Ranger RT 188 VS. Lowe ST 188

[Sparkkky]

The front compartments on my Lowe deep v have rubber gaskets and lips and do not leak.

[gbsmallie]

I would buy the Ranger simply because I don't like Mercs. The Ranger can be bought with a variety of outboards, the Lowe only comes with a Merc. Check what service Dept are good in your area and choose wisely....one thing is for sure, if you buy one with a Merc, you WILL need a good mechanic

[CodyI]

Thank you everyone for yalls response I really appreciate!!! I have one more thing and this might be a dumb question but like I said this is my first boat purchase. When you are buying the boat can you haggle the price down like buying a truck or are they pretty much set in stone? Thanks!!

[n2ratfishin]

You can haggle, even with MAP Pricing you can haggle other things into the price. Don’t be concerned about a Merc 4 stroke if you prefer the Lowe.

[fishon396]

You can haggle with the price and try to get them to throw in a free cover.

[Shulick]

What did you end up getting?

Hello,
I am looking to buy a new boat, I am first time boat buyer/ owner moving up from a kayak. I am looking at the Ranger RT188 and the Lowe ST188. Which one do yall prefer and why? The pro's and con's. Also since I am a first time boat buyer any info would help!! Like what to watch out for when buying. What I should have them put on the boat when buying or take off to save $$ etc. Any info will be greatly appreciated!! Thanks everyone!

[GeauxTide]

[QUOTE]I would pay attention to dealers and their proximity to where you live. When I bought the RT, there were a couple of brands that I would have liked to shop and study, but there was not but one dealer even in the whole state.[QUOTE]

Dealer is paramount. I owned a couple of Lowe 18HP. Good boats, but the quality of the Ranger is superior. My dealer is 10 min from the house.

[BigJfrank]

I have a 2013 RT 188. Love the boat. It’s a great boat but the compartments get wet when It rains. Period. Ranger sucked at that. Just be aware. I’m very happy with everything else. It’s a tremendous fishing platform and handles fairly rough water very well for an aluminum rig.

[pittsburghbass]

I just went through this decision over the winter and decided on the RT188. I love it - for me it was the deck layout/storage, construction quality, and how great of a fishing platform it is.

But the best advice I can give you is to just make a few trips to some dealers and sit in as many boats as you can. You'll be able to tell what makes you feel comfortable and what you like and don't like about each. Also, don't read too many forums posts and let people convince you that your first boat has to have an Ultrex, 2 Helix 12's, powerpoles, and 150HP motor... If you start with a good boat you can add upgrades over the years! Best of luck.

[nujer99]

I went with a Crestliner VT 18 which is made in the same plant as the Lowe's. Price for a similarly equipped Crestliner compared to a Ranger was about $6000 in savings. Ranger trailer will be nicer and maybe some of the little fit and finish details might be better, but the OCD German side of me is fine with the Crestliner. For the premium of a Ranger I can't justify the price difference.

Exactly the same thought process for me when I bought my boat back in 2016. I've always really wanted a Ranger but the Crestliner VT17 had a very similar hull design to the RT178. With the difference being a few thousand dollars, I decided to go with the Crestliner and have been very happy with it.