Advice on buying a Mariah Z250
 

Hello everyone,

This is my first post in this forum, it's quite reassuring to a newbie that there is this many Mariah owners with what looks like a vast array of knowledge out there.

I was just after some advice really regarding things to look out for when buying a second hand 1990 Mariah Z250. I am taking her for a sea trial next week. I'm based on the south coast, UK.

It will be my first boat purchase and am after any information from existing Z250 owners about problems to watch out for. The boat has done around 670 hours which is on the high side, but the engine sounds fine when idling, there are a few electrical faults with defogger, wiper, elec seats and some gauges but I'm happy to fix these parts, thats about all I know so far.

Many thanks for any advice anyone can offer relating to this subject.

Cheers,

Tim

Re: Advice on buying a Mariah Z250
 

Welcome aboard Tim! This is one i'll leave for our admin (Chris) since he owns a Z250.

Re: Advice on buying a Mariah Z250
 

Welcome to the board!

First off, I hope you mean a 1999 Z250. They didn't make a 25' model in 1990! :)

Second, the advice I'll give you is what I give to all potential Mariah owners. Most of the parts for these were custom made in-house at the old Mariah plant, so there are many parts that may prove to be incredibly difficult if not impossible to replace if they are bad. These are things like the molded dash gauge cluster, trim panels, storage doors, stainless bow rails, fuel tanks, fiberglass seat backs, and a few others. That being said, check those things out first. If they don't appear to have any damage, or if they're in good shape, then you're off to a great start.

Look for any internal fiberglass damage, or large cracks. If there are, seriously reconsider the boat. Fiberglass repairs are expensive. Check around the engine mounts too. Make sure there's no fiberglass damage around there.

Check the interior side panels (where the grab handles are located). Make sure they are snug and secure, and that there's not a lot of flex in the panel. My panel on the port side has come loose and flexes around a little bit in rough seas. I'm working on a solution to the problem, so when I figure it out I'll post it. Make sure the bolster seats are bolted down and secure. In the cuddy interior, the port side back panel (it's the one with the small spotlight on it) can work itself loose over time. Make sure it seems secure. The sink may seem like it doesn't work, but that's because it's a manual pump sink, and it uses a plastic bladder which may or may not be there, (it'll be located in the storage closet).

A few other things, if you'll be boating in high seas, make sure your docking lights are secured. They are inside the anchor locker and are secured to the housings by what looks like large hose clamps. Use a screwdriver and make sure they are tight. One of mine came loose during some rough water, and when the bulb fell off the housing, I had a 4" open hole in the front of the boat. Needless to say my cabin got soaked and I ended up taking on probably 20 gallons of water. The good news is these boats have great bilge pumps. That'll be another thing to check. Pull the rear seat forward, find the bilge pump below the engine (mine is black and yellow). There should be a float switch attached to it, which is a little square box. Feel around it and find the float, which is a small piece of plastic that moves up and down. Push it up and down a few times and make sure the bilge activates itself. If not, I'd suggest replacing the bilge pump ASAP. That's one thing you never want to be without.

The good news is, a lot of the parts can be replaced (aside the ones I've listed above). I was the one who has compiled the "Mariah Parts List" here on the site, all starting with parts from my boat, so it should come in very handy for you. Engine-wise, Most service centers can work on Mercruiser and Volvo Penta engines. Yes the engine hours are a little high, but if the engine's been maintained, it shouldn't be an issue, and you should be able to get around 300-400 more hours out of it before it's time for a rebuild. Just keep that in mind when it comes to their asking price.

If you've got any pics of the boat, post them, or PM the link to me, and I'll check it out for you. I've got a pretty good eye for spotting things that aren't right on these boats. :)

Good luck, and hope you'll become a member of the Mariah family soon! :wink_thumbup:

Re: Advice on buying a Mariah Z250
 

Hi Chris,

Thanks very much for your advice on purchasing a Z250 (yes I did mean 1999) and apologies for the delay in my thanks. The initial purchase fell through however I am just about to hopefully seal the deal on a 2001 Z250 with the 5.0 EFI Mercruiser engine in. I have a sea trail next week and will look out for all the items you mentioned. The Mariah Parts List list looks like a Godsend (even for us in the UK) many thanks for taking the time to compile this. I have PM'd you the link to the boat as advertised by the broker.

The Hull & Engine look in pretty good condition, with work needing to be done on the cosmetics side of things. This is the snagging list I have so far.

5mm chunk taken out of one of the prob blade edges (will look at replacing)
The hinges on both bolster seats are corroded/painted closed so the bolster bit doesn't flap up.
The lock on the cuddy door is in about 7 pieces and needs rebuilding
The bimini needs replacing
The sink waste doesn't look as if it is properly plumbed in.
Shorepower and Fuel filler deck attachements look as if they both needs some attention/replacing.
I have just purchased a Fusion iPod MS-IP600 stereo with Fusion 6" speakers to install also.

That's about all I think. The sea trial may show up further items. I will keep you posted.

Again many thanks for your advice,

Cheers,

Tim
(Potential) 2001 Mariah Z250