1995 Nitro DC 190 for starter boat?

bassin_man · December 12, 2006, 06:54:36 PM

Would a Nitro DC 190 be a good starter boat? Pros/Cons of that particular year or model?

AB · December 12, 2006, 06:59:05 PM

What engine is on the bacK? As with any usd rig, check the transom real close for cracks or softness, check the entire hull for stress cracks, and make sure there are no soft spots in any of the flooring of the boat. Hopefully some Nitro owners will be along that can give some more specifics.

bassin_man · December 12, 2006, 07:23:43 PM

It has a Mercury XRI 175 that is currently not running. He says it needs to be rebuilt haven't really went into much more detail than that yet. I plan on taking it to a good boat shop if I plan to purchase it to check everything for me.

P.S. Whats the rough estimate of the price one should pay for the boat without a running motor? Thanks

AB · December 12, 2006, 08:38:08 PM

The best way to know that would be to plug it into nada.com or into the kelly blue book and see what the going rate is. Keep in mind that if the motor is blown, it is right off the bat going to cost you $3,000+ to get it running again. Might be worth looking into something that is actually running and useable.

bassin_man · December 12, 2006, 11:02:44 PM

Thats the problem I seem to be running into. Either the boat is in bad shape or its out of my price range I don't have the deepest pockets right now with having to buy a "new" car not to long ago. I was hoping with the winter months being here I would be able to find something, but haven't yet.

I guess if its needed to get a decent boat I will just put off buying a boat for another year.

BassBUFF · December 13, 2006, 08:46:31 AM

Quote from: bassin_man on December 12, 2006, 11:02:44 PM
Thats the problem I seem to be running into. Either the boat is in bad shape or its out of my price range I don't have the deepest pockets right now with having to buy a "new" car not to long ago. I was hoping with the winter months being here I would be able to find something, but haven't yet. I guess if its needed to get a decent boat I will just put off buying a boat for another year.

Where are you located?

bassin_man · December 13, 2006, 05:19:51 PM

Eastern Nebraska.

AB · December 13, 2006, 08:55:28 PM

Unfortunately, more often that not with a boat, you can pay now or pay later. Why sset yourself up for a headache with a rig that already has issues? Just save your money a bit more and buy a newer rig. It'll seem hard now, but will pay off in the long run.

bassin_man · December 13, 2006, 11:11:44 PM

Figured I would ask this here. How much should I look at saving/spending for a good 18'+ boat in good shape all around? As a general rule of thumb anyways.

TiGer85SS · December 14, 2006, 11:06:31 AM

I used to work for a boat repair shop before I joined the military. The older Nitros were fast boat but more often than not had transom problems. If it was me I would look at a new boat with composite construction if possible.

AB · December 14, 2006, 05:16:09 PM

Quote from: bassin_man on December 13, 2006, 11:11:44 PM
Figured I would ask this here. How much should I look at saving/spending for a good 18'+ boat in good shape all around? As a general rule of thumb anyways.

I'm not trying to talk you out of it. I am just saying this as I have been there. I bought a 1988 Bullet fairly cheap. Had to redo the entire interior, new carpet, seats, plumbing, trolling motor, and sand and clear the entire boat. $1000 in repairs/upkeep and 3 months to get it lake ready. She sure looked mint though. Put a 2.6 Yamaha on it and blew it up on the first run. $3500 later it was ready to roll again. It was a constant maintenance nightmare. Always something breaking, constant tinkering with stuff, in the long run I invested enough money into that boat that I thought was saving me money that I could have bought a brand new 18' boat. Earlier this year I decided I had enough and bought my Stratos. I pay less every month for the Stratos (boat payment, insurance, fuel, and oil) than I was paying in upkeep, fuel, and oil in the old rig. Plus, the new one has warranty and I don't have to worry about a dang thing!

spetro · December 15, 2006, 04:38:30 PM

I had a 98 nitro with a 115 rude on the back....bought it for 6k sold it for 7k.

My first real starter boat other then a jon boat was a 1980 procraft with a 90 rude on da back. Cost me 2500 sold it for the same, after I dumped another 1500 into it. The guy I sold it to forgot the plug and sunk it his first time out

Basscat7 · December 15, 2006, 05:04:38 PM

Quote from: bassin_man on December 13, 2006, 11:11:44 PM
Figured I would ask this here. How much should I look at saving/spending for a good 18'+ boat in good shape all around? As a general rule of thumb anyways.

bassin_man

That's a real generic question depending on the model, motor, condition etc.

You could be anywhere from 3k to 15k...
First thing you have to do is figure out how much YOU want to spend.
After you do that, then start searching......much easier that way.

AB is right, you can pay now or pay later, and it always costs more later.
Let us know what you want to spend and I'm sure some folks here can find some boats for ya to look at, there is a ton of used boats out there, take your time and find the right one for you.

Obviously the big motor is the most important part, but the transom is right there too. Expensive to replace either.
Electronics, carpet, cosmetic work can all be repaired/replaced in time . Just Make sure the motor is tight and the transom is solid.

Basscat7