Boat Buying Decisions.....

[Rod St. John]

Hello all, I'm trying to decide between 4 bowriders.. All seem to have their positives, however, I'm really new to the I/O boating game so I could use some guidance/advice... here goes -
2001 Mariah 180 BR with the 4.3 Merc.
2006 Glastron MX 175 with the 3.0 Volvo Penta
2002 Four Winns 180 Horizon with 3.0 Volvo
1999 Crownline 192 with the 5.0 Volvo Penta, 275 hours..

All are around the same money, however all differ in the years, etc.
I'm replacing an old starcraft that has developed stringer and transom rot... I DO NOT want to have to ever deal with that issue again !!!
I have a 7 year old and a 15 year old and would like to be able to take them skiing and on day outings.

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated !!!

Regards,

Rod.

 

[jriegle04]

Re: Boat Buying Decisions.....

what kind of hours do they have on the motors? if it was me i would go with the lowest hours and enough power to do what i want. i never want to spend all my repair money in gas so engine size is important. i would also prefer a boat that wasn't kept in the water unless it was on a lift and covered. these are the things that i would look for if i were you.

 

[Rod St. John]

Re: Boat Buying Decisions.....

Thanks for the "heads up".. I'm not certain of the hours on the other boats... they all look to be in great shape. About the fuel consumption... I don't want to end up with something that is somewhat underpowered as I would like to ski behind it from time to time, however, I also don't want to spend a fortune for fuel that is overkill... Would the 135 hp be enough for a skiier with a 17 or 18 foot boat ? The crown line boat is very nice, however it is a 1999 and has the 5.0 in it. I like it the best, however the year and fuel costs are causing me to hesitate !!

Thanks again,

Rod.

 

[redone4x4]

Re: Boat Buying Decisions.....

on a busy day, my old 4 barrel 5.0 engine burns thru about 10 gallons. thats not a whole lot in my opinion. The larger engine might not be as bad as you think to run. the smaller engines are sometimes wide open more trying to achieve what a larger displacement engine would.

Our first boat was a mariah with the 4.3, it did over 40 and had plenty of power for our family of 5 at the time. I think i would stay away from the 3.0 alltogether, you would probably want more power too soon from it.

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: Boat Buying Decisions.....

FWIW our 4.3L seems like plenty of engine for our water activities. Over the Fourth we had four adults and two 10 year-old kids in the boat, and were pulling two kids on a tube and we still had plenty of giddyup. After about 5 hours on the water (some of that time spent at the beach) the most gas we've used is 7-8 gallons. After reading about the 5.0 only using 10 gallons I think I know what I'll be looking for next time!

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Boat Buying Decisions.....

Crownline sounds nice, the reason its a bit older and more money is its more Cadillac-ish. It's no wonder you like it best, age aint nothing but a number.
Best motor out of the choices and a good drive, 4 bangers ? .

 

[superpop]

Re: Boat Buying Decisions.....

If these were my options I would go for the Mariah, you cannot go wrong with the 4.3L and it is a tad newer than the Crownline. I would suspect that build quality will be about the same but both need to be thoroughly inspected for rot at the age they are at. I would not waste my time on the 4 bangers, there is a very specific reason they are cheaper, they struggle with either hole shot or top end depending on how they are propped. There is a reason they can me had so cheap. Think resale down the road as well.

 

[leoo24]

Re: Boat Buying Decisions.....

I have a 4.3 merc crownline, the boat trim looks much more luxurious than the other comparable boats in my bay, and pulls 4 skiers up at once with no probs (with 2 in the boat), if i were to buy another one it would be another crownline

 

[Sandjob]

Re: Boat Buying Decisions.....

The Mariah has no wood in transom-all glass. Not sure about others. I test drove an 18 about 3 weeks ago for a friend and he ended up buying it. He is very happy with it and it fits in his garage.

 

[Rod St. John]

Re: Boat Buying Decisions.....

Hello All... thank you for all your insight, advise and opinions.. I ended up deciding on the Crownline, however, it ended up being sold from under me... I finally ended up buying a 2001 four winns 180 with the 4.3 Volvo... I'm still uncertain about passing on the 2001 Mariah, however, the four winns was in immaculate shape and the guy has taken exceptional care of it (winterizing, lower end inspections, etc.). 2 things swung me to the four winns... 1) the Volvo penta and 2) I woud have had to drive and extra 3 hours each way to pick it up... Not really huge issues I suppose... I hope I don't end up regreting it as I understand that the Mariah is a very good name.
Anyway, I'm picking up the boat this Friday and hope to be in the water on Saturday (sorry..I meant ON the water !!)

Thanks again for your assistance

Regards,

Rod.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Boat Buying Decisions.....

A well maintained 18' Four Winns with a 4.3 is going to be a great boat. You won't regret it. Congrats and good luck!