400 Fly Bridge Sedan Decisions......

get the one that has a dry hull, complete service records and was best maintained.....electronics are comparitively cheap, and unless the boat with "newer" electronics has the latest and greatest they really arent worth that much - often people sell a complete setup at a steep discount b/c they wat the latest......a bow thruster is a big ticket item and while many will tell you that it is not needed, it sure is nice to have entering a unfarmilliar marina, fighting wind or current and when you single hand

I agree with the above. Go with the boat that surveys better. Newish electronics, though nice, really adds very little to the value of the boat. A bow thruster, however, does add some value.

Isn't there some "very costly" maintenance interval that comes up at 1,000 hours for diesels? That may also be worthy of consideration.

What they said, and welcome to CSR.

On the maintenance question, both boats have 3100 series Caterpillar engines and with Cats, there is no 1000 hour bullet with your name on it headed your way. However, these boats are at the 20 year mark and they are subject to some degree of deferred maintenance. If you don't get a maintenance record and receipts showing the following, then you can expect have to do everything on this list, sooner or later, even if the Cat survey comes out ok.

Clean engine and generator heat exchangers $500
Clean/replace the transmission oil cooler $500/$1000
Change engine coolant $275
Clean intake after coolers and change hoses and hose clamps $2500
@ 2000 hours, reset engine overheads (valves and injector timing). $1200
Replace seawater pumps. $2000

Some reading for you:
http://www.clubsearay.com/index.php?threads/40-sedan-bridge-forum.53961/

Good luck and welcome to CSR!