[Misterel]

Am in the market for a bowrider but it must be close to 30 feet. In going from dealer to dealer I ran across a 2000 Mariah Shabah Z302 with a single 7.4L MPI.

I wanted a new unit but this boat has a strange attraction to me. I don't have much time to "tinker" with a boat thus the desire for a new one. The boat is 8 years old after all and I am aware that I will inevitably run into some "issues" . What can I expect? The boat I am looking at has been prepared quite well by the dealer so it looks awesome. What should I look for? What can I expect in terms of normal maintenance i.e what are thse units weaknesses that I should be aware of.

I know that without actually looking at the boat it will be hard to get advice but I am hoping for advice particular to that model and year.

Thanks for any help

[ShabahZ280]

It is rather hard to say, without seeing the boat. Here's some of the things to keep in mind while if you look at it.

1. Interior panels. (ie dash, storage tops, side panels, etc) were all custom built in the Mariah factory, and these parts are irreplaceable. They can be repaired, but not replaced.

2. Vinyl. Mariah used a heavy thick vinyl, with triple stitched seams. So make sure the vinyl is in good shape and doesn't have any huge cracks, tears, holes, etc. Replacing the vinyl with OEM quality fabric will be very expensive.

3. Windshield. Make sure the windshield is in good shape, fits together properly and isn't broken in any way. Taylor Made produced the windshields, and finding a replacement is really tough.

4. Since the boat is above 26ft, have it surveyed by a professional marine surveyor. It's worth the money, and it's definite piece of mind you're buying something that'll last for many years to come.

As far as other things go, engine & outdrive wise, you'll be covered as any marine service shop should be able to repair and replace parts for powerplants from Mercruiser and Volvo. Parts wise, we've compiled a great list of the outsourced parts that were used for Mariah's boats, just in case something were to go wrong. This is highlighted in the "Original Mariah Talk" forum, under the thread "Mariah Parts List". One thing I will bring to attention, the most common problems encountered with Mariahs are corrosion of electrical contacts, and clogged speedometer intakes. The corrosion of the electrical contacts isn't a big deal. Apparently the sealant applied to all the contacts didn't last as long as anticipated, and water vapor can collect on the metal points. It's no big deal at all, just if your gauges or switches act up, you'll just need to pull off the contacts and clean them a few times, and reassemble. Probably takes around 5 minutes. And speaking of 5 minutes, that's about how long it takes to clean out the intake for the speedometer on the outdrive. Other than that, if you've got any issues whatsoever, this is the place to ask. We're all here to help each other, and we've got a great collection of resources here.

I say go for it! The Z302 is a great boat!

[mikeyt]

My thoughts echo the ones from Chris. Plus, new boats can have 'teething' problems until everything gets used for a while and settles into place. That 2000 will be just nicely broken in and is one nice boat!