Ah, that first set up (transporting a Bass Raider on top of my car) was exactly what I had planned on. I found a 10E on Craigslist for $400 including the trolling motor, oars, seats....but I didn't jump on it fast enough. Now I'm having trouble finding one for under $600-$700. I usually drive a fairly new Nissan Altima so I was planning to borrow my father's older Ford Taurus for a car top boat.
I've looked into both the float tube and kayaks. If I was mostly fishing alone and without much gear I'd jump on either one of those options in a heartbeat. These are all great suggestions and things I've researched. I fish all the time with my best friend so I've been wanting something pretty spacious that will fit both of us and plenty of gear.
Shawneramone, I wonder if your friend's inflatable death trap was a Sevylor. They're popular amongst anglers but small and easily take on water from what I hear.
It actually amazed me they're selling the Mariner 4 on Amazon for $155. The Minn Kota C2 30 for $100 on there, the mount for $20 and the power center for $53. So just over $300 for all that. It's hard to pass up. Just wish it came with a lifetime warranty like the Intex mattress I bought!
It does have excellent reviews.
http://www.amazon.com/Intex-Person-Mariner-Inflatable-Boat/product-reviews/B001CRBNEC/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
Hard not to bite the bullet and take the risk right now.
(They don't make em with those cylindrical seats anymore. They're rectangular, but you can pretty much customize the seating anyway you want; wooden boards, storage benches, swivel chairs...)