Bayliner 175 - New Boat at a Used Boat Price

Pros: Great value, looks good, fuel efficient, excellent space utilization

Cons: Carpet doesn't snap out, Manual steering

The Bottom Line: Great Boat. Excellent fuel economy and lifetime hull warranty make this a cheap boat to own and maintain.

I've had my 2005 bayliner 175 for almost a year now, having purchased it in 2004 right after they showed up at dealerships. I paid around $11,800 for it, including title, registration, etc.

I am very pleased with this boat. For me, it came down to a comparison between this boat, and the Stingray 180XL. The Stingray was a bit prettier and had slightly better trim, in my opinion. For example, the Stingray has a nice curved windshield, where the Bayliner has a boxy square one. The layout on the Stingray, however, is what disqualified it for me. The Bayliner has more seating and generally feels much larger than the Stingray because of the different layout.

I get compliments every time I take the boat out on what a nice looking boat it is. People often approach me to talk about it at gas stations or docks.

I've gotten it up to around 46mph, and it feels very capable at those speeds. Planing performance is good. Fuel economy is awesome. Expect to burn maybe a half a tank in a 6 hour outing (with stops here and there, varied throttle, etc). The boat is great for pulling people on tubes or water ski's. The little 4 cylinder is more than powerful enough for watersports like this.
 

The electrical system looks very well thought out and solid. The fuse blocks have plenty of extra positions for you to add your own accessories. While this boat does not include a 12v power outlet, depth sounder, or stereo (unless you get the XT option) - I found it very easy to add these accessories myself due to the way the existing wiring was run.

The trailer it comes with does not have a spare tire. It would be a good idea to add one.

For the money, its hard to say anything bad about the boat. Snap-out carpeting would be nice, and when your traveling at 35+mph the manual steering gets a bit tiresome over long distances. Still, you can't find those features on any new boat in this price range.

Overall, I'd say this is a great boat, definitely look at it - especially if you are thinking of picking up a used boat or anything else in this size range.

Recommended:
Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 11800
Brand of Motor: Mercruiser
Primary Location of Use: Large lakes and reservoirs
Thanks to fendermb4's at http://www.epinions.com/review/Bayliner_175/content_185363762820 for this.

Bayliner 175 Boat Covers
Custom fitted cockpit/bow cover sets.

Bayliner 175 Boat Tops
Will make a true difference in your comfort while you are boating.