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  1. #1
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    venus horror stories

    I have an rt188 reserved with a deposit from a local dealer. I was interested in a nexus avx 1880 or 1980 but the nearest dealer is in MN. Today I found one much closer. I have only seen a couple posts complaining about cracked hulls. Lots of them for ranger...though ranger's warranty is longer.
    The dealer with the deposit warned about cracks with Lexus that he knows of two locally. The nexus sales guy warned about ranger.

    I really like the vexus.

    Are the vexus negative remarks just unavoidable due to tin and the ranger issues more of a systemic problem?

    Vexus dealer 4 hrs away vs 6 miles for ranger.

    Thanks
    Greg

  2. Member
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    #2
    Is there a nexus between Venus and Lexus?

  3. Member
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    #3
    Quote Originally Posted by madmurph View Post
    Is there a nexus between Venus and Lexus?
    I noticed that right after posting but unable to edit the title. :)

  4. Member
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    #4
    Do you see any posts about cracked Vexus hulls

  5. Member
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    Oct 2004
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    Holly Ridge, NC
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    #5
    Just get what you want, there will always be issues regardless of brand/manufacturer and there will always be people posting about how bad said brand/manufacturer is. Don't let that "new boat dread" creep in....and ruin the new boat experience

  6. Member
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    Dec 2012
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    South FL
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    #6
    My Vexus dealer is 4 hours away, and I have had my 1880 for 2 years. Besides a recall that was resolved without issue, I fish the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee often, and 0 cracked hull issues is to speak of.
    2019 Vexus 1880 w/ Mercury Pro-XS 115 4-stroke, MK 80lb Fortex, Twin Helix 7 Birds, Pro II PowerPole. AEguideservice.com

  7. Member Panama's Avatar
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    Apr 2009
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    Southern USA
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    #7
    They have been making the Ranger RT series since about 2012... think about that. Of course you are going to see more posts..... Most of the RT owners are VERY happy with their boat. Of the thousands they have sold....yes you will hear a bad story here and there... Of all the owners here there might be some problems...probably not many.

    Now, I like the Vexus boat. If buying today, I might buy one. That said, I would rather FISH from the front deck of the RT...There is quite a bit of difference. Look at them both and look how the Vexus narrows and gets pointed toward the front. I spend about 95% of my time in the boat on that front deck. I am happy with my RT188 .... but I would not mind at all having the Vexus either... but I would stay far away from the Tracker.
    ----------------------------
    The bitterness of poor quality is remembered
    long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten - Benjamin Franklin

    2013 RANGER RT188 - YAMAHA F115 - ULTREX - LOWRANCE GRAPHS
    LOCK-N-HAUL Transom Saver, ALL ABOARD Emergency Ladder
    1996 RANGER CHEROKEE - 40 YAMAHA

  8. Banned
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    #8
    remember, you only hear the "negative" things about products on the internet, you very rarely hear the good. When people have nothing to complain about, they don't bother, BUT! when they have something to complain about, it's posted everywhere on the internet!.......one of the only people here that posts good things about a boat is me! ..............LOVE my Polarkraft!!!

  9. Member Extremeboating's Avatar
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    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Panama View Post
    They have been making the Ranger RT series since about 2012... think about that. Of course you are going to see more posts..... Most of the RT owners are VERY happy with their boat. Of the thousands they have sold....yes you will hear a bad story here and there... Of all the owners here there might be some problems...probably not many.

    Now, I like the Vexus boat. If buying today, I might buy one. That said, I would rather FISH from the front deck of the RT...There is quite a bit of difference. Look at them both and look how the Vexus narrows and gets pointed toward the front. I spend about 95% of my time in the boat on that front deck. I am happy with my RT188 .... but I would not mind at all having the Vexus either... but I would stay far away from the Tracker.
    What's wrong with Tracker? Not posing that argumentatively, genuinely asking here.
    - 2020 Bass Tracker Classic XL - SOLD
    - 2024 Lowe Stinger 178
    Mercury 115HP ProXS CT
    Vance 6" hydraulic jack plate
    22P 3 blade Tempest Plus propeller
    NGK Ruthenium plugs
    Garmin Force troller
    Garmin 126SV/93SV/73SV Livescope/ dual GT54 transducers
    DD26 motor toter
    IG: extremeboating



  10. Member
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    Oct 2012
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    #10
    Have been extremely happy with mine. Best TM down experience and front deck in more than 40 years of owning boats. I also agree with Panama and Polarkraft195 - it is wearisome to hear the negatives more than the positives. Growing up in LA, with the narrow waterways in the Atchafalaya Basin, I always backed off the throttle when crossing wakes and would take it easy in a chop. Never had a rivet or weld failure in multiple tin boats.
    2015 Ranger RT188 DC; BassCat Storage Box; Mercury Optimax 115ProXS;
    19" Spitfire X7; Vessel View Mobile; Minn Kota Ultrex 80; GForce Handle;
    TM Eliminator; Helix 7 G2N SI Combo F/R; HydroWave KVD; BBT 4" Angled Bow Mount; Durasafe Locks for Electronics and Ultrex;
    Twist Step Boarding Ladder; EZEE Step ES1; BAC RAC Rod Storage; Motor Mate Transom Saver

  11. Member 06 SB's Avatar
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    Feb 2012
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    West Point Lake, GA
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    #11
    Venus, Lexus, Nexus….

    USN Retired
    2020 Basscat Caracal
    2020 Mercury 225 ProXS 4s



  12. Member Mechanic Bob's Avatar
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    Jul 2019
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    Wilmington, NC
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    #12
    Get what you like. EVER MANUFACTURER has issues, any product! From hair dryers to boats, from trucks to scooters, they all have that De-ta-De working on the assembly line!
    2019 RT 198P
    2018 Mercury Pro XS 150 HP 4 Stroke #2B610068
    Twin 12' BT Talons
    4" Atlas Jack Plate
    Riptide Instinct Quest

  13. Member
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    #13
    Tracker is not a bad boat it’s just not the best in anything except price.
    You take the package as is . The other brands have more choices and options and use a little better materials.
    Trackers are cheaper for a reason but J M sells a lot of them .
    id bet there are more trackers sold than all other manufacturers boats combined.

  14. Member Extremeboating's Avatar
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    #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Crankinh20 View Post
    Tracker is not a bad boat it’s just not the best in anything except price.
    You take the package as is . The other brands have more choices and options and use a little better materials.
    Trackers are cheaper for a reason but J M sells a lot of them .
    id bet there are more trackers sold than all other manufacturers boats combined.
    The fact they sell them with less options as is, is very true indeed.

    I picked mine up really cheap and proceeded to sort of "one thing led to another" style pimp it out. Love the way it is now, but it was SUPER barebones as you stated indeed.
    - 2020 Bass Tracker Classic XL - SOLD
    - 2024 Lowe Stinger 178
    Mercury 115HP ProXS CT
    Vance 6" hydraulic jack plate
    22P 3 blade Tempest Plus propeller
    NGK Ruthenium plugs
    Garmin Force troller
    Garmin 126SV/93SV/73SV Livescope/ dual GT54 transducers
    DD26 motor toter
    IG: extremeboating



  15. Member
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    #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Crankinh20 View Post
    Tracker is not a bad boat it’s just not the best in anything except price.
    You take the package as is . The other brands have more choices and options and use a little better materials.
    Trackers are cheaper for a reason but J M sells a lot of them .
    id bet there are more trackers sold than all other manufacturers boats combined.
    It's also probably why you hear more complaints about them than any other tin. More boats = more people with problems. All brands have issues.
    Last edited by Ajojo; 07-11-2021 at 05:01 PM.

  16. Member
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    #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Crankinh20 View Post
    Tracker is not a bad boat it’s just not the best in anything except price.
    You take the package as is . The other brands have more choices and options and use a little better materials.
    Trackers are cheaper for a reason but J M sells a lot of them .
    id bet there are more trackers sold than all other manufacturers boats combined.
    Local Tracker dealer up here, not BPS, will put anything on it you want. Rangers boats quality has dropped too since JM took over. Just read the threads here.

  17. Member
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    #17
    Quote Originally Posted by E-rude_Dude View Post
    Do you see any posts about cracked Vexus hulls
    Yes.
    2016 Ranger RT188, Yamaha 115 sho, dual console, 80# Ultrex, hotfoot, networked HB Solix 10 & Helix 9, Mega 360. Powertech NRS3 18p, Atlas 4" jack plate.

  18. Member
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    #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Extremeboating View Post
    What's wrong with Tracker? Not posing that argumentatively, genuinely asking here.
    I am not a Tracker fan, I'll admit that....but my experience being around them that friends have owned will keep me from ever owning one. People will come here to defend their purchase when the shortcomings are mentioned. That's fine. My feeling is --- don't ask yourself....is this ok?....ask yourself .... would I rather have a boat built differently?

    The Tracker has wood in the boat. Maybe the last manufacturer to do this. I had rather have one built differently.
    Tracker uses hollow tubing for their trailer. It has to hold moisture. I had rather have one built differently.
    My buddies have had lots of trailer problems. I would rather have one built differently.
    I don't think the carpet is the same quality.
    I am not a fan of how high the front end sits...as compared to the back. The boat is very low in the back with someone back there.


    I could go on... but... will it float? Yes. Can it fish? Yes. Is it the cheapest price? Probably.

    Also I don't like the resale value.
    RT188
    I LIKE boats...BUT I LOVE PLANES
    Oh yeah.... I love the RT188 too.

  19. Member
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    #19
    Quote Originally Posted by FloridaFlyer View Post
    I am not a Tracker fan, I'll admit that....but my experience being around them that friends have owned will keep me from ever owning one. People will come here to defend their purchase when the shortcomings are mentioned. That's fine. My feeling is --- don't ask yourself....is this ok?....ask yourself .... would I rather have a boat built differently?

    The Tracker has wood in the boat. Maybe the last manufacturer to do this. I had rather have one built differently.
    Tracker uses hollow tubing for their trailer. It has to hold moisture. I had rather have one built differently.
    My buddies have had lots of trailer problems. I would rather have one built differently.
    I don't think the carpet is the same quality.
    I am not a fan of how high the front end sits...as compared to the back. The boat is very low in the back with someone back there.


    I could go on... but... will it float? Yes. Can it fish? Yes. Is it the cheapest price? Probably.

    Also I don't like the resale value.
    Boats are never an investment. Ever. The “resale” value is what some other sucker will pay you for it. Face it if you bought any boat you were a sucker.

  20. Member
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    opelika, ala
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    #20
    You can have cracks in all aluminum boats, and fiberglass. if you are going to run balls to the wall in rough water they will crack. I owned a rt 188 for about a year. spent 10 days at Guntersville, had a blast. when it got rough, i stayed inside. they all are great boats. get the rt and treat it good, and it will perform for you. i now run an xpress x-19, and love it.

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