Ranger 482V to newer Nitro Z18

[Kwasham]

I have had a 1992 Ranger 482V with Fast Strike 150 for the last 8 years and it is a great boat. It is the only Fiberglass boat I have owned and driven extensively. Before the Ranger I had a 17ft Express aluminum. I want to move to a newer boat with a four stroke and have been looking at newer 2021-New Nitro Z18 with 175hp. Does anyone on here have experience going from an older 300 or 400 series Ranger to a Nitro Z18? I know Nitro's have a rep for not being as well built as some other boats but I want to hear from those who actually have experience with these two boats. The Ranger is 18' and the Nitro is 18'8" and has a slightly wider beam.

[1ranger487vs]

Repower the ranger. You will thank me later

[davidsa]

I would recommend you check the Nitro forum for specific thoughts on the Nitro z18. My father and I had a 19'6 Ranger fish and Ski from the Commanche series for about 15 years. I moved to a 18'6 Phoenix in 2014 and upgraded to 818 just this past year. Not what you are asking but a few observations that would make me suggest an upgrade.

- My 2024 18'6 boat is bigger then my 1996 larger ranger. I suspect the Nitro is much bigger fishing platform then your 1990's 18ft. Not just the beam but how far up to the nose the beam is carried. Further, my boat has a 10 inch setback plate on it and the 19'6 ranger did not.

- Modern features are nice. Simple resssessed TM pedal or spotlock or LED lights in the boxes

- Finally, the 175hp 4s won't be overkill on the modern 18ft boat. Likely won't go any faster then your 150 2s on older boat. I expect most of this has to do with width your pushing.

We loved our old Ranger boat but I'm happy I was able to upgrade.

[bob o]

repower, just my .02

[1ranger487vs]

Had a 482 vs, very good rig

[BDBR]

I recently sold 1999 462 that I repowered with a 2020 Merc 150 4S...... It was a great rig and better built than the majority of boats today. Unless you're stepping up to a much bigger boat, I'd also recommend repowering

[Kramos26]

I like my nitro. The trailer is garbage and I have a few small issues with the ProXS (trim related). But overall 0 issues with the Nitro. I'm sure other boats have better materials and better fit and finish but in my opinion its a fishing boat. Its meat to get beat up and dirty so it doesn't matter to me.

[bassfisher444]

The Z18 is a good boat as long as you don't overpay for it and get the 175 hp motor not the 150. However if your 482 is in good shape I would repower with a 175 Yamaha SHO. Those Rangers are the last of the good ones, and a new Yamaha 4 stroke is better than a Mercury. You can flash a Yamaha 150 or 175 SHO to a 230hp which would be a great setup on that boat.

[Crankinh20]

Keep the ranger

[Highcentered]

The Nitro has a nice wide front deck but doubt it would be enough of an improvement for most to justify the cost as long as the Ranger is still in really good shape. Seems like a lot of people are hanging a newer motor on the older Ranger hulls.

[JB134]

Own 10 bass boats in my lifetime. They all had likes and dislikes. Currently have a 2021 Nitro Z18 with the ProXS 150. Overall, it’s a fantastic boat for fishing. There’s faster, bigger, and certainly more expensive boats out there. To each their own. But if you are looking for a nice fishing rig, this will check all your boxes.

[Topwater All Day]

Those older Ranger's were really well built boats and they last a long time while holding up well. That said, they just cannot compare to the width, ride, storage and overall ergonomics of almost all of the newer boats, including the Nitro.

Not exactly the same, but I went from an older Skeeter ZX185 to a 2010 Bass Cat PII and to my current 2018 Nitro Z19 within the last 7 years. The Nitro Z18 is almost the same boat and has the identical front deck as the Z19, it just loses a little length behind the seats. The Skeeter was a fun little boat, but it certainly wasn't built like the Bass Cat or the Nitro! The fit & finish of the Bass Cat was really good, it's why you hear about that so much. However, the PII is a very narrow boat up front and wasn't as easy to work on and get around in as the Nitro is and they are essentially the same size. My Z19 has been an excellent boat and I've owned it for almost 2 years now after the first owner had it for 4 years. The trailer has needed a little work and I've had to tighten up a few things on the boat, including a hydraulic steering leak under the console. So there may be things that need to be addressed, but most of them you should be able to find and solve right away. And most will probably be due to rigging of the boat, not the actual boat itself.

As for the ride, the Nitro is completely different than the Skeeter or the Bass Cat, but it is very stable and easy to drive. I was just in some large wakes, 3'-4' and the boat did great. It always seems to land "soft" and not jolt you which I like. It doesn't lean into corners like a sports car (or the PII did!) and stays level, but after driving it some you figure out how it likes to run. It's a great boat and I'm really happy I made the decision to go with it.

I'd be willing to bet some of the old school guys who posted above about staying in your Ranger have never even been in one of the newer boats, let alone a Z18. If you can, try and get a demo ride on one and see what you think yourself. At a minimum, go crawl around one and look at the layout and storage it has. There are 5-6 other newer Nitro's in my club currently and everyone has been happy with them.

Good luck!

[Jbass123]

“I'd be willing to bet some of the old school guys who posted above about staying in your Ranger have never even been in one of the newer boats, let alone a Z18.”

This ^ is all too common here on BBC, although I guess it’s understandable that people speak from their own experience [and lots of dock talk]. I’ve run Ranger for a long time, and never had a Nitro, but to me the two biggest misconceptions in regard to the two boats—other than idiots who say they are the same now—are that 25-year-old Rangers are magically infused with pixie dust and that current/new Nitros are just as bad as they were 25 years ago. The newer Nitros have a ton of really useful, innovative features and offer a tremendous value in today’s bass boat market. Also, while Rangers of 25-30 years ago were fantastic boats *for that time,* today’s Rangers are equally great boats for *this* time. The hulls, storage, and layout of today’s bass boats are improvements in every way over the boats of 25-30 years ago, especially given that most of us fish bigger, more diverse bodies of water now, in competition with other bigger boats. Guys who fish mainly or exclusively the same small pond they fished back then, of course, don’t see this distinction, but if they aren’t experienced with today’s bass boats, maybe they shouldn’t be expressing strong opinions about them.

[bassfisher444]

I'd be willing to bet some of the old school guys who posted above about staying in your Ranger have never even been in one of the newer boats, let alone a Z18. If you can, try and get a demo ride on one and see what you think yourself. At a minimum, go crawl around one and look at the layout and storage it has. There are 5-6 other newer Nitro's in my club currently and everyone has been happy with them.

Good luck!

I have a boat that is bigger than the Nitro Z18 or Z19. My vote would still be to repower the 482 if it is in good shape. Like I said before the Nitro Z18 is not a bad boat, but the quality and construction doesn't compare to a Ranger of that era, those Rangers are built like tanks and are a work of art. A 482 powered by a newer Yamaha 175 SHO would be an awesome setup and faster than a Z18.

[davidsa]

The Nitro has a nice wide front deck but doubt it would be enough of an improvement for most to justify the cost as long as the Ranger is still in really good shape. Seems like a lot of people are hanging a newer motor on the older Ranger hulls.

I see this from time to time but don't fully get the economics of it if someone can afford a new rig. A 18ft glass boat is about 20k for the motor, 20k for the boat, 5k for options, and 7k for the trailer. dropping 20k+ on a new motor for 30 year old rig is a ponder moment for me when the trailer is past full depreciation and has to have rust accumulation. Add to that the quality of the work (or not) in who installs a motor on an old boat.

Then we get back to improvements they have made to boats over a 30 year period.

I'd just stay with what i had as a motor if it still was reliable.

[Topwater All Day]

I have a boat that is bigger than the Nitro Z18 or Z19. My vote would still be to repower the 482 if it is in good shape. Like I said before the Nitro Z18 is not a bad boat, but the quality and construction doesn't compare to a Ranger of that era, those Rangers are built like tanks and are a work of art. A 482 powered by a newer Yamaha 175 SHO would be an awesome setup and faster than a Z18.

I guess another factor would be if you work on the boat yourself or have a shop do it all. Having an older boat you almost have to know how to work on it some because things are going to break and just plain wear out. I'm not arguing at all that those old Rangers aren't great boats, I've been in a few of them and they are really solid for sure. But after having 4 older boats and spending countless hours on them just to keep them floating/running/fishable, I'm very happy to only have to do minimal maintenance to go fishing 4-5 times a month! The layout and storage is also so much better on the newer boats.

[davidsa]

I guess another factor would be if you work on the boat yourself or have a shop do it all.

I'm very happy to only have to do minimal maintenance to go fishing 4-5 times a month! The layout and storage is also so much better on the newer boats.

This is the reason I upgraded even my 2014 boat ultimatly. I am not handy, where I fish is 1000 miles from my home garage, and my experience is that any boat or car passing year 12 has things just wearing out from time to time; including rotting gas lines and brittle parts.

[BDBR]

I'd be willing to bet some of the old school guys who posted above about staying in your Ranger have never even been in one of the newer boats, let alone a Z18. If you can, try and get a demo ride on one and see what you think yourself. At a minimum, go crawl around one and look at the layout and storage it has. There are 5-6 other newer Nitro's in my club currently and everyone has been happy with them.

Can only speak for myself but I'm now in a 2020 Phoenix 721 and one of my team partners has a 2019 Ranger 520L that I've spent a lot of time in........ With the options the OP has I'd keep the ol' Ranger.... Now if he was stepping up to a newer 20-21 footer with all the modern bells and whistles then that would be a jump worth taking. I miss my old Ranger already lol

[majorbanjo]

I had a 95 482vs for many years.......it was better quality than my 2014 Z119c.....I like the newer layout a lot better but the older boat's quality of interior and trim was far superior....

[ECobb91]

Those older Ranger's were really well built boats and they last a long time while holding up well. That said, they just cannot compare to the width, ride, storage and overall ergonomics of almost all of the newer boats, including the Nitro.

Not exactly the same, but I went from an older Skeeter ZX185 to a 2010 Bass Cat PII and to my current 2018 Nitro Z19 within the last 7 years. The Nitro Z18 is almost the same boat and has the identical front deck as the Z19, it just loses a little length behind the seats. The Skeeter was a fun little boat, but it certainly wasn't built like the Bass Cat or the Nitro! The fit & finish of the Bass Cat was really good, it's why you hear about that so much. However, the PII is a very narrow boat up front and wasn't as easy to work on and get around in as the Nitro is and they are essentially the same size. My Z19 has been an excellent boat and I've owned it for almost 2 years now after the first owner had it for 4 years. The trailer has needed a little work and I've had to tighten up a few things on the boat, including a hydraulic steering leak under the console. So there may be things that need to be addressed, but most of them you should be able to find and solve right away. And most will probably be due to rigging of the boat, not the actual boat itself.

As for the ride, the Nitro is completely different than the Skeeter or the Bass Cat, but it is very stable and easy to drive. I was just in some large wakes, 3'-4' and the boat did great. It always seems to land "soft" and not jolt you which I like. It doesn't lean into corners like a sports car (or the PII did!) and stays level, but after driving it some you figure out how it likes to run. It's a great boat and I'm really happy I made the decision to go with it.

I'd be willing to bet some of the old school guys who posted above about staying in your Ranger have never even been in one of the newer boats, let alone a Z18. If you can, try and get a demo ride on one and see what you think yourself. At a minimum, go crawl around one and look at the layout and storage it has. There are 5-6 other newer Nitro's in my club currently and everyone has been happy with them.

Good luck!

the new nitros are very nice and definitely aren’t the same boat from yesteryear. I owned a 2003 Nitro NX750DC and the fit and finish to my Ranger that’s 8 years older isn’t even in the same ballpark. The nitro quality back then was pretty abysmal. If you put your knee up against the sidewall you could see the fiberglass flex.

Nitro quality has significantly improved since then and I’d be happy to own one. However, if I was the OP I’d be repowering. I couldn’t justify spending the ridiculous prices that new/like new boats are going for nowadays. There’s really not that much advancement that would make the nitro perform better than the Ranger besides it just being newer.