I have a family friend who is selling his 1992 Ranger Comanche 481V with a 150 Evinrude. This is my first real bass boat, and I want to make sure that I am considering everything. The boat seems to be in good shape for being 24 years old. What sounds like a fair price to you guys? And do you have any tips that you could give me that you use when buying a boat?

I appreciate any help you can offer!

Check everything... I didn't and it easily cost me another 1500.00 to get it close to where I want the boat to be. Simple things like pumps, lights, switches and not knowing the trailer bunks had the carriage bolts installed on the outside of the carpet and had rusted and rubbed holes in the gel coat and fiberglass on the hull. If there is a switch on the console it should turn something on, make sure it does.

Put the boat on the water, runs the live wells. Spend an hour on the water and see if the hull takes on any water. Do a simple compression test. Open every box and look in them. Check the transom out too. Spin the prop, is it the prop beat up, does it wobble? I looked at one boat and almost missed that the skeg was bowed, looked closer at the lower unit and would bet it needed replaced because he had hit something pretty hard.

That's all that comes to mind.

Thanks Chuck. Those are good points. That sucks about the bunks... What were they thinking..

That is an excellent first boat as long as that evinrude is not a FICT. Now for the real deal any boat is a whole in the water to dump money into Bust Out Another Thousand = BOAT. Ranger makes great boats period they are not the fastest that said they are safest with all the flotation and construction.

Like Chuck said "check everthing " then check it again. I got hosed on my first one. I bought the guys deal hook line and sinker and ended up putting another 2500 in it. Check the transom real good. Check the top cap is sealed properly. Look for soft spots in the floor. Make sure all your gauges function. You can a lot by looking at the bottom, skeg and prop about how a guy treated his boat.

Rap lightly on the transom with a ball peen hammer. A solid transom will sound solid. That is right around the time that Ranger went with fiberglass transoms. Do not let wood scare you. It will be fine as long as the motor was installed properly and maintenance was done. For some reason my dealer decided that sealing the top bolts was not needed. Just glad I caught it before it was a real problem. It is good to reseal especially on boat that age. I also sealed the threads on my bolts. That is a solidly constructed boat. Mine will be 30 years old in November.

100.00 motor checkout by mechanic...saved me 2500.00 rebuild from scored cylinder. Motor ran well during test drive, fyi....always get motor professionally checked.

I have had a 1990 482V for years it's basically the same boat as yours just dual console. I have been just about as rough as you can be on an old boat and mine never lets me down. I have no stress cracks or any signs of the boat slowing down. I run a 12" hydraulic jackplate with a hot rod motor that dynos at around 240hp +/-5 (it's only rated for 175hp). With a light load she'll run damn near 80 on GPS. The boat has no wood in the transom. Hell, when I went to mount my LSS1 transducer years ago I pre-drilled the holes and still broke off a stainless screw. I have replaced virtually everything on the boat from switches, to plumbing, added a stereo and even LEDs. For a heavy 18' boat it handles rough water reasonably well. If you take care of this boat it will take care of you.