All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

I posted a thread in the GD area in reference to buying a 25 outlaw 1998 454mpi that is going for very cheap... There are a few things wrong and I would like to have BAJA owners opinions. I want to make sure Im not getting in to deep. I know its boring to chase threads, but if you have the time could you read my post and give me your honest opinions negative and positive...

Thank you and I hope to join the club :drink:

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=90423

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

Sounds like a lot of work. You should be able to pick up a nice 25 with 502 for around 35k-38k. I believe I would look around before jumping into something that has rust and needs some wood replaced.

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

I second that!

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

yep

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

25k, if you can get it for 20, it COULD be an alright deal.

Make sure you know TRUE hours (hook a scan tool upto the ecu). Hour meters take about 15 minutes to swap out, or check the engine computers, and see how many hours, and how much time spent at what rpm.

And know how much and where all the rot is.

has severe rust in the EC

EC?? What?

If the motor needs refreshed, I would clean it off, and throw on ebay. We get pretty good deals on 502 mags up here.

If the boat has lots of rust, how is the trailer? Used in salt much?

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

I gotta agree with everyone else,,,keep looking, i sold a 98 Outlaw(by the way, the 98 outlaws were 24ft not 25,,at least mine was,,98 24 outlaw se) for 31k about 6 months ago with 185 hrs on it and a kicking stereo.
Nick

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

Thanks guys, I tried it out today,, not a good day.. I posted the blown wet day and GBD. If you get a chance read. Not a good day at all!!!!!

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

Sorry about all the trouble with the boat. That's the bad thing about going out in the fall, there is usually very few boats out. Keep looking you will find the right boat.

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

Give the boat back and run. No matter what kind of deal you are getting on it. A boat that starts off with problems is not likely to ever be "right" after fixing them. There are plenty of other boats out there especially 25 ol's.

Rust, wood rot, and supposedly less 50 hrs on it .....I CALL BULLSH!T. If this boat does have 50 less hours on it then is just shows how fast and hard they beat the sh!t our of it. If they are lying about it having 50 less on it then what else are they lying about.............RUN.

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

I have a better idea....Buy my boat!!! Asking 37k OBO. 525sc w/80hrs over 20k into the boat last season. Turn key 80+ mph on a new trailer. It's in the Boattrade and waiting to go home w/you! :D This boat is right w/no suprises.

http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/5/0/76479250.htm

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

In 98 Baja produced both the 24 and 25 Outlaws. If my memory is correct, all the 24s in 98 were the se.

I'm not sure about the hulls, but there is quite a difference in the top deck/cockpit.

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

Yes, '98 was the first year of the 25' and the last year of the 24'. They are for the most part, two completely different boats. However, the one thing that is the same is their great handling of rough water, they both do very well in the big stuff for their size.

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

mobile- what is your price range?

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

My price range is around 40..

But now after this weekend I am thinking of 1 of 2 things....

1. Take alot of time and make sure it is the right boat......

or

2. Wait until next winter 05 and buy a new boat......

its just that a year seems like a long time and I have waited this long :cool: :rolleyes:

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

I just feel really gun shy now

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

i just got a 98 24 outlaw se,and looks very clean,a 98 is not that old so i don't see why that one is in the shape you say.

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

All depends on how the previous owner took care of it. Some people for some unknown reason don't take very good care of their boats. :confused:

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

I agree, if it was my boat, it could be 5,6,7 years old and it would look close to new.... Just like everything else I have always owned.....

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

What are your boatsmanship skills? What kind of water will you be running? Leave it in the water or trailer for many miles? What kind of tow vehicle? What are your mechanical skills? How many times a year do you think you'll use it?

The above are the issues to consider in purchaing a boat. Better to consider them and make a "good" decision.

My perfect boat truned out to be a 1994 32' Baja purchased in 1998. It is an island runner with a lot of cockpit space. Excellent big wave handling. Sits on a hydohoist. Small enough to get into docking areas and can be transported limited distance linited times with my Expedition. I'm 40 and have been boating all my life. My mechanical skills are good (I riged the boat myself). I use it almost every weekend in the summer.

Since then nearly everything has been replaced and upgraded, a personal choice. I'm just not happy unless I can mess with it. Result...probably the hardest running Baja out there that make expensive boats look silly in poker runs. Still idles/docks nice and my 9 year old daughter can drive easily.

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

I would say that my boatmanship skills are probably more than average. I am looking for a boat that I can pull behind my 2004 f150.. I will probably use is almost ever weekend and also during the winter. We do holiday crawls and such. The max length I am looking at is probably a 30 footer...It will stay on a trailer seeing that I only live about 10 mins from a very popular launch.. Not far from the Tickfaw which I can be in the gulf in an hour.. I am a very knowledgable auto mechanic and light knowledge on rigging small boats. Very good with electrical... Any thoughts?? :D

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

Decisions, Decisions....

With the price range and 30' max you have a large variety indeed. Being handy myself (and I completely rewired my boat too) I stick with a little bit old boat.

The problem with a new boat is that it's like a car. Once you drive it off the lot big depreciation takes over. I had my pink and teal graphics repainted to red and purple and it looks new (about $1000 by a friend). Complate cocpit interior for less than $1000 (lots of amish around here)

I persoanlly with stick with a bit older boat...who cares about the colors they can be changed as long as the base gel is white.

I like the 29 a lot and they seem to be going reasonable. The 24/25 are also very nice deep water boats. I've heard some problems with the 25 and its stringer (or lack there of) set up.

What ever you do make sure a skilled glass man checks out the transon, stingers, balsa core etc. This can be undetectable by the eye but run huge $$$ to repair. Amazing what they can find with a small hammer.

Let us know what you find or need help.

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

Thanks for the clarification, I didn't know that,,if I had I'd never bought the boat I bought,,,(cabin access SUCKED) The 25 had a much larger cabin door. Thats the biggest reason I sold the boat,,hit my back on the dash trying to crawl my fat azz into the cabin......Pissed me right the hell off.

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

Bajalion,

Did you finally go with the 29?

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

hey bajalion what year 25 ol has the stringer problem,i really like those and was considering one later on,and did the 24 have transom or stringer problems?

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

I've had my 1994 32 since 98. A lot of mods, not much is original.

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

Just hearsay.

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

That is an understatement........not much original.......hell the way it looked to me nothing was original. I need to go for a ride with you soooooooooooooon

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

Oh yeah mobilecal to answere your question about buying the boat you should just read my signature..........it'll all make sense if you buy that pos.

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

No problem. Going to leave the engines out and play with them over the winter. Braided hose etc.

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

Bajalion

you just can't leave anything alone can you. Hope you have it back together in the spring

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

good luck

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

I have a better than new 32 for sale if interested

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

If you are capable of waiting...

Wait one season a buy a BIGGER used boat. It will keep you from getting 4-foot-itis sooner than you think. I would not recomment buying a new boat. They ALL have gremlins. If you pick one up 1-2 seasons old, it should have all the gremlins worked out before you buy it. Pick something up with stock power and extended warranties, and you should be able to get 3 seasons of trouble free/warranteed boating with no problem.

My reasoning:
I almost bought a new 22/23 Stingray when I was interested in this sport. Before I even bought one, I found myself stretching pictures on the computer making it look longer than it was. I waited a season, and dropped my name with a few boat dealers; telling them I was looking for something not the norm, but still starter boat capable. One called out of the blue one day; and I ended up with a 99 Sonic w/ a HP500EFI. It was two seasons old, both owners before me had traded up to 31 Sonics after one season. The engine had been replaced under warranty (rev limited let go and seized 6 pistons), and the boat had an extended 5 year powertrain warranty as well as Sonic's 5 year hull warranty. I still chased a few gremlins, but for the extreme majority of owning it 3 seasons, I only had to be towed in once, after rupturing a hydraulic steering line on the transom. I sold the boat sight unseen across the country, and the new owners could NOT be happier.

I could have afforded an upgrade after 1-2 seasons, however, I opted not to go to the 31-33 foot range. I saved up and waited, and went right to a 37' Active Thunder. Patience does pay off. Even if you opt for a little less motor in the boat than you want, you can always get more HP. You can't stretch a boat. My 37' has 496HOs and I miss my 500EFI. However, I can always swap to new blue warrranteed motors someday or better.

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

If you are looking for a very nice 25 Outlaw, friends of mine just traded theirs in for a 39 Velocity. The 25 is like new with the 502. I am not sure what the boat will be sold for but I bet it will be a great deal. I believe it still has another year of warranty on it as well.
Call Kenny at 407-321-1340. I bet you can get a heck of a deal. You can also contact the orginal owners.

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

Steet is right about the 25 Outlaw being very nice. I know the boat well, they kept the boat in very great shape.

Re: All BAJA owners please advise me as to what to do...
 

I think I will wait.. Thanks for the support