Any reviews/experience with Four Winns boats?

[zseese]

I'm about to pick one up in a week or so, 2001 170 LE with the Volvo Penta 3.0 Liter I/O and just curious if anyone has any experience with them, good or bad? Just curious.

 

[Shoot Summ]

I've got a 1998 Horizon 200 we bought new in 1998. It's been a great boat, we've had many hours of fun in it. It's been very reliable, to be fair though I take really good care of my stuff, it has been properly winterized every year(by me), and the oil has been changed regularly.

The issues I have had:

Replaced impeller(3 times) normal maintenance
Replaced Fuel pump
Replace battery(3 times) normal maintenance
Rebuilt starter, actually turned out to be the starter relay, mis-diagnosed it(my fault)

It currently needs to have the rear deck cushion rebuilt as the hinge screws have pulled out, and the vinyl on the dash has come loose due to heat. These are both my winter projects.....

Used boats can be a different story, it may have started as a good boat if someone didn't take care of it they can be a money pit.

My first boat was used, learned a lot, then bought new on the second boat.

Is the 3.0 a V6? One thing I learned is that an under powered boat is no fun.

 

[zseese]

I've got a 1998 Horizon 200 we bought new in 1998. It's been a great boat, we've had many hours of fun in it. It's been very reliable, to be fair though I take really good care of my stuff, it has been properly winterized every year(by me), and the oil has been changed regularly.

The issues I have had:

Replaced impeller(3 times) normal maintenance
Replaced Fuel pump
Replace battery(3 times) normal maintenance
Rebuilt starter, actually turned out to be the starter relay, mis-diagnosed it(my fault)

It currently needs to have the rear deck cushion rebuilt as the hinge screws have pulled out, and the vinyl on the dash has come loose due to heat. These are both my winter projects.....

Used boats can be a different story, it may have started as a good boat if someone didn't take care of it they can be a money pit.

My first boat was used, learned a lot, then bought new on the second boat.

Is the 3.0 a V6? One thing I learned is that an under powered boat is no fun.

Thanks for the input, the 3.0 is an I4 with 135HP and I have driven one similar boat with that motor and it seems like it should be sufficient. All the stuff you listed seems pretty typical and easy to deal with, hopefully I will have a similar experience. I am having all of the interior redone as it is pretty faded/dried/cracked and so we will go over the hinges and such at that time. From what I and the other couple of guys who have seen the boat and heard it run have come to the conclusion it has done more sitting outside than running as it currently runs great now. The guy I'm buying it from is throwing in a free impeller, tuneup, full detail, and written 90 day powertrain train warranty (wrong time of year for that, but getting a good deal so couldn't (read didn't want to) wait) so I'm not horribly worried since the guy/dealer I'm buying it off of is taking care of me but am glad to hear a good review, there is not much data on the internet...

 

[Shoot Summ]

Thanks for the input, the 3.0 is an I4 with 135HP and I have driven one similar boat with that motor and it seems like it should be sufficient. All the stuff you listed seems pretty typical and easy to deal with, hopefully I will have a similar experience. I am having all of the interior redone as it is pretty faded/dried/cracked and so we will go over the hinges and such at that time. From what I and the other couple of guys who have seen the boat and heard it run have come to the conclusion it has done more sitting outside than running as it currently runs great now. The guy I'm buying it from is throwing in a free impeller, tuneup, full detail, and written 90 day powertrain train warranty (wrong time of year for that, but getting a good deal so couldn't (read didn't want to) wait) so I'm not horribly worried since the guy/dealer I'm buying it off of is taking care of me but am glad to hear a good review, there is not much data on the internet...

My first boat was a 17' Searay with an I4, looked like the old Ford based overhead cam motors. It was OK, but was a bit under powered, really depends on what you want to use it for.

When we bought our boat in 1998 I had a Custom cover made for it by Okieland covers n Tulsa, it was money well spent. In addition I rent a storage facility and the boat is almost always stored inside.

I also invested in a nice Bimini top that covers most of the boat, really nice to keep the family from getting sun scorched.

 

[zseese]

My first boat was a 17' Searay with an I4, looked like the old Ford based overhead cam motors. It was OK, but was a bit under powered, really depends on what you want to use it for.

When we bought our boat in 1998 I had a Custom cover made for it by Okieland covers n Tulsa, it was money well spent. In addition I rent a storage facility and the boat is almost always stored inside.

I also invested in a nice Bimini top that covers most of the boat, really nice to keep the family from getting sun scorched.

Oh you are definitely correct about it being a little underpowered, but I mainly load up some folks and drive from the dock to the beach to the dock with a small amount of tubing in between, sometimes...

I plan on keeping it in my garage and buying a bimini top for it, you are right about those, we used the heck out of the one on my last boat this year. they have good ones on iboats.com that I am looking at, I will probably also get a cover from there too eventually...

 

[Schuster]

My sister-in-law has one that we take to the lake several times a year and up until this year we hadn't had any problems. This year the fuel pump went out, but it is a 2000 model. With the normal maintenance of changing the impeller and batteries every few years and winterizing every year this boat has been great. Just make sure to run 100% gas or you will be having more problems.

 

[zseese]

My sister-in-law has one that we take to the lake several times a year and up until this year we hadn't had any problems. This year the fuel pump went out, but it is a 2000 model. With the normal maintenance of changing the impeller and batteries every few years and winterizing every year this boat has been great. Just make sure to run 100% gas or you will be having more problems.

See I knew asking the initial question would bring up one I forgot, I never run ethanol in small motors, i.e. boats, mowers, trimmers, edgers, atv's, etc...but I hear half for and half against running higher than recommended octane in boats. Now my knowledge of cars tells me it is unnecessary as long as it is properly timed/tuned, but I don't know if marine motors are any different, doubt it, but do y'all run higher than recommended?

 

[Shoot Summ]

See I knew asking the initial question would bring up one I forgot, I never run ethanol in small motors, i.e. boats, mowers, trimmers, edgers, atv's, etc...but I hear half for and half against running higher than recommended octane in boats. Now my knowledge of cars tells me it is unnecessary as long as it is properly timed/tuned, but I don't know if marine motors are any different, doubt it, but do y'all run higher than recommended?

Mine calls for premium, I wish it didn't with a 35 gallon tank....

I always run 100% gas, no ethanol.

 

[zseese]

Mine calls for premium, I wish it didn't with a 35 gallon tank....

I always run 100% gas, no ethanol.

I agree on the no ethanol, have been trying to search for the octane requirements online for the last 30 mins, not widely available, or my google fu is just off today, I hope it doesn't require premium though, it sucks bad enough filling my trucks 36 gallon tank with regular, I would hate to have to add a boat tank of premium to that bill...