1993 Sea Ray 180 Bowrider, Mercruiser 4.3 V6 - Is $5500 a fair price?

[Pcguysam]

Gentlemen(and ladies),
I have boat fever, defined as: 'a condition in which a male human gets it in his head that he must own a boat and he must own one now.'

Assuming that everything checks out ok, motor is good and there is no rot, is $5500 for a 1993 Sea Ray Bowrider with a 4.3L Mercruiser fair? I looked the boat over and it's really clean, for a '93, REALLY REALLY clean. It needs nothing that I can see. The owner is taking me out for a test drive tomorrow. What do I need to look for mechanically during the test drive to know that everything is copacetic?

I just got through dealing on an older boat that ended up having a cracked block, thank GOD I didn't buy it.

Thanks for helping the newb!

 

[Chris1956]

Re: 1993 Sea Ray 180 Bowrider, Mercruiser 4.3 V6 - Is $5500 a fair price?

A 1993 boat is nearly 20 years old. Check the boat out carefully. There may be hidden rot, and these area may be hard to detect. I also think the price is almost double what it should be.....

 

[Pcguysam]

Re: 1993 Sea Ray 180 Bowrider, Mercruiser 4.3 V6 - Is $5500 a fair price?

I found a thread where a guy paid $3800 for this same boat 3 years ago, which was a steal, so by that standard, yes it is almost double. NADA VALUE shows it with a 'low retail' of $5450 which is defined as possibly needing work to run or physical damage. Is NADA really that far off?

Where can a guy get a good deal on a solid used boat? Nevermind, I know that is the $64,000 question.

 

[Pcguysam]

Re: 1993 Sea Ray 180 Bowrider, Mercruiser 4.3 V6 - Is $5500 a fair price?

And it probably goes without saying, but thank you so much for taking the time to reply Chris1956!

 

[onewhippedpuppy]

Re: 1993 Sea Ray 180 Bowrider, Mercruiser 4.3 V6 - Is $5500 a fair price?

I just got done buying a boat in the under $10k range, from what I saw 1990s bowriders in the 17-20 ft range were all over the $5-10k range. If it's clean and mechanically solid that's probably not a bad price (for my area) for this time of year. You have to remember that this is the absolute worst time of the year to buy a boat, if you waited until the end of the season it would probably be half that. But hey, you wouldn't have a boat this summer either.

 

[fat fanny]

Re: 1993 Sea Ray 180 Bowrider, Mercruiser 4.3 V6 - Is $5500 a fair price?

I paid that for the boat in my signature 10 plus yrs ago off the original owner and it only had 60+ hrs on it.

 

[JoLin]

Re: 1993 Sea Ray 180 Bowrider, Mercruiser 4.3 V6 - Is $5500 a fair price?

You have to remember that this is the absolute worst time of the year to buy a boat, if you waited until the end of the season it would probably be half that.

Yup. Season has really just started in most places, and sellers are still hoping they can get a decent price. Come September and October, prices will drop big-time as the sellers anticipate winterizing, wrapping and winter storage costs. I've always bought my boats at the very end of the season, after making a 'take it or leave it' offer a couple months before. They call me.

Given all that, the price is a bit high, but IMO not totally out of line if the boat's in great shape. Lake boaters love bowriders, and the Searay name always commands a premium because it's so well known.

My .02

 

[mklawz]

Re: 1993 Sea Ray 180 Bowrider, Mercruiser 4.3 V6 - Is $5500 a fair price?

I have the same boat as Fat Fanny, but with the Merc V-6. I paid about the same as well. To the O.P., it sounds like a fair price, given the condition you say it's in. '93 is getting pretty old though, I'd try to get it for a little less. But overall, it's not far off the mark.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1993 Sea Ray 180 Bowrider, Mercruiser 4.3 V6 - Is $5500 a fair price?

It's worth paying a bit of a premium price for a boat in exceptional condition. If this one is in that kind of shape, go for it. Otherwise, keep looking. It's not exactly a unique boat.

 

[Pcguysam]

Re: 1993 Sea Ray 180 Bowrider, Mercruiser 4.3 V6 - Is $5500 a fair price?

Thanks for the feedback guys. I have backed off of that deal. The age of the boat scared me a little, so I am pursuing some others. The guy who owned it bought it last year and that could have been good or bad. Chances are that unless someone explained winterizing to him, he probably didn't do it properly. However, when you're excited about your first boat, or any new boat for that matter, you have a tendency to take better care of it. I've got a line on a '99 for about the same amount and it has some extras. Going to look at it Friday, wish me luck! If I don't get it, I will probably wait until October.

 

[laserbrn]

Re: 1993 Sea Ray 180 Bowrider, Mercruiser 4.3 V6 - Is $5500 a fair price?

Just don't be so deadset on gettinga b oat and you'll do just fine. If youare insistant on buying a boat immediately, you'll almost certainly get burned. Take your time and go look at boats. Check out every boat you find interesting, shake the owners hand when it's over and try to keep a folder with pictures and details about every potential boat. After awhile, you'll be the expert on the market in your area. When you are finally down to say 3 candidates that are realistic you'll be able to compare them against each other, make an informed offer and more than likely get the boat you want.

If you pay the asking price for a boat...you've been had. Nobody lists there boat for the price they actually think it will sell for. So keep in mind that the asking price for other boats on CL or wherever you see them is NOT an indication of the market value of boats. It's inflated. You would have to know what they actually SOLD the boat for or IF they ever sold the boat. Once you've been looking for a fair bit of time you'll notice which delusional bastards have had the same boat for sale for ages. You know the guys a donkey, somehow he can't figure it out. He's looking for that special kind of stupid person.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1993 Sea Ray 180 Bowrider, Mercruiser 4.3 V6 - Is $5500 a fair price?

While all the above advice from laserbrn is certainly solid.......this time of year, if a fairly priced cream-puff comes along, you need to be ready and willing to jump on it ASAP or it will surely be gone in a couple days.

 

[Pcguysam]

Re: 1993 Sea Ray 180 Bowrider, Mercruiser 4.3 V6 - Is $5500 a fair price?

While all the above advice from laserbrn is certainly solid.......this time of year, if a fairly priced cream-puff comes along, you need to be ready and willing to jump on it ASAP or it will surely be gone in a couple days.

You're right. Once you get serious in the buying process you do have to be ready to jump on a true 'deal'. The 'boat fever' has subsided a little, so I think that I'm a little less likely to get taken for a ride.

 

[Harritwo]

Re: 1993 Sea Ray 180 Bowrider, Mercruiser 4.3 V6 - Is $5500 a fair price?

I currently on a 94 Sea Ray 170 with the 3.0L. I bought it 6 years ago, and gave $4500 for it. I had it thoroughly checked out by a Marnie Mech. The engine had less than 100 hours TT on it. It is currently insured for $5500 replacement cost. Currently here in Jacksonville, FL i am seeing 17-20" Bayliners and such going for around $4000 in that year range. I have not seen to many Sea Rays sell here for that price.

My advice is after the test drive, if you like it, have a Marine Mech inspect it thoroughly before purchasing. If the Mech says it is in good condition i would consider it. If he says it needs some work, you then have a choice whether to walk away or negotiate for a lower price.