04-06 270 SunDeck, 6.2l or 496?

Here I go again, looking at picking up yet another SunDeck. Shouldn't have sold my 05 270 w/496 but i did and now I'm looking for another 270. Question is....is the 496 worth it? Years ago, my buddy bought a new 04 270 w/6.2l and always had a full boat, I mean 8-10 adults, lots of ice and drinks, would tube, cruise, ski, you name it he did it with a full boat. Never once did he complain about lack of power or "needing" the 496.

About two years ago I decided a 240 for the the 3rd time would be foolish so I looked for a 270 and wanted the 496. Found one, bought it and loved it. Problem with me is I always want bigger (like the 496) yet I always cruised around 2900-3100. So one could argue the 496 is a total waste for me.

Anyway, about to begin the shopping and there are a lot more 6.2l boats out there, in good condition, low hours and reasonable priced. 496 boats are harder to come by and people want more $$, generally at least 5-8k more. No way am I paying that difference. But if about 3k gets a 496 boat is it worth it?

So my question remains is the 496 needed in the 270 or will the 6.2l be more than enough for me?

TIA

JK

I was taught that a bigger, higher HP and torque motor will run more efficiently than a smaller one. In other words, your friends boat was working harder and using more fuel to carry the 8-10 people than the same boat with the 496 at the same speed.

Nobody ever wishes their boat had less power. And you said it yourself....you always want bigger. If you buy the boat with the 6.2 you will always wonder, and wish, you had the 496.

Shawn

I know you are right. I'd always be wishing for the 496.
Found 2 of interest, one with just under 400hrs and the other just over 400hrs. That doesn't bother me at all as an owner but i wonder what resale would be like with 500+ hours on the engine. Seems that most of the 04-07 boats have 190-295 hours.

I ordered my '04 270 Sundeck with the 496HO. Those are even harder to come by but with your history you might as well track one of them down and get it over with.

Doesn’t the 496 gets you closed cooling over RWC in the 6.2.

That would help soften the blow of the extra $$ purchase price.

Something to consider in a 10+ year old boat.

SeaNile said:

I know you are right. I'd always be wishing for the 496.
Found 2 of interest, one with just under 400hrs and the other just over 400hrs. That doesn't bother me at all as an owner but i wonder what resale would be like with 500+ hours on the engine. Seems that most of the 04-07 boats have 190-295 hours.

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#1 As has been said 100's of times on this board, buy your second boat first. Otherwise you will just always wish you had done better.

$2 resale???? are you buying to resale? are you a dealer looking to profit? or are you buying a boat to use and have fun with. I the boat I love and want, then I use it until it is dead years later. Think of your car, do you buy what you want and need, drive it until it is paid for and then some until it is so worn out that it is a maintenance problem? or do you trade cars every year.

#3 Maintenance and condition is way more important than hours. A boat is meant to be used, not a museum piece to sit at a dock and rot. You are looking at runabouts, not live-a-boards. A '07 with 190 hours has been used 19 hours a year. so they smashed it memorial day, left it full of water to rust all summer except for the 4th of July, then winterized it in September. Not good. I do more than that in a weekend.
I ignore hours, most well cared for small freshwater boats in I know outlast their motors, the upholstery goes first. Look for a boat that has been used, and maintained. Again, think of it like a car, cars that sit all the time break just as often as those that are driven 40 miles a day by someone that takes car of it and cleans it.

I understand your advice but I do think resale is an important thing to consider, especially since I tend to sell these after a season or two of use. Other than my very first boat back in 87 with my Dad, I've managed to buy correctly, use the boat for X amount of time and then sell the boat and make a few bucks. Its not a goal of mine at all, but knowing the market, options, hours, condition of the boat, etc., i think is very important. Maybe if I was going to keep this boat for 10 years my mindset would be different? All I know is I've yet to see a 270 SunDeck with more than 500hrs. That makes me wonder how easy/hard it would be to sell one with 700hrs of use.

It's also the thrill of the chase and finding the best boat at the best price. What else am I going to do over the winter?? If I pull the trigger on another SunDeck it'll be my 7th boat.

Don't get me started on cars, I'm on my 43rd car......

Well, add in a 3rd. Like the lower hours but the wakeboard tower and small bimini top might be the deal breaker.

I live at higher altitude, where engine performance drops off by 20%. I only looked at 496 versions of the 270. I'm glad I did. The difference manifests itself when you try to pull a slalom skier out of the water with a full load of people and gas. The 496 does a decent job of that.
Mine had 58 hours on it for an '04. When it gets to 350, I will sell it and buy a newer one.

SeaNile said:

So my question remains is the 496 needed in the 270 or will the 6.2l be more than enough for me?

TIA

JK

Click to expand...

There's no replacement for displacement.

Based on how you're talking I think you'll always wish you got the 496 if you settle down to the 6.2L

-Kevin

Working out the details on an 05 w/496 now. Hope to buy it within about 2-3 weeks at most.

Bought it today. 05 270 SunDeck with 496 and has 407 hours. My previous one had 397hrs when I sold it so this is a very similar boat for me. Upgraded head and a better color IMO. Making arrangements now to get it from GA to my home marina in Delaware. Can't wait to get it up here and become more familiar with it, inside and out. Probably looking to launch on Friday April 13th depending on weather, etc.