Looking for advice, review on a boat or two

Hello all,

Im looking to buy and have narrowed in on three boats and hope folks have some advice or experience with either a 1997 Four Winns Horizon 200, price at $9,995, which I think is a high given the age of the boat, 1998 Mariah Z202 $7,999 and finally 2000 Monterey 240 Explorer- deck boat, $15,000, there outside touch up work that need to be done on this and the trailer wheels are in bad shape. Thanks any information about one or all three is much appreciated.

Tina, (that's my wife's name too!),

Welcome to BABC and congrats on your decision to seek out the perfect boat. Let me suggest that you not rush into your boat buying process. When I read through your post you only mentioned the prices on the boats, nothing about what you liked or didn't like about each boat, which you liked best, and you only mentioned the condition of the Monterey.

I'd suggest you decide which boat you think would best suit your needs. Rank them in the order you think would have enough room, and if any of them is skimpy on room, delete it from your list. There are MANY boats on the market so don't think you are limited to the few you have in your list. You didn't put in your profile where you live so I can't tell what market areas you are looking in, but don't be afraid to look beyond where you're looking now.

Without wanting to appear nosey, but make sure you are looking at boats that have enough room for your family. Boats seem to magically shrink once you put a few family members inside. If you're going to use the boat for wakeboarding, skiing or tubing make sure whatever boat you end up with has enough power to suit your needs.

Again, welcome to BABC. Don't be bashful about asking questions. Everyone on here was a newbie at one time and we can all share our experience to help you avoid making the same mistakes we did.

Mike

Tina - Welcome to BABC.

Regarding the 3 brands, all have a devoted following and have good reputations. There have been a number of members here with these brands, and all were quite happy. I have no first hand experience with any of these brands, but from what I have read, I would consider all 3 the brands to be fairly equal and good brands.

You did not specify the engine and drives. One of the biggest mistakes people make when getting a boat is getting something that is underpowered. If you let us know the power train options, the members here might be able to advise for or against some choices. I am always in favor of getting the most power available for any particular model.

In buying an older boat, one of he most important things is the ownership history. That is, it is important to get a boat that was well cared for. No brand of boat will hold up to neglect and abuse. I am always amazed at how many boats I see stored outside with no canvas!

In boating, size does matter. All other things being equal, if you can afford, tow, and store the larger boat (Monty 240) then the size would be a great tie breaker.

Hope this helps.

Hey Mike,

Thanks for your for your feedbak! I think I found a good resource everybody’s been really helpful with feed back. All the boats have the amenities that I want, depth finder, plenty storage, tow capability, stero system etc. The Monterey and Four Winns engine is both 5.0 L the Mariah is a 4.3. The maximum capacity, when my family comes to visit in the summer would probably be six adults and two small kids. I basically want it for just a day cruise and beaching in the Annapolis area. I definitely will have to get used to the waterways in Annapolis, I’m more familiar with few big lakes in North Carolina up but again I’ll have to get to know the waterways here in the Annapolis area. Any recommendations? Thanks again!

Hello Dock Holiday, thanks for your input. The Monterey and Four Winns engine are both 5.0 L the Mariah is a 4.3. The maximum capacity, when my family comes to visit in the summer would probably be six adults and two small kids. I think I’m leaning toward the bigger size, but I would want to negotiate the price the stripping needs to be replaced and there are a few superficial blemishes that I would want fixed. I’ll be sure to ask about history ownership! Thanks for the great advice.

Tina, remember that the prices on each of the boats (and most large items you buy) is the asking price. It's a price the seller would LOVE to get, but doesn't necessarily expect someone to pay. Before you make the seller an offer, do a walk around of the boat, taking notice of things you will want to repair, like the stripes. Look at the hull to see if it needs a good buff and wax. Look at the bottom (if it's on a trailer) to see if there's bottom paint and see if the paint is in good shape. Walk around inside the boat to see if there are any soft spots in the floor and the condition of the carpet if it needs tp be replaced. Look at the condition of the seats to see if the upholstery is in good shape. Look at the overall condition of the interior. Open the engine compartment to see if it is clean and see if the engine looks like it has oil leaks.

After looking at all those things and you decide you want that boat and the boat suits your needs, start thinking about your offer to the seller. This is just me, but if there are no big things that make me want to run away, I make my offer about 20% to 25% below what the seller priced the boat at. Remember, you can always come up with your offers but you can't ever go down.

One last thought--I would think the 4.3L engine would be a bit on the small size when you have 5 or 6 people in the boat.

Good luck!

Hello GoFirstClass,

Thanks for the practical advise, especially on negotiating on the price and engine! I plan to do a walk around and will take all of your advise!!

Thanks again!

Tina, my way of familarity, most people on here either call me GFC or Mike.

But I've also been called Jerk, a~~hole,, etc. I'll answer to just about anything.

Since you'll be in Annapolis area check to see what other boaters are using for size of boat. I'm from PA and have boated in the upper Chesapeake Bay and near DC before and you want to make sure you have the right size boat for the area so it can handle the standard amount of chop the area has.

As far as what to call GFC, he's been known to wear pink crocs once or twice.

GFC and Dock Holiday,

Thank you both for all your advice on boat shopping, negotiating price... I brought the Mariah and can’t wait to get on the water!
Thanks again!
Tina