So like the title says, what in your EXPERIENCE is the most reliable and easy to use motor?
Thanks CJ
So like the title says, what in your EXPERIENCE is the most reliable and easy to use motor?
Thanks CJ
2002 X19 200HP OX66 HO Vmax,HPDI lower, it lives, thanks Hydro Tec.
I have had them all except for the Lowrance Ghost (I have used one, just never owned one) and the new Quest. IMHO the power pole move is hands down the best one out there. You can't hear it running until you get the power settings up around 15 -20 and even then, it's not as load as the others. As for spot lock/anchor mode, this thing just don't hardly move. I've been super impressed with it all the way around.
It's hard to say how reliable it is compared to the others because I haven't had it long enough to say and honestly I never had any issues out of any of the other brands I've had. To me the only down side to the Move is the price but for me, the tightness of the spot lock, the quietness, the low profile mount and the weight savings makes it worth the price when compared with all the other manufacturers
Money can't buy happiness but it can buy fishing baits and that's about the same thing
Tour Pro is the least reliable.
It’s not the Force PITA and everything thing replaced and still is only fair. I’ve ran the Ghost and it’s decent. Local guide had issues with his Ghost and it was replaced under warranty. No issues since.
My new boat has a Quest. I liked the Ultrex on my last Skeeter and had no issues so the Quest was an easy choice.
2024 Phoenix 818, Mercury 175 (3B414035) Trick Steps, 3 Garmin 106 SV,s, LVS 34. BoatEFX dual bow mount. Ionic 12V 125AH, 2 12V 100 ah LiTime’s with Blue tooth for the TM. Minn Kota 345 PCL charger, Minn Kota Quest TM.
I can only say that I have no experience with any of them because I never owned any. I work mostly on Minn Kota. I have changed a hand full since the GPS came out. A few would not lock on the satellite and a few that had other problems. That is about the extent of issues I have seen. I have been in a boat that had an Ultrex and it seemed to hold position well when we were crappie fishing.
I am looking hard at a ultrex. But just wanted to hear from folks that are not shall we say brand loyal. I try to be completely unbiased when someone asks me about trucks for work as I don't want to mislead anyone spending that kind of $$$$. So thanks for the info. Keep the experiences coming. And I know all manufacturers make a junk one now and then but some are way junkier than others! Cj
2002 X19 200HP OX66 HO Vmax,HPDI lower, it lives, thanks Hydro Tec.
I have a 2 Ultrex trolling motors and no problems with either one, got them both used as well.
2 Ultrex’s with no problems. I will say setting the boat scale can make a big difference in how it operates. I was a little frustrated with my first Ultrex until I figured that out.
Looking at the Move right now, Ghost finally died Saturday during a tournament. Strut broke twice, GPS anchor lock did not work, and now the lower unit is full of water 4 years old.
2002 X19 200HP OX66 HO Vmax,HPDI lower, it lives, thanks Hydro Tec.
Move is on the way, hopefully I can use the ghost holes to mount. If not I’ll have to get THE UMP
People complain about force but after reading for a long time on here I see less complaints about it then any and the couple mentioned haven't been out long ,I also realize there's more minnkotas out there so bound to be a few complaints, I've ran force and its been fine couple problems in beginning no more then my minnkota's I've had
May the Force be with you.
Second season with the Force. No complaints. Does what I ask of it.
One of things I was not fan of was the shaft on the ultrex, yes it has a lifetime warranty. but I always cracked them and they would move alot after cracking. PITA to get the shaft replaced.
Bryan McDonough
2023 Nitro Z21 XL
Nitro Team
Motorguide Tour Pro.
2021 BassCatt Pantera II
200 Pro XS(3B056653)
Motorguide Tour Pro
None of them from what I have seen are made as well as the old ones. I have a MG Tour Pro and while I like it, after working on it and seeing how it's made not a chance in hell I would pay retail for one. They put much more tech in these but everything is fn plastic and realistically worth a quarter of the price.
If I had money to piss away I would probably get a Move.
The only good things about my ix5 is the spot lock and having it linked to my Lowrance graph…cruise control,follow route, are both moody like a women.
Lucky all the parts are online and I can fix it myself when it acts up.
I have the Ghost and absolutely love it. No issues so far and I got it when it first came out. I have buddies with the Ultrex, they generally do not have any complaints either, they seem to work fine. I have one buddy that has a PowerPole Move, no problems there except they do require him to update the software and their technical support is awesome for when he needs it.
My Ghost is 2 years old and has not been very reliable. It has had sensors go out, struts fail, the strut mount fail, pull handle break, etc. More importantly the lower motor failed and was replaced, and then failed again. Lowrance was good about warranty coverage but each issue required trips to the shop which is an hour away and being off the water while it was being repaired. 2 of the breakdowns were in tournaments! I also have had it break twice from hitting stumps which were expensive out of pocket repairs. In the past 20 years I never had a Minn Kota break from hitting anything.
I'm trying to decide whether to get the Move or Quest to replace it but I hate giving up down imaging with my Lowrance graphs.
Check out this link that takes you to an on the water test of four trolling motors(MK, Garmin, Power pole, and Rhodan). Test results indicate spot lock on all four so close hard to measure difference.Other tests like power, speed, tug of war, current draw interesting.Reliability and proximity of service centers an important consideration.