Mariah SX-9 vs. Sting Ray 190 LS

roadranger · Jul 27, 2003

Mariah SX-9 vs. Sting Ray 190 LS Any opinions on which would be better for a first time boat owner? Handling wise? Build quality wise? They are both about the same cost new at local dealers, BUT the Sting Ray comes with the 4.3 Mercruiser, and the Mariah comes with the 5.0 powerplant. The Mariah seems to have nicer amenities too, but the Sting Ray is supposed to have a more 'efficient' hull. Thanks for any help for a newbie!

KCook · Jul 27, 2003

Re: Mariah SX-9 vs. Sting Ray 190 LS

A very interesting match up. Mariah HAD a big name in the past. Current builder, Sea Fox, is said to have made the new Mariahs a much cheaper boat. Unfortunately, I have not had a chance to see one. I would say your local dealer is key in deciding whether or not to go with Mariah. Example, if he offers to take the boat back as trade-in on another boat within the first 6 months at full value, that would give you some safety factor. The Stingray would be especially good if you were expecting to use it to later trade up to a bigger Stingray. The 220 and 230 Stingrays are very strong performance boats. I would expect the Stingray to be built a little better than the Mariah. Dunno that it would really run any better. For comparison also see the 19 foot sport boats by Rinker, Tahoe, and VIP. The Rinker may be a little higher priced than the others, but it never hurts to ask. Let test rides decide it, Kelly Cook

roadranger · Jul 27, 2003

Re: Mariah SX-9 vs. Sting Ray 190 LS

Thanks KCook, What do you mean, 'test rides'? Each dealership will put the brand new boat I'm looking at in the water in order to go out for a ride? Doesn't that kind of defeat the 'new boat' pricing? And isn't it kind of a 'you drive it, you own it' policy with boat dealers? Thanks again for answering stupid questions... Interesting concept.....

KCook · Jul 27, 2003

Re: Mariah SX-9 vs. Sting Ray 190 LS

Similar to test driving cars when shopping for those. The dealer has his boat at a lake, you ride around in it for a while to check it out. These are rather short rides, not usually over 2 hours. At some point you will likely get the opportunity to drive it yourself. But the dealer may insist on operating the boat around docks and ramps. So you get the chance to see how the thing rides, handles, and how loud it is. Whether it really meets your expectations. Unfortunately, this is NOT a standard policy in the boating biz. Some dealers are free with test rides, some are real jerks about it. You never know unless you ask. Some dealers will demo any boat in stock, some keep specific boats just for demos. Price adjustments to compensate for prior demo use also vary. Demos do not count against the boat's warranty. It is still legally a "new" boat as long as you are the first to complete a purchase on it. When you see a new boat at your dealer that is from the prior model year, not the current model year, it is likely a demo boat. On such a boat you could expect at hefty discount. But still get the full warranty. Not a stupid question at all. Some shoppers refuse to have anything to do with dealers that will not demo their boat. In some parts of the country you have no choice, none of the dealers demo. So there is no simple answer. But here is another thread on demo rides - test ride Kelly

roadranger · Jul 28, 2003

Re: Mariah SX-9 vs. Sting Ray 190 LS

Thanks again KCook. My situation is; both the Mariah AND Sting Ray dealers are 40 miles away from the nearest lake and neither gives test rides. Makes it difficult to make a decision between $20K boats! I guess I could put a small downpayment and write up the final price and paperwork and complete the deal AFTER a sea trial. BUT, how to comparison shop this way? Try boat A, then NOT close the deal just to try boat B? THEN what happens when boat A turns out to be the one I want? Decisions, decisions....

KCook · Jul 28, 2003

Re: Mariah SX-9 vs. Sting Ray 190 LS

Hate to say it, but this is the typical situation where the lakes are way outside of town. Pretty much the same deal here in Phoenix. And it really blows! In contrast, dealers in Lake Havasu City (also AZ) are all within 10 min of a ramp and all will demo at the drop of a hat. So geography plays a major role. May be worth your while to do your shopping in a distant area where the dealers DO demo. Lake Of The Ozarks in MO comes to mind. And there very likely are other markets in the mid-west that I am not aware of. So you buy the boat out of town and let your local dealer stew. He deserved it! No easy answer, Kelly (Colorado cavalry has been notified)

Adversary98 · Jul 28, 2003

Re: Mariah SX-9 vs. Sting Ray 190 LS

I'm not crazy about our local Stingray dealer. I get bad vibes. Sort of a one lung operation. Their old sales office was a trailer. They built a new bldg next door that is out of that corrugated metal - not real classy. I like the Stingray boat better than the Mariah. The fit and finish is better. I was unimpressed with the Mariah. It was kind of unfinished. Glasswork was not good. However, the Mariah dealer is much better. I bought our first boat from this dealer. He now sells Bayliner, Solara, Maxum, Ski Centurian, and Baja and some fishing and pontoon lines. Bayliner is by far his big brand. They always gave me excellent service and seemed to care about their work. I like the owner a lot. When I was buying our last boat, a Caravelle, he advised me to buy it as he said he had nothing to compete with the deal I got. I really think you should go to Pueblo and look at the Caravelles, the 187 and the 207. I think you would be favorably impressed and would like the dealer a lot. They are right next to lake Pueblo and a ride would not be hard to get if you seem serious. Caravelle is a different boat from the Stingray, though. That dealer is one of Caravelle's largest and will take good care of you. Let me know if this helps or if you need more info.

Adversary98 · Jul 28, 2003

Re: Mariah SX-9 vs. Sting Ray 190 LS

Thanks, Kelly. I like being the Cavalry.

roadranger · Jul 29, 2003

Re: Mariah SX-9 vs. Sting Ray 190 LS

Thanks Adversary98. I might take a ride down to Pueblo to check out the Caravelles. My wife and I are going to the dealers today to look at an actual Renken built Mariah SX-9. The dealer had one up in Denver that was still shrink wrapped, and brought it down for us to look at. We had been looking at a 'new' 22 ft Mariah sitting on his lot for comparison to the Sting Ray. It was MUCH nicer finished out than the Sting Ray, BUT it didn't have the same badging as boats shown in Mariah's catalog. I don't think it's a Renken built unit. We found that the rear bench seat in the Sting Ray was uncomfortable in that is was too upright and the leg cushion wasn't deep enough to support well. And we'd both prefer bucket seats at the pilot- copilot positions instead of those conversion seats. Can't hardly find dual buckets in a Sting Ray. Also, Sting Ray only has a 5 year hull warranty, and Mariah's is 10 years with no wood at all built into them. Thanks again for your input.

KCook · Jul 29, 2003

Re: Mariah SX-9 vs. Sting Ray 190 LS

Caravelles are not flashy. But their fiberglass layup beats most of the boats at their price level. Here is another thread that gets into Caravelle - Ebbtide v. Caravelle Renken and Sea Fox are different labels for the same outfit. The last Mariahs built by the original company were '01 models (I think). Any new small Mariahs would be by Sea Fox. The molds for the larger Mariahs went to another builder, Challenger. But these are rare and do not carry the "Mariah" name. Here is another thread on Mariah - Mariah Boats 8 models now, more later Design and construction of the rear bench seat is a common place for "value" builders to skimp. Good to check this out. Even fairly expensive boats can have questionable bench seats. If this is a major concern for you then I would suggest looking at Maxum. Their seating is more comfortable than most brands with a modest price. Any warranty is only as good as the company offering it. All warranties are subject to interpretation by the company. Boat warranties are not the sure thing we a use to with car warranties. You may or may not get the approval you expect on issues. There are a great many things to consider in examining boats for quality. Here is another thread that goes into this in detail - What is your idea of quality construction? Glad to see Adversary98 jump in here, he knows your dealers. And that counts for a lot. Kelly

roadranger · Jul 30, 2003

Re: Mariah SX-9 vs. Sting Ray 190 LS

Thanks all for the info. After seeing the actual Mariah SX-9 at the dealers last night, I put money down on it. Waiting to see if the financing goes thru... The Mariah is a nice boat, with many amenities on it that others don't have, like bow anchor compartment, stern tow rope compartment, and dashboard insulated cooler. I found the fit and finish on this Mariah to be very good-- as good or even better than others I've looked at. The 5.0L engine makes it a 50 mph boat. The dealer threw in a chromed spare tire, 2 O'brien lifevests, storage cover, docking ropes, anchor w/rope, and Coast Guard pack w/4 orange vests. He even came down a bit on his original asking price, and I've got a 20% discount for 60 days on any toys bought from their store. Gonna need skiis and a tube and ropes real soon. Can hardly wait!

KCook · Jul 30, 2003

Re: Mariah SX-9 vs. Sting Ray 190 LS

All bowriders with a 5L do at least 50. Please keep us posted on your experience with the new Mariah. Kind of a rare critter on these message boards!

Kelly

Mariah SX-9 vs. Sting Ray 190 LS

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