Formula 280 SS
The Formula 280 SS is a 28-foot boat, with model years from 1999 to 2008 in the listings we track. Across 18 listings we have observed (model years 1999–2008), the median asking price is $27,000, with most boats asking $19,500 to $32,000. The engine we see most often on this model is MerCruiser sterndrive (gas, 4.5L–6.2L).
BoatVerdict market snapshot
These are asking prices. No free or public source publishes US used-boat transaction prices, so nobody — us included — can honestly show you what these boats sold for. What we can show you is what 18 sellers are asking, which is the number you are actually negotiating against.
17 priced listings across 11 states. Enough for a range, not enough to be precise about any single year.
Method: Asking prices from active listings, de-duplicated so a re-posted boat counts once (58 raw listings collapsed to 18 distinct boats). Quartiles, not averages, so one outlier cannot move the band. Rounded to $500.
Coverage: Model years 1999–2008, 11 states, 16 metro areas. New-boat listings excluded.
Sources: BoatVerdict market observations (craigslist + rightboat) · US state vessel registries (1,842 registered Formula hulls)
Looking at a Formula 280 SS for sale?
Paste the listing and we will score that specific boat against everything on this page: asking price versus our observed range, engine and hours risk, the known issues for its model year, and a negotiation position. The verdict is free.
Get the free verdict →No account needed. The paid Deal Report is optional and comes after.
Formula 280 SS prices by model year
Show the numbers by model year
| Model year | Boats | Middle half of asks | Median ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 1 | too few to show | - |
| 2006 | 2 | too few to show | - |
| 2004 | 1 | too few to show | - |
| 2002 | 1 | too few to show | - |
| 2001 | 5 | $19,500 to $27,000 | $25,000 |
| 2000 | 2 | too few to show | - |
| 1999 | 1 | too few to show | - |
13 distinct boats, listed now or since taken down, re-posts counted once. Years with fewer than 3 boats show a count only. Asking prices, not sale prices.
What a used Formula 280 SS is worth
We have seen 13 distinct Formula 280 SS boats for sale between Jun 14, 2026 and Nov 14, 2026, model years 1999 to 2008, in 9 states. The median ask is $27,000 and half of all asks sit between $25,000 and $43,000. Asking prices fall about 8.3% for each year of age (35% over five years), measured on these 13 boats and steadied with the 5.6% rate we measure for the class.
Engine brands named: Mercury 2, Volvo 1. Median engine hours on the 4 boats that stated them: 438.
What moves the price of a 280 SS
- Horsepower. Doubling the power for the same class and length adds about 16% to the ask.
- Engine hours.Higher hours than typical for the age lower the ask.
- Region.West +12%, Midwest +5%, South +2%, Northeast -1% against the national level.
- Brand.Formula boats in this class ask about 55% more than the class average for the same age and length.
Fitted on 1,313 distinct boats in this class (log asking price on age, length and brand; refit nightly, last on 2026-11-14). These are effects on asking prices.
Recent Formula 280 SS asking prices
| Year | Model | Length | HP | Hours | State | Asking | Seen | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 280ss sun sport | 28 ft | - | 70 | FL | $42,900 | Sep 6, 2026 to Nov 14, 2026 | listed (2 posts) BoatCrazy |
| 1999 | 280ss | 28 ft | - | 586 | SC | $26,000 | Aug 9, 2026 to Nov 14, 2026 | listed (2 posts) BoatCrazy |
| 2000 | 280 SS | 28 ft | - | - | TX | $14,700 | Nov 10, 2026 to Nov 14, 2026 | listed Craigslist |
| 2002 | 280 SS | 28 ft | 600 | 575 | CA | $27,000 | Sep 4, 2026 to Nov 14, 2026 | listed Craigslist |
| 2006 | 280 SS | 28 ft | - | - | MI | $44,900 | Jun 22, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026 | listed Rightboat |
| 2001 | 280 SS | 28 ft | - | - | MI | $32,000 | Aug 9, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026 | listed Rightboat |
| 2001 | 280 SS | 28 ft | - | - | NY | $25,000 | Jun 14, 2026 to Nov 6, 2026 | taken down (15 posts) Craigslist |
| 2001 | 280 SS | 28 ft | - | - | KS | $17,900 | Jun 14, 2026 to Oct 17, 2026 | taken down (5 posts) Craigslist |
| 2008 | 280 SS | 28 ft | - | - | MI | $72,000 | Aug 5, 2026 to Sep 19, 2026 | taken down (10 posts) Craigslist |
| 2001 | 280 SS | 28 ft | - | - | MO | $19,500 | Jun 14, 2026 to Aug 7, 2026 | taken down Craigslist |
| 2006 | 280 SS | 30 ft | - | 300 | FL | $27,300 | Jun 14, 2026 to Jul 19, 2026 | taken down (12 posts) Craigslist |
| 2001 | 280 SS | 28 ft | - | - | MO | $26,900 | Jun 19, 2026 to Jul 7, 2026 | taken down (2 posts) Craigslist |
| 2004 | 280 SS | 28 ft | - | - | NH | $59,785 | Jun 14, 2026 to Jun 22, 2026 | taken down (2 posts) Craigslist |
The 13 most recently seen of 13 distinct boats. These are asking prices, not sale prices: no free source publishes US used-boat sale prices. A boat re-posted several times counts once, at its latest ask. "Taken down" means the ad disappeared; that can be a sale, a seller who gave up, or an expired post.
Formula recalls and accident record
Of 549Formula boats in USCG accident records: fire or explosion 8%, flooding or swamping 5%, capsizing 1%, total loss 7%, at least one death 4%. Accident records reflect how and how much boats are used, not only how they are built. Only accidents above the USCG reporting threshold are recorded. Personal watercraft are left out.
These numbers are for the builder, not this model. Check the specific hull with a HIN lookup for recalls and reported accidents.
Engines we actually see on the 280 SS
- MerCruiser sterndrive (gas, 4.5L–6.2L)
The most common inboard/outboard in US bowriders and cruisers. The engine itself (GM-based) is reliable; the maintenance burden is the drive and exhaust. Bellows, gimbal bearing, U-joints, and — in any saltwater service — exhaust manifolds and risers are the recurring costs.
Service reality: Bellows/gimbal every ~5 years; manifolds/risers every ~6–8 years (or 3–4 in salt) at $2.5–4K. Pull the drive on inspection — deferred drive service is the classic hidden cost.
Full MerCruiser sterndrive (gas, 4.5L–6.2L) reliability profile →
Method: Engine family matched from the listing's engine fields and title text against BoatVerdict's engine-family profiles. Prevalence is share of our sample, not factory fitment rates.
Sources: BoatVerdict market observations · BoatVerdict engine-family profiles
Formula 280 SS specifications
| Length (median listed) | 28.0 ft | Our listing data |
|---|---|---|
| Model years traded | 1999–2008 | Our listing data |
| Formula hulls in US registries | 1,842 | TX + NY open data |
Rows marked "our listing data" are measured from listings, not published by the builder, and will differ from a brochure. Rows without a source we can name are not shown at all.
What to inspect on a used Formula 280 SS
- MerCruiser sterndrive (gas, 4.5L–6.2L): Bellows/gimbal every ~5 years; manifolds/risers every ~6–8 years (or 3–4 in salt) at $2.5–4K. Pull the drive on inspection — deferred drive service is the classic hidden cost. Seen on 1 of the 18 280 SS listings we track.
- Get the hour meter reading and divide by the boat's age. Above 100 hours a year is heavy use for a MerCruiser sterndrive (gas, 4.5L–6.2L). Threshold from BoatVerdict's engine-family profile for MerCruiser sterndrive (gas, 4.5L–6.2L).
- On the older hulls, core moisture is the deal-breaker: sound the transom and the deck with a plastic mallet, and treat any soft or dull-sounding area as a survey-stopper rather than a bargaining chip. We observe listings back to 2000, so boats over 26 years old are actively traded in this model.
This list is specific to this model: analyst items for the hull, plus items driven by the engines and the regions we actually observe on 280 SS listings. It is not a generic pre-purchase checklist, and it does not replace a surveyor.
What a 280 SS costs to own
$4,500 – $12k per year
- 28 ft hull, the median observed length for this model
- Freshwater berth, based on where most listings we see are located (MI)
- Includes insurance, storage, routine service, fuel at moderate seasonal use, and a reserve for wear items
- Excludes loan payments, major engine replacement, and refit work
This is a modelled band, not observed spend. Real cost swings hard on where you keep the boat and how much you use it.
Method: The same ownership-cost model BoatVerdict's paid Deal Report uses: boat class and length set the base band, then saltwater berth and size adjust it.
Sources: BoatVerdict ownership-cost model
Where 280 SSs are for sale
- MI 4
- FL 2
- NY 2
- MO 2
- CA 2
- OK 1
- VT 1
- NH 1
- SC 1
- KS 1
Counts of distinct boats we observed per state, from 18 listings in 16 metro areas. We publish the distribution, not the listings themselves.
What else buyers cross-shop
- Sea Ray 280 Sundancer
- Boston Whaler 280 Vantage
- Bayliner 2855 Ciera
- Sea Ray 280
- Sea Fox 288 Commander
- Bayliner 2855
Chosen by measured similarity — same builder first, then comparable length — and limited to models whose own page meets our evidence bar. No paid placements, no filler links.
Formula 280 SS FAQ
How much does a used Formula 280 SS cost?
What engine does the Formula 280 SS come with?
What does it cost to own a Formula 280 SS per year?
Looking at a Formula 280 SS for sale?
Paste the listing and we will score that specific boat against everything on this page: asking price versus our observed range, engine and hours risk, the known issues for its model year, and a negotiation position. The verdict is free.
Get the free verdict →No account needed. The paid Deal Report is optional and comes after.