Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

Undream · Aug 1, 2004

I can't decide. All three boats have 3.0L mercruiser engines, all rated 135HP. They are all not exactly "cool" looking - just basic white. Top speeds are similar, and its really a non-issue (Stingray is the fastest, at 48MPH, both others max ~45MPH) I want to know if any of you have recommendations for me. I'm going to tell you what I think I know so far about the three models, and would love to hear comments / additions to pros & cons. My pricing includes my state tax. Glastron MX 175 Glastron MX 175 Pros: All fiberglass hull. Better hull warranty, no glued-in carpet. Never any 'carpet rotting'. I think it might last longer over the years. Windshield has a slight 'curve' around the edges, giving it a less blocky look. Glastron MX 175 Cons: a bit more expensive, $13250 out the door including tax, trailer. Its about about 2100 pounds - kind of heavy. Doesn't include any carpeting at all - and many people say it looks 'cheap' inside, like the steering wheel and guages. Seating arrangement allows for 5 people in the main portion of the boat, and 2 in the bow - same configuration as the Stingray. manual bilge pump Bayliner 175 overhead view Bayliner 175 Pros: only $11600 out the door, seating arrangement allows for 6 people to sit in the main portion, which I definitely like. They seem to have made a better floorplan in the same size boat, by using the space on the right and left of the motor for two seats. Only 1700 pounds, so its lighter. Bayliner 175 Cons: Don't know how significant this is, but, apparently the hull is constructed of wood then covered in fiberglass. This could mean over time, water could get in one way or another and the hull could essentially rot. I don't know if this is something I need to worry about or not? Windshield isn't curved at all. Manual bilge pump only. Stingray 180RX overhead view Stinray 180RX Pros: $12,750 out the door. Fastest, Larger hull (18'), so I assume probably more stable. Z-plane hull. Nice wraparound windshield, probably larger than both other boats. Carpeting. automatic/manual bilge pump. Stingray 180RX Cons: 2115 pounds, inside the boat it seems smaller than other two models even though the boat is 6" longer. Does anyone know what the hull is constructed of in the Stingray 180RX? Is it all fiberglass, or wood/fiberglass? it could make up my mind. Thanks for any replies!

srperry01 · Aug 1, 2004

Re: Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

here is a link from a previous conversation discussing Glastron and Bayliner boats. Most of which is a meaningless arguement but it does have some helpful info. I don't know a fraction of what most of the guys in here know but if I was choosing I'd probably go with the Glastron. From what I hear they've always made a solid boat. Just in case the link doesn't work it's on page 2 of this forum called "glastron 175 vs. bayliner 175". Good luck with your decision. http://www.iboats.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=007965

Undream · Aug 1, 2004

Re: Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

Appreciate the link. I did read that thread last week I believe. I didn't get much from it, since people just kept going on and on about 6 cylinder engines and boats that started at pricepoints $5000+ more than where my range is. For myself, a family of 4 weekend boater with a 2 yr old and 5 yr old, 135HP and 45MPH is more than enough to have our kids grow up on.

KCook · Aug 1, 2004

Re: Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

I like the look of the Stingray better, but of course that is a personal call. I also have a strong preference for a full width bench seat in back. Again, different strokes for different folks. As for how well the different brands will hold up, I don't think there is much difference. They will all serve well as long as you take decent care. Ideally test rides should decide it. Unfortunately, test rides can be impossible to get in some markets. Do include the power steering upgrade, well worthwhile. Kelly Cook

texmacs · Aug 1, 2004

Re: Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

I'm a first-time boat owner who went through the exact same decision process last year (ie. 18 ft, 3.0 litre, garage-capable, family runabout). A couple of key learnings from the last 12 months: 1) It's amazing how much storage space you'll need (PFDs, tow ropes, coolers, super soakers, tackle boxes, etc), which makes me really glad I got the BENCH configuration. Also, kids need the sunpad for games, lunch, diving, etc. 2) A price difference of $2K-$3K probably means certain options (ones that I've found extremely useful) are not included in the base price. Bimini top, auto-bilge, and depthfinders are "must-haves" in my opinion. Power-steering, tilt-wheel, snap-in carpet, 12V outlet, etc. are also very nice to have. Adding these items might negate any significant price differential. 3) The dealer is maybe the most important feature of the boat you choose. The dealership that "won me over" considered test-drives a pre-requiste to buying any boat, and they guaranteed my satisfaction over the long run. The great service I've received since my purchase has paid off in $$ and piece of mind> Having said that, I test-drove both the Stingray and the Glastron (the Bayliner 175 was a little too spartan for my taste), and liked them both. I ended up, however, with a SeaRay 180 Sport due to looks and a great dealer. You might want to check one out. Otherwise, the Stingray and the Glastron are great choices. Good Luck.

Boomyal · Aug 1, 2004

Re: Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

Nice thing about those bench seats is that they are close enough to reach back and slap the kids when they get out of hand.

Makes the engine a lot harder to get to, though!

texmacs · Aug 1, 2004

Re: Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

Problem is the kids are always up in the bow. But thats what Super Soakers are for!

ronskal · Aug 1, 2004

Re: Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

I just ended my new boat search. I did look at Bayliner and Glastron first since thats all that is sold where I live. The Bayliner is made in Mexico, I will not buy a foreign made boat (except an Italian yacht if I hit the BIG Lotto! I have nothing against foreign products, I just want to keep my money here) I was impressed with Glastron and my boat expert friend loves his Glastron GX185 and says he has had no problems with it. Don't know about Stingray's. You will not be sorry with the Glastron.

RatFish · Aug 1, 2004

Re: Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

Undream, I checked out all the boats on your list. All have their pluses and minuses. All of the prior posts give good information. Sunpads are nice but in my experience under utilized. Gunwale storage is a strong point. IMHO, get the boat that has a good balance between the most usable interior space and storage. You only have so much space in a 17'-18' boat.

jurasicjet · Aug 1, 2004

Re: Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

Hello, I bought a 19ft. 1992 Celebrity this year. Same size as yours pretty much. Nine has a 4.3 V6 in it. The 3.0 I would worry about the power. I have 3 kids and the wife and when we load everything up you need all the power you can get. One never has too much power. The Stingray looks very similar to my Celebrity. I enjoy the rear bench seat. It does make for working on the motor a bugger though. I personally would not vote for the Bayliner. Not that I really have had any experience with them other than what I hear on the street. Up here (WI) it seems like Bayliner bashing is a hobby. In all seriousnes though, that WILL affect you resale value when/if it comes time to sell. I would most certainaly lean towards the Glastron. Good boat. My buddy has an 18ft and he loves it (4.3litre in it). Sea Ray makes a good boat too. Good luck. I can certainly tell you that we have made some great family memories over the past 5 years with the boats that we have owned. Your kids won't forget it.

Undream · Aug 2, 2004

Re: Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

I appreciate the replies thus far. I did find out that the Stingray is condensed treated plywood deck and stringers - the only Stingray boat in their entire lineup that is still made with wood. So the Glastron is the only all-fiberglass boat out of the three. Does anyone know what a typical 'out the door price' would be on a SeaRay 180 sport /w 3.0L ? I see it has many options that the three boats I'm looking at do not, so, its probably a couple thousand more I assume. I guess I agree that the decision should probably be made by us hopping on each of the three boats and deciding which will be the most convenient for us in terms of how the boat is laid out, storage, comfort, etc. I just wonder if an all-fiberglass hull could add 5 years to my boat's life. If we buy it, we'll probably have it for 15 years. More replies, please!

POINTER94 · Aug 2, 2004

Re: Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

Undream, There are thousands of boats made with wood stringers in like new condition built in 1990. It would not be a real factor in my decision. Care and maintaince will go 10 times farther to the longevity of your boat than whether they have fibreglass or wood stringer systems. My decision would be made first on the reputation and treatment of my busness from the dealer, the subtle design features that fit my boating style, and then price/resale (overall value). These three boats are similar in design, quality, and reputation. Boating is a sport that relies on relationships and the first and argueably most important is the relationship you have with your dealer and/or mechanic. These people can make or break your boating experience. Remember if you finance your boat, the extras that come with a new boat will have the extra burden of finance charges over the life of the loan. A factory stereo in a boat, to me is foolish. You can buy them aftermarket, of higher quality and allow you to design a system to your tastes. 250 bucks will give you an excellent system and outperform any standard factory unit. Choose options that you cannot add yourself or bring value added aspects from the getgo. (Automatic bilgepump)

texmacs · Aug 2, 2004

Re: Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

Undream, To answer your question, the "out the door" price of our 2004 SeaRay 180 Sport (incl. tax, title, bench seat, depth finder, bimini, snap-in carpet, cover and two-tone graphics) was $15,500. In Dallas, this was comparable to the Glastron SX175 and the Stingray 185, but 3K more than the Bayliner 175, Glastron MX175 and Stingray 180RX. To make you decision even harder, the Tahoe Q4 (18ft with a 4.3L) is a lot of boat for 15K. If they made a bench seat and snap-in carpet, I'd have bought one. Hope that helps.

boose44 · Aug 2, 2004

Re: Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

Undream, We just purchased a Bayliner (ok, Bilgeliner) 175 a month and a half ago, having looked at the Stingray and Glastron before buying. The local Stingray dealer didn't even have one in stock for us to test drive. Turns out there's a limited number of them made and it's tough for dealers to get (at least that's what we were told). The Glastron dealer we went to acted like he was doing us a favor by even talking to us. This was our first purchase (despite years of rentals and using other's boats) and he almost rolled his eyes when he found that out. I couldn't get out of their fast enough. I liked the boat, though in some ways it felt a little cheaper than the 175. The Bay people were a lot nicer and very helpful. Their lead mechanic took us for a test drive, patiently answered our questions and explained a lot about the boat. We both liked the how it handled and ran, so it was a done deal. The 175's hull is 100% fiberglass. The stringers and deck are encapsulated plywood. (XL Composite Panels in Bilge speak.) Since there's a Lifetime Limited Guarantee Against Rot in Hull, Deck & Upholstery Components, I'm not really worried about them. I agree with what POINTER94 said, care and maintenance can save or destroy just about any boat. The little 3.0L engine I *was* worried about, having read repeated posts on this and other forums about it's sluggishness with a full load. I've found in practical experience though, that it is plenty zippy enough and pushes the boat like a bat out of h*ll with my crew. In my crew, there's only me, the Admrial, and my 20 year old son. The Admiral and I are both suffering from some serious middle-aged spread (49 and 50, so go figure) and the kid's a lanky six footer. We tow him on one of those 6 foot wide inflatables, and I can't tell I'm towing anything. I have yet to pushed the boat past about 70% of WOT since a(I'm still in the 20 hour break-in period for the engine, and b(We live on a little 50+ acre ski lake so we mostly go round in circles. The brother-in-law and his family came over yesterday for a litle spin. We had a full load with four adults, two kids (7 & 3), plus our two dogs. When you factor in all the gear on the boat it was just about as loaded as I'd be comfortable with. I noticed that it took longer to get up on plane but paradoxically stayed up on plane at lower speeds (maybe someone could explain that one to me). While running trimmed out at 3000 RPM cruise it handled and felt fine, and I detected no skiddishness in turns, and it felt rock solid. Little niece said afterwords she felt like she was on the Shamu ride @ seaworld, so I guess that's high praise indeed. There are some things I *don't* like about the 'bay. Namely, the manual bilge pump which I plan on replacing ASAP. It's moored to my dock most of the time and even with a cover, I have to check it regularly -- esp. after one of our thunder bumpers passes through and dumps a couple of inches on it in just a couple of minutes. There's no 12 volt accessory outlet, and I feel that's a little cheesy. I plan on getting one of those installed also. The good news there is that there is an accessory switch, and the fuse block has plenty of room for add-ons. The swim ladder only has two steps. If you're a 20 year old young buck like my son, you'll have no problem. But for an old fart like me, it's a struggle to get out of the water. I plan on replacing it with a three stepper, soon. The ladder's a Windline, and I've already priced out the 3 step over-the-transom model for 85 at boater's world. What every you decide, I would strongly encourage that you: A(find a dealer with a good service dept. that you like and that treats you well. B(test drive, test drive, test drive. Nothing like it. Good luck in your search and whatever you decide on. -bruce

srperry01 · Aug 2, 2004

Re: Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

I really like the back to back seating. I don't know if there's any truth to it but it always appears to give more space (length wise) to the interior of a boat. Having the back bench is nice but I've always like the back to back style of seating. I agree with many of the posts here about Sea Ray's. Everything I've read about them is positive. It's unfortunate that booze had a bad expierence at the Glastron dealer b/c I think that they're pretty solid boats.

BRG25 · Aug 2, 2004

Re: Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

I have the 19' version of the Stingray you are looking at with the 4.3 V6. My previous boat was a 17' Starcraft with the 3.0. You say you didn't get much out of the other thread because everyone was going on and on about the V6. There's a reason for that which I think you will realize after you buy the smaller engine. There is a WORLD of difference between the 2, both in power and how the boat handles (comfort). The only way you are going to get 45 mph out of a 3.0 is with just you in the boat on totally flat water with the outdrive trimmed way out. If you really want the 3.0 my suggestion is to buy a used boat first. My 17' Starcraft was around $6,000 used and ran great. After a few years I got tired of the bone jarring ride and difficulty getting on plane or pulling a skiier up with 4 people on board. When you go for a test ride, bring a few people with you and if possible, go out on a rough day. Cross some boat wakes. That will be the acid test right there. Some observations about my Stingray: 1) The bench seat is much more comfortable than the style with the engine hatch sticking out. 2) Automatic bilge pump is a must, it's not always apparent when you're taking on water. Could be swimming or tubing, unexpected thunder storm or you forgot to put the plug in before launching. 3. Spend the money to get a deceint cover, it's worth it. Good luck and let us know how you make out. Brian

samstutz · Aug 2, 2004

Re: Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

I had a 1750 Bayliner with 3.0 mercruiser. It had enough umph, reliable and large enough for the first 8 years. I traded in on a glastron 2003 GX225 5.7 liter. More than enough power and the right size. I have 3 children 2, 4, and 7 years old. They always want to take a friend or two or three and you know it just got tight. Thus I had the Glastron for 2 months and all is well and I think it is made solid. The bayliner lasted 4 years outside and then 4 years inside storage with little problems. Do not know about Stingray. Good luck.

hise · Aug 2, 2004

Re: Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

Undream, I was looking at those 3 boats as well and have decided on the Bayliner 175 (I'm picking her up at the end of the week). The reasons... I prefer the layout over the bench seat. I prefer the convenience of my dealer and the relationship that is being built. I prefer the lighter weight as I'm tight on my towing capapcity. Ultimately the deciding factor is that I prefer the lower price.... that $2k price difference will cover 8 years of winterization. Pointer is right on with his statement that care and maintenance are the most important factors in increasing the life of the boat. ANY boat is going to give you problems if you don't break the motor in properly, or don't winterize the motor, or keep the boat in the yard left to the elements. If you prefer the bayliner layout (which I think you mentioned that you did...) and your okay with the $13,500 price range (before dealer prep, tax, and tags - should be 14,500 after all that stuff, assuming $350 dealer prep, 3% tax, $50 tags, $200 fluff) you might want to throw the Maxum 1800MX into the mix. It's practically the Bayliner 175 - the same dimensions and specs, the same parent company; but, it has a few more standard features like a real glove box, a radio, and my favorite, a fiberglass floor with snap-in carpeting. --Hise

KCook · Feb 20, 2005

Re: Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

^

beezee28 · Mar 1, 2005

Re: Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

I bought a maxum 1800, although not new but I like it and the previous owner took pretty good care and the engine looks good.It is a 1997 model. I think they are a pretty good boat for lake or river runaround.

Glastron 175 vs Bayliner 175 vs Stingray 180RX

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