Boat and dealer advice?

The time has come.  I've been waiting since I was 5 to purchase a real boat.  26 yrs later and this spring I'm planning on making it a reality.  I've fished out of blow up rafts and most recently my 14 ft jon boat which fits in the back of my truck.  I am looking at two models the Tracker Targa V-18 combo and the Alumacraft Trophy 18 ft version.  Since I need to keep the wife and kids happy these two versions offer both fishing and family features.  The price tag is hard to beat on the Tracker, however I have come across some complaints about tracker in general.  I think most of it comes from the dealers and not the boats though.  So onto my first question.  Has anyone had personel experience with Route 8 marine and buying a boat or having service there?  Good or Bad?  Secondly has anyone dealt with Clearshade inc in Windber Pa?  Good or Bad?  How about the Tracker Deep V models in general?  Anyone own one?  How would the 2011 Tracker Targa V-18 Combo fair on the big pond?  Any addtional thoughts are appreciated.  Thanks. 

you could get a lot more/different brand boat for a lot less money. now is the time to look for a leftover. rt 8 marine is great for parts. service is good, but expensive and they charge a fortune for motors. i am pretty sure there is no negotiating on tracker boats unless it comes from tracker. you will save a small fortune by going online, finding/calling dealers, and buying in ohio. just sayin'

I agree about Bob Warren...about all that I buy there is my Optimax oil...and only because he is handy to my travels and I drive right past there!
 
Rt. 8, well...IF they return your call, IF they can schedule you in a decent amount of time, IF they actually cared about somebody that PAID CASH for a brand new 175 Opti...I might go back there.
Google search on Kleber Bros. or Rt. 8 Marine and read some of the hits.
 
Don't get me wrong, I got treated good at the time of purchase and got a very competitive price...but they have a 3-4 month wait for WARRANTY work on Mercs!
 
As for Tracker, from chatting with people on another forum, Tracker is just another "mass produced, mass marketed" product of a chain store. (Bass Pro)
After Tracker bought Mako in 1994, the Mako name went in the toilet!
 
Just my own thoughts...out loud...FWIW...

While I have never purchased a boat from Route 8 I have used them for maintenance items over the years. They have been very spotty with their service. They are horrible at making an effort to contact you or returning phone calls regarding the status of their work.

I once dropped my 9.9 to have some routine maintenance done and to replace the alternator thing in it(sorry not sure what they call it on the little motors). After about a month, I started calling regularly to see what the heck was going on. Well A a month later I finally got in touch with someone there and they asked why I hadn't been down to pick my motor up since it had been sitting finished for over a month.

My brother had a similar experience when they were mounting a new 150 on his boat although I do not know all of the details.

I would not recommend them for anything after having several less than positive experiences firsthand with them.

I have a Lowe deep V (for the lake) which I like very much. I've heard reports that Tracker won't stand behind their warranty and they've had some problems (leaks). They do a lot of advertising which you're paying for! I also have an older Alumacraft which has been a good one. If you're going to fish out on Erie you'll need a deep V for safety!

Used boats can be had for VEEERRRYYYY good deals now, new boats not a ton of wiggle room on them. You will prob have to travel to get exactly what you want but it will most likely be worth it. 

I bought a repoed boat valued at $29,000 for $11,500. Traveled from Pittsburgh area to Rochester, NY, was well worth the my time and travel!

Ohio is not that far. A boat is a big investment. My boat cost $5k less in ohio. The PA dealers wouldn't deal.

i would say go used most peeps see the problems in 2 years or less so that is a key buying number not sure what real type of boating wanting to do thats a must i have 2 boats one i drag around for play and fish and the second is just cruz and fish big water you need a happy med id go A 23 to 24 ft with tandem axle and if you can twins or room for a kicker even if you bolt it on a platform just what i have seen and been there

Maybe Rt.8 and Bob Warren should see a copy of this post.
Might open their eyes a bit.

Have you checked for the "gooey thermostat housing" problem on your E-Tech yet?

The way that I understand it is this...
They used cadmium plated bolts to hold on the plastic thermostat housing, the cadmium reacts withe the plastic causing it to get soft and fracture, the broken housing then allows water to spray all over the powerhead, the water gets into the stator and other places and causes major problems.
 
I'm not sure what years or sizes of engines have this issue, but Bombardier is not letting on that they know too much about it!

I bought new three reasons.

1. It was the first year for a redesign of my model and I wanted the new layout.
2. From what I see, most people that buy new get a package that the dealer has put together.  Since Lund and Merc are owned by Brunswick, they are typically packaged together.  I didn't want a Merc, so my only option was to order my rig with the motor I wanted (or re-power, which is even more $).  Plus I wanted to put MY electronics where I wanted them, not where the dealer/manufacturer thinks they need to be.
3. I know how the motor was broke-in.