Any advice on purchasing a 2002 248 LS?

[Mike384 0]

I have an opportunity to purchase a 2002 248 LS. This would be my first boat, so I'm a little gunshy, to say the least. I've been looking at Sea Rays, Rinkers, and Regal. If you don't mind a few questions.

 

1) How does the Monterey brand compare to the others I'm looking at?

 

2) The boat has a Mercruiser 5.7 260 HP engine with an single prop drive. That seems a little under-powered (well . . I'm a solid 220 pounds wet . . I'd like to know I could be pulled up on a slalom ski). Any guess on the top speed of this configuration?

 

3) I'm going to look at the boat in a day or two. When examining the engine, what should I look for. I would think that on a ~10 year old boat that the risers/manifolds should be replaced. Is that true?

 

4) Does the Bravo III drive bring much to the table (speed/power).

 

5) NADA suggests a considerably lower value than the buyer is asking, but I've heard NADA isn't very reliable (but that's usually the sellers telling me that!).

 

I appreciate any advice. I'm approaching this endeavor with much trepidation and anxiety.

[archcreekyachtsales 0]

Hi There,

 

I'm a Monterey Dealer in South Florida and we sold a ton of new and used 248LS's.

 

You're right, the NADA book is just a guide. I have never seen a "book" write a check yet.

 

The 248LS was part of Monterey's commitment to take the entire line to the "next level" and they did a spectacular job.

 

A good, clean 2002-2004 low hour boat is still worth 30k retail. Anything under that number is a bargain. It only sold for the mid 40's new so it really retained it's value.

 

The new 254FS (it's replacement) is in the mid 60's now so that holds up the used price.

 

If there is anything we can do for you, please contact me at SteveH@ArchCreekYachtSales.com or 305-947-6446.

 

Good luck on your purchase and welcome to the Monterey Family!

 

Best,

 

Steve Hopkins

[m_cogs 0]

Last summer I purchased the same boat from a private party. It is in really good condition, just a few scratches. The previous owners were not "boat people". The engine started right up after being stored from the previous fall. It has the same engine with the Bravo III duo prop. The boat has plenty of power for tubing/skiing. It also handles well in a chop. We went out on Lake Michigan with 1-2 ft waves. If you have any technical questions, let me know.