :

On 12/1/2013 at 4:03 AM, Brian Needham said:
I am glad I learned how to run a trolling motor in a tin boat, that's for sure! LOL.

Where i live now a jet boat would allow me to go many more places that a glass boat couldn't go....especially when heading up to the susky

of course i don't see myself leaving the kayaking realm any time soon.

Fishing Rhino reply :

In 2010, I bought a 2009 Nitro Z-7 for 19,300. It was a leftover and had a slight blemish, the blemish being a slight "hook" on the side of the boat. For that, I got a boat whose original sticker price was 25,000 dollars. During the heat of the summer, that "hook" disappeared. Apparently, some type of pressure caused the depression. However, fiberglass has a memory, and given some time and heat of the summer, that depression disappeared.

From the outside, the finish was A1, However once you opened hatches there was something left to be desired. Partitions were plywood, tabbed into place with fiberglass, and painted a battleship gray. These are not structural components, and in no way affect the performance of the hull. It is merely a cosmetic difference, and, a case of you get what you pay for.

Two years later, I traded in the Z-7, for a Z-8, and they gave me 16,000 dollars for it toward the Z-8

The Z-8 was a leftover 2011 which was stickered at 33,000 dollars with a 200 hp (underpowered, some would say) Merc, tandem trailer brakes, retractable tie downs, and a ratchet cord custom cover. It was marked down to 29,000 but it came with a thousand dollar BPS gift card which made the price 28,000 dollars. Came standard with hydraulic steering, lighted storage lockers, and the plywood dividers were gone, replaced with molded fiberglass compartments. The "rigging area" which is the battery, charger, and oil reservoir compartment was also molded fiberglass, with a nice gel coat finish.

The lingering "gripe" that remained from the Z-7 rig was the matter of the trailer wiring, which ran through holes in the trailer frame. I got rubber grommets from the hardware store for less than three dollars, and fit them over the metal edges of the holes to prevent the wires from being chaffed, and eventually shorting out.

For an additional three grand, I could have gotten a 225 horsepower engine, or a 250 horsepower for an additional five grand. Most of the time I cruise forty to forty-five mph. The boat gets up on plane quickly. Yes, another brand might be a finer boat, with nicer appointments, but as someone has already stated, "Boats do not catch fish, people do.", or something like that.

My opinion is that for the money, it's tough to beat a Nitro.

slonezp reply :

Almost bought a new 2010 Z9 this spring. It was almost $10k off the 2013 list. I was more turned off by the BPS sales dept. than anything about the Nitro, which is why I opted not to buy.

Brian Needham reply :

On 12/1/2013 at 6:40 AM, slonezp said:
Almost bought a new 2010 Z9 this spring. It was almost $10k off the 2013 list. I was more turned off by the BPS sales dept. than anything about the Nitro, which is why I opted not to buy.

I really don't know too many people that ARE fans of BPS, it without doubt hurts boat sales.

from what I gather through my readings, it "most" happy nitro owners have bought from an independent dealer.

BassnChris reply :

At this point I have decided to buy a Nitro.

But I am now trying to decide if I can make myself wait. The boat gorilla is a formidable adversary indeed.

I am thinking I will wait a year...maybe two to buy it.

We'll see if I can resist........it is very difficult and in fact, almost impossible for me to resist once the fever has set in..............thanks for all the input everyone.

Chris

slonezp reply :

If you choose to buy from BPS, the best time to buy because of incentives is usually January-March. Hope you have a better experience than I did.

Brian Needham reply :

Chris, if you don't have to buy new, there are always great used deals on 1-2 year old boats, you can steal a boat if you are patient.

and if you can wait that long, Mike, Tom and I all have nitros. Z7,Z8, and Z9, in fact.....so I am sure you can "demo" all 3 at the road trip if you want.

FishinDaddy reply :

Chris, you should be looking at everything in the barely used dept. You have seen my boat and I only have 25k in it. I looked for two years before I found it. Having cash in your hand also will get you awesome deals from private sellers who need the money.

Bluebasser86 reply :

I think some of the older Nitros were pretty slow to get up on pad also, at least the ones I've ridden in.

I had a '92 Ranger 451V for a couple years, motor never ran right for more than a few hours the entire time I owned the dang thing. I would have traded it for a Nitro that ran in a heartbeat.

BassnChris reply :

On 12/1/2013 at 11:29 AM, slonezp said:
If you choose to buy from BPS, the best time to buy because of incentives is usually January-March. Hope you have a better experience than I did.

Thanks.....I will keep that in mind.

On 12/2/2013 at 9:22 AM, Brian Needham said:

Chris, if you don't have to buy new, there are always great used deals on 1-2 year old boats, you can steal a boat if you are patient.

and if you can wait that long, Mike, Tom and I all have nitros. Z7,Z8, and Z9, in fact.....so I am sure you can "demo" all 3 at the road trip if you want.

If I can wait.....that would be great.

On 12/2/2013 at 11:39 AM, FishinDaddy said:
Chris, you should be looking at everything in the barely used dept. You have seen my boat and I only have 25k in it. I looked for two years before I found it. Having cash in your hand also will get you awesome deals from private sellers who need the money.

I know.....cash in hand is always better.

Nitrofreak reply :

On 12/2/2013 at 2:41 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

I think some of the older Nitros were pretty slow to get up on pad also, at least the ones I've ridden in.

I had a '92 Ranger 451V for a couple years, motor never ran right for more than a few hours the entire time I owned the dang thing. I would have traded it for a Nitro that ran in a heartbeat.

If you ride in mine , you will get the same result , of course mine is a 1990 , Nitro well underpowered their vessels for the weight and configuration of hull , mine is a B***H to get on plane with full live wells and a co-angler , but once she is up , she gets it !!

Nitro has come a long way since 1988 , while not the innovative leader that Ranger is , it still has made its mark on the boating world and are starting to make even more progress as they go along , I have friends that have every make out there , yes , you do give up some things like the ride , or a decked out bling bling hot rod for example , but not enough that it would sway a decision IMO , my choice would definatly be a Z-9 for sure !!

BassnChris reply :

On 12/1/2013 at 4:52 AM, Fishing Rhino said:

The Z-8 was a leftover 2011 which was stickered at 33,000 dollars with a 200 hp (underpowered, some would say) Merc, tandem trailer brakes, retractable tie downs, and a ratchet cord custom cover.

For an additional three grand, I could have gotten a 225 horsepower engine, or a 250 horsepower for an additional five grand. Most of the time I cruise forty to forty-five mph. The boat gets up on plane quickly.

Boat gets on plane quickly.......you usually cruise at 45 mph (so do I )......if you could go back and do it over, would you bump the motor up or still keep the 200 HP ?

basshole8190 reply :

I had the chance to fish with fishing rhino before thanksgiving in his nitro z8 and i will tell you that is a nice ride and i am seriously considering getting one next year i can't think of one thing i didn't like about it

basshole8190 reply :

Rhinos boat didn't seem to have any problem getting on plane the day we fished and it took less than 5 seconds.

Bluebasser86 reply :

On 12/15/2013 at 2:25 PM, basshole8190 said:
Rhinos boat didn't seem to have any problem getting on plane the day we fished and it took less than 5 seconds.

The newer ones don't have a problem getting on plane, but I've been in several older Nitro's (early 2000's-late 1990's) and they were all dogs! Just not balanced out well for planing out but they ran just fine once they got there. I'd love to have a new Nitro, or an old one with a motor that ran well for that matter.

Smokinal reply :

I'll get in on this. I have a 96 Nitro, small one, 16ft with a 75 Merc and absolutely love the boat. This combo has been the most reliable boat I have owned or even been in for that matter. Most of that could be because of maint though. It's garaged and well cared for. I will say that I feel Nitro got a bad rap for a couple of reasons. One, the finish and detail could be a little better, but your going to pay for it...go buy a Ranger. Second, I honestly feel there is a little sour grape syndrome that goes on here. Guys that spend 45-50K on a Ranger or Triton see some chump in a 12K Nitro place higher than him in a tourney, well that's gotta hurt. I can't help but feel some, not all, guys in Rangers and Tritons look down on folks in Nitros, even though it's not the boat that catches fish.

It's like when I go to the 5 stand club with my $600 Lanber and shoot better than guys with $2500 Berettas and Brownings.

And please don't get me wrong. If I were loaded I'd love to own a Ranger as they are fine quality boats. I'm just saying a Nitro is a great boat for the money and will put you in the same spots as anything else.

QUAKEnSHAKE reply :

Those of you that have bought or tried buying a boat from BPS do they adhere to one price or able to negotiate with them?

Fishing Rhino reply :

On 12/15/2013 at 12:58 PM, BassnChris said:
Boat gets on plane quickly.......you usually cruise at 45 mph (so do I )......if you could go back and do it over, would you bump the motor up or still keep the 200 HP ?

I would keep the 200 HP engine. It would cost 5,000 dollars more to get the 250. That's a lot of money for 50 HP I'd rarely, if ever, use. I'd rather have that five grand to spend elsewhere. Electronics, gear, or two or three fishing trips to warmer climates in the winter. It's not a question of the money. It's a question of, is it worth it. For me, the answer is no.

slonezp reply :

On 12/15/2013 at 10:23 PM, QUAKEnSHAKE said:
Those of you that have bought or tried buying a boat from BPS do they adhere to one price or able to negotiate with them?

No negotiations. They will offer incentives like a gift card and/or I think a 15% discount on BPS merchandise for a year. The only way I see at saving money when buying a boat is to build your boat online and note the prices. BPS charges full MSRP for the add ons. There's a good chance you can find those items cheaper online. For example, the 1198 Birds are about $1000 less than MSRP. I just ordered a new Minn Kota trolling motor for $500 below MSRP, and got my Talon last year for $300 below MSRP. That's a $2800 savings. If you can install those items yourself, you're way ahead of the game.

slonezp reply :

On 12/15/2013 at 10:04 PM, Smokinal said:

I'll get in on this. I have a 96 Nitro, small one, 16ft with a 75 Merc and absolutely love the boat. This combo has been the most reliable boat I have owned or even been in for that matter. Most of that could be because of maint though. It's garaged and well cared for. I will say that I feel Nitro got a bad rap for a couple of reasons. One, the finish and detail could be a little better, but your going to pay for it...go buy a Ranger. Second, I honestly feel there is a little sour grape syndrome that goes on here. Guys that spend 45-50K on a Ranger or Triton see some chump in a 12K Nitro place higher than him in a tourney, well that's gotta hurt. I can't help but feel some, not all, guys in Rangers and Tritons look down on folks in Nitros, even though it's not the boat that catches fish.

It's like when I go to the 5 stand club with my $600 Lanber and shoot better than guys with $2500 Berettas and Brownings.

And please don't get me wrong. If I were loaded I'd love to own a Ranger as they are fine quality boats. I'm just saying a Nitro is a great boat for the money and will put you in the same spots as anything else.

Don't kid yourself. New Nitro's are right in line with the other boat manufacturers. They are advertised less because they are rigged bare bones. You can easily rig a Z9 to $55k

BassnChris reply :

On 12/15/2013 at 10:57 PM, Fishing Rhino said:
I would keep the 200 HP engine. It would cost 5,000 dollars more to get the 250. That's a lot of money for 50 HP I'd rarely, if ever, use. I'd rather have that five grand to spend elsewhere. Electronics, gear, or two or three fishing trips to warmer climates in the winter. It's not a question of the money. It's a question of, is it worth it. For me, the answer is no.

Gotcha.........I agree with that concept.

On 12/15/2013 at 11:00 PM, slonezp said:
No negotiations. They will offer incentives like a gift card and/or I think a 15% discount on BPS merchandise for a year. The only way I see at saving money when buying a boat is to build your boat online and note the prices. BPS charges full MSRP for the add ons. There's a good chance you can find those items cheaper online. For example, the 1198 Birds are about $1000 less than MSRP. I just ordered a new Minn Kota trolling motor for $500 below MSRP, and got my Talon last year for $300 below MSRP. That's a $2800 savings. If you can install those items yourself, you're way ahead of the game.

That is what I have found too........I can noticed that by building a boat online....prices give you no break at all......a couple of items are priced comensurate but for the most part you are right on.

thanks guys

Chris

Fishing Rhino reply :

The Tracker/Nitro owners card will get you a discount of 20% on the BPS branded merchandise. It will get you 10% on all other brands. Not everything qualifies for a discount. Electronics, no discount, at least not on the upper end stuff. Shimano products, no discount. Probably the same for the other top name brand reels and rods.

There is one caveat. If BPS merchandise is on sale, you get the sale price, or the discount, whichever is lower. I believe that is a recent change. I know I've bought sale stuff and gotten the discount on top of that. Regardless, that is the current state of affairs regarding discounts.

It is a sell at the marked price, no haggling. Not sure how that works if you have a trade in. They usually have some good deals on leftovers when they have their big Boat Show "sale" in late winter or early spring. My Z-8 was marked down $4,000.00. Then you get a thousand dollar BPS gift card, and the Nitro Owners card, which is good for two years.

Another way to get some good deals at BPS is when they have the special nights for reward card or preferred customers. You get double, sometimes triple reward points, another ten percent off your purchases at that time, which does apply to sale items as well.

Other than that, BPS prices on baits/lures are no bargains, unless you fish their branded stuff.

RoLo reply :

Though I've never owned a Nitro, I'm yet to meet a Nitro owner who's not happy with his investment.

In 2010, Fishing Rhino & myself were both in the market for a new boat. Rhino took the high road and purchased a Nitro,

I took the low road and purchased a Bass Tracker. I've owned several glass & several aluminum boats, and know that

aluminum doesn't have the ride of fiberglass, but Tracker's revolution hull negotiates a sharp chop remarkably well.

The bottom line is their bottom line. Tracker Marine (Nitro/Tracker) enjoys tremendous volume, which allows them to turn a handsome profit

with a narrower profit margin than their competitors. In other words, you'd be real hard pressed to find a better bang-for-the-buck.

Roger

Fishing Rhino reply :

On 12/16/2013 at 5:01 AM, RoLo said:

Though I've never owned a Nitro, I'm yet to meet a Nitro owner who's not happy with his investment.

In 2010, Fishing Rhino & myself were both in the market for a new boat. Rhino took the high road and purchased a Nitro,

I took the low road and purchased a Bass Tracker. I've owned several glass & several aluminum boats, and know that

aluminum doesn't have the ride of fiberglass, but Tracker's revolution hull negotiates a sharp chop remarkably well.

The bottom line is their bottom line. Tracker Marine (Nitro/Tracker) enjoys tremendous volume, which allows them to turn a handsome profit

with a narrower profit margin than their competitors. In other words, you'd be real hard pressed to find a better bang-for-the-buck.

Roger

Haven't seen you in a while. How's everything going? Hope all is well.

I remember that "conversation". I was looking at a Tracker Tournament V18 if I recall correctly. Its shape was more rounded that the angular trackers, and had a new, softer riding hull. That was the last year they made the Tournament V18. They had the Z7, leftover, with a slight hollow in the starboard side near the stern. It was purely cosmetic, not structural, and with the price being a couple of hundred dollars less than the tracker, it was a no brainer. The Nitro was bigger, more storage, beefier trailer with brakes.

Two years later I traded it for the leftover Z8 that I now have. I bought the 7 for 19,300 dollars and got 16.000 dollars for a trade in two years later. The Z8 was marked down from 33,000 to 29,000. I got a thousand dollar BPS gift card which netted the Z8 to 28,000. 200 HP, retractable tie downs, hydraulic steering, lighted forward compartments, one piece molded cockpit with the forward center storage molded in as well, rather than the plywood in the 7, a ratchet cord cover, a 58 gallon fuel tank, external connector for the battery charger and the rapid planing system hull. I sprung for it. It is much more comfortable in a chop than the 7, gets on plane effortlessly.

I liked the 7 I had, but wouldn't want to go back to it.

tomustang reply :

I'm not a big guy but I was so cramped in the cockpit of a Z7, it was still a nice boat overall. The 8 on the other hand is very spacious, I'd start there.

RoLo reply :

On 12/16/2013 at 6:40 AM, Fishing Rhino said:

Haven't seen you in a while. How's everything going? Hope all is well.

I remember that "conversation". I was looking at a Tracker Tournament V18 if I recall correctly. Its shape was more rounded that the angular trackers, and had a new, softer riding hull. That was the last year they made the Tournament V18. They had the Z7, leftover, with a slight hollow in the starboard side near the stern. It was purely cosmetic, not structural, and with the price being a couple of hundred dollars less than the tracker, it was a no brainer. The Nitro was bigger, more storage, beefier trailer with brakes.

Two years later I traded it for the leftover Z8 that I now have. I bought the 7 for 19,300 dollars and got 16.000 dollars for a trade in two years later. The Z8 was marked down from 33,000 to 29,000. I got a thousand dollar BPS gift card which netted the Z8 to 28,000. 200 HP, retractable tie downs, hydraulic steering, lighted forward compartments, one piece molded cockpit with the forward center storage molded in as well, rather than the plywood in the 7, a ratchet cord cover, a 58 gallon fuel tank, external connector for the battery charger and the rapid planing system hull. I sprung for it. It is much more comfortable in a chop than the 7, gets on plane effortlessly.

I liked the 7 I had, but wouldn't want to go back to it.

Your concern is appreciated Rhino; all is well, and I hope the same for you.

Please, no more Z8 hyping. You guys are going to cost me a bunch of money

Counting rowboats, my next boat would make my 14th boat. That's about average, right?

Roger

FishinDaddy reply :

RoLo in a glass boat. Say it aint so...

I'm on number 8. 14 should be about right.

RoLo reply :

On 12/16/2013 at 9:13 AM, FishinDaddy said:

RoLo in a glass boat. Say it aint so...

I'm on number 8. 14 should be about right.

Actually Lee, I've had 6 glass hulls and 7 aluminum (the next boat would be the 14th).

Not as bad as it sounds, that's only 1 boat every 3.8 years

Roger

flyfisher reply :

On 12/16/2013 at 9:35 AM, RoLo said:

Actually Lee, I've had 6 glass hulls and 7 aluminum (the next one would make 14).

Not as bad as it sounds, that's only 1 boat every 3.8 years

Roger

so is that 1 every 3.8 years from birth or from when you acquired your first boat?

I am up to 4 kayaks does that count lol

RoLo reply :

On 12/16/2013 at 9:36 AM, flyfisher said:

so is that 1 every 3.8 years from birth or from when you acquired your first boat?

I am up to 4 kayaks does that count lol

My first boat was purchased in 1964 (I was 22).

Kayaks certainly do count.

My first boat was a 14' alum Starcraft w/ 18 hp Johnson that I took miles into the Atlantic.

In heavy seas the coast guard used to chase me inshore

Roger

slonezp reply :

I've got some boat buying to do. 3 in 20 years makes me well below average.

RoLo reply :

On 12/16/2013 at 10:58 AM, slonezp said:
I've got some boat buying to do. 3 in 20 years makes me well below average.

No, that makes you normal

cadman reply :

I had a Bass Tracker boat for 17 years, and never had any issues with it at all. I would buy another boat from a Nitro/Tracker dealer, not from a BPS store. I went to look for a new boat there and got nothing but excuses and a belligerent salesman. I walked out of there and didn't buy a boat from him. Ended up with a Ranger. But I know a lot of guys that have Nitros and love their boats. I have also driven in a Nitro, and can't say anything negative about them. Everyone buys what they can afford, and hopes that they get a good boat with no problems. That is not always the case. I had issues with my brand new Ranger, but they did take care of the problem. Like stated, you can catch a lot of fish in a rowboat, you don't need an expensive boat.

cadman reply :

On 12/16/2013 at 10:58 AM, slonezp said:
I've got some boat buying to do. 3 in 20 years makes me well below average.

I'm way behind you. This is my second boat in 24 years, I must be missing something.

Bermise reply :

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/boats/nitro-boats.html

Goldstar225 reply :

On 5/19/2018 at 8:50 PM, Bermise said:

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/boats/nitro-boats.html

And how many tracker/nitro boats were sold during those years? What percentage of those sold had problems? Come on man, if you're going to post, give relevant details.

Fishing Rhino reply :

Here's an update. I too am going the route of using a dealer rather than BPS stores.

Last year I called to make an appointment to get the boat/motor winterized. Was told they no longer make appointments. They winterize them on a first come, first served basis. Was also told they had a four week backup on boats to be winterized. I could leave my boat and they'd call me when it was done.

Sorry, I told them but I'm not leaving my boat anywhere for routine service when I will have to leave it on their property for four weeks. Wouldn't do it for one week. I asked if they could put my name on the list and I'd bring the boat in a day ahead of time when my number came up. Nope, they couldn't do that. So off to the local Nitro/Tracker dealer which is a half hour closer than the BPS supermarket. Bring it in, and I could pick it up the next day.

Service matters.

Goldstar225 reply :

On 5/21/2018 at 12:04 AM, Fishing Rhino said:

Here's an update. I too am going the route of using a dealer rather than BPS stores.

Service matters.

I don't blame you at all. You would think they could give you a one to three day advance notice of when they had a slot open.

007 BASS reply :

I bought on old 1998 used Nitro Savage 896 DC 8 years ago. I have had no problems with the boat at all. It had been left out in the Fl. sun before I got it and the gel coat had discolored but it performs great. I had issues with the motor but that is not a Nitro problem.

Boomstick reply :

I have never heard anything but great stuff about Nitro personally. Most Nitro boat owners I've talked to have either bought Nitro boats for years, or had been aspiring to get a Nitro and worked up from cheaper used boats to get there over many years.

BigBassLoveSenkos reply :

this thread got bumped from 2013. Let it die already

What's Wrong With Nitro? 2024

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