2012 Bayliner 185 BR

[FootballGuy88]

Hello fellow iBoaters.

I am going to be buying a 2012 Bayliner 185 BR around May.

I just had a few questions about the motor packages.

Standard motor is a 135 HP:
3.0L MerCruiser engine package with effortless automotive-like power steering. Highly desirable for watersports where frequent turns are likely.
Carburated (Carb TKS)
Alpha 1 Sterndrive


I looked at boattest.com for there review, and its top speed was about 40 MPH, which is a little slower then I'd like, but the 0-30 in 8.6 is too slow for my liking.

So, I was wondering what the major differences between the 190 and 220 HP engines were?

190 M/CA1
(4.3L) Perfect performance engine upgrade if you want to pull adult skiers with minimal drag and several passengers on board. Recommended for buyers boating at altitude.
Carburated (Carb TKS)
Alpha 1 sterndrive

220 M MPI/A1 4.3L
Performance upgrade. Perfect if you want to pull adult skiers with minimal drag. Recommended for buyers boating at altitude. A bit more kick than the 190 HP 4.3L due to the additional horsepower.
Multi Port Injection
Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI)
Alpha 1 Sterndrive

220 M MPI/A1 4.3L
Performance upgrade for environmentally conscious buyers. Perfect if you want to pull adult skiers with minimal drag. Recommended for buyers boating at altitude. A bit more kick than the 190 HP 4.3L due to the additional horsepower.
Multi Port Injection
Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI)
Emissions Control Technology (ECT)
CARB Compliant
Alpha 1 Sterndrive



So, what i gather is the 190 HP engine is carburated, one of the 220 HP engines is carburated, the other is Fuel Injected.
What will the major differences between each engine be?

I will mostly be using the boat in Inland lakes (Haliburton, Ontario) and Lake Ontario, (Hamilton/Burlington bay) and out into the actual lake, and Lake Erie (Port Dover/Turkey Point area)

 

[impatico]

Re: 2012 Bayliner 185 BR

The one in green is the normal 220HP 4.3L the Blue is the Emissions 220HP 4.3 for California or anywhere with specific emissions regulations, the normal one probably gets better fuel economy and better throttle response, the Emissions one probably just has an EGR

Oh and Both the 220HP models are MPI fuel injected. just the CARB Compliant is the emissions stardard for California?? I believe?

 

[impatico]

Re: 2012 Bayliner 185 BR

Oh and WELCOME!

 

[FootballGuy88]

Re: 2012 Bayliner 185 BR

Ok, so how much faster top speed, and quicker to 30MPH do you think the 220HP engine would be?

 

[Philster]

Re: 2012 Bayliner 185 BR

Here's what I suggest: Forget the 0-30 times.

There is no way -- no way I tell ya -- that a guy who is concerned with these numbers will not kick himself for getting the weanie engine. Get the 4.3 MPI engine; it has a ton of fans. No one ever regrets getting the bigger engine (maybe some rare person), but the streets are lined with guys wishing they had more. You sound like one of them.

You will be able to pull people and carry a few on board without feeling like you are dogging the engine. It's night and day as far as I am concerned. And while carbed engines do start fine, they do frustrate some, whereas MPI is going to snap to life a lot easier.

 

[Maclin]

Re: 2012 Bayliner 185 BR

For low end grunt look at the displacement (3.0 vs. 4.3 = a nice jump in torque) more than the HP. HP comes in at the mid to higher RPM's. Your Zero-to-Planing and Zero-to-Cruise times will be signicantly lower with even the 190HP 4.3 over the 3.0. The 220HP 4.3 will only have slightly better Zero-Planing times than the 190HP. The 220HP does have the more efficient electronic engine controls and some potential higher top speed, but for just jumping on to plane I am leaving out any reliability or "coolness" factors in my fact base.

Prop choice with the lower HP engines is a big factor in how the boat performs for you. If your primary use for the boat is towing-type watersports then you can prop with a lower pitch to match the desired performance regarding pulling tubes and yanking skiers out. The sacrifice is top speed, 2-3 mph in most cases.

By the way, when I spec out that boat for fun I almost always select the 190HP 4.3, price usually wins out for me! The 220HP is a very nice upgrade though.

 

[O-fishal]

Re: 2012 Bayliner 185 BR

I always suggest buy the most HP available, Its easier to back of the throttle than adding hp that isn't there.

 

[reap182]

Re: 2012 Bayliner 185 BR

Upgrade and you wont be dissapointed. Welcome to Iboats.

 

[drrpm]

Re: 2012 Bayliner 185 BR

I find it hard to believe that anyone bothers with carburated engines in a new vehicle. The fuel injected engine is safer, more powerful and more efficient. Unless you're making a living on it, a boat is a toy. You might as well have the most fun toy you can afford.

 

[jkust]

Re: 2012 Bayliner 185 BR

Here's my take. I'm guessing you are a first time buyer. The 190hp model has 50% more HP than the 130Hp model and a huge torque advantage. You will likely get at least 10 more mph at wot with the 190hp if propped correctly. It will most certaily tow much easier with less effort as well and guess what the 4.3 works a lot less than the 3.0 and in many instances will get the same mpg. Now I look at the MPI version as a luxury even though cars have been fuel injected forever. On larger boats say over 20 feet it is common but on the smaller models, it is still not standard even though the 4.3 carb is being discontinued and MPI will at some point be standard when the current batch of them runs out. I have the 190hp v6 in a very heavy 18 footer and it pushes it well but I'd prefer the MPI had I been able to buy one. In my boat the 4.3 carb was the base power and the 5.0 MPI with 270hp was the top option which I would absolutly have loved to have. The benefits of MPI generally are the obvious intake, HP and tq differences , the faster throttle response and to me the biggest one is the easier cold start and faster cold take off at the dock. With the carbed model you have to let it warm up like the old days in cars to motor away from the access. I suppose I could add on to that better resaleability and altitude usability and the ability to add smartcraft at some point. If I'm in your shoes I'd consider no less than the 4.3 carb and If i'm in my shoes I'd buy 2 years old with nearly no hours and get the MPI essentially for free.
It's funny even snowmobiles still use carbs and EFI. I have two similar snowmobiles one efi and one carbed. The EFI is so vastly superior/trouble and maintainance free I will never, ever by a carbed one again. Presuming the 4.3 carb vs the MPI is similar superiority on a boat, I can't wait to move to MPI. If you never experience MPI to compare to, you likely will never know what you are missing out on and be satisfied with the carb.

 

[Philster]

Re: 2012 Bayliner 185 BR

Nitpick: 130hp to 190hp = A tad over 46% increase in power.

.4615384

 

[jkust]

Re: 2012 Bayliner 185 BR

Nitpick: 130hp to 190hp = A tad over 46% increase in power.

.4615384

I know but I like round numbers. Plus who is it on here that insists the 190hp is a low number to market the MPI?

 

[FootballGuy88]

Re: 2012 Bayliner 185 BR

Ok,

So, for a bit more (still in my price range) i can get a 195 instead of the 185, it'll have a 260 hp motor on it.

Boattest's review shows a top speed of 52.6 MPH and the 0-30 on that was 6.4 seconds, with a 220 HP motor.

How much better would the 195 take on waves in lake ontario/erie as opposed to the 185?

 

[Philster]

Re: 2012 Bayliner 185 BR

>this much better<

You're making this too easy: Now you have to get the 195 w/ 260HP.

I mean, once you say, "Still in my price range" that pretty much nails it. We always spend people's money like that.

 

[Maclin]

Re: 2012 Bayliner 185 BR

To the original poster and others,

The carb on that model is a TKS, Turn Key Start , which means it has some smarts in it to mimic the almost immediate start experienced by EFI. No pumping needed to start, choke works different, etc. They have varying reports of reliability if you look around. But brand new it should be covered long enough (if you use it!) to make sure you got a good one.

I think the carb model fills in a price point for the mfg, helps the consumer to get into a good boat on their budget. That may be a short sighted look, but it is what it is.

Good luck on your purchase!


disclaimer: I began writing this before the OP put in their latest post.

 

[Philster]

Re: 2012 Bayliner 185 BR

Yo, we're spending this guy's money and he can afford it. Ya hear me? He can afford it! MPI, baby! M.P.I.

 

[jkust]

Re: 2012 Bayliner 185 BR

Yep you now just set your baseline at at the 260hp level never to go below. Now look for that $ number in a year or two old boat that didn't see much use from an owner who overestimated his interest in boating. Boats depreciate like crazy, Bayliners depreciate like crazy times two. What are the dry weight, beam and deadrise differences between the 185 and 195?

 

[FootballGuy88]

Re: 2012 Bayliner 185 BR

Dry Weight:
195- 3020 LBs
185- 2285 LBs

Beam:
195- 7' 11"
185- 7' 6"

Deadrise:
Both 19 degree

 

[cyclops2]

Re: 2012 Bayliner 185 BR

Well

My 2002 Chaparral 186 SSI Has a 5.0 L V8 205 hp in it.
Weighs close to 3500 pounds with all the extra anchors, lines.
FULL sets of covers. Includining a fully enclosed cockpit canvas setup.
6 fenders 10" x 24' . 200' of 1/2" line several tow lines, dock lines spares. Full rain suits for 3 people. 6 adult USCG jackets, 2 Kids USCG jackets. 2 100mph racing jackets 2 radios Fishing gear & tackle boxes. Couple of 5 gallon pails as portapotties.

Slam the throttle home. 3 seconds on plane passing 25 to 28 mph. Never wasted time to clock it to 50 mph with 2 200 pounders on board.
I got a GOOD carburator 5.0 L V8. NO substitute for cubic inches. No weight gain going from my 305 to a 350 cubic inch.
Would buy the exact same boat again if I had to.

 

[Philster]

Re: 2012 Bayliner 185 BR

At 3000+ pounds, the ride/feel improves tremendously. 2285 is going to feel light. If you can pull 3500-4000+ lbs with your tow vehicle and you are the type to worry about size/power, get the size/power now... not later.

If your user name was 'LovesCandles39', and you were "Oh, I am afraid of more power and more boat", then we'd be talking you down, big guy.