2003 Crownline 18'

[vipertblck]

Found an '03 Cronwline 18' on consignment. Has open bow, captains chairs, and bench in back with 4.3 and alpha one. been stored and covered for 5 years so interior needs a good cleaning(mold) but looking past that the boat is CLEAN! Claimed to be right around 100 hours and dealer was cleaning carb out and gonna go through whole boat and check transom and clean it up, etc. Supposebly owner has cancer and financial issues with insurance, so boat is available for 9000. Is that worth it, seems cheap for an 03' crownline? Looked like after they did their deal to it and cleaned it up it's a really good lookin boat, but space was slammer than I cared for. Figure get 4 or 5 people on there and it's a bench seat behind the captains chair, I would prefer the fold down seats and the two far rear by the transom with the engine tucked in a doghouse, but oh well. I was kinda not interested because of the tight space, but at that price it seems like it might be a steal?! I'm in northern Illinois.

 

[Augoose]

Re: 2003 Crownline 18'

If its not exactly what you want, I'd keep looking. There are LOTS of boats out there.

But I do agree that it sounds like a good deal so far. Any boat you choose have a marine surveyor check it out first unless you really know your way around the boat and know what to look for -we'll worth the $200 to $300 to not make a $9,000 mistake.

I feel pretty confident now as I'm on my third used boat purchase -and I'm still reading/discovering new things that I wished I had checked for before purchasing. A surveyor will help you lessen the chances of missing something big.

 

[vipertblck]

Re: 2003 Crownline 18'

If its not exactly what you want, I'd keep looking. There are LOTS of boats out there.

But I do agree that it sounds like a good deal so far. Any boat you choose have a marine surveyor check it out first unless you really know your way around the boat and know what to look for -we'll worth the $200 to $300 to not make a $9,000 mistake.

I feel pretty confident now as I'm on my third used boat purchase -and I'm still reading/discovering new things that I wished I had checked for before purchasing. A surveyor will help you lessen the chances of missing something big.

Dealer that has it now is going through the whole thing they said, they will also be drilling a small hole into transom to check that. So I guess they're gonna check it all out, looked at it yesterday and the guy was cleanin out the carb and had it off when I was there. I know the sea pump impeller is a 3 year replaceable item and I asked him about that as it been sittin for 5 years, he said that if it worked they're leavin it and it's the new owners responsibility to change it, but if it needed to be changed he would do it. Only issue I saw on boat aside from needed a good interior cleaning, was a broken skag on the back. Easy fit I suppose to cut/weld a new one on or he also explained they could basically bolt/rivet a new one on there. other than that the boat was visually just fine! He claimed(dealer) the boat was around an 11000 boat; I asked if so, why the owner was asking 9000.....he has cancer. Even though, if this is true and the value is what the dealer claimed, after them checking it out and making sure all is well and good with it....it could be a quick buck to buy it and turn it around for maybe another grand or so?!

I kinda saw this as an opportunity to make a buck. It's a decently newer boat, will be very clean once they go through it and inspect it. Assuming their inspection comes back with shining stars....it's a good solid boat, with low hours. Surely that would sell on the market for it's market value of >9000?! Or the other hand, I take it on the water and try it out, see how I like it; and if it's not to small for my liking...keep it!

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: 2003 Crownline 18'

With a 2003 tandem trailer and not figuring any options that could potentially raise the value, I came up with around $10k...... So $9k seems pretty good since boats can sell for over book, especially this time of year..... 5 years is quite awhile to sit. Did they drain the fuel tank too? You'd think they would change the impeller to sweetin' the deal......

 

[vipertblck]

Re: 2003 Crownline 18'

With a 2003 tandem trailer and not figuring any options that could potentially raise the value, I came up with around $10k...... So $9k seems pretty good since boats can sell for over book, especially this time of year..... 5 years is quite awhile to sit. Did they drain the fuel tank too? You'd think they would change the impeller to sweetin' the deal......

Guy drained the tank while I was there, only 5 gAl in it. Tandem is dual axle right, it's only 1 axle on this one

 

[thumpar]

Re: 2003 Crownline 18'

The price is probably about right for it. I wouldn't buy it for a flip. Crownlines are heavy boats and most have a V8 so it may not get top dollar when compared to the other Crownlines out there. It would make a nice family boat though. That layout is nice. It gives you the sunpad that the side seats take away. There is also a ton of storage under it. It is rated for 8 people so the kids could bring there friends.

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: 2003 Crownline 18'

The price is probably about right for it. I wouldn't buy it for a flip. Crownlines are heavy boats and most have a V8 so it may not get top dollar when compared to the other Crownlines out there. It would make a nice family boat though. That layout is nice. It gives you the sunpad that the side seats take away. There is also a ton of storage under it. It is rated for 8 people so the kids could bring there friends.

Are you saying the kid's friends can ride under the sunpad? I like that idea!

 

[thumpar]

Re: 2003 Crownline 18'

Are you saying the kid's friends can ride under the sunpad? I like that idea!

The wife won't let me.:lol:

 

[vipertblck]

Re: 2003 Crownline 18'

Guy at dealer getting it all ready for sale for the customer claims it's worth 11,500?! could that be right? it has no covers or bimini either.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: 2003 Crownline 18'

Guy at dealer getting it all ready for sale for the customer claims it's worth 11,500?! could that be right? it has no covers or bimini either.

Could be within reason. I just sold a 2005 Bayliner 195 3.0L for $9500, seems like a 2 year older crownline with a 4.3 might be worth that much around here if it is in excellent shape. Ultimately it is worth whatever someone will pay for it and it is boat buying season.

You can do your sanity checks here if you have the actual model number and the specs on the boat.
Boat Manufacturers, Used Boat Values, Prices & Specs for Power Boats | NADAguides

 

[drrpm]

Re: 2003 Crownline 18'

An 18 foot bowrider is pretty tight with 8 people. They are narrower than the 20 footers and you can really feel the difference. The carbed 4.3 V6 is less desirable than a V8 or V6 with EFI. Moldy seats may or may not clean up that well and a broken skeg may be due to a scrape coming up the ramp or a significant underwater impact, but the outdrive needs a good inspection. A bimini and quality boat covers will probably be close to $1000 too. The 9K price may be OK if everything cleans up and there's no additional damage but its not a steal.

 

[ssoper]

Re: 2003 Crownline 18'

2003 Crownline 180 BR

 

[jkust]

Re: 2003 Crownline 18'

My thoughts...Crownline is a decent boat in that early 2000's era. Crownline takes the sporty angle versus the luxurious angle. I like both styles. They are a bit on the narrow beam side and those small ones don't have standard fiberglass floor with snap out carpet as their mid to higher level small boat bowrider competitiors did (a complete deal killer for me) While Multiport fuel injection came out for model year 2002, small boats as you'd expect didn't have it nearly as often as larger boats given the upgrade price was a lot of money over the standard carb engine. Just my carful attention over the years has shown me that for whatever reason I see more MPI small Crownlines than other brands. In other words when other brands didn't have MPI selected as an option by the first owner, I see an unusual number of these 180's that did. Just an observation I don't know why that is...maybe it's the same dozen boat being sold over and over. That crownline is mid weight as compared to it's competitors and will be more than fine with the carb 4.3. If I'm buying another boat in 2014, there is just no way no matter the price if I plan to keep it that I would ever by a carb ever again. Some don't care about throttle response, no fumes, instant back away from the ramp, no run-on as the 4.3 is notorious for and more HP as compared to the carb. If I planned to flip It, I might not either. The only thing that would draw me to that boat is the name and the fact Crownlines were one of the few that jumped ahead of some of the other slower to update brands in the competitive small bowrider category where design was concerned. Other than that, it is missing the expensive covers and bimini, again the snap out carpet, has a carb, broken skeg that the owner felt he didn't need to replace. To me there are others out there especially at this exact moment in the season.

 

[vipertblck]

Re: 2003 Crownline 18'

Agreed, this boats not an option anymore. Marina cleaned it up and did their tune up, said all was good. But now the owner is not at 9000 anymore, his rock bottom sounds to be about 10, and they're putting it on their lot today for 11500.

 

[thumpar]

Re: 2003 Crownline 18'

The makes it a definite no. Crownlines are nice but the the 18' and 19' are economy models. Once you get to the 20' they are much better and come with the bigger engine/drive packages.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: 2003 Crownline 18'

Agreed, this boats not an option anymore. Marina cleaned it up and did their tune up, said all was good. But now the owner is not at 9000 anymore, his rock bottom sounds to be about 10, and they're putting it on their lot today for 11500.

Well, he does have to pay for all the work that the shop just did on it.

 

[vipertblck]

Re: 2003 Crownline 18'

Well, he does have to pay for all the work that the shop just did on it.

1400 service bill

 

[oldjeep]

Re: 2003 Crownline 18'

1400 service bill

You ever dealt with a marine mechanic before? Doesn't take much to add up to 1400. Just the detailing job if they cleaned up the seats, interior/exterior will run you over $500 if you pay someone to do it.

 

[redneck joe]

Re: 2003 Crownline 18'

Guy at dealer getting it all ready for sale for the customer claims it's worth 11,500?! could that be right? it has no covers or bimini either.

a salesman telling you what something is worth?

 

[jkust]

Re: 2003 Crownline 18'

After reading this thread, I was poking around on MN Craigslist and noticed a good amount of nice small bowriders about the age of your subject Crownline. Some CL's a couple Chaps and some others. Not many MPI's though.