Opinions on z260 purchase
 

Hello!

Looking to buy a 1998 z260 in nice shape with 245 hrs.

Anything in particular with a Mariah I should look for or be concerned about?

Where is the best place to obtain Mariah parts?
It needs a new dash trim piece and a few minor things?

Thank you for any help with this!

Jason

Re: Opinions on z260 purchase
 

Welcome to the MOC Jason!

The Z260 is a nice cruiser. I've got it's big brother, the Z280 and it's a great boat. If you haven't read up on the history of Mariah, check these articles out. Mariah Boats Inc & Jimmy Fulks Biography

Mariah invested millions of dollars into equipment and made the majority of their parts in-house to reduce the demand on outside vendors for parts... This is a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing when they're in business and never have to rely on other companies and they can be completely self-sufficient. BUT when the company (Mariah) goes out of business, (which they did in 2001), finding replacement parts for things becomes a challenge, because no one's producing them anymore. Dashes, moldings, bow rails, radar arches, storage locker lids, ladders, doors, tables, trim panels, etc. were all made in-house by Mariah. One of the hardest parts to come by is the dash gauge cluster. These were made from ABS molded plastic, a woodgrain finish was applied, and then a clearcoat. However, after years of sun & UV exposure, they start to deteriorate and crack if not taken care of. So your chances of finding a replacement are literally slim to none, repair is the only option. In my previous boat, the Z250, I decided to document the whole process of repairing mine. You can read about it HERE . Long story short, about $800 later I had a repaired version, that lasted me a few years and started to crack again. Some people here have tried some fiberglass/epoxy methods to strengthen them up after repair and have had positive results. But you should just read up on this before deciding if it's something you want to get involved in.

I have a small crack on mine now from the switch being pressed too hard by the previous owner, but I decided it's not worth the headaches of repairing it again. You may just want to analyze and see if the damage is something you can live with, or if it truly affects the boat, and could potentially get worse.

As for any other parts on the boat that may need replacing, (other than those listed above), are easily sourced from different manufacturers, and we've put together a list. Mariah Parts & Vendors List

Do you have any pics or a link?