The search for a Re Power provided is heating up. I have requested quotes from 4 dealers. It will be interesting to see what they come up with as far as a deal or even if they bother to respond to my request. I will update this thread as it moves forward. I am looking for a solution that is immediate.
Congrats on your decision ~c~ I'll be following this one closely, I'm very curious to see what the quotes are. Also curious to see what kind of warranties they offer in the fall. Something to keep in mind, I know Mercury ups their warranty offer in the spring, it's just something they do.
All the same brand motor or 4 different brands? Evinrude, Mercury, Yamaha, ???
I am open to most makes. I have quotes coming for Merc, Yamaha and Suzuki. Unfortunately my preference was evinrude but there are no dealers in my area. Kinda sad but the last evinrude dealer kinda close stopped selling their products about 6 months ago. For sure if it can't be serviced nearby then I don't want it. I fell that most likely it will wind up being a Merc.
That's a shame about the rude dealer. They cover all the rigging up to $2k and have a killer warranty. Can't see you with a Suzie pushing you through the water.
I love my Suzuki. just sayin. Don't knock what you don't know.
I have a 150 Mercury 4 stroke and it really good on gas.
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Quote from: Terry G on September 20, 2017, 12:21:18 PM
I love my Suzuki. just sayin. Don't knock what you don't know.
Oh, I'm not knocking them. lo
Currently the leading candidate is still the Merc 150 four stroke. Spent time today with two dealers about a yamaha replacement. I was not impressed by their initial pricing or warranty coverage. So far I have found a dealer with a motor in stock and we are currently working out the gauge configuration. Still have to decide on prop if it comes to that.
Obviously there is significant cost for rigging, gauges, controls etc. The one thing that is required that I had not considered is I have to upgrade to Hydraulic steering. I have been using basic simple equipment for so long all of this will be new to me. Kinda exciting actually. Even in this old man the little boy comes out and gets excited about all the new gadgets.
The consensus in the Atchafalaya basin by commercial crawfisherman is Yamaha is the most reliable. And they abuse their motors like you wouldn't believe.
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Prices still coming in but so far the best price for the Merc in the crate is just under $11K. Expect rigging and other things will bring the pricing into the anticipated $15K arena. It all depends now upon the the rigging and necessary extras.
Interesting thinking however says I can get a Ranger 198P for $30K equipped with the goodies I would want. Although this is still twice the price of a motor, does it represent a better investment? The motor does not add much to the resale of the old boat but one has to wonder what the resale value of the new boat would be in about 5 years or so. Hmmmmmmm! Still have a lot of things to consider.
Quote from: Bud Kennedy on September 20, 2017, 04:10:17 PM
Prices still coming in but so far the best price for the Merc in the crate is just under $11K. Expect rigging and other things will bring the pricing into the anticipated $15K arena. It all depends now upon the the rigging and necessary extras.
Interesting thinking however says I can get a Ranger 198P for $30K equipped with the goodies I would want. Although this is still twice the price of a motor, does it represent a better investment? The motor does not add much to the resale of the old boat but one has to wonder what the resale value of the new boat would be in about 5 years or so. Hmmmmmmm! Still have a lot of things to consider.
You got a lot to think about and a new boat with all the goodies would be like a little kid on Christmas morning.
Quote from: Bud Kennedy on September 20, 2017, 04:10:17 PM
Prices still coming in but so far the best price for the Merc in the crate is just under $11K. Expect rigging and other things will bring the pricing into the anticipated $15K arena. It all depends now upon the the rigging and necessary extras.
Interesting thinking however says I can get a Ranger 198P for $30K equipped with the goodies I would want. Although this is still twice the price of a motor, does it represent a better investment? The motor does not add much to the resale of the old boat but one has to wonder what the resale value of the new boat would be in about 5 years or so. Hmmmmmmm! Still have a lot of things to consider.
Boats don't depreciate no where near as fast as vehicles, just saying.
NEW BOAT, that sounds more exciting.
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It may be more exciting but you gotta remember I will soon be 72 years old. When you are a Senior you tend to look at things a bit differently. I want to fish as long as I possibly can but you gotta be realistic about just how long that will actually be. When there are no more paychecks hitting your bank account except for retirement benefits the tapping of the old bank account becomes very hard to do.
Quote from: Bud Kennedy on September 20, 2017, 06:11:41 PM
It may be more exciting but you gotta remember I will soon be 72 years old. When you are a Senior you tend to look at things a bit differently. I want to fish as long as I possibly can but you gotta be realistic about just how long that will actually be. When there are no more paychecks hitting your bank account except for retirement benefits the tapping of the old bank account becomes very hard to do.
I hear you.
Bud, I replied in your other thread.
Rigged engine 15k.
Livewell stuff you said you needed to fix a few more hundred.
Trailer repairs you said you needed. Another few hundred.
The resale or trade in of your Ranger. I dont know. 5k?
Your over 2/3's of the way to new cost and you have no worries. Your enjoying your time on the water instead of wondering what's going to break next, etc. etc. etc.
I'd buy new if you can swing it.
I tend to agree with cojab. When I re-powered in '15 I got a much better price and no other repairs where necessary.
A new 198P will serve you better and be a safer investment. You still have time to sell your Ranger and apply the funds to a down payment. You'd never be upside down if you financed it.
Cojab brought up great points, and based on those points I lean towards a new boat as well. I know $$ is in the forefront of your mind Bud, hell is would be in mine as well. But... if you can remotely make it happen, I would say go for it. These newer tin boats have so much storage and are much easier to maintain than glass a boat. Add to that the peace of mind you will have that everything is brand new. You can go fishing and not have to cross your fingers every time you turn the key and start the motor. Good luck with whatever you decide.
Still leaning towards the re power as the solution. I might feel differently if a new rig did not have to sit in an outdoor storage lot most of the time. Products sitting out in the open just 2 miles from the ocean and all of this salt laden air can create a bit of a problem for certain surfaces. Then I am facing the reality that the place I will be fishing is right here in the river or as I am beginning to think of it as the dead sea.
It was only a few short years ago that we fished Santee about 3 days a week and now I am lucky to get out once a week on the dead sea. Hopefully that will change as the temps cool down. In reality I am not really looking for a return on investment. I just want a dependable fishing craft. It would just a shame to buy a brand new boat and just let it sit. No matter how much I wish it wasn't true I still have to face up to my age. If I was going to be fishing multiple lakes on bigger water then a new boat would be a reasonable choice but that is not going to happen. I guess I just have to face up the the realities.
you have to what's best for you and your situation. It's real easy for us to spend your money!
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Quote from: Captsteve on September 21, 2017, 10:41:54 AM
you have to what's best for you and your situation. It's real easy for us to spend your money!
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Capt Steve pretty much summed it up. Best of luck Bud. Either decision is better than your current situation. ~beer~
Had a very pleasant experience with Mercury Marine. I have been a bit concerned about the lack of confidence that some dealers have demonstrated about their knowledge of the re power process. It seems there is a bit of confusion about how to deal with the gauge situation. I decided to call Mercury and spoke to a guy in their customer support center. In a very short period, he was able to fully explain my options and how most likely I could still use my existing gauges. As it turns out Mercury has a module called the Analog gauge interface. (AGI). This module communicates with the motor's computer and sends the proper analog signal via wiring to the existing gauges. While certain things might need to be replaced IE the Tach all of the other gauges currently installed on my ranger will work so no need to invest in a wholesale gauge swap.
I have asked the dealers to provide a complete breakdown of hardware and installation costs so that I can fully understand their quotations. That seems to have slowed them down a bit by asking for specific information. At this point I firmly believe that getting all of the details in writing is fully justified. So far it appears that paying attention to the details can save a lot of money when you get to the bottom line.
Quote from: Bud Kennedy on September 21, 2017, 02:09:30 PM
Had a very pleasant experience with Mercury Marine. I have been a bit concerned about the lack of confidence that some dealers have demonstrated about their knowledge of the re power process. It seems there is a bit of confusion about how to deal with the gauge situation. I decided to call Mercury and spoke to a guy in their customer support center. In a very short period, he was able to fully explain my options and how most likely I could still use my existing gauges. As it turns out Mercury has a module called the Analog gauge interface. (AGI). This module communicates with the motor's computer and sends the proper analog signal via wiring to the existing gauges. While certain things might need to be replaced IE the Tach all of the other gauges currently installed on my ranger will work so no need to invest in a wholesale gauge swap.
I have asked the dealers to provide a complete breakdown of hardware and installation costs so that I can fully understand their quotations. That seems to have slowed them down a bit by asking for specific information. At this point I firmly believe that getting all of the details in writing is fully justified. So far it appears that paying attention to the details can save a lot of money when you get to the bottom line.
That's smart Bud trying to get them to put it in writing before you move forward with it.
Best of luck whichever way you go. Like Lou said, either is better than your current situation.
Peace of mind and feeling safe on the water will only enhance your time spent.
Bud, I would let the dealer know that the deal depends on the info you're asking for!
Only you know whether a repower or new boat is the best way to go, tough decision to make. I do know that if I had the money I'd be looking at a new boat today, I'm 72 with arthritis everywhere and multiple surgeries and still doing cortisone to stave off surgery but I get out 3 times a week now and if I can it's 4 or 5 times and I have multiple good lakes within an hour/hour and a half, 2 of which the Elites fish so it's an easy choice I can't afford to do.
Good luck and and I hope you're very happy whichever decision you make!!!
Rodney
I have contacted four dealers about the re power. Two of the dealers I visited in person and the remaining two were contacted by e mail. The only true response so far has come from the e mail contact with a respected dealer that I have had personal experience over the years. The others have not really responded except for some minor information but no real documented numbers. It seems that most of the dealer organizations are a whole lot more interested in selling a complete boat and don't really focus on the re power aspect. Three of these dealers have significant service capability and one would think that a re power would be right up their alley.
With what I have learned so far, my recommendations to anyone thinking about a re power is to do all of your research prior to contacting a dealer. Make all of your selections including all of the required rigging products and be sure to document your request in writing. This will take away a lot of the procrastination that many dealers seem to exhibit. So far it is my opinion that most dealers just are not equipped for precise answers to your request. This does not mean that they don't know what they are doing it just means that it is your decision to make and it implies that most dealers are not real good at administrative responsibilities. Failure to do your up front research just may lead to surprises during the re power process. This is not the time to bestow complete trust on a dealer but it is wise to listen to their ideas. So I guess it is a trust but verify situation. It may save you some significant dollars too.
sounds like it is getting complicated.
Of coarse they would rather sale you a new boat.
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Quote from: Captsteve on September 22, 2017, 09:11:36 AM
sounds like it is getting complicated.
Of coarse they would rather sale you a new boat.
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What they like is not having to make a solid commitment on price. That way, all the "little things" they forgot can be added to the final bill. :)
The first complete quote has now been received. The dealer has provided a complete line item breakdown of the costs and has included two options for the gauge configuration. The dealer has the motor in stock but some of the other goodies have to be ordered from Mercury Marine. Now I have to be very serious about the money. Is this something I want to commit to or what are my alternatives. The out the door quote is sitting at $13.7K and does not include the $1K Rebate offer from Mercury and it does not include any money for the old motor. That is now being addressed by the dealer. This price seems to be a good offer pending the other factors listed above. Plus I have to decide how I want to pay for this investment.
Quote from: Bud Kennedy on September 22, 2017, 01:11:08 PM
The first complete quote has now been received. The dealer has provided a complete line item breakdown of the costs and has included two options for the gauge configuration. The dealer has the motor in stock but some of the other goodies have to be ordered from Mercury Marine. Now I have to be very serious about the money. Is this something I want to commit to or what are my alternatives. The out the door quote is sitting at $13.7K and does not include the $1K Rebate offer from Mercury and it does not include any money for the old motor. That is now being addressed by the dealer. This price seems to be a good offer pending the other factors listed above. Plus I have to decide how I want to pay for this investment.
Not a bad price at all considering the rebate isn't in it and you still have your motor. Those two items could potentially get you down close to $10k. IMHO that's awesome!
Quote from: Bud Kennedy on September 22, 2017, 01:11:08 PM
The first complete quote has now been received. The dealer has provided a complete line item breakdown of the costs and has included two options for the gauge configuration. The dealer has the motor in stock but some of the other goodies have to be ordered from Mercury Marine. Now I have to be very serious about the money. Is this something I want to commit to or what are my alternatives. The out the door quote is sitting at $13.7K and does not include the $1K Rebate offer from Mercury and it does not include any money for the old motor. That is now being addressed by the dealer. This price seems to be a good offer pending the other factors listed above. Plus I have to decide how I want to pay for this investment.
Sounds like a good deal from a good dealer that wants your business! If you trust him I'd be taking a second look and talking about wait times. Like Jim said, take the rebate and what you could get for your old motor it sounds really good!!
Rodney
Rodney, I don't have all the responses yet about the rebate or the motor trade all is still pending. The Mrs and I continue to talk this whole deal over. I really don't think we are ready to make this decision yet. The Mrs would rather have another boat and in reality so would I but I am really a cautious sort when it comes to money. This morning she asked me to consider looking at some newer but used boats. I think we owe it to ourselves to be absolutely sure of what we want to do before writing any checks. We just don't want to finance anything and writing a check like this takes a lot of consideration. Her point is that it is coming into the time of year where some folks might just be considering selling their boats to get out from under the monthly cost. She may be right about that. The financial model suggests that putting 13 to 15K into our old boat does not make a lot of sense even though we really like our current boat. I suppose we are suffering a bit from analysis paralysis. Currently the old boat and motor is doing well. The last motor problem was so simple and I was able to repair in 5 minutes once we got back on land so in reality there is no reason to be in a hurry about anything. We are planning on taking the old rig to Santee in a couple weeks as is.
Never said it would be easy, when you know what you really want to do you'll be ready and peaceful about it. Enjoy the time at Santee!!!
Rodney
Even in a new or slightly used boat, the financial investment is not good. Boats are not money makers. I look at it differently I guess. I could save a fortune if I sold my boat and fished with buddies once in a while. But fishing is what I love to do, it comes at a cost. Fishing is where I choose to spend my money. I do try to make sound judgements in purchases but just like buying a bag of worms, I buy them, use them, buy more so I can keep fishing. If I looked at fishing as an investment then I'd only buy hard baits and I'd carry snorkeling gear.
My boss gave me Finaicial advice. He said I should save up the money to pay cash for my boat. Well I'm 60 years old. I figured I will enjoy my boat a long time if I get it now. If I waited till I could pay cash I may never get it. Look at all the years I would miss. You can't take the money with you to the grave. Enjoy life.
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Quote from: Mike Cork on September 26, 2017, 07:24:05 AM
Even in a new or slightly used boat, the financial investment is not good. Boats are not money makers. I look at it differently I guess. I could save a fortune if I sold my boat and fished with buddies once in a while. But fishing is what I love to do, it comes at a cost. Fishing is where I choose to spend my money. I do try to make sound judgements in purchases but just like buying a bag of worms, I buy them, use them, buy more so I can keep fishing. If I looked at fishing as an investment then I'd only buy hard baits and I'd carry snorkeling gear.
Agree completely. ~c~
Can't take it with us! It's a shame some folks do nothing but work hard their whole life, save for the future, then retire and die before they can enjoy the fruits of their labor.
I'm looking at the 198P very seriously as my retirement sled. Much lower maintenance than glass, lighter means easier and cheaper to tow, less likely to damage in shallow waters, and aluminum doesn't depreciate as quickly.
Hell, get a new one, finance it for 30 years and let the kids worry about it ~roflmao ~roflmao
As many boats as I go through, I am a bad one to have this discussion with lo :'(
Quote from: Lee Smith on September 26, 2017, 08:09:45 AM
Hell, get a new one, finance it for 30 years and let the kids worry about it ~roflmao ~roflmao
As many boats as I go through, I am a bad one to have this discussion with lo :'(
~c~ ~c~ ~c~
They owe us anyway
Lee, Do you still have the blazer. I remember last year you were thinking about selling. No I am not interested just curious. LOL
Quote from: Bud Kennedy on September 26, 2017, 11:25:54 AM
Lee, Do you still have the blazer. I remember last year you were thinking about selling. No I am not interested just curious. LOL
I still have it, it thinks I'm dead lo hasn't been wet since February :'( :'(
Quote from: Lee Smith on September 26, 2017, 01:47:12 PM
I still have it, it thinks I'm dead lo hasn't been wet since February :'( :'(
Have you taken your temperature lately? ~roflmao ~roflmao
Rodney
Any updates Bud?
We're all in suspense here.
Well, by now most have realized that I decided against the re power. Pricing turned out about where I expected but the bottom line is..... It does not make a lot of fiscal sense to put that much money into a 27 year old boat. Even with the new motor the rest of the stuff is really old. For now I will keep using it like always but will keep searching for a different rig entirely.
I am a fairly patient person and will search high and low for a real deal. This does not mean priced fairly it means a deal that makes it worth my while. While I have found a few boats none have yet passed muster as far as overall conditions. Mostly I have found that many are still paying for their boats and still so much it just isn't worth it to me. I know if I stay aware of the market place perhaps I might find a deal deal. Otherwise what I have runs good and everything works so I am not in a hurry.
patience is a virtue. Not that I have any. lo
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Why not just get a tin? You can get a 16-17' Bass Tracker for around 12-15K. Get that, has a warranty, and is more that yo old azz needs. :)
I don't think so. If I were to go tin it would only be a Ranger. My preference would still be for a glass boat and something 19 or 20'. The trailer would be tandem axle. Still want a dual console with a further preference for a 36V trolling system. While electronic are important I doubt that I could get luck enough to find something with decent electronics but you never know.
I'll admit that I am a Ranger Bigot but would consider others if Glass but not in Tin. Even at my age I am just not willing to sacrifice performance and going tin in my mind is mostly a cheap compromise except for a couple Ranger Options.
Believe it or not there are still some very nice glass boats that pop up from time to time in the 12-15K range that are still new enough to take the risk. It all depends upon what the motor is and its condition.
This is what I would do if I was retired, this was my main hobby, it was something that my wife and I enjoyed together, and my income allowed it. Not that this does or doesn't makes sense for your application. Only you can answer that.
I would check to see what the lead time is for a new RT 198 P decked out exactly how I wanted it. I know you can get one with a tandem trailer and I believe a 36 volt TM. After finding this information, I would determine what date I needed to order one by to have a new boat sitting in my driveway by the beginning of the season.
Since now is the time to get a used glass rig at a good bargain and its something your interested in, I would search for a glass rig that fits what I wanted exactly until the date I needed to order the new Ranger. If I didn't find the glass I wanted by then, I would drive right down to the dealer and put a deposit on the new one and tell them to start building.
Just my .02
The Tracker tins have a second console option in the 3 larger models. If I could do it I really would prefer a glass boat too though.
Rodney
Check out bassboatforsale.com . Its a buddy of mines site. If you are persistent in dumping more than you need to, they have plenty of options for ya, lo
Bud you could easily get a Ranger RT178 for the price range you want to spend. Or at least close to it.
Really do you need a 19-20 ft boat?
How often do you fish? How often do you take someone with you? How often do you fish in Big Water where you would feel better in a 19-20 ft rig VS a 17 8 or 18 8 ft boat?
All questions only you can answer.
Well Deadeye, the best way to explain it is sometimes one wants what they want and not necessarily what they need. As they say.......It's the American Way. ~c~
Quote from: Bud Kennedy on November 10, 2017, 01:24:21 PM
Well Deadeye, the best way to explain it is sometimes one wants what they want and not necessarily what they need. As they say.......It's the American Way. ~c~
~c~
Bud, if you'll be on Murray at all, you'll want a bigger ride if there's wind/weather.
Yep, Santee and the Cooper River can also be a bit tough on a smaller craft. Santee is so shallow that it does not take much wind to whip up those 4' rollers.
Well heck Bud, Figure how many years you got left to fish, how many times a year you would go, and the amount of money you want to spend and
See how many times a year you could hire a guide to take you out and if it's enough you'd probably be money ahead and never have to clean up a boat again!