Nitro Z-9

[Scott Hill]

Ladies & Gentlemen,



I need some unadulterated input on the pros/cons of a Nitro. I have looked at many boats and have narrowed my search down to 2 boats; one being the Z-9 and the other a Skeeter 21i.



Now both have their pluses, so I am not looking for a bash session on Skeeter; however, if you have relevant information about them I may not be aware of please feel free to share...but to my questions.



Obviously, the Nitro brand has had a bad reptuation (deserved or not) in the past; however, based upon the research I have done, they seem like a well made boat and really like the layout and styling. My main questions are;



1. How does the boat handle rough water, compared to those rides of Champion, Skeeter and Stratos?

2. Does the boat have any handling problems (chine walking) at high speeds?:unsure:

3. I have read some post with complaints of warranty work being denied for hull damage due to cracks, has anyone experienced this type of problem?

4. How is the resale value hold up to other top line boats?:huh:

5. What would be the one complaint you have & what is your biggest praise about the Z-9?



I really appreciate any input ya'll could provide me as I would like to order my boat before the end of the month.

 

[tony silveira]

If you can afford it I would go with a ranger z520. I buy my oil at a local ranger dealership. I drool over them every time. I know my next boat will be a ranger. They are nice!!

 

[Scott Hill]

I must admit, I haven't actually been in a Z520; however, the Rangers I have been in rode rough. Of course, that could be driver error.

 

[steven evans]

I have only 1 issue with Skeeter. I don't like the way they look. That is just a matter of personal opinion so you can't base your decision on that. I've got a couple of buddies that have ZX225's and they love them and don't have any issues. The Skeeter is a great boat. I just purchased a Nitro Z8 on Feb. 15th. Which I'm sure you know The difference in the Z8 and Z9 is a few inches in length and some standard features. I absolutely love the Z8 if that tells you anything. Plenty of room, drives fantastic, dry smooth ride, and a great fishing platform. I haven't really put it through it's paces yet as I still haven't broken the motor in. But so far I am more than satisfied.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Well, I owned a 2000 929 (the per-cursor to the Z-9) until 2011. I'm glad you asked the question here since this site has a history of honest feedback no matter the brand.



1. How does the boat handle rough water, compared to those rides of Champion, Skeeter and Stratos?



Rough water capability is 75% driver and 25% hull design. With that being said, my 929 handled every big body of water I put it on and sometimes in very bad conditions. The Potomac River, Lake Champlain, Lake St Clair, Wolf river, Lake Winneconne, etc. I guided from the boat it was excellent in the rough stuff.



2. Does the boat have any handling problems (chine walking) at high speeds?



Chine walk is a characteristic of any bassboat, properly powered. You can make any "pad" boat chine "if" you've got enough motor to get it on pad. Chine is not a bad thing, it is a by-product of set-up, speed and trim. the Z9 hull is not known for chine because it is a heavier hull (like a Ranger) but I could get my 929 to chine if I pushed it to it's limit.



3. I have read some post with complaints of warranty work being denied for hull damage due to cracks, has anyone experienced this type of problem?



Every claim stands on it's own merit. I have heard both the horror stories and the success stories on warranty claims. Tracker is no different than any other company when it comes to warranty no matter what TEE says:lol: Warranty should directly relate to your Dealer who needs to be one of your highest considerations. I would take a more expensive boat of any brand with a great local dealer/mechanic over a fantastic deal with no local trusted dealer/mechanic. You can take that to the bank!!



4. How is the resale value hold up to other top line boats?



Resale is a direct relative of purchase price. That's why Ranger has such a high resale, they cost a lot more up-front. NITRO's are offered with many standard items that a "serious" fisherman would want upgraded (bigger engine size, better electronics, bigger 36v trolling motor, hot foot, etc.). All things being equal, NITRO's are competitively priced. For resale, you simply need to look at the same year/size boat, comparably equipped and see what the prices are. Chances are the NITRO will be more affordable.



5. What would be the one complaint you have & what is your biggest praise about the Z-9?



Mine on my 929 was since I ran big water a lot and pounded the living daylights out of my rig, I had to be prudent about all fittings and electrical connections (rub rail, etc.). Fit and finish was good/fair, I've seen better, I've seen worse. Remember though "most" of the things that go wrong or break on a boat are all made by someone else (engine, latches, TM, electronics, etc.). My seats got trashed fairly quickly with the number of people that cycled through my boat. My biggest "Like"....my rig NEVER let me down, rode good, hull held up to some real abuse from me and it was on the water a lot.



One thing you also need to look at is the trailer. I trailered 6-10,000 miles a year. A boat is no good if you can't get it to the lake or it rusts out from underneath your boat. It's pretty common knowledge which brands have trailer problems and NITRO's trailers are average/above average and hold up well if you maintain them.



There is my dissertation and your better served by reading, reading, reading, on this site for a ways back and you will see a lot of problems and how they were resolved...or not. Feel free to ask away, there is a vast knowledge base here of all things bassboat related both Tracker and other manufacturers. Good luck in your research.

 

[Scott Hill]

I appreciate the information and candor each one of you provided. This is a very difficult decision and when you are about to spend 55k - 65k it is important you gather all the information required to make the correct choice.



Once again, thank you for the information.

 

[Brent Spencer]

The new RANGER Z520C to me is the ultimate platform but in comparison ( fully rigged ) to the Z9 they are easily over $22,000 more for basically the same features



I don't know how an extra $20,000+ can feature into "NAME" branding and "QUALITY" that much for virtually the same boat but If I had the extra money I would opt for the Ranger



having said that, I'm really looking forward to seeing the rumored changes in the Z series for 2014