Need Opinions.....
 

What would you do? I wasn't in the market for a boat until spring time BUT I have found what I feel is an exceptional deal on a 01 29 Fountain w/500 efi. Should I buy the 01 29 or should I wait a bit and try to pick up a larger (35-38) OLDER Lightning. Due to a few different projects going on (House Remod) I have allocated up to 75K for a boat for the upcoming season. My last boat was a 02 Baja 29 Outlaw with twins. I boat in larger freshwater lakes with average wave heights in the 1' to 2' range. Obviously, the 01 29 is a SMOKIN' deal and I really don't want to miss it. What do you think???

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There should be some deals out there now. I vote bigger the better. Need good truck. TooOld sold his nice 98 35 for around 80 a yr ago. 500HP's with ext boxes. Good luck!!

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Tough call. Sometimes you can get a better deal in the winter cause a seller doesn't want to store it and make payments thru the winter. And then again, some think they will get a better price in the spring, but then it's a yr older. If you find the boat you have to have, buy it.
Why the change from the Outlaw?

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Me personally, would hold out for the bigger boat. Once you buy something you always want bigger. This a good time to find a deal on just about any boat I'd just keep your eyes peeled... Good Luck.

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Wait, you will find a good deal on a 35. If you came out of a Baja with twins, will you be happy with a single 500 H.P. ?The 35 is so much more boat than the 29. Both are good boats, but coming from a boat with twins, you may regret going back to a single motor.

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:evilb: :evilb:

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I'm new to these boards and can't start a thread. My situation is the same though. I live in Charlotte, North Carolina and I'm trying to decide between a 2001 29' Fever for $58k with tandem Myco aluminum trailer and a 1992 35' Lightning for $55k.
The 29' Fever has a single HP500/Bravo. The 35' Lightning has twin 454's with a roller cam, new interior and a triaxle aluminum bolted Myco. The Lightning has twin 80 gal fuel tanks. The Fever has 130ish. 180 hours on the Fever. Not sure about the Lightning. I have C5500, 4 door rollback with a 19' aluminum bed for a tow vechicle. My current boat is an 18' Boston Whaler. I want to be able to pull my son on a wake board and be able to spend the night aboard. Which boat would you get? Thank you in advance. Bob
Also I'm going to put my website on the hull of the boat to advertise. Which one makes a better statement?

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Ozark,
Check Fountain of N. Texas www.fountaindealer.com For a pretty good deal on a 94 35 lightning. I spoke with Casey and was told that the price is VERY negotiable. I also found a real decent 38 in the boat trader. A very difficult choice indeed.

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[QUOTE=ozarkguns) I want to be able to pull my son on a wake board and be able to spend the night aboard. Which boat would you get?[/QUOTE]

Unless you can wakeboard at 28 to 30 mph (the slowest a 29 will stay on plane) you wont be able to use a 29 let alone a 35........we pull tubes and waterski behind our 29 at 30 to 32mph.......a 29 is a big boat to ski behind......we have a LONG rope.......its actually kind of funny......you get these cocky azzed big talkin' teenagers that are friends of our kids that say how great of skiers they are......I open the pipes on the silent choice and go....."So bucco....ya wanna' go skiin' .....!!!????" :D :D suddenly its time for dinner!! :drink:

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Good Advice!! You Wont regret going w/a 35 if you go the 29 you will be looking to trade up in a year.

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Also, the 29 in stock configuration is not a great overnighter.......I made some filler cushions and basically can make the entire cabin into a huge bed.....Im 6'2" and could never sleep in the stock V berth......go lay in it before you buy......Im going to remove the stock dinette with the icebox and sink (that Ive never used) in the future also......just have simple facing lounges on that side......free up some wieght and make some more room.....doug

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Here's the update on the 2 boats. The 29' Fever sold this morning. I called the seller on the 1992 35' Lightning to set up a demo ride. I offered to pay for the gas and asked if I could bring a handheld gps to see what the top speed is. The seller said he never runs it wide open and he wasn't going to risk tearing up his boat with no money on the table. He knows the boat better than anyone so if he had doubts about the engines/drives holding together than this isn't the boat for me. I called him back and canceled the ride. Also the boat has cable steering, not hydraulic. Total fuel capacity was only 160 gal. I'm going to keep looking. Thanks for the good suggestions.

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Ozarkguns,
Check out this 38. It looks really nice, not all that fast, but really nice. Boattrader.

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what a knob

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this looks good...

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...d.php?t=118782

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How good of a deal is this one? 2002 Lightning 35' for $115k. Listed in the boat trader online.
http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/9/4/80919294.htm
It's a consignment boat. The ex-Fountain dealer in Charlotte NC has it. The windscreen looks different on this boat compared with other 2002 Lightnings. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

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That's one of them there Executioners. They used to call them lightnings but no more. Depending on the hours and conditon, that appears to be a very good deal. New ones are selling for $150K with 496's.

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did you get it????????????? if so lets get a couple of 1500hp sterlings one for you one for me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thats about all i think the 29 needs...............

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I know of a 38' tall deck you can get a great deal on needs a little lovin but its all there twin blower motors ready to run.

Merry xmas',
Louietherigger

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Getting "in and out" of a boat is costly....wait until you can get the boat you want for the next 5-10 yrs...

....I take a lot of heat for waiting but have a new business going...so until there is room for the 42' Fountain I am waiting...

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That 02/35 Lightning for $115 sounds like a pretty sweet deal, not to mention it's a good lookin ride. The 500 EFI's are a better choice that the 496's.
It all comes down to, how much $$$ can you afford to spend.

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In my opnion I would wait until you can aford a 35/38. The wife and I purschased a 29 this year and I already want a larger boat. I wished we would have waited and took a ride in each 29,35,38 and then made a call. Their is a nice 42 that was/is posted but that is a little to large in boat and coins for use right now but hang in their and keep looking the right deal will be here before you know it. Good Luck. :drink:

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Looks like the 02 35 Lightning is actually a 35 Classic AKA 35 Ex...note the single step and Ex style windshield...still not a terrible deal with the Myco and 500's, like to know the hours tho.

G-