Anyone had this happen after a boat sale?

[Mule Laker]

It comes right back.

I sold our Larson runabout, 115 Merc today and was very happy. But then only an hour later it was back in my driveway. Crap!

The new owners (family friends) put the boat in a local lake and didn't get anywhere. The throttle cable is broke. Wow! How do you like that timing?!

 

[90stingray]

Re: Anyone had this happen after a boat sale?

Man thats weird. I wouldnt ever think of doing that. Did they demand their money back? Or just drop and leave?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Anyone had this happen after a boat sale?

I think I might be willing to help the new owner if they were nice but I sure wouldn't feel obligated to do so.

 

[Mule Laker]

Re: Anyone had this happen after a boat sale?

I think I might be willing to help the new owner if they were nice but I sure wouldn't feel obligated to do so.

Sure. If they had actually used the boat that would be different. No obligation, but I know the family and I'm going to take care of it. I just hope it's simple (read inexpensive) to replace. Maybe I'll just pay for the part. ???

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Anyone had this happen after a boat sale?

How the heck did they manage to break the throttle cable of their new boat, in an hour :noidea:

If they are nice about it, I'd offer to help them fix it, sheet happens.

If not, tell them you'll charge them $ to fix the cable;
- along with $ to fix ____ that they haven't found yet
- $ to fix the questionable ___
- $ to fix the broken ___ that you forgot about
- and $ to fix the broken ___ you just remembered

:lol: (just kidding)

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Anyone had this happen after a boat sale?

Like I said, they'd have to be nice about it because honestly they SHOULD have done a sea trial before buying but I'd probably help em out... be careful... you don't want to get into a situation where they start showing up regularly with stuff they broke on it expecting you to fix it.

I would CLEARLY explain that there WAS NO and IS NO warranty but "I'm gonna help you just this once"... I'd suggest splitting the parts cost and doing the work together.

 

[Mule Laker]

Re: Anyone had this happen after a boat sale?

I would CLEARLY explain that there WAS NO and IS NO warranty but "I'm gonna help you just this once"... I'd suggest splitting the parts cost and doing the work together.

Sounds right. And he buys the beer.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Anyone had this happen after a boat sale?

well if they had done a sea trial they would have encountered the broken cable with you on board--then what? you would have fixed it.

I have no problem buying or selling a boat with a short warranty for major problems instead of a sea trial; that' skinda what's going on here. Had they asked, "can we bring it back if it doesn't work tomorrow?" you may have agreed.

Help them fix it, then do a sea trial, then be clear that's it.

I have heard of the wierd coincidences of cars or boats getting major breakdowns just after a sale, though. It's a good idea to anticipate these things--and put it in your bill of sale. It's in mine.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Anyone had this happen after a boat sale?

Bad luck on that timing . . .Since it is family friends . . . then you probably should fix it but tell them that's all.

 

[greenbush future]

Re: Anyone had this happen after a boat sale?

Without more details it's very difficult to offer the right opinion. Doing business with friends and family is very risky business, because of stuff like this. I sure wish I could have taken some of my purchases back but a deal is a deal. Was this boat sold "as is" and do you have all the paperwork completed? Sure hope this wasn't one of those hand shake deals that will come back to haunt you. That will end bad $$ wise, friendship wise, and it doesn't fix the issue that the boat is still in your drive way. Tell us more details so we can learn from your situation.

 

[pckeen]

Re: Anyone had this happen after a boat sale?

Nah - fix it - you're doing the right thing. What goes around comes around.

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Anyone had this happen after a boat sale?

Whether you pay for the cable, split the cost of the cable, or let them pay for the cable doesn't much matter. However, I wouldn't just fix it, I'd HELP the new owner fix it. Same thing with simple repairs on my kids cars, I don't do it for them but rather show them how so that they can do it for themselves after that.

 

[Campylobacter]

Re: Anyone had this happen after a boat sale?

On used stuff I often ask for a 24 hour warranty. If it works fine, the seller usually says yes.

 

[shrew]

Re: Anyone had this happen after a boat sale?

I wonder if most of the replies picked up that it was a friend of the family? It's easy to play the tough guy in an somewhat anonymous internet forum. I wonder how many would look a friend or a friend of the family in the face and actually take the hard line.

If this were a stranger off of the street, I'd tell him to pound sand. If it were a friend of the family, I'd offer to pay for the part. If it was a personal friend, or actual family I'd pay for the part and help him replace it. If it were family, and they insisted, I'd pay to have it replaced parts and labor.

 

[spdracr39]

Re: Anyone had this happen after a boat sale?

Nah - fix it - you're doing the right thing. What goes around comes around.

This is the way it should be. But I would remind them it was an AS IS sale.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Anyone had this happen after a boat sale?

Bad luck on that timing . . .Since it is family friends . . . then you probably should fix it but tell them that's all.

x2......

 

[Wind dog]

Re: Anyone had this happen after a boat sale?

If I had sold a boat that I represented as being sound, and it ends up it's not, I'd fix it, or take it back. Because I gave my word that it was sound. (I know a man's word doesn’t mean dittily squat any more but mine still does.)


Note: I don't mean to say the OP was lying or malicious, I guess he just didn't know the cable was broken.

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: Anyone had this happen after a boat sale?

I would be happy that they brought it back to my yard rather than calling me and having to go to there house and work on it there. If it was something they had done like melt a water pump then I might fuss before replacing it but a throttle cable is just bad luck so unless I sold the boat as a project I would fix it. I try never to sell to family or friends for this reason as im normally selling at rock bottom price to the family so any problems are a loss $$$. I consider 1 hour (that's 10 mins in the water) as it was already failed

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Anyone had this happen after a boat sale?

Since the boat was sold to family friends, I would fix the cable and make it plain that anything else is on them.

Also, some of the best advice I ever got is don't ever sell to friends and family. This the perfect example.

 

[Dave88LX]

Re: Anyone had this happen after a boat sale?

That sucks. I'm in the "buy the part, and see if you can get them to help you fix it" camp. No hard feelings anywhere, and they get to learn something about their boat.