Any good/bad experiences with Maxums?

[BrianS]

I'm giving my Larson back to the dealer and getting a Maxum from him instead since I have had nothing but trouble with the Volvo Penta 5.7 Engine in the Larson.

Any horror stories about a Maxum I should know of?

 

[Nemrod]

Yes, and I told you so.
N

 

[matt_unique]

I'm giving my Larson back to the dealer and getting a Maxum from him instead since I have had nothing but trouble with the Volvo Penta 5.7 Engine in the Larson.

Any horror stories about a Maxum I should know of?

There are horror stories about every brand of boat. The more sold, the more horror stories available.

Are you buying brand new or used? What engine will you have?

--Matt

 

[Nemrod]

"There are horror stories about every brand of boat. The more sold, the more horror stories available. "

This is a critical bit of truth that is so hard to accept. Antedotal opinions are not fact. Not a recommendation but strictly an example, the most common outboard engine on the water is the Mercury. The result is that they are also the one with the most horror stories. Fact, the Mercury Optimax won the JD Powers award. Now some people like to discount that when it does not suit them and when it applies to a Honda go zonkers and quote it as if it were biblical. You cannot pick and choose. Modern engines, outboard or I/O are far improved over even a decade ago. Boats, however, are still a work in progress. It is hugely easy to sink a large amount of money into a hull that is absolute junk.

I told you my opinion when you were buying that boat and you dismissed me because it was not what you wanted hear and it did not fit into your universe. OK, good luck.

N

 

[BrianS]

Told me so about what?

That Volvo Penta's have problems? I don't recall you saying anything like that.

I'd rather not even read your opinion to be honest.

Yes, and I told you so.
N

 

[Nemrod]

"Told me so about what?

That Volvo Penta's have problems? I don't recall you saying anything like that.

I'd rather not even read your opinion to be honest."

and thus:

Obviously you didn't and now you are stuck with something you don't like. You only want opinions that agree with yours. Life is a hard road with bumps along the way, hope you have good suspension.

Just to refresh yojur memory:

"That is exactly the type boat that will soon be in significant disfavor with high fuel costs and it looks like the prototypical hole in the water into whcih to dump money and which will cause you to become a future "non-boater" who will respond to such question with statements like---never buy a boat.

You might notice that almost all saltwater boats suitable for diving and fishing--offshore-- and whatever in the 15 o 30 foot size range are outbaord powered."

and

"Larson is not a highly regarded brand in my opinion--that is why. "

and

"Never heard of it, is this new or used? If this is new, I would suggest something different."


Your request for opinions at that time and the ones you recieved were met with similar repsonse as you present now and thus, hey, goodluck with your Larson I/O.

N

 

[cobaltblue]

Not to add salt to your boating wounds but why are you looking at entry level boats. Niether Larson or Maxum are what I will call "quality" boats. Larson is Genmar's entry level product and Maxum is only one step above Bayliner. What was said about outboard saltwater fishing boats is true. I am afraid to tell you that for diving in salt water if you don't go with a quality outboard or inboard boat you WILL have alot of problems.

Maxum's have had alot of problems throughout the years. Everything from structural to fit and finish issues. It's not to say that they're bad boats, I just don't think that the Maxum will suit your needs any better than the Larson.

Look at walk-around fishing style boats and I think that you will end up alot happier with your future boating experience.

Just my $.02 after 18 years in the marine industry.

 

[matt_unique]

Well Brian, there you have it from the experts! Ha ha ha!

Do a search on anything boat related and you will find "horror stories". Here are three quick examples with Merc Optimax:

http://www.wmi.org/www/boating/boatboard/T27333.htm
http://outdoorsbest.zeroforum.com/zerothread?id=369048
http://www.usenet.com/newsgroups/rec.boats/msg16433.html

It is a fact of mass production, some will be crap, and virtually no manufacturer is spared from this reality. It is business economics 101...the more you make...the more will be crap. This does not mean that a product is crap in general, just that some items from mass production will be crap. From that point it is a battle between customer, dealer, and manufacturer to pay for/fix items via warranty if you get a piece of junk. This experience often affects customer satisfaction with a product too. If you ask enough people, you will eventually find someone who thinks product X is crap.

My 135HP Merc I/O raw water cooled (salt only and kept on a mooring) sitting in my Bayliner has run great for 7 seasons. I have had to do usual maintenance but nothing major.

I have never researched Maxum's. If you want to fish, get a center console with an outboard. If you want to do something other than fish, and have some creature comforts, you will find the best space/fuctional designs with an I/O.

--Matt

 

[coachrenz]

I really like the integrated full sized swimstep on my 1991 21 Foot Cuddy Maxum. I have had issues with the engine and the outdrive, but, not sure that they weren't related to poor upkeep by the original owner and the near sinking of the boat when I owned it after some nice person cut me loose from a mooring. The boat ended up going aground, being pretty much totally flooded, but, it started right up, at low tide after the water had drained out, and with pretty much no bottom, got me back to the ramp and on the trailer. She has been pretty much rebuilt entirely since then.

Like I said she is great to dive from. If I weren't upgrading to a 34 foot Pacemaker, I would invest in a new dive swim ladder and she would be perfect. I can't strees how nice the transom is laid out to dive from. We set our BCs already rigged on the engine cover, sit on the transom, fin up, strap the bc on, stand and giant stride into the water. Works great.

Enjoy whatever boat you end up with. You know that the definition of boat is a hole in the water into which one puts money.

Tim

 

[Missdirected]

I had a 2800 Maxum SCR '00. She was a bit of a bobber but other than that no horror stories, that were the fault of the boat anyway :winky: I'm a bit with Matt on this one. Hopefully, you didn't buy this boat new.