Full Force

iTrader: (5)

man, where do ya sleep?? haha

Marginmn

iTrader: (1)

Ok, based on the info he provided here is what "could" have happened.

In 1989 the growing but still young Fountain Powerboat company cranks out a "then labeled" 33 foot Fountain and ships it off to one of their new and not yet established dealers. The boat either languishes on this dealers showroom floor for 5 or 6 years or is used by the dealer as his personal joy toy but either way is still on the books as a new but unsold boat as year after year rolls by. In the mid 90's the dealer finally goes kaput and Fountain is forced to take back this aging but never sold boat. As we saw during the financial crisis builders are sometimes forced to take back old but unsold inventory that has sat on dealers showroom floors years. I know this first hand because I flew down to Sarasota in 2011 to look at a never sold 2007 made ZRC that Donzi was forced to take back when one of their dealers went belly up in the financial crash.

So by the time this 1989 built boat is taken back by Fountain, Reggie has come out with a new cockpit layout, cabin layout, and a two-stepped hull. To say the least this aging boat would be a really hard sell. When Fountain finally reduces it enough to sell in 1999 the boat is still technically new so they fiberglass over the original HIN number from 1989 and Presto - we have ten year old, but 1999 HIN numbered 33 Foot Fountain. The boat changes hands several times and then finally our Less-than-thorough thread starter is unlucky enough to stumble upon it and pay up for it as if it were built in 1999.

Then, to really confuse matters he calls the Fountain Factory and gets hold of the one employee at Fountain Powerboats that either doesn't know or chooses to withhold the very pertinent (and common knowledge among Fountain enthusiast) that it would have been highly unusual in 1999 for the Factory to be selling a straight bottomed, 1989 equipped, 33 foot labeled Lightning. In fact, the know-nothing Patrick of Fountain service actually makes it sound like that 33 model was a common offering that year. That's the part that I cannot wrap my head around. How did Patrick not mention the oddity of a straight-bottomed boat with 1989 equipment being sold as new a decade after the 33 had been changed to the 35. That is almost too much to believe.

4bus

iTrader: (4)

Ya, 89-90. Just think, fighting in the internet is better than getting in a fight in the dock over what year your boat is

Now, 48k is not completely out of line for a clean 1990 with good power and mint interior, however, didn't you have engine issues from the start and have to replace the interior?

I said the 99 and 89 are 30k apart based on the 89 being 30k and the 99 being 60k, but those are rock bottom sell tomorrow prices.

If this boat was maliciously misrepresented to you I would seek legal counsel immediately (and reason why I asked if the guy used the web often) and consider removing this thread, or leaving it for expert reference haha

Maybe I am a fanatic, but I research everything I buy before and after, no big deal that you did not, but I would have to think more do than don't...someone in the past new this year was wrong!

Marginmn

iTrader: (1)

Again, the man says he called the factory and they confirmed that his HIN # brings up a 1999, 33 foot model Fountain that sold new from the factory with 1989 drives in 1999. If that is true, where does "fraud" come into play? Who committed fraud - other than the factory back in 1999?

tomtbone1993

iTrader: (3)

He gave the guy the HIN on the boat and that is what the decoder shows. Does not mean it is the correct HIN.


For example: the last eight on your Truck will tell you

VIN=ABC12345

A= Model Year 2010
B=Lariat
C=4x4
12345= equal actual model year production

tomtbone1993

iTrader: (3)

I have also never seen the HIN number under the dash or behind the interior panels. That would be a new one for me. Reality is there is 25 years of a paper trail to go through, could be easy if the boat has not had that many owners. I would start with Google the HIN then call a insurance agent with HIN access and run both numbers nation wide.

tomtbone1993

iTrader: (3)

mcprodesign

Somebody fudged the 89 to look like 99. No way im gonna read all the pages, but the vin states 33' as well, they were makin 35's in 99

Marginmn

iTrader: (1)

He didn't say anything about a decoder. Over many posts he claims he gave the HIN # to Patrick at Fountain and Patrick was able to look up and find details about his particular boat, like details about what equipment came on his very boat down to the serial numbers of his drives. He claims that Patrick took that HIN # and found that it was a good number and that records show it was a 1999 model year 33 Fountain. He also claims that Patrick told him that the 1999, 33 model Fountains did not have a step in them but that the 1999, 35 Fountain models did, and he also claims that using the HIN number that Patrick again looked up his very boat and said that Fountain records show that his boat came with drives manufactured in 1989 and then gave him the serial numbers of the drives......on his 1999, 33 foot, straight bottomed boat that came with 1989 drives, ......according to Patrick at Fountain.

You know dam well, as I know dam well, that in 1999 Fountain did not offer non-stepped, side-by-side bolstered, 33 Foot Fountains, yet he claims that Patrick of Fountain service acted as though they did and were a common model boat that year. Bull****. Either Patrick of Fountain service doesn't know a Gwad dam thing about Fountains or this clown is making this chit up as he goes. One or both of them are made up or bat **** crazy.

Crude Intentions

iTrader: (1)

Wow. I'd love to hear lil reg chime in on this. If somehow this boat is a 99 ill be amazed.

Also to the person still concerned with motors/horsepower this thread has obviously taken a turn to where that is irrelevant at the moment.