Rinker is great bang for the buck on the used market.

A 280 Sea Ray is on the larger side of their "small boats". It will cost more than a used Rinker and in a few years it will resale for more than a used Rinker.

A Rinker is fine if you get in it right. For example, a friend got a 1992 Fiesta Vee 276 (or 278 or 274 or 277 or something) with a single big block. 300 hours on it. He bought it summer before last and paid $14,500.

Another friend sold a 1995 280 Sea Ray Sundancer with a single big block a month earlier (with 400 hours on it) for $47,000.

At the time, NADA on the Sea Ray was $50,000.
NADA on the Rinker was $22,000.

The Rinker has been a good boat for his purposes.

Twin 4.3's? How do they hold up? They hold up fine.
Depends on whether he is satisfied with the planing performance coming out of the hole, and cruise speed.

Twin 4.3's sound harsh to me, versus V8's, but a good rubber backed carpet in the back of the cockpit will take care of that.

when sea ray sold out to new brunswick, i thought they should change name of sea ray to sea liner..as they cheapen up everything on the rays, no more interior wood walls, put shower curtains instead. sorry , i like searays , when they were sea rays!! i have owned several 26, 277 ,now a old 340sda. good old boat , loves gas thou. oh, and my 1987 340 sda is for sale. having 2 boats is two much. need to spend more time on my 38 scarab!!! happy boating, lake st.clair.