1998 z246 talari -should I buy it?
 

Hi
I am new to the forum-first post. I want to get back into boating. I am seriously looking at a 1998 z246 talari. It has the 310 hp 7.4 Litre engine. It is the cuddy cabin model. Overall seems to be in nice conditon. Couple of cracks on the seat fabrics-not too bad. Gel is not glossy, but not chalked either. I would say that overall it has a satin sheen to it. Cockpit cover is stiff-probaby needs replacement. No bottom paint, and engine and outdrive look clean-looks like a freshwater boat to me. Outrive is bravo 1 with a stainless prop. Includes a galvanized trailer. Asking price is 23k-i think that is WAY high. Any suggestions on price?

I know nothing about mariah-is mariah a good boat? Is this a good model?
I wonder what top speed I can expect.
I want something that has a nice ride, and has a cuddy cabin for storage, and possibly an overnight stay at the marina.

I looked at Chaparral, Sea Ray, Monterey and Four Winns. All of them seemed nice.

Any opinions??

thanks

Re: 1998 z246 talari -should I buy it?
 

I bought our 1997 Shabah Z250 last year. It has the 7.4 310HP with an alpha 3, dual steel prop. Great shape. Runs great. Fantastic ride. Good heavy hull that takes 2-4 foot lake chop with very little crunching. I paid $14,500 for that without a trailer. It had 250 hours when I bought it. I didn't like the Four Winns as it wouldn't hold the water well in tight turns - for tubing and skiing. I had a 1988 19' Monterey that was great, but the Mariah ride is so much nicer. All in all I'm very satisfied with my Mariah. Dollar for dollar it's a great boat.

Re: 1998 z246 talari -should I buy it?
 

That price is quite a bit high.

But hands down, you won't find a boat that compares with the amount of options the Mariahs have. That's why their trademark was "Equipped Like No Other Boat in the World". The Z-Series are the top of the lines, with the most options.

As far as construction and materials, Mariah one-upped the other manufacturers by using 2 to 5 times stronger materials than their competitors during the entire construction process. This would include gelcoat, fiberglass, vinyl & upholstery, etc. That's why you'll see many of these boats still in great shape for their age. Most boats just need a good wax-based fiberglass restoration treatment to look as good as new. Do a search on here for "Meguiars" and you'll find a lot of info regarding their "Fiberglass Restoration Kit". I use it myself every year and have great results.

Now the only downside is, most of the original parts are extremely hard to come by, since the majority of them were made in house. However don't let it discourage you, because we have been able to source either replacements, or repair options, and have a database of them on this site. And if you've got anything in particular you're concerned about, we're all here to help.

Good luck with your boat hunt, and hopefully you'll end up a member of the Mariah family. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. :wink_thumbup:

Re: 1998 z246 talari -should I buy it?
 

Does a bear sh*t in the woods? :rolling_laugh: Yep, you cant go wrong with a well maintained Mariah and as a bonus, we're all here to help if something does happen.

Re: 1998 z246 talari -should I buy it?
 

Our boats are second to none! :yes_grin:

Of course we may be a bit biased, but there's nothing but the truth in the responses so far.

Hope to see you soon as an owner.

Re: 1998 z246 talari -should I buy it?
 

Hello Mark. !!! I bought our Z246 last year and paid 16k. It has the 7.4 MPI with a Bravo 3 (385hp) :eek_animated: 300hrs on her as well. The boat is unlike any other. If you feel good about it and dont want to pass it up make them a offer. Even if you pay around 20k your still getting a good buy since you will not find another one like it. Good luck and let us all know what happens. .....Mike