New Tracker, Low Price Pro 16

[Tim Koepp]

Noticed the new 16' Tracker starting at only $7995. Quite a drop to the "entry level" pricing. What do you all think? 25hp, lowrance, trolling motor, etc.



Sure, most will likely bump up the HP and add some gee gaws for sure. I wonder to myself what this will do the pricing of near-new (2005-2008)used models on the market. will likely squeeze them a bit I would suspect.
http://www.trackerboats.com/boat/?boat=3109

 

[Dick Durbin]

I can understand what Tracker is trying to do with this tactic. It has gotten to the point where you can buy a fiberglass boat with a 50 hp outboard for about the same price as an aluminum boat. Tracker is trying to keep the price point of aluminum boats below that of comparably equipped 17 foot glass boats with 50 hp engines.



It's going to backfire on them though. People who don't know better are going to buy those seriously underpowered Trackers with 25s and will start badmouthing Tracker as soon as they find out that their boats won't get out of their own way.

 

[Tim Koepp]

no disagreement on your points, but there is a large and valid market for a nice, well outfitted boat for primarily small, less that 10 mph lakes.

 

[Marty Klein]

Anyone who buys a boat with a 25hp motor, then is surprised because it isn't a speed demon shouldn't own a boat.



I suspect it will crimp the used market, not sure how much, but I would think the depreciated value for a used boat will be below the new price anyway.

 

[Tim Koepp]

let me see.. there are a number of phrases running around my brain



let the buyer beware



you can't fix stupid





etc etc

 

[Paul Sumpter]

You guys bring up some good points,I was kind of glad when I saw it because I bought an 08 170TX and it is twice the boat that 16 is and it was over 12K.I wish I would have went used and got more boat for the buck.I do have the 50 on it and over all pretty satisfied.Really would like more room than power.

Paul

 

[Bruce Freeman]

Economics 101, people see "Starting at $7995" and that's in there budget range. Is it the boat of there dreams? Maybe maybe not? But it will help get them in the door, it's tuff for everybody right now and you can expect the cost of luxury items both new and used to take a hit also.



BF

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

If we all looked at "needs" vs "wants" on a boat, a lot would be running this rig....I'm just sayin':lol:



TOXIC

 

[TOMMY RICH]

It's a long well known tactic by Tracker to get you to at least look at the rig and 9 out of 10 times when they do get someone to look...they'll usually upgrade boat and motor.

I will admit for an entry level rig that it would have been nice when I was a kid...our trolling motor was my dad on the front of a 14 foot V boat with a paddle. And that lil' 25 Merc made that lil' boat move.

Windy days were not your friend.:lol:

 

[Bill Hamilton]

Also you have to remember that MANY who look at this tin-rig may be first time buyers of a fishing boat and don't know that a 25 won't push it the way we "old-timers" know what a 25 will do. You know the sales people are sure NOT going to tell them.



I know I made a lot of mistakes with my first boat(s) and continue to make them. No matter who you are you wish you had gotten that little extra something when you ordered a new boat or picked up a used one and wish you waited for something better to come along.

 

[Dan J.]

Its a 16' .9 guage aluminum mod-v with decking, rigging and what-not leaving a scant 435 lb. passenger load. (That's anything else added to the hull from slick.) A 25hp will push it fine for it's intentions. (Starter boat. "Get off the bank...." advertising.) The pkg. only offers up to a 30hp, so what is underpowered about it? :huh:

 

[Tim Koepp]

Basically, what goes around comes around. The specs ain't all that different than the original trackers back in early 80s 16", 800+ lbs with motor, 25-35 hp, 450 approx load weight, etc. Time and the economy will prove whether the marketing department gave the right message to the production people.



Harley Davidson and Tracker both seem to have gotten away from selling you a bare bones product and then making a ton of money on "chrome and leather". Maybe its a return to those tactics: get a new customer in the door, then keep him/her coming back for more gee gaws.

 

[Mike Eddy]

My first boat was a Ouachita Marine, 16 foot flat bottom with a 25 Johnson. I loved it.



When I bought my second boat after a 30 year period of not being able to fish, I bought a Tracker 190TX with a 115 Optimax - I love it, too. You get the best you can afford and enjoy it! Otherwise, you're missing out one the enjoyment of fishing AND boating cause all guys know that you never can have enough Horsepower, Money...........and another thing :wub::wub::wub:



Mike E.

 

[Tim Koepp]

Horsepower, Money, and let me guess.. Budweiser????

I would have to include my dogs too.

 

[Bruce Freeman]

No it's Horsepower, money and SPARKLES. We all knows that big bass's love sparkles...LOL



BF

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Even a complete doofus knows that rig is not set up for any type of bigger water. That includes even a 1st time buyer. I "could" fish that boat on Lake Anna, I would not take it out on the Potomac other than some "Launch and stay" creeks (really like small lakes) with an occasional venture out to the main river. Where Bass Pro gets the payoff is all the tackle and gear that a boat buyer will purchase after the sale. As Dan said not much more than a "get off the bank" beginning that will/might get a return upgrade boat customer and a tackle buyer.

My grandmother used to say "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear".

This rig is what it is. :lol:



TOXIC

 

[Tim Koepp]

Exactly tox.. it is what it is.



I dont have but two lakes in a 25 mile range that have over 10mph limit. Many others are in the same (here's the pun) boat. I can only dream about places like Lake Anna, etc. They are simply out of my league and resources to access.. but I;m mostly content to try to find a nice bucketmouth in these little lilypad ponds

 

[Bill Hamilton]

Pond - If you are ever out this way we have enough guys who would be happy to take you on Lake Anna, etc. Come see us!

 

[Tim Koepp]

might just be a great summer! I got a standing invite from a former manager of mine who I re-found after nearly 20 years that lives in Grapevine, TX. Gas stays cheap.. I may just take some of ya'll up on these offers! Thanks!

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

When I got rid of my glass boat a long time ago, I didn't have a boat for about four years. When I decided to get another boat, for fishing smaller smaller bodies of water, BPS had just about the same 16'er Pondscum talked about only it had stick steering which I loved. My brother talked me into looking for a used boat and I glad he did. I bought a pristine Tracker PT-17, 40 h.p., galvanized trailer, Motorguide Troller, 2 NEW batteries, 2 Custom Covers and all the space I can fill. The price on that used boat was $3,500.

I would seriously look over the used boat market before I bought that 16'er.



Uncle Billy

 

[Tim Koepp]

between the time of year and the economy, there are some serious deals on ebay now

 

[David Massey]

I spent several years in the car sales industry and what they are doing is no different than what car makers do. Advertise the most stripped down base model they have at a low low price, and then when you go to buy it they tell you what the boat doesn't have to get you to upgrade. It's basic up selling. That's all. I am with you guys though, look for a good used package before buying this.

 

[Greg J.]

I enjoyed the '05 PT175 I had, but sold it due to not being able to get to bigger water when I wanted to. The 2-3 small waters around here are electric-only, so I bought a 16' Lowe Roughneck jon. Been real happy with it, but do miss the Tracker at times. Should be some good deals on used jons out there as mentioned. Hopefully it's okay to post another site addy here. Checkout the link to see what some guys are doing with their used and new aluminum rigs: (yep, I'm a member there)




http://www.tinboats.net