the 496 will easily run 1000-1500 before needing an overhaul. That being said, I know of plenty of boats out there with 2000 hrs. + and still running well. A lot depends on how it was run and how it was maintained.

What year ? if its the boat you want, go for it, If you can buy it for 10k or more under market, deal with the engines as needed. but don't buy it without a sea trial, we don't want another thread saying I got screwed on my boat deal

I saw the boat in the ad your talking about. The boat shows well in the photos. Just remember EVERYTHING on the boat has 1000 hrs on it. The controls, steering, hoses, wiring, etc not just the engines (I don't know the maintenance/replace parts history of boat). If it's the boat you want and have bought it with rebuilds/replace in the equation also factor in when you go to sell it you have to explain that your 1,000+ hr performance boat is top notch and not wore out. It's a tough sell when there are boats with way less hours out there for sale. There seem to be 30'Outlaws with 496 HO always popping up for sale, I would look at everything very hard before pulling the trigger.

New drives these days will exceed the cost to rebuild engine

A good friend of mine went and looked at this boat a week ago if its the one at Grand Sport Center, he said boat was immaculate and from looking you couldn't tell. Just my 2 cents worth.

I had 700+ hours on the 496HO in my 288 Sunny. Ran perfect, and I did several poker runs per summer with it. ~300 idle hours on it before I got it.

It's not 1000 hours, but for the right price, and right boat, I wouldn't let the hours scare me away.

I ran my 496 Ho for 10 years .. had appx: 400 hours on it.. Always ran great. Very Dependable. I only upgraded for more power. If the boat is in great condition and the price is right I would say go for it. You can always replace the 496 for around $10,000.00

I have stated this a few times on here , and I know everyone thinks I am full of chit.

Back in my commercial parasail business days we would run 330 horse 454s 4000 thousand hours before replacing them.

Ran in Saltwater and never flushed.

So
New risers after a year 1.

Risers and manifolds after year 2

Pull and replace year 3 and throw away as the block was probably rotten.

Never tore into them , and they were ran pretty hard with a PTO pulling 30 to 40 horse slamming off and on to the front of the crank every 8 minutes.

Never over 4500 rpms but ran hard non the less.

I would do a compression and leak down test and than a scan to see if they have ever been overheated.

Overheats are the beginning of death for all motors if not properly attended to or maintained after the fact.

Wouldn't worry about the lower end , possibly some head refreshing if you want to be safe. Maybe just new spings.

My concern would be the raw water and circulating pumps along with the fuel pumps.

The One thing I would check on a boat with that many hours would be the slop in the gimbles.

They were beyond sloppy at 500 hours back in the day.

It's funny, if you talk to the cruiser crowd they'll tell you 1000hrs isn't anything to be worried about. In the go fast world though we get sketchy with a motor that has 500hrs. The 496 really is a good package when left un-modded. If it were me and the price was right I'd be replacing the springs and maybe some of the other valve train just so there would be no worries when I'd want to use it like a go fast.

To the OP I have personally seen recently a 04 35' fountain with 1018 hours and 1014 respectively, original never been taken apart, always ran very hard and put away wet. We joke and say they should be sent back to merc as to what was done right. He is currently buying 2 brand new old stock 496 ho to replace them with. They were maintained some but definitely not overly maintained or babied.