2005 Challenger 180 vs Utopia with 240hp Merc

[Keith5486]

2005 Challenger 180 vs Utopia with 240hp Merc
Found both locally. Want something fun to shoot around the lake and relax on for me and the wife. Also have a 16 yo that I have no doubt will go play on it.

Utopia has the "larger" merc engine. Asking 9500

Challenger 180 needs some tlc to the interior. Nothing missing or broke just dirty. Asking 8500. Working on maintenence history now.

I'm fairly mechanically savvy. What do yall think would be best for me?

 

[Keith5486]

Pros and cons of each boat

 

[Joe Starbuck]

If the 2005 Challenger has the 4-tek, I would go with that. Neither boat is well "supported" by mechanics or aftermarket part suppliers, but the 4-tek is better than the Merc in that respect. If the 180 is truly just dirty, you should leverage that for a better price.

 

[Keith5486]

It is a 4tec challenger but they're uncertain on whats been done. How big of a deal is the SC bearing ?

 

[Joe Starbuck]

Just one engine, so three bolts, find a good box to ship it and about 500 buck for rebuild service. Then the three bolts again. Of course the three bolts are not the easiest ones to reach but if your not too big or too old it should be easy.

 

[Keith5486]

Just one engine, so three bolts, find a good box to ship it and about 500 buck for rebuild service. Then the three bolts again. Of course the three bolts are not the easiest ones to reach but if your not too big or too old it should be easy.

That's 3 bolts for the whole engine or the SC?

 

[Joe Starbuck]

3 bolts for the SC, leave the engine where it is.

 

[turbosl2]

Pros and cons of each boat

I never owned the Utopia but I did own a 2003 challenger 1800 and now a 230. The 1800 was mercury powered with the carb version of the 240. It was a 210. While my current boat is twin 4tecs.

Honestly IMO that Mercury motor was reliable but EXTREMELY noisy. It is a 2 stroke out board mated to a jet drive. The 4tec is a 4 stroke. I would never go back to that Mercury. To me it’s a difference in 1990 tech vs todays tech. Also the hull on my 1800 was junk design. The stern was flat where the engine mounted. It would porpoise all the time, also way to lightweight to displace Amy waves. It was just a big jet ski and when caught in any bot waves or not a calm day the boat was useless. I believe (could be wrong) that all those old Mercury 2 stroke sport jet boats all had similar crappy hull designs compared to the new 4tec boats. That’s my opinion but the noise level is one I guarantee will drive you nuts after a while. In terms of parts, let me just say the stator/wear ring is like 2-3k. It is non replaceable and my hunch is the one in the bot your looking at is prob worn pretty well due to its age. The wear ring on the 4tec is $40 and serviceable. There are also almost no bot mechanics that really understand that engine. You have to find an old dinosaur at a Mercury marine dealer to service that. Most of the time no one knows what a sport jet M2 is, let alone the power head is a 2stroke. That boat is only good if you are mechanically inclined.

Hope that helps