OK have narrowed down my choices
 

A 2000 Cig Mystique with 500efi's and approx 400hrs super clean on a trailer, 1999 Formula 353 fastec with 502/415's with 270 hrs and no trailer, 2002 28 Pantera with 502's/500hp with 60 hrs MINT on a trailer, and a 1999 33 Scarab AVS with 502's 125hrs on a trailer...all are $70k or less :cool:

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now remember its going to be a trailer queen, used primarily as a bay boat but plan on spending some time running Atlantic here of the Jersey shore

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Hey Bern the way I see it....

Cig - Highest Quality / Good Room / Good Speed
Formula - More Comfort / More Room / Avg. Quality
Pantera - Most Speed/ Less Room / Good Quality
Scarab - Good Comfort/ Good Speed / Avg. Quality

Just my .02

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The Cig sounds nice but budget $12k for a pair of rebuilds and in/out. The Formula would be high on the list but the 502's are not too far behind the cig with 500's, especially working hard in the 353 Fastech. The Pantera would be a lot of fun but might feel small every onece in a while. I just cant get excited about a 33 Scarab w/502's. My $.02.

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Email me links....I need to look at them.

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Even with 400 hours on the mills, if it were me I'd have a hard time picking something else over the cig. Would it be doable for you to get the cig and freshen up the motors in time for next spring, or does that blow the budget?

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Buy the cigarette, you will have a sharp boat, not alot of mystiques around. Plus you have the reliability of the Merc blue motors and you said they are the 500 efi's. Its a win, win. Also, down the road the resale will be higher with the Cig. Just the way the trend is. High quality, excellent ride. Plus, everyone loves seeing a Cigarette

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Cig!

However, ive heard the term Mystique = Mistake around here more then a few times. Why?

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based on the people i've spoken with people have a bad habit of over trimming them which causes a slight poposing. i spoke with Tres and Phil@ Lipship and you can either find the sweet spot, add a lil weight to the nose or have some minor work done to hull to correct...

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Even though I'm a Formula guy that Cig sounds like the one I would go for. You might get another 200 hours on those motors with just a valvespring replacement. I don't think you'd be happy in the 28 Pantera and I would be concerned with balance on that boat with 2 BB Chevys back there. That hull runs great with 1 big motor back there, but 2 seems like the weight would be all wrong. Plus I suspect it is pretty tight back there to work on.
The Formula is a great boat but the motors and resale on the Cig just seems better. Don't know much about that Scarab, the 29 and 38 are pretty nice, some people get freaked about a company or line no longer in business so resale might be an issue there. All in all sounds like you have a pretty nice set of choices, good luck.

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Thanks Ted appreciate it.

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I agree the Cig, but damn 400 hrs is high :eek:

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If that's the 33 AVS at LOTO that is the strongest value. LOW time, relatively fast with 502's, mint, extras, trailer, and a hull that PB RAVED ABOUT TWICE. "Performing like a much bigger boat in the ocean" is what I remember. I wouldn't worry about being out of production...there will always be people who know what that boat is about. ;)

If I was making a choice today I would head directly for the 33 AVS

I have checked them out they were nicely done with quality vendors and have a nice open cabin feel, and have a real nice "usability" about them in terms of cockpit/sunpad/platform

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No its not the scarab at loto its in Pensicola Fla the one at Loto is awesome but a lil outta my price range

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do you plan on overnighting very much, i.e. needing amenities down below such as shorepower, refrig, tv/electronics, etc with sep head area or not a necessity. i think these things help me to decide. i would also throw a donzi 33zx and maybe the 32 active thunder in there if any of these types of amenities would be of interest because they offer much more overnightability and great performance. can be found in this price range as well. there are a few on the classifieds as well. if not wanting to expand, i would look at the cig with the thoughts of 15k min going into it to make it "bulletproof dependable" (motors and drives) good luck hammer

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the comments about the 33 AVS performance and layout still apply.

you can't buy that LOTO one for your limit ??? If you could that's great buy.

regardless if $ are an issue I'd buy the lowest time drivetrains even if the boat needed cosmetics.

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I like the cig w/ the blue motors.
If a compression and leak down work out, you could probably hold off a year before a rebuild.
But the proper way to fix the porpoising it to correct the hull.
I'd like to see what that $ would be first.
That would be a major point on resale if you had that done.

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you'd never get the $ back unless that boat is cheap cheap

yea I'd buy a porpoising hull with potentially tired power and spend a ton of out of pocket $ just to belong to the Cig club...

better rebuild those drives too...


NOT :rolleyes:

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bernie is not worthy of a cig... he does not respect the big red one.. i say you buy a fountain and go to your people..... :evilb: :evilb: :evilb:

hey bern, me and my buddy were talking about you last night.. your gonna buy whatever you get the best deal on, you a car salesman, you're half a scumbag.. stop with all these comps, you're wasting my brain space.... :evilb: :evilb:

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Being a used car dealer he should know how to turn back the hour meters. :evilb: :evilb: :evilb:

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Hey crotch...you right I'm gonna buy whatever i get the best deal on as well as whatever suits me best...that's why i've not yet lost on any of my purchases. Maybe you should let me assist you in your next transaction as well...lol and i'm not half a scumbag...i'm a whole scumbag GET IT RIGHT !! and I'm aware your brain space is limited...please accept my apologies...hope all is well with the Mrs's

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curious why you havent considered this Cafe? Looks to be in great shape and in your price range.

http://www.offshoreonly.com/esvon/page-11741.html

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Only frauds do that...when your talented you sell around it and sell it as well seasoned and properly broken in

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trying to stay with stock power, if i werent buying a trailer queen (lil to big to trailer 2-3 times a week), and it were newer (96 and up for financing reasons) i would be looking at those

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You better make a decision soon, there's only about 22weeks and 3days until boating season starts :D

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Has the Mystique 500EFI's been rebuilt prior? Something to consider -- you're in even that much better shape w/ the Cig. if it has had a top end job.

Bottom line... No doubt, Make and engines will keep you in-the-money..... Listen to Tres and Phil --- they know their stuff and won't say it if it isn't true.

Joe

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other than basic maintence motors are untouched, drives serviced regularly

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Yea Yea.
But to me boating is about passion and loving what you have.
If its the deal thats important, the passion has to be put aside to some extent. I personally like old school styling, and don't think a formula would be on my list, no matter how good a boat it is(which it is!) and how good the deal. I won't boat to save money... its all about the enjoyment. Just my $0.02.

And this is where our boy bern is having a hard time.
Get what you want, or get the good deal.

a little off topic, but my mom was looking for a new car, with best deal she could get. I pointed her towards a new bmw X3, excellent deals back in the summer($36000car for $400/mo, nothing down). It was an ok driver. But after driving the audi A3 3.2 w/ dsg, she was hooked. the audi was more money, but the enjoyment she was going to have was worth it.

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very well said and i agree totally...looking for best of both worlds. all i'm looking at are deals atleast in my opinion just a matter of pulling trigger at this point

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the biggest problem is that with the way the market is right now there are alot of great boats out there at great prices

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Just look at them, think about it, and whichever one blows your skirt up, buy it. You probably already know which one you want more. You don't need it to be validated by Oso. Buy the one that's in your heart and soul. I always know when I'm going to buy a boat, because I can't stop thinking about it. :)

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and this is coming from OSO's own boat Gigalo.

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MY $.02
The Cig or the Formula.....which ever one gives you "wood" :drink:

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Right On Joe!!!!! :D I want Commanche's 24 Firefox so bad I can taste it! I hope I got the $$ when he's ready to part with her! :D

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Cig...Smitty can always freshen the motors for you... :cool:

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Lets see some pics or links to these boats. That might help.

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my thoughts exactly or JC for that matter

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That's a sharp rig. I bet that'll be back on eBay shortly after the owner sees the bidder has a feedback of -1. :D

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was on Ebay back in June and high bidder was a non payer...hard to beleive