Buying lessons needed for nice pontoon

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jlwardn
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri May 19, 2017 6:18 pm

Buying lessons needed for nice pontoon

#1 Post by jlwardn » Thu Jun 21, 2018 2:41 pm

I have been lurking for a while and have read many many threads. Here is my dilemma....I have had 3 simple slow(2 crappy) pontoons. I also have a 20ft jet boat that goes 50mph. I have no problem getting rid of both of them if I can get a cool pontoon that gives me good speeds. What I want I won't pay for so I have to settle. Here are my options:
#1 - Custom built tritoon 25' on a South Bay Chassis. I know there are lifting strakes but no underskin of any sorts. It has a cool wake tower and lots of Grays/Silvers and Black( my perfect colors) the real bummer is that is has a 150Hp Mercury outboard on it. It also has a bar and 4 stools on one side of the rear instead of two seating areas. I don't need the bar and would prefer rearward facing lounges. The boat looks amazing and it is a new 2018 with new motor. No Trailer but I can buy this boat for $42,000
#2 - 2015 Harris Solstice DC250 tritoon - low hours - also Mercury 150hp motor. Not my favorite color scheme. Has dual consoles and windshield. Also no rear loungers. Seems to be a solid and very clean used boat. It comes with a float on trailer and I can buy for $40,000
#3 - 2014 Manitou Encore 25 SHP tritoon - Almost perfect interior layout. Hate the ugly dark brown interior since it does not go with the charcoal gray interior. It has a Yamaha Vmax 250hp motor and only 116 hours.
Good condition and no trailer. Did I mention I hate the brown...... No trailer Dealer was going to sell it to me for under $45000 but now wants to use it for a service loaner so I am not sure if I can still snag it or he is going to make me pay more. I really felt he was going to take my offer of $42000 but now not sure. Manitou seems to be my first choice for manufacture since they seem to have a good handle on sport packages for their toons.
Options #4 and #5 are high priced used ones and I really don't want to spend $55k-$65 for something used(or new for that matter)
The guys with the bigger motors are telling me that I am going to hate the 150 motor. The 150 motor guys my I will love it. The new custom built guy says I be able to do 40mph and the used private owner of the 15 Harris says 32-35 mph. I will be giving up my 50mph jet boat which I use for skiing, wake boarding and tubing. I have never gone faster than 18mph on a pontoon so I think I need 50mph but I might be happy with 35-40. Thoughts........ideas......suggestions or majority wins on my selection.
To make this all harder than it needs to be.......I am CHEAP. I own a small car dealership and hate to see things drop in value while I own them. Which one is a steal now and which one will depreciate the least? Snarky comments also welcom
Last edited by jlwardn on Thu Jun 21, 2018 5:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1989 Party Barge w/ 50hp Mercury

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bansil
Posts: 1103
Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2016 4:10 pm
Location: Watâ'gi lake...Beautiful Waters

Re: Buying lessons needed for nice pontoon

#2 Post by bansil » Thu Jun 21, 2018 3:41 pm

Perfect solution is here from me, are you ready? :donno

1st take crappy little engine off pontoon and tie to rope, use as anchor
2nd cut off front of jet boat
3rd go to youtube and research red green videos
4th attach back of jet boat to back of pontoon boat, using duct tape, 3m 5200 and probably metal shelf brackets and screws

No you have a jetoon :thumbsup :mrgreen:

You should look for a tritoon with atleast a 150 on it...bigger is better, the tritoon has less drag since it sits on the water not in it...of course twin 200s on a tritoon will haul ass :mrgreen:
Check out "Dudes" site www.whereisdude.com

Bamaman
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Location: NW Alabama--Tennessee River

Re: Buying lessons needed for nice pontoon

#3 Post by Bamaman » Fri Jun 22, 2018 7:20 am

Well as a car guy, you recognize buying at low wholesale so you can sell later at retail. I consider the prices you've been quoted as "high wholesale.". My suggestion is to hang back and wait for a deal to come around.
'12 Bennington 24' SSLX Yamaha 150

jlwardn
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri May 19, 2017 6:18 pm

Re: Buying lessons needed for nice pontoon

#4 Post by jlwardn » Fri Jun 22, 2018 9:07 am

Thanks for the help. In the car business I can actually see wholesale price transactions from the auction and then compare them to trade in numbers from NADA and Kelly Blue Book. I then see what they are selling for retail. In boats I can only see NADA retail and at times it seems off. There also is not many boats that are the same yr, make, model and package to get a good apples to apples comparison.
My thoughts were that the brand new Custom Built pontoon has appeal to me because it really can't be compared to others. When I go to sell it in a couple of years it would "compare " to similar pontoons that were $65,000 new and selling for $35-$40k used. I would be in good shape with little depreciation.

The used 2015 Solstice DC250 seems to be a deal now. One dealer by me is selling the same model with no trailer for $69,999 down to a no haggle sale price of $61,887. It is a 2016 and has a 300hp motor. What I don't exactly know is how much more the 1 year and larger 300hp motor add in value. My thinking was $4,000 for the year and $5,000 for the motor. If I am correct then when I compare the two......at $40K with a trailer the 2015 makes a lot more sense......like $10K cheaper after taking off value differences for year and motor.

The other think I don't know is what is a better boat...........Harris Solstice DC250 with windshield and seemingly higher quality trim options or the Manitou Encore. They seem compatible quality wise. My thinking is that Manitou might have an edge with toon design so with a high HP motor they would be preferred. If I settle for the 150hp then Harris would probably be completely fine.

If I could call the used boat factory and have them make me one.........my choice would be a Manitou with a toon performance package 3 and a 200 or 250hp motor......or a JC Sporttoon
1989 Party Barge w/ 50hp Mercury

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bansil
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Location: Watâ'gi lake...Beautiful Waters

Re: Buying lessons needed for nice pontoon

#5 Post by bansil » Fri Jun 22, 2018 10:58 am

We looked at a bunch toons the other day, several 2018 3toon sweetwaters with hydraulic steering and 200 hp engines at 47k...and that was just price on placard.

Biggest difference would be seating materials like leather v/s vinyl , stored inside and no bad weather, they both would look good in 5 years

The engines have same warranty regardless of boat name

Pontoons are all the same, if they dont leak they are good

Floors will be same marine plywood

Carpet quality is same as seat material...cheaper will fade more etc

I think a good dealer is worth more than which manufacturer is on boat

Just more for discussion :mrgreen:
Check out "Dudes" site www.whereisdude.com

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zoom650
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Location: Macon, Panama City Beach

Re: Buying lessons needed for nice pontoon

#6 Post by zoom650 » Sat Jun 23, 2018 5:11 am

I'm not dissing the Harris w/ a 150, but it's only going to run in the mid-maybe upper 30's. I've got a 2014 Solstice w 150 Verado. No denying it's a solid choice. The fit and finish on mine is top notch. Instead of my upping the horsepower, I used that cash for other sweet options like power steering, dual biminis, ext warranty on engine and the PIII hull. (Drive out price w trailer was 55K) I'm not sorry about that but once I top out the rpm, that hull cries out for more power.

Consider the ugly Manitou .. maybe change it up with vinyl wrap job on it for a couple thou.
Michael and Laura
'12 Ford F150 Lariat SuperCrew Ecoboost
'14 Harris Solstice 220, P3 tritoon, Mercury Verado 150, Enertia 14p.
prior boat: '02 Century 2600CC, twin Yamaha EFI 200's, full instruments.

playcraftray
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu May 31, 2018 7:16 am

Re: Buying lessons needed for nice pontoon

#7 Post by playcraftray » Tue Jun 26, 2018 7:17 pm

Buy the 'toon with the 300 hp engine. You're welcome!

jlwardn
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri May 19, 2017 6:18 pm

Re: Buying lessons needed for nice pontoon

#8 Post by jlwardn » Thu Jun 28, 2018 7:30 pm

At the last minute before the purchase of pontoon a completely different boat showed up for sale. I ended up with a 2017 Manitou Oasis 23 SHP with a 250hp Evinrude. Only 20 hours on it.....like new in every way. I figured I am getting a boat that is less fancy but getting more HP for my money.
1989 Party Barge w/ 50hp Mercury

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