blownincome

42 lightnings Tow ok with a Dually have pulled several with my truck and they tow fine I think it will do ok with a 382 as well

PhantomChaos

How about this babied fully loaded 2001 with 3300 whipples?

blownincome

she looks nice but a little too far away shipping wise I think

rjr

I am afraid of Superchargers. The aircraft engines I am familar with are rated for about 30% less hours than the injected versions of the same motor.

Shipping doesn't need to deter you from getting the right boat. In my quest for a 382 I looked at a 1996 w/ 600's near Sacramento CA. I got an estimate of $3500.00 to ship to the East coast.

BTW if that one is still available you might consider it. It looked nearly new.

t500hps

went back and re-read you original post.....re-sale? Resale on them all suck!!! Your looking at Formulas and Fountains. I don't think resale on one is necessarily better than the other. My opinion is that since Formula makes less boats therefore there will be less of them on the market when you go to sell.....not sure if that really makes a difference in what they will sell for though.

blownincome

I guess my question more is when one goes up for sale how much interest is there?? My fountains both sold fairly fast when I put them on the market I have been told the fastech market is a lot slower Looks like a great boat just wondering if this is true
Thanks

blownincome

I am Considering it I, wish my comunication with the broker went better

Tarheel

Blown,

I made the shift from a 2001 35 Classic with 500HPs to a 2004 382 with 525EFI's. The boat was ordered with no Generator. I talked myself into it thinking that the service was going to be better in the DC area since there area few Formula dealers here.

The boat came from the factory under propped with 31 labbed Bravos and ran about 70 mph @ 4900 RPM. I had to work with Throttle Up on my own coin to figure out the props...5 bladed 28's...the boat then ran 81.

Then the boat started leaking anti-freeze from the closed cooling systems. Ends up both motors were overfilled at the factory and they damaged the reliefs in the expansion tanks so the fluid just ran out of the tanks when hot. Took the boat back three times before I figured out that the dealer didn't have a 525 EFI certified mechanic. So the purchase experience was iffy for me. A used boat would have these kinks worked out.

The ride is the thing you'd have to get used to. The 382 is a much heavier boat at 15K lbs loaded so to me it rides like a marshmellow compared to the 35 Fountain. Couldn't really feel the trim, or cavitation when over trimmed. With the Fountain, you know instantaneously that your overtrimmed because you can feel the props.

The other issue was fuel mileage. My standard run down river with the Fountain was 30 miles on about 20 gallons at cruise. The 382 was barely 1MPG...cruise at 45 with no generator...so every outing was 1/4 tank of gas.

Final comment, When i traded the boat with Shogren, their concern was that Formala has not updated the hull in over 5 years so I took a beating on the trade in. Again, that has already been absorbed by previous opwners with a used boat. I'm not trying to steer you from the 382, just MAkE SURE YOU RIDE IN ONE before making the leap...its a completely different ride. Better get a dually too to pull that thing.

blownincome

Bill Thanks Im doing the same change 35 to this, Thanks For the input My concern is that the ride will be so dramatically different I wont be happy I was however looking forward to the extra room in the cabin I will take your advise and drive one first .The 38 fountain will possibly be my way to go But keeping my eyes open in the mean time Thanks again!
Bob

t500hps

The only 38 fountain I was in was a straight bottom with #4's on the back. Rode OK, but the Formula does handle rough water better.....that would also explain what Tarheel experienced with less fuel mileage and a "heavier" feel. The prop and engine issues he had were not Formula necessarily but could be the fault of other parties (dealer/ merc, etc???) Since he's in N. VA I would assume the dealer was Full Tilt....and they sucked. (just lost the Formula line too!)

My buddies 38 Foutain had been totally re-done and was a nice boat but I felt his cabin was about the size of the Formula 312 I had at the time.

Speed/performance most important..stay with Fountain
Comfort/ammenities...switch to Formula