Hi everyone. Looking at getting a new boat within a year, so just curious about what you guy's think about ranger quality since JM industrys bought them. Better, or worse? Tell me why you think a certain way , and thanks.
Hi everyone. Looking at getting a new boat within a year, so just curious about what you guy's think about ranger quality since JM industrys bought them. Better, or worse? Tell me why you think a certain way , and thanks.
As a "just lookin" kinda guy when it come to Ranger, the ones I've seen in the showroom look fantastic... Just not my style... Dan
I just purchased a new boat recently and they were on my short list during my search for a boat. I was fishing as a co-angler quite a bit during that time frame I noticed nothing wrong with the quality and fished out of a lot of newer Rangers still a good boat with good support.
So I've owned 2 Champions, a Triton and two Rangers. My first Ranger was a 2015 521C. My latest is the 521L. The only thing I have noticed is their using a bit more plastic in the console area. The days of wrapping the fiberglass throughout the whole console area is gone. Plastic face plates seem like there here to stay with Ranger and many other mfgs. Other than that I feel Ranger still continues to be the leader with regards to quality. Quality is my number one factor when purchasing most things in life, no different with a bass boat.
2023 Ranger 521R DC
Mercury 250 Pro XS 4S
I do not particularly care for rangers and would not buy one myself but they are a very nice boat. There is a series on YouTube that documents the build process and it is quite impressive , although I think it is pre Johnny Morris but I doubt they have changed very much.
Bullet 21XD, 250 PRO XS
I bought a new Ranger last year. Possibly the best fit and finish of any boat I have owned. I have had a older Ranger, a Champion and a Bullet 20XD. I don’t think the ownership of Ranger has changed the final product at all. FSHRMN1010
I have a pre-JM and a buddy of mine has a post-JM ... exact same boat. I can't tell that there's any difference in quality, fit and finish, and just a couple of appointment differences. His came with a fancier steering wheel than mine. Mine has a temperature probe in the hull ... his doesn't. Other than that there's no difference.
[QUOTE=Dan21XRS;10323725]As a "just lookin" kinda guy when it come to Ranger, the ones I've seen in the showroom look fantastic... /QUOTE]
Same here and the ones I've been in are just as well built as they've ever been.
rangers are the benchmark of bass boats always have been through ownership an management still doing fine .
Not bashing Ranger, as I have owned 3, but my BassCat Puma has no plastic trim anywhere, it's metal or fiberglass everywhere.Originally Posted by MakingWaves
Unfortunately you are spot on. Its seams the use of plastics in bass boats is growing and here to stay. My old Triton front console weathered and cracked in multiple places. Other than BassCat I think all manufacturers are using plastic on the front and drivers console.
Brad Krone
But I can't get past the glass looking handrail :) JK
2023 Ranger 521R DC
Mercury 250 Pro XS 4S
But they are cool looking in the dark!
If it bothers you, get a Lynx, it doesn't have them.
I have owned seven Rangers since 1984 with my most recent one being a 2018 Z520c. Overall quality is still one of the best inthe industry.
Talk about Ranger quality, I haven't owned two, three or four Rangers, just one. It's a 2000 and the quality of the boat is what has kept it going for twenty years. The boat is all original and still looks like new. No cracks, leaks or anything at all. It's fished two or three times a week and has been for it's life. Blew the motor four years ago and on it's third trolling motor. Replaced two bilge pumps. Original carpet and Sea Star. Did have to re due the seat it did selfdestruck after 15 years. So, if your looking for a quality boat can't beat Ranger. This is coming from a guy that has owned one long enough to really get the feel for it. I never felt I needed a new one because they are like the energizer bunny, just keep going.
Lake Norman, N.C./New Britain, CT.
An Khe 66-67
Crawl under the console and run your arm up in hidden spots to find out about the build quality. Look at how wires and hoses are ran and if you can work on it when the time comes.
xpress x19, 200ho G2, aluminum sawtooth cut prop, paper sack tackle storage, ugly stik pro team, color c-lector
sounds like rigging quality, not build quality
I've had three Rangers spanning over several decades. Quality wise my current 2017 is the best of the three. Neither of my Cats had plastic handrails. If I went back to a glass boat it would be very hard to not buy another Cat. There is no perfect bass boat, only the one that's best for you at the time you bought.
From 2017 to now I’ve had 2 z519 boats that were terrible and my 2019 z519L is perfect.
I have a z118, while it's not the flagship model when I was shopping for a rig in that 18-19 range, ranger was the only boat out of 3-4 well known manufacturers that was build like the flagship model. The others felt cheap, I have no need for 20/21 foot bass boat but I'm not an entry level angler/boater. The boat I have is build with the same quality the z521 is. My boat is 6 years old and can pass for brand new (and I use it). I get complements everywhere I go. In saying that there are some nice bass boats out there and if I was looking for a 20/21 footer I'd have no proplem going with some of these other brands.
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