[Stanleyzzz]

Hello fellow Mariah owners, maybe. I am considering buying a 1997 272 shabah. On line the boat looks in near bristol condition. It is 400 miles away and before I make the trip I thought I would get some input from the members here. Power is a MC 7.4 with a B3. It is aspirated but does have the thunderbolt ignition.. Price is a very steep $35,000. Dealer says they are negoiable and there is a matching trailer. The owned claims 300 hours on the boat. I have a good bit of boating experience and tend not to believe the low hour claims of most sellers; but this boat looks absolutely stunning. I have owned 3 Searays of about the same size and a CC Scorpion and a 30 ft Trojan flybridge fishing boat, but I know very little about Mariahs. So, how do you all think the Mariah would compare to a Searay in terms of quality and durability. I know two things about Searays, they will hold up to harsh marine enviornments and they can always be re-sold. Would this Mariah do the same?? BTW, the ad for the boat is on Craigs List for Charlotte NC about 3 or 4 days ago. Thanks for having me on the site and thanks in advance for your response.

[Z 202]

Of course you should buy it!

Then again, did you come here for an unbiased opinion?

I've been in a lot of boats, Mariah's are well built, no doubt. The "test ride" I took in my Shabah was in Lake Ontario in 3' waves. The boat was getting pounded, but not a squeak or a rattle could be heard. Solid. These original Mariahs had lifetime guarantees on the hull. How's that for confidence in your product?

That power/drive combination is a good fit to that size. I have a carbed (4bbl) on my 5.7 with the thunderbolt ignition, and it's never given me a bit of trouble.

I'd check with NADA on the price. Seems high for a boat of that vintage.

I'm sure others will chime in with more equally glowing experiences.

Good luck with it.

[indykoch]

Yeah, that price is steep but that's for you to decide. As for Sea Ray vs. Mariah - the old motto used to be "Mariah is the boat Sea Ray owners are trading up to". So, yes, the quality and resale is definitely there. My dad has owned 2 Sea Rays, and loved them. He strongly considered a Mariah back in the 2000-2001 era. Read a bunch of the reviews and threads on this site - obviously, we're biased, but you may find some good info, opinions, and actual experiences of the owners that mean more than a dealer/manufacturer bragging.

Personally, I feel this site may be actually helping our resale values, as people now have a source of info and opinions that weren't there before.

Welcome to the club and hope to have you as a "permenant" member! Post some pics if you decide to do it.

Just my $.02

[ShabahZ280]

Welcome to the board Stanleyzzz. Yes, you'd be very happy with a Mariah. The build quality is right up there with Sea Ray, but definitely more well equipped. Structurally, you'll find Mariah to be top notch. No other boat manufacturer was offering a lifetime hull warranty, that's how firm of a believer they were in their design. It has been rumored that only a handful of boats were ever taken in for hull warranty work during the 12 years the company was in business. So you should have no doubts you're looking at the right boat manufacturer. Don't let the fact they're out of business scare you away. That's why we designed this site, to help each other out. We've got all sorts of helpful info and over 400 members who understand and are dedicated to their Mariahs, so finding an answer to your questions will never be a problem.

However that price is really high. NADA price is between $19k - 22k. Now figure that's without a trailer, and not figuring in the hours and the excellent condition, but still, that's quite a bit overpriced.

Is this the boat you're looking at?
1997 272 Shabah in NC
This is the one I spec'd out on NADA. She's a beauty, no doubt about it!

But, that one listed is a 275 Shabah, not a 272. The 272 was a bowrider, not a cuddy. NADA price is between $22k-25k for that model. Still overpriced though!

Good luck, and keep us updated!!

[Stanleyzzz]

Hi Cris, yea my bad. I've been looking at a lot of boats. The one I'm considering is on Boat Trader on line, not Craigs list. I saw the NADA value and went to BUC which is a little more thorough than NADA. BUC had it at 30K if in excellent condition. If the salesman isn't blowing smoke this boat should meet that. Check it out on trader and let me know what you think. To tell the truth I'm gonna have to have my mind pretty well made up to drive up there, I'm southwest of ATL and it's a long drive to the other side of charlotte to see a boat.

[ShabahZ280]

I honestly think it's a beautiful boat. The white and gold is Mariah's classic colors, plus finding a matching Chariot trailer is pretty sweet too. (Chariot was owned by Mariah, and built specifically for that boat). If you're set on that one, then try and do some of your dealings before the drive, and definitely insist on a sea trial. I bought my boat in Baltimore MD, which is 9.5hrs away from Cincinnati. One of the main bargaining points for me was "I just drove over 500 miles to see this boat". FWIW, I paid ~$27k for my 2000 Z250, with 135hrs on it, and a brand new custom built Venture Trailer.

Just think about it, and if that Z275 is everything you want, I say offer low then work your way up. Start at about 29k.

[z275st]

That is a great boat! You will not be disappointed with it! That heavy 27footer will slice through waves so smoothly, you will be amazed. I think you can get the price down. It is always better to pay a little more for a boat you are happy with than pay less for one and have that constant feeling you would rather had bought a different boat

[boxcar]

I have a new Mariah SX20 and it is a good looking boat. The older and newer Mariahs have carried the same lines. The older ones are plush and well equipped.
The lake we boat on (Keystone Lake) in Oklahoma had a Mariah dealer and there are old vintage Mariahs of every size out running. I get a good chance to admire one occassionally and they are sweet. I do think that the newer Mariah's do get a bad rap as well because they sure look good beached beside a vintage Mariah.

I dont' thing you can go wrong with either.