Good deal on a 2005 185DVS?

[ConstellationCity]

Hello! So I don't know much about boats in general. I bought a very cheap old (1979) Charger thinking I could get the motor running and wow was I ever wrong. After looking at new engines and the work involved, scraped that whole idea! Started looking for a new boat, thought mainly on Nitro, but then found this Ranger the other day and really liked it. Since I don't know much about boats, I figured I should check before I fully pull the trigger. I did place a fully refundable deposit on the boat, so I have some time to decide.

It's a 2005 Ranger 185 DVS with a 2005 Yamaha VMAX 150. The boat is in fairly good shape, some scratches and dings, but nothing major. The boat is currently at the dealer and they are going through all of it and cleaning it up. Both the driver and passenger seats have tears, which wasn't really a "huge" deal to me. There is also a "hot foot" pedal installed, I don't know if that's good or bad. I was mainly looking at 90s boats and this being a 2005 kind of took priority. I know nothing of Ranger's other than they're supposed to be great quality, and this boat seems to be great. Carpets are in great shape. I just want to know more about the boat, and whether the price is good (Just shy of $13k after taxes). So I defer to the experts here as to whether it's a solid/good/decent deal, and also, if anyone recommends a place to finance a used boat, feel free to send recommendations my way!

[jc2bg]

I don’t know where you are in Missouri, but just generally as a completely new buyer I’d steer away from “big box” stores like Cabela’s whose main business is not boats or boat service and gravitate toward 100% marine dealers with a solid reputation, like Pro’s Choice. They will have dozens of boats to choose from in all years, models, and price points, and have a lot at stake in satisfying every boat customer. After all, it’s their only line of business, and they have a national reputation to protect. From a thousand miles away, the boat you are looking at seems okay, but what if it isn’t? That’s where reputation for service and a super-knowledgeable sales staff (at a full-scale boat dealership) comes to the fore. Good luck!

[bassnman81]

Good advice above. The 05 is a good boat. That motor is a gas guzzler. The 05-07 trailers had serious hub, frame and axle problems. Must of came in as a trade. What did the owner purchase? If it was other than another Ranger might indicate he wasn't happy with Ranger and might be a problem boat.

[X19Indy]

I have a completely different prospective on buying from Cabelas. If the deal is right and the boat and motor check out I don't see it as being different than any other dealer. The motor is the biggest thing you should be concerned about. You need to have a compression and leak down test done and get a computer print out that shows run and fault history. Ask on the Yamaha board and they will be able to tell you exactly what to look for. That price seems fair to me but electronics and trolling motor make a big difference. What trolling motor is on it and electronics. It is easy to spend another 5k on those items. Also have them jack the boat off of the trailer bunks so you can see if there is damage. Scuffs and scrapes are normal and nothing that would concern me. However, deep gouges or chips or exposed glass is a big problem.

Hope this helps.

[Biggin2]

Damn jc2bg...SB...

[jc2bg]

I might have been a little blunt in my first response, but I don’t know the Cabelas store in question, and I do know several top-notch 100% boat dealers in that part of the country. With no great scarcity of boats, I am concerned when a first-timer goes to deal on a 13-year-old rig at an unknown (to me) place. Might be a fantastic boat; might not. Hard to tell what to look for when you’re new to the game. On the other hand, you can’t learn much until you get off the bench!

[captainrab]

If it checks out then I would go for it. Owned one for years and was a great boat

[ConstellationCity]

I might have been a little blunt in my first response, but I don’t know the Cabelas store in question, and I do know several top-notch 100% boat dealers in that part of the country. With no great scarcity of boats, I am concerned when a first-timer goes to deal on a 13-year-old rig at an unknown (to me) place. Might be a fantastic boat; might not. Hard to tell what to look for when you’re new to the game. On the other hand, you can’t learn much until you get off the bench!

I learned my lesson buying a 1979 charger from a guy who literally spoke no english but promised me "boat...good" - and then it didn't work! It did float though! I have looked up Pro's Choice before posting on here, but they do not have a lot listed online for their used inventory. I will give them a call tomorrow to check as well.

[cwilt]

Dont know about the boat, but know alot about the motor, have had my 150 vmax since new and has never left me stuck. Great motor as long as the compression number check out. It does drink alot of gas, but my driving habits contribute to that.

As long as you take care of the routine maintenence she will be bullet proof. Make sure the dealer changes lower unit oil so you have a starting point. Also check plugs regularly they tend to foul pretty easy. Also get a new water seperator if it has one. When it come time for rebuilding carbs (it has three of them) if you are pretty mechanicaly inclined you can have them off and back on in an afternoon.

Good luck on your search.

[jc2bg]

I’ve done a more thorough online search this morning, and it’s eye-opening how scarce good bass boats in that price range are, at least at the better known dealers. It’s that time of year, I guess. Literally 2 weeks ago there were many, many more used boats to choose from. The boat you (the OP) are looking at is a good hull and the motor has a solid reputation. One thing to be sure of is that you have a servicing dealer for that Yamaha lined up. They are a little scarce in our neck of the woods. Otherwise, if that setup meets your checklist, it might not be that easy today to find a lot of similar choices. 3 months from now will be a whole ‘nother story. Another wave of trade-ins will be arriving at the end of the summer. Best wishes!

[ConstellationCity]

I’ve done a more thorough online search this morning, and it’s eye-opening how scarce good bass boats in that price range are, at least at the better known dealers. It’s that time of year, I guess. Literally 2 weeks ago there were many, many more used boats to choose from. The boat you (the OP) are looking at is a good hull and the motor has a solid reputation. One thing to be sure of is that you have a servicing dealer for that Yamaha lined up. They are a little scarce in our neck of the woods. Otherwise, if that setup meets your checklist, it might not be that easy today to find a lot of similar choices. 3 months from now will be a whole ‘nother story. Another wave of trade-ins will be arriving at the end of the summer. Best wishes!

Thanks for doing some looking for me! My grandpa is 79 and is currently recovering in the hospital from a quadruple bypass heart surgery. When I was a kid we had an old aluminum boat and he and I would go all the time, so I’d like to get something for this summer to take him out!

[David g]

I bought an 02 185VS last October that had been sitting idle with low time. Mine has a Mercury XR6 150 HP which I would think performs much like the Yamaha. My boat had older graphs and a Motor Guide Tour TM. I am a do it yourself type of fellow and had to fix a lot of small things but since my labor is free, cost was minimal. Here is what I had to do to get mine back to fine working order:

Re-seal all through hull fittings including live well plumbing, drain plug housing, setback drain tube. This was a PITA having to bilge dive but boat was leak proof after complete, not one drop.

Replace Flo-Rite valve for the Live Wells (cracked and leaking).

Replace master cylinder for trailer brakes, flush, and bleed.

Replace impeller and water pump components on outboard and spark plugs.

Replace all batteries

Replace all tires

Change motor gear oil and hub oil on the trailer

Replace all aluminum rivets on every lid in the boat (after 15 years they WILL break loose but really an easy job)

Buff some haze from the sides of the hull where the cover didn't prevent UV rays from the surface and apply Protec products.

These were the major things I had to do and took a little while to get them all done but the motor runs great and I hit 60mph with myself and half tank of gas. I upgraded and installed an Ultrex with IPilot Link, Humminbird Helix 10 G2N, Comfortroll TM Tray, 6" Jack Plate. This made the boat a much more modern fishing platform and the hull was really in great condition and rides great. I figure with all of the things I have added, I have about 18k in mine now and it does everything a new Z18 would do except use more gas. BTW, gas tank is 40 gallons so if you have a gas hog, at least we have enough capacity. While my carpet is in very good condition, the seats were separating where stitched, I used a curved needle and restitched but bought new skins from Ranger and will install this winter.

Bottom line is, I really like my boat but it did take a bit of work to get it back in top shape. I can say that having owned other boats, Ranger's build quality is good. Only thing I am not ecstatic about is the way the boat loads and unloads, it has to be dunked pretty deep to do either making it more difficult when fishing alone. Also the center seat doubles as a carpeted step and is spongy when I step on it and kinda sucks. Every other aspect of this boat is really great and I have caught a lot of fish this spring. Tows well and rides great, hole-shot is good, storage is good except for 7'11" rods. I would rather have this than a newer aluminum rig and didn't break the bank.