Closer than I thought--R5

[sailor55330]

Matt--Good play, but I'll counter.

Let's assume for a second that a buyer (non-specific) finances a boat (not ideal, but it happens).
Basic internet calculators tell us that financing $100k for 180 months is about $763/month.
Financing $107k is about $818...or about $53 more.
That means over the life of the loan, you pay about $9500 for the $7k upgrade, so in reality, you lose $2k on trade in.
Again, just a scenario. Your point isn't wrong, it just assumes a cash buyer (I think). Maybe better to take the 7k and invest it?
It's all in how you look at it.

As for me, I think I have to close this case. At the end of the day, I don't honestly think I have enough truck for an R5.
So, new boat, sure. New truck, sure. New boat + new Truck at the same time....not gonna happen. The closest decent lake to me is about 35 miles away. My preferred spot is about 110 miles away. MN has 10,000 lakes, but 9,988 of them are small mosquito infested mud puddles better suited to small fishing boats. If I had a cabin with a lift or only had to tow a couple of miles, I'd probably pull the trigger.

Seriously, thanks to everyone who has walked through this with me and offered advice. In this case the sum of the parts (new car + new boat) is not greater than the whole.

[MnLakeBum]

I get your logic. I held off for 15 years on getting a boat because for me the only way I would get value out of such an expensive purchase was to have it on a lift in front of my house or in a slip that was less than 15 minutes away. In California that just wasn't possible. My wife and I were pretty conservative when it came to buying any toys(didn't have any until the Marker One in 2017) or expensive cars(waited until age 50 to spend more than $45k on a vehicle). I always wanted all the other stuff taken care of like college savings and retirement nest egg before dropping big bucks on a new boat. Of course, after all those years of stinginess I more than made up for it buy purchasing two boats, two jet skis, and a $100k dock/lift in less than 12 months.

[sailor55330]

I get it Bum

BTW—-99% sure your setup was on the shore station demo video at the boat show this weekend. It’s fantastic. I swear I’m gonna pull up to your dock one of these times I’m on Gull this summer

[Snowman8]

What kind of truck do you have MNlakebum? I pull our R5 with my wife’s F150 with no problem. We run 75 miles one way to the St Croix river to go boating for the day. I wouldn’t even hesitate to pull a larger boat with it either. I pull 12-15,000 pound trailers with my F350 so cruising down the road in an F150 with 7,500 lbs behind it is nothing...

[Snowman8]

I hear ya BB with the rumble of an old BB engine, but here in MN CC is worthless unless you have mufflers. If you do have CC and use it where I boat on the St Croix river you will earn yourself a spot tied up along side a water patrol boat for an hour or so while they do decibel level testing and continue to inspect the rest of your boat just because. Then idle away with CC shut off with a noise pollution fine... I really don’t care about ordering it for the next guy either.

Trust me it took a long time for me to order an F150 with a twin turbo V6 in it! Now that I am on my 3rd one the look on guys faces when that little V6 just killed their big V8 from a stoplight is priceless! The same goes for my little 6.2 in my R5. I was floating next to a guy a few years ago in a new 25’ Sea Ray SLX and he was saying how he had to have the 8.2 BB and he would never own a Volvo. The look on his face was priceless when we left at the same time and after we came out of the no wake he cracked the throttle and so did I. My little 6.2 was about a boat length ahead of him by the time we were going 30 and he never gained on me for the 3 mile run to the next no wake! It took a long time to convince myself to buy the Volvo but I sure like it now that I have it! I also wouldn’t own an R5 with a smaller engine than a 380, VP or Merc. If I had an R7 it would have a 430... but that’s just me.

[Big Block Power]

Snowman the 6.2 380 is a great engine. I was on tgrace98 r7 and it was crazy cool to watch him take off and go. The new tech on the Volvo is where it's at. If merc could wake up the 8.2 and give it vvt it would be a difference maker. Volvo is way ahead. Merc vvt is big on the racing side of things and on the outboards. Overhead cams and twin turbo vvt big hp. It will be in our stern drives soon. I didn't look at the 4.5 but it may already have it. I'm sure tgrace boat will even be quicker than mine. That hull is on plane in 2 seconds. The cool thing is this summer we will even find out. I don't think he even got on it very hard and he was rolling ahead.
I'm just saying here in Wisconsin they're would be no Doubt I would get a 8.2 with cc. If I wasnt getting cc I would get the Volvo all day long. I heard cc on a A28 6.2 and it's not the same. It's nice but not the same. Right it makes a huge diff where you boat. Corsa does have a sweet system that is legal. It's all tuned

[sailor55330]

Snow

I think your truck question was meant for me, not Bum. It’s a Toyota Sequoia. Full size suv

[Snowman8]

Snowman the 6.2 380 is a great engine. I was on tgrace98 r7 and it was crazy cool to watch him take off and go. The new tech on the Volvo is where it's at. If merc could wake up the 8.2 and give it vvt it would be a difference maker. Volvo is way ahead. Merc vvt is big on the racing side of things and on the outboards. Overhead cams and twin turbo vvt big hp. It will be in our stern drives soon. I didn't look at the 4.5 but it may already have it. I'm sure tgrace boat will even be quicker than mine. That hull is on plane in 2 seconds. The cool thing is this summer we will even find out. I don't think he even got on it very hard and he was rolling ahead.
I'm just saying here in Wisconsin they're would be no Doubt I would get a 8.2 with cc. If I wasnt getting cc I would get the Volvo all day long. I heard cc on a A28 6.2 and it's not the same. It's nice but not the same. Right it makes a huge diff where you boat. Corsa does have a sweet system that is legal. It's all tuned

I’m not knocking the Merc at all either! They have been around forever! They have a heck of a racing program! You are right about their need to wake up and get rid of some of the old technology, I totally agree!

BTW the only reason I have the Volvo is because it was the only R5 that my dealer had left... I got an amazing deal on an awesome boat from an amazing dealer! At the time next closest R5 was a 7 hour drive from my house, needless to say I chose the one 1 hour away for the same money. The one 7 hours away had the 8.2 Merc and I nearly drove down there and bought it though.

[Big Block Power]

It's kind of like a truck or a car right now. You can't go wrong buying any of them. Everything has come so far.
The future is so bright I have to wear shades

[Snowman8]

Yes sailor it was meant for you. I just was reading bum’s post just below yours and mixed up the post’s. Squirrel!

Though our F150 tows the R5 with ease I wouldn’t want to pull it with anything smaller! I had my R5 on a scale last summer and with a half tank of gas it was exactly 6800lbs Boat & EZ loader trailer. Plan on it being close to 7500 lbs loaded with gear, gas and lemonade coolers.

[sailor55330]

Yes sailor it was meant for you. I just was reading bum’s post just below yours and mixed up the post’s. Squirrel!

Though our F150 tows the R5 with ease I wouldn’t want to pull it with anything smaller! I had my R5 on a scale last summer and with a half tank of gas it was exactly 6800lbs Boat & EZ loader trailer. Plan on it being close to 7500 lbs loaded with gear, gas and lemonade coolers.

Good to actually know the weight from someone who has scaled it. The dealers only give estimates, which I understand. I'm at 5830 right now, with 1/3 tank, so basically, I'd be looking at an an additional 1600 lbs> ( I took out 100lbs for lemonade as I don't drink when I'm on the boat--nothing against it, just not a day drinker). Too much for me without WDH.

Oh well. Now I can start shopping for a Krieghoff I guess

[BobRae99]

Based on my experience with a new R3 and now looking at an R5 (or 6 depending on timing), I'd vote for the VP380 and a folding tower.

I'm assuming the coverage of the folding Bimini doesn't change from R3 - R7? If that is the case, you'll have more sun protection with the tower/bimini (about 6"). My wife doesn't boat so its just me and my 10 and 13 year olds. I have no difficulty deploying and stowing the Bimini on my own.

The VP350 has plenty of power for the R3, but to get similar performance in the R5, I think you'd want the 380.

Good luck!

[BigGib]

I may be in the minority but I don't think I'd every spend money for docking lights. I've never had a need for them, so it would be purely for looks and not function for me. Plus too many people at LOTO think they are headlights

As far as engine, I'd get the most power I could afford but that's all preference.

After having several boats with a standard bimini and having my 302 with a stainless arch, I'd never go back

[Big Block Power]

Bg I think they make the looks of the boat. I've used them a few times. They came in handy. But really I think the bow looks plain without them.

[BigGib]

Bg I think they make the looks of the boat. I've used them a few times. They came in handy. But really I think the bow looks plain without them.

I do agree the stainless ones look good and are kind of a signature of the Cobalt look. I think mine is one of the few 302s I've seen without them. I back in if I dock anywhere other than my slip, which is well lit, so I would never have a use for them. Definitely agree it adds to the look of the bow though. I currently have my transom LEDs wired up to my docking light switch and breaker so at least that's being used