Maxum 1800 SR3 Carburettor or MPI, whats better?

[Gabriel]

Hi, Is there a big difference in performance between a 190hp Carby motor and a 220hp MPI?

I am looking at buying a Maxum 1800 SR3. I have found two similiar boats and need some advice.

# 2006 Maxum 1800 SR3 138 hours 190hp Carburettor, spent the first 6 years used in fresh water and the last 2 in salt water.
# 2007 Maxum 1800 SR3 80 hours 220hp MPI (fuel injection) fresh water use only.

The 2007 boat is in better condition but both are good boats. The big difference is the motor and the price the MPI is about Australian $5, 000 or USD $4,800 more.

Both boats have wake board towers and I will be using the boat for wake boarding and cruising. Will both motors pull Ok for wakeboarding and skiing? $5,000 is a lot of money for 30hp but I will pay it if there is a significant difference in enjoyment of the boat.

Also I was wondering when manifolds need to be replaced, I understand freshwater use boats manifolds last longer but use in saltwater need to be replaced after about 5 years?

Thanks for the help.

[pascavone]

MPI...... like your car indestructible!

[mmwjr]

Gabriel welcome aboard.

Well the MPI has 30 more HP so It wins there. Only used in freshwater, winner. Easier to start and less throttle lag for water sports, winner. Less hours, winner.

I beleive you are saying that the MPI is $5K more tan the carb, correct? That's more than the upgraded engine costed.

Regarding manifolds yep ~ 5 years of salt use is life if you are using it ~50 hours or more per year.

It's your call as we don't know if the money is a big impact on your wallet, but the 2007 is in better shape plus all the positive things listed above.

[Gabriel]

Thanks Mike,

I should clarify the Maxum 2007 boat is $5,000 more because it has a MPI engine, lower hours, is a year younger, in better condition and has only freshwater use.

Thanks for the clarity I was only focusing on the MPI engine and feeling guilty spending the extra $5,000 on a weekend toy.

I have organised a water test of the 2007 this week so I will let you know how it goes.

I have heard that these 1800 Maxums are tail heavy and I may need to change the prop to get better towing. Any ideas on that? Also do you think the boat engine combination is suitable to pull skiers and wakeboarders?

Any advice welcome, Cheers
Gabriel

[mmwjr]

Gabriel frankly I found most small boats tail heavy as they weigh ~ 2000 - 3000 lbs (US) and the engine and oudrive easily 1000 lbs of that. So folks will use 2 different props on boats of this size 1 for water sports and another for cruising, however you may need to play with different setups (pitch, number of blades) to find what you like. Hopefully others with a similar setup will provide their thoughts. You should also look at the small boat specific section and read posts on this topic, several have found using tabs (can't remember specific name but they are spring loaded) helpfull.

Either 4.3 package should have plenty of torque for water sports.

For your test ride I suggest either taking a few friends so you can see how te boat will handle with the normal amount of people you plan to take out normaly. Even better see if he owner will let you try pulling a skier.

Good luck and let us know how things go.

[ss3964spd]

IMO, the 2007, for all the reasons Mike listed, wins - hands down. 30 more HP at somewhere over 4000 RPM, while a great thing, is a bit less important than the extra torque the MPI engine makes at all RPM's - especially low RPM's where you really need it to yank skiers out of the water.<BR><BR>Salt water use isn't a big deal IF the owner flushed the engine/drive with fresh water after each use. Few do that.<BR><BR>If you can afford the extra 5K, no brainer.

[Gabriel]

I appreciate all the advice and I was set to go with the 2007 1800 Maxum MPI 220hp 80 hrs then when we came to the deal with extra's (bow cover, depth sounder, spare wheel, transport as the boat is in another state, stainless prop, registration ) the price has gone up a few thousand and to confuse the situation the 2006 1800 Maxum 190hp (Carby) 138 hrs which already has the same extras made me an offer I am having trouble refusing so that the difference between the two boats has blown out to $10,000.

I am amazed too but when it come to the crunch to make the deal that's the difference. The 2007 boat is in better condition and a year younger but for $10,000 I can live with that, it’s the different motors that has me stumped. Will a 190hp (carby) be efficient and do the job.

So any thoughts, the MPI is better but would the 190hp pull the wakeboard and cruise the waterways happily etc.

Again any advice Welcome.
Gabriel

[pascavone]

offer them 30% less cash deal, then start walking to the door and see what happens.....

[jrsick]

Gabriel, I have an 1800 with 3.0 carb engine and have no trouble getting a skier up, with 4 people in the boat. The engine has been exceptionally reliable. You'll be happy with the 4.3/190. All the extras the guy with the MPI has aren't worth $1,000 US total. Sounds like the 190 owner is ready to sell.

[mmwjr]

IMO the 4.3 carb will do the job just fine. The difference between the 4.3 carb vs the 4.3 MPI don't justify $5K and growing.

In summary the 2007 price is going up and the 2006 price is going down. How does the difference rate a the total percent? i.e. $5K difference for a $15K boat would be a 1/3 of the cost to get the benefits of the 2007, not wise money IMO.

[ss3964spd]

Yeah, at 5K I'd say go for the 07, at 10K, not so much.

[Gabriel]

Hi All,

Thanks for your support, I tried hard looked at lots of options and boats but the MPI was just out of my financial reach. I understand the MPI is a better option but in the end this particular one was $10,000 too much and the 190hp has a Stainless Prop, wake tower, swim platform, but a carby, can’t have everything, its in good condition, 138 hours and I can be in the water for summer with a little left over from my budget to buy some water toys.

Thanks I asked around and you are all right the MPI is better but a lot of people have the 190 and are happy and they still pull good and go plenty fast.

Hope I am right
Cheers
Emmanuel

[mmwjr]

Gabriel while I don't water sports as much I have a 24 ft cruiser and it's engine is carb based and performs well. I believe you'll be happy with the boat. let us know after so time with it how things are going.