Maxum vs. bayliner

[Mgr83]

I am new to boating and am looking to purchase my 1st boat. I've been told to stay away from bay liners and from my research found that the 3.7 liter merc is a troublesOme motor, omc is dead and volvOs are expensive so that leaves me to merc. I plan on looking at I/o boats in the 19-21ft range, open bow. I have recently found maxum boat with a 4.3 merc I/o. 21 ft in my price range. Do maxums have the same reputation as bay liner? Any suggestions on what I should be looking for?

 

[roscoe]

Re: Maxum vs. bayliner

Welcome to iboats.

What is your budget?
How picky are you for things like fit and finish?
What about build quality, do you need the best, or is solid and functional good enough?

Newer Bayliners and Maxums are decent boats.
The "bad" liners were built mostly in the 80's.
But even a 3 year old boat can be junk if it wasn't taken care of.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Maxum vs. bayliner

I'm assuming you are looking at used boats? Ignore the name on the side, it is pointless. You are buying the powertrain, the condition and the maintenance, the name is irrelevent. Lots of people that are first time boat shopping make that mistake, and assume boats are like cars.

 

[hostage]

Re: Maxum vs. bayliner

It is true that the condition of the boat is more important than the name. I own a Maxum and it is a great boat, the Maxum will have some better quality parts and more features than the Bayliner. I also heard that the Maxum has more glass in its hull than a Bayliner.

Though to answer your question, no Maxums do not have the same reputation as a Bayliner. Anyone new to boats will hear bad things about Bayliners and some bad things about Tahoes.

Bayliner, Mercrusier, Maxum, and Sea Ray where all owned Brunswick Boats. Though they discontinued the Maxum line a couple years ago. The Maxum was set as a price point between Bayliners and Sea Rays.

If I was looking at two comparaible boats all things comparable, I would go with the Maxum.

-Doron

 

[jkust]

Re: Maxum vs. bayliner

I am new to boating and am looking to purchase my 1st boat. I've been told to stay away from bay liners and from my research found that the 3.7 liter merc is a troublesOme motor, omc is dead and volvOs are expensive so that leaves me to merc. I plan on looking at I/o boats in the 19-21ft range, open bow. I have recently found maxum boat with a 4.3 merc I/o. 21 ft in my price range. Do maxums have the same reputation as bay liner? Any suggestions on what I should be looking for?

If you are looking at an old 3.7, you must have a low budget. A 21 foot boat with just a 4.3 wouldn't be recommended and remember old i/o's had their HP ratings at the flywheel not at the prop so you will see older 4.3's with say 205hp and some newer carbed ones with vortec heads with only 190hp but rated at the prop. A 21 foot boat would presumably be too heavy thus you don't see that combo much but again an old one could be on the lighter side and a 4.3 might do ok. As for Bayliner vs Maxum...I'd have a same year Maxum over the same year Bayliner. Maxum in a vacuum is a nicer boat. I do disagree that the name however is irrevelant and i'm guessing most higher end brand owners would as well as they see and feel the large price difference with their model year 2010 boats. That advice to me is relevant for old, used boats where the odds that even a higher end brand could have had so many owners by now that even it with its better grade hardware and build quality is junk. I've seen 4 year old mid grade boats completely beat to heck but that is the exception to the rule whereas older boats are generally presumed to have problems and you prove the problem doesn't exist. There to me are almost two paradigms being the discussion you have when you are seeking a nearly new but used boat and the much deeper discussion you need to have when you are buying something very old. Point being for a newer say 10 year old and newer boat, I absolutly care about the brand, fit, finish, dry weight and accessory quality but on an older boat, I first want to find one that is not hiding any rot or serious problems and then I might worry about the brand. I don't expect a 2007 Cobalt 222 to be harboring hidden rot but I do automatically presume a 1995 Bayliner 1950 Capri is.

 

[BTMCB]

Re: Maxum vs. bayliner

As noted above, "condition", "maintenance" and "power" are important when looking at older used boats. I also agree with Jkust ^^^^^.

My prior boat (bought new) was a 2008 Maxum 1900SR3. I was very pleased with the boat and it never let me down. So, "Maxum" is a good brand IMHO. In fact, had Brunswick not discontinued the line, I would have considered another one when I started to look again.

I traded it in on current boat to upgrade power and appointments. Pleased with this one too!

Good luck in your search!

 

[choppywaters]

Re: Maxum vs. bayliner

I looked at a 1994 21ft Bayliner cuddy and it was clean for the most part but when I went down below you could see the sun shining through the top of the hull (very thin). The interior was very clean but just an average interior, nothing fancy. He said it was "turn key" but when he fired it up water was pouring from one exhaust manifold....PASS! Like everyone said maintenance, maintenance, maintenance. Our 92 Stingray is in excellent condition aside from a few spider cracks it looks brand new but everything from the hull to the interior was twice as solid and a lot nicer looking interior, and I got it cheaper with less hours!

 

[sankanother1]

Re: Maxum vs. bayliner

Sun shining through the hull makes no difference.Look at those beloved Sea Rays everyone adores for some ODD reason.You can see light. watch Frisco's vids on his SR and you can see light through the hull,My Chaparral you could see light and I can assure you its not thin.. light through fiberglass means Nothing.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Maxum vs. bayliner

Just out of curiosity, when did the Maxum get discontinued?

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Maxum vs. bayliner

If you are looking at an old 3.7, you must have a low budget. A 21 foot boat with just a 4.3 wouldn't be recommended and remember old i/o's had their HP ratings at the flywheel not at the prop so you will see older 4.3's with say 205hp and some newer carbed ones with vortec heads with only 190hp but rated at the prop.

I didn't think I/O's were ever changed to outboard rating, aka at the prop?

 

[QC]

Re: Maxum vs. bayliner

I/Os Definitely changed to ratings at the prop. In 1990, Merc listed both Crankshaft and Propshaft horsepower. In 1991 all listed as Propshaft. They lost 10 - 50 bhp without much consistency. There are Bravo models that show only losing 5, and there are TRS's that lost 50. The 260 went to 230, and I use that as the most common example. However . . . the 470 was last built in 1989, so never got the adjusted numbers applied to it

 

[hostage]

Re: Maxum vs. bayliner

Just out of curiosity, when did the Maxum get discontinued?

2009 was their last model year.

 

[aharper00]

Re: Maxum vs. bayliner

I was pretty close to getting a Maxum boat earlier this year. The dealer that I was buying from had the owner out at the track for the race (Indy 500). The owner didn't call back to talk with the guy that I was trying to buy from. I finally figured service would be twice as difficult down the road if they couldn't give me attention to buy it in the first place.

Maxum has a better reputation than Bayliner from what I found. Bayliner quality has gotten better and I think the largest problem with a low reputation brand is simply what you think you will get out of the resale value down the road... otherwise look at it like anything else and make sure the quality is good before making an offer. The boat I was looking at was a Maxum 1900SR. I landed on a 3 year newer Monterey for the same cost but in much better condition.

Good luck.

 

[shrew]

Re: Maxum vs. bayliner

Bayliner, Maxum, Searay are all made by the same manufacturer (Brunswick). For a number of years they have all come with a Mercruiser power and drive train (also owned by Brunswick). Aside from the Hull and Deck (And Mercruiser engine/drives) the contents of all are third party. Same Jabsco heads, Perko parts, Whale faucets, bilge pumps, etc. They are all built the same way. The difference is in the fit and finish. More Marine vinyl in Searay, as opposed to more cloth in a Bayliner.

My opinion has been that Bayliner is the most commonly sold 'First Boat'. They are an entry level price point, so they are frequently bought by people who simply don't know how to properly maintain and store a boat. The "It's a boat, it's made to be in the water" attitude leaves a very large number of poorly maintained boats. My thought has always been "Is that the boats fault?"

As with ANY boat, spend the money to have it properly and thoroughly inspected by a Certified Marine Surveyor.

 

[hostage]

Re: Maxum vs. bayliner

Bayliner, Maxum, Searay are all made by the same manufacturer (Brunswick). For a number of years they have all come with a Mercruiser power and drive train (also owned by Brunswick). Aside from the Hull and Deck (And Mercruiser engine/drives) the contents of all are third party. Same Jabsco heads, Perko parts, Whale faucets, bilge pumps, etc. They are all built the same way. The difference is in the fit and finish. More Marine vinyl in Searay, as opposed to more cloth in a Bayliner.

My opinion has been that Bayliner is the most commonly sold 'First Boat'. They are an entry level price point, so they are frequently bought by people who simply don't know how to properly maintain and store a boat. The "It's a boat, it's made to be in the water" attitude leaves a very large number of poorly maintained boats. My thought has always been "Is that the boats fault?"

As with ANY boat, spend the money to have it properly and thoroughly inspected by a Certified Marine Surveyor.

I think the Marine Surveyor is a disclaimer more than a rule. They quoted me over $600, for a $7500 boat. If you are buying an expensive boat, I think it justifies the expense, though a cheaper boat imho should require a buyer to spend more time on selection than money. I really wonder how many people go with a surveyor.