Thanks. I never once said "steal" but rather just get a good deal. Hawkrace is the prime example that there are deals to be had. The freshwater glad "pauls" is a pristine gladiator just above what im really looking at spending. Thanks guys for the input. Paul's Glad shows pride in ownership for sure. Beautiful boat.

John Lomant on here has a bad ass Glad for sale..

That's Redbud's Glad, he's a pretty reasonable guy. Well most of the time he is. I'd try him again, it's a nice boat and he's taken good care of it. You will not be disappointed.

How many boats have you owned? 15-20k for a boat in way better condition is nothing. You can buy the wrong cigarette and drop that in a second.

You are right on the money, as others have said, spend a bit more and have a "no headaches" purchase. (If you can swing it)

Spend less and you will get less.

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+1... very nice boat and runs good with turn-key power. Good luck!

My opinion on "stealing", it can't hurt to offer what you want to spend and begin negotiation with a seller. I buy RE all the time and never hesitate to make an offer to see what happens, once in a while a deal does get accepted. A seller doesn't have to accept. A boat will sell for what it is worth, the agreed to sales price!!!
I'd call up Phil at Lip Ship for a Gladiator. I talked with him a couple months ago about a CLEAN, low hour, Zul powered staggered setup he was selling, unadvertised. Price wasn't too bad either. I don't know if he still has it?

The RedBud Gladiator at LOTO is nice too, seems like a nice guy that owns it too.

I understand how tuff it can be to find a nice Cig when you have a certain budget to work with. Good Luck with your search!

Thanks to everyone for the kind words. It is really hard to describe my boat without seeing it in person. When the boat was being built, I had a lot of extra stuff done to it. For instance, the boat was blocked and sanded several times extra before paint. It is probably one of the straightest Glads out there. Also, Neil did some extras and the boat really came out beautiful. Phil tweaked the boat even further. A stock boat, built for dealer inventory just can't compare. Used only on the lake, the boat has been babied since new. I can count on one hand how many times the boat has been airborne. Boring? Yes, but it is reflected in the condition. Not a chip, stress crack or mark anywhere. The boat could be displayed in the Miami boat show as it is. It is that nice. Anyhow, enough about my boat, good luck finding yours, and thanks again to everyone for the kind words. In the mean time, I will keep polishing, cleaning and enjoying one of the best boats I have ever owned.