Ruined Baja
 

Just got off Baja Marine's website, and have to say. The new models are the ugliest things I have ever seen. Graphics and interior look cheap and just plain dumb. I own a 302 and will always be a loyal baja fan, but will never own one built in N.C. Such a shame to take that boat in that direction.

Yep, dont know who the design team is :gfight::nhl_fight::party-smiley-020::argue::readinghelp: or what their :bong: but its not good, and there 80-100K right

Yeah the pictures I have seen are not very good. Seems like just some little styling changes could make a big improvement.

Baja Graphics
 

I was very disappointed with the graphics. But thought it was just me. I believe that the graphics will affect sales unless there is a change.

I would say the design team and everyone involved in Baja now, are a bunch of numbers people, and pencil pushers. Would be my guess. Bought the company for the name, thinking it will sell boats, but can tell from the pictures they dont have a clue what they are doing or what people want. It's ashame, most likely none of them are boaters or even own boats. For example look at Checkmate, new owner is a real boater, look at the stuff they are pumping out of there, Punisher for example.

It's just not graphics, even the cockpits are plain ugly. How they did the shapes of the seats and sunpad headrests. Nothing has curves to it. It just looks cheapened up in my opinion. Dont like them at all.

They are doing it on purpose...

On purpose? Do explain

+1
Would love to hear this one.

solid colors with stickers on the sides........looks like a direct competitor with another builder that starts with a "B" :eekdrop:

Baja was used to acquire Donzi, Fountain and Pro-Line.... Watch what happens next.

well... just went to see and... have to agree. there is something changed, new look, but not sure I like it... but I'm often like that when something changes, and after a while, I get used to the new look, and then feel the older look looks old... nothing perfect I guess...

MY boat will probably never grace the cover of a boating mag, or be featured in a movie, but, those things are downright hideous, that Islander with the blue and yellow graphics is horrible.

I realize its "apples and oranges", but, I think the Baja design "experts?" need to spend some time at Outerlimits to see how to make a boats lines flow, and hoe to use colors that compliment the boat, NOT make it look like crap! I guess at the "end of the day" the water doesn't know, or care, what color the boat is, but, in my opinion those are some gawdy graphics, thumbs down!

Agreed, I HATED the new Chevy/GMC trucks when they came out with the "Square" front end, but, now I have seen so many they kinda have grown on me, and I find the older "rounded" body styles look dated, just my .02

I'm not too upset with the styling of the boats.. My downfall is the design of the interior, whoever that moron is should be fired on the spot!!!!!

ya, they don't look worth a hoot. But they are entry level. Something like 30 grand to get into one?

There's not one under 90k on that website. Selling Kias for Corvette prices.

What a disappointment! Those look absolutely cheap and commercialized, NOTHING at all appealing.

On the bright side, maybe there will be a demand now for the older Baja and styling.

They're going to buy something else ?

The whole thing is a mess and a sad state of affairs. I'd really like to see them (liberty) building all of those boats again. But not like this! Using left over parts and trying to piece together boats is just a blatant sign of grasping at straws. And now that they lost their key guy...good luck! Those boats aren't going anywhere!

Ya, was kiddin'. I wouldn't call it a Kia, maybe a Pontiac Aztec is a better description.

I agree now that Barrie is gone going to be interesting to see how it all pans out.. Based on what I've seen not sure how there going to sell that line up!!! Pitiful!!!!

I think Doug Smith should have bought them and kept it all in Bucyrus...Just Sayin!!!!

Thanks
 

OK, I just think you guys are trying to make me and all the other ex-Baja employees in Ohio feel better! Thank you.

XT

I agree that the Aztec is one ugly car BUT everyone I know that owns one just love them...In fact, one couple I know actually own two of them! Point being, maybe the new Baja is ugly but if its innovative and usable maybe it will have a following.

The graphics make it worse then it really is. But yes, Baja needs to call XT for advice! LOL!

The boats have some potential IF the price is right, they make some connections with financing, and fix the graphics!

They did a very nice job with the lines of the boats, very modern looking. Wait, that was done in Ohio! My Bad.

I know this is a dumb question but I'm going to still ask it. If the value of Baja goes down is there any chance that you ex Baja employees could go together and buy it and bring it back to Ohio? I know that would be a big challenge and is asking a lot out of a group of people. I know you guys care and believe in Baja that was built in Ohio. Like I said I know it's a dumb question to ask but it would be great if it could happen.

Another option for someone with serious money, or access to it like a venture capitalist, would be to hire all the key players involved in the original design and manufacturing of Baja and "re open" as Baja, or another company if there are trademark/licensing issues.

A rose by any other name is a Rose

If the creative minds and craftsman who built those classic Bajas of yesteryear where to be given the resources to build an affordable and good looking boat then I am sure they would be successful, sadly, until the economy turns around I can't see anyone committing the kind of money necessary to get the project up and running.

+1

When I go into the local Sears, or True Value store here in Bucyrus I am usually greeted by an ex Baja employee, so I don't think anyone is in the position to have saved money to invest in the purchase of Baja. The closest thing we have is that Doug Smith purchased Checkmate in 2007 here in town. Approx. half the employees at Checkmate are from Baja, but Doug was smart enough to keep many of the key Checkmate personnel like Kip & Mike Combs (sons of the former owner) in place. XT-Innovations is a group of five ex-Baja employees that caters to all boat brands including Checkmate, but we have a great advantage knowing the older Baja models when it comes to our abilities. I think the long time rivalry between Baja and Checkmate employees is long over (maybe not between the brand owners) but I like what I see in the new models like the 26 Convincer.

I was just paid the ultimate compliment from a 272 owner that brought his Baja from Virginia for XT-Innovations to redo the cockpit interior. She point at me and said "You should take over Baja" They posted there story on BoatfreaksDOTorg http://forums.boatfreaks.org/showthread.php?t=24882

We had a good idea back in 2008 that the history of Baja was going to be too badly destroyed and this was the main reason we started what we did then. I think I am more impressed when a customer of ours and his 1984 Formula can call the factory and they actually wanted to talk with him and tell him all about the boat, or that the owner of Sunsation puts his cell phone number stamped on a plack near the dash of every boat. Call Mike Combs at Checkmate and he probably has the part you need on your 80's boat. I think Checkmate is now 50 years old this model year.

In the mean time I will just keep doing what I can for the 99.9% of the older Baja models that were forgotten.

XT

Well said XT!

XT, I am curious, as in I always have connections to funds for such things. How much, rough guess, do you think it would take to get it back? I can figure out the rest as in capitol to start up building ect.
Then maybe they can go off and get Donzi back going again as well.

Skulls & Daggers :fear:. First thing I would do is break out the heat gun and remove every sticker. Then get some custom old style Baja script logos made. They look like cheap wake boat graphics. WTF?

It looks like there are choices if you don't buy one with the decals already on there. I like the simple boot stripe and Baja logo best.
http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/x...ps55a37b1c.png

a bad as those graphics are they are 1000 times better than that gray and orange 26 outlaw that was the first boat built anyone ever hear if they ever sold that fugly azz thing or did they strip the power out of it and crush it

Yep, have to agree with the graphics being ugly! Personally I think the lines of the boat aren't that bad.

Ed, I think I saw a while back that the gray boat did sell. Not sure where that one went though. I'm sure it will get noticed.:lolhit:

JV, I have no idea what it would cost. I would think you could look it up in public court records.

XT

They need to hire the fork lift driver who dropped Spotlight to load it. Just tell him to get it higher this time!

lol

Do the graphics really matter? When Baja was selling a lot of boats there was a big dealer network with floorplanned boats, and credit was easy and cheap. That doesn't exist anymore. They also sold enough boats to spread out the overhead costs and keep the per unit price comparatively low. That isn't going to happen either, at least in the near future.

Hopefully they'll prove me wrong, but I think they're done...at least as we knew them. Unpopular graphics are the least of their problems.

No Dealers or any customer would ever buy a boat from them without proper authority.
That being said someone with the right history will buy up those companies and bring them back. I give it 2-3 more years.

The Donzi boys are still together at Statement. I'm hoping maybe they have something up their sleeve. Craig Barrie bleeds little Donzi Classics....

Velocity is for sale, just a little shy of 3mil. I know its not Baja, but I say, sell some other boats, kick Baja's butt, and buy them at the NEXT bankruptcy sale.

:daz: