I see 78 wtih HP500's and boxes.....what is the deal?

Price also included a $19,000 trailer?!?.

'99 Formula 382 Poker Run Special, XR drives, extension boxes, nosecones, full hydraulic steering, A/C, 6500 W gen, Eagle trailer, without power ... $125,000.

Same boat now equipped with 650 H.P. Sterling Performance motors ... priceless!

"I see 78 with HP 500's and boxes ... what is the deal?"

Nort,

The race lay-up 382's without amenities floats about 3-4" higher in the water when tied up next to our loaded models. The A/C, T/V, head/playroom comes with a price not noted on the sticker! They are a lot faster with the same power because they as SO MUCH lighter!

I think 79 is with 575's.

Troutly, The F-2 boats w/ 525's run in the low 90's. So strip out that cabin and go for it.

I never even looked at the NADA book. I just look at the classified ads. Everywhere. What I read tells me the Fountain's value drops like a rock while the Formulas hold their value well. I'm talking the adds in BoatTrader, Powerboat mag, here on OSO, all the websites that sell boats. It's no comparison. I don't care what that NADA book says. I just see the prices in print. I have NEVER seen a similar sized, similar powered, similar year Fountain selling at anywhere's near the same price as the Formula. In fact usually a Formula that's as much as five years older is still bring as much or more than the Fountain. When you factor in the original selling price, the difference is still just as much. Fountains depreciate faster, period.

I can't type that long troutly. They all depreciate too fast.

The value of my Formula dropped $10 in the time it took to read this thread.

Heck, whata we up to now?

First of all I have to agree with Troutly on this. Formula is shooting themselves in the foot for the long run with there introductory low interest program. Second, where do you think the NADA gets their numbers from? They get them from the average money spent on used boats. They don't guess at the numbers.

I had a 2000 Formula 330 Sun Sport and I traded it in on a 2002 36' Spectre. Both are great boats, no question about that. Boy oh boy what a beatin' I took on the trade. Even when I tried to sell the Formula outright using Boat Trader etc. etc. I couldn't get much over low book. People kept saying, "the market is flooded with this model, if you want me to buy it you have to come down to earth."

The Formula 330 SS is Formula's best selling boat by far, but when it comes time to sell it, you are going to take a beating. You can advertise whatever price you want in the newpaper if it makes you feel better, but look at what the real number was when it was sold! That is the NADA number!

Go ahead and buy a new $400K 38' FastTech for $300K and in 4 years it will be worth half the price of what you paid for it.... $150K. Them's the facts. Please don't shoot the messenger.

IMHO - I like Formula quality, but the 42' Fountain out performs the 38' Formula in the rough stuff. I have ridden in both in the ocean in Miami in 3-5 footers at the Maimi Boat show in 2000. The Formula felt like it was a tank plowing and slapping through the waves while the Fountain stayed up on top. Big difference in ride.