I currently own a Lavey 24 NuEra, and I absolutely love it! I have been to the factories of Hallett, Eliminator, DCB, Advantage, and Lavey. I also test drove all of them within a two day period before settling on the Lavey. Don't get me wrong, they're all nice boats, but none of them could compare with the overall performance, quality, workmanship, attention to detail, and customer service that the folks down at Laveycraft offer. If you want a truly great performing boat, and want to be treated like a true family member before, during, and AFTER the sale of your boat, you owe it to yourself to check out the Laveys. I'm running a 454 Mag with only an exhaust upgrade on it, and I eat similarly equipped Baja's for lunch.
On the Baja...Don't! Don't! Don't buy one! Both the Lavey and the Eliminator are FAR SUPERIOR boats. You're not even comparing apples to apples. You're closer to comparing gourmet apples to a lemon. The Lavey and Eliminator are custom boats and are made to much higher standards than the Baja, which is basically a production boat (ie; SeaRay, Wellcraft, Bayliner...) Nearly every person that I know, or have talked to, that has owned a Baja for more than a few years deeply regrets it! The quality is just not there. If you don't believe me, check out some of the performance boating message boards. You'll find many disgruntled Baja owners. I copied the following posting from www.offshoreonly.com, (http://www.offshoreonly.com,) on their message board. It is just one of several on there you should check out.
If you have any questions about my boat or any of the Lavey's, leave your email address and I'll drop you a line. I can also get you any info you want on the Lavey's, as I live about two miles from their showroom/factory. Good Luck!
BAJA QUALITY
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Posted by JW on August 22, 2000 at 23:41:26:
In Reply to: I dont own a baja, but they do make a boat comparable to others! posted by Todd on August 22, 2000 at 13:45:32:
THE ONLY THING A BAJA WOULD BE COMPARABLE WITH IS ANY OTHER HIGH PRODUCTION BOAT LIKE BAYLINER. THE BAJA'S DO HAVE GOOD STYLING THOW,BUT DONT LET FIRST IMPRESSIONS ON ASTHETICS SELL YOU. BAJA MAKES QUANTITY TO KEEP COST DOWN,QUALITY & STRUCTURAL INTIGRITY IS NO BETTER THAN A BAYLINER.
DROP IN SOME POWER,HIT SOME WAVES,& WHEN YOU GET TIRED OF FIXING EVERYTHING THAT BREAKS, STRESS CRACKS,ECT.YOU WILL FIND OUT FIRST HAND THEY ARE NOT THE PRODUCT THEIR BEING ADVERTISED AS. I FOUND OUT THE HARD WAY. THE ONLY THING THAT DIDN'T BREAK ON MY BAJA PACKAGE WAS THE TRAILER.