Buying a boat for the 1st time

[Chevyguy996]

I would really like to buy a boat I have a budget and I saw a Tahoe q4 2007 195. 3L mercury motor. What are your thoughts. Thanks for the help

 

[Newbie@boats]

I had a few 3.0s damn near bullet proof it maintained properly. Come to think of it I never had any mechanical issues with mine.

 

[southkogs]

Welcome aboard:

Start by doing some reading HERE. You're looking at a used boat, so it's really all about condition. If the boat was well cared for and price is reasonable, then you should be able to have a good boat.

A 20'(ish) boat with the 3.0 should run nicely. Won't be a speed demon, but should plane out fine and be somewhat efficient. I've been running the 3.0 in an '02 and it is a decent runnin' boat. Tahoe is probably a lower level / entry level brand but so is the Bayliner I'm drivin'. Nuthin' that's gonna' turn heads at at the boat ramps, but does a nice job.

What kinda' water are you boating on? That makes a difference in boat selection too.

 

[Lowlysubaruguy]

A 4.3 would be much faster and possibly use less fuel in a boat that’s almost 20 feet long. The 3.0 will struggle in a number of conditions. It will struggle to plane when loaded. You can vary the prop but you will never find power and speed or speed and power.

 

[Scott06]

What you describe is an excellent entry level boat. How many people do you want to take out? 4-6 this will be ok

Had 3.0 in a 17-18 ft for many years, very reliable , easy on the gas, do you annual maintenance and it will last many years. Issue is when towing a skier you will be short on power. I would swap props using a 16” four blade for skiing. if you are more into cruising and ok with top speed of 40 go for it.

bottom line this will be adequate and economical as far as boats go. You should plan on having it checked out as may need some basic maintenance like water pump impeller, oil and gear lube changed, check the bellows etc. if the boat has been kept clean and covered that is a sign it was probably cared for.

 

[roffey]

I think price will be a point. I agree a Tahoe Q4 2007 195 is a great entry level boat and more. A 20 footer with 130 hp is lots. As mentioned a 4.3 would be nice but more $$ and more hp and miles per hour to get your self in trouble. So... condition and price, in Canada you should be under 20k so I''m thinking in the US under 15K for a pristine condition ready to wet boat.

 

[Chevyguy996]

thanks for all the help everyone the asking price is 12500 Canadian dollars the guy who is selling it wants to buy a motorcycle.. it looks clean and is in storage the only problem is that its winter here and might not be able to hear it run

 

[roffey]

Just curious, wheres here? I'm in Ottawa... no specifics just a general idea.

 

[Scott06]

thanks for all the help everyone the asking price is 12500 Canadian dollars the guy who is selling it wants to buy a motorcycle.. it looks clean and is in storage the only problem is that its winter here and might not be able to hear it run

I’d make sure you at least run it on the hose, will have to be rewinterized, but on a 3.0 that’s two drain plugs - that engine is a absolute please to work on everything is accessible

 

[Chevyguy996]

im actually from cornwall

 

[Chevyguy996]

thanks for all the help everyone

 

[blamtro]

I would avoid the 3.0 and find one with a 4.3, 5.0, or 5.7

 

[Grub54891]

I currently have four with the 3.0. Why four? People upgrade to bigger boats and motors. Them are reliable motors, easy to work on when you have to. I need to downsize this spring though. 8 boats total for me.....

 

[Scott06]

I would avoid the 3.0 and find one with a 4.3, 5.0, or 5.7

The Q4 wasn’t made with anything bigger than a 4.3.

 

[Texasmark]

On Planing Out.....(going from a dead stop where the boat is in the water at rest, to 20 give or take MPH) Learn how to use the trim to your advantage (trial and error is best to find the sweet spot), usually tucked in close to the boat initially and once up to speed, pushing out on the LU looking for the best combination of RPM and speed.....back to Planing Out:

Folks just love the jump seats adjacent to the engine cover. Have them walk forward and "feel the windshield" while you punch it out, then then can go back and sit down....makes a huge difference on lower hp engines.

Other thing you can do, if you aren't satisfied with the performance, you can change the propeller pitch, get a propeller that has port holes in it which allow the RPMs to come up faster for a given load out of the hole,....lots of tutorials on here about that, or add trim tabs to the transom.

You have to get your feet wet to see what fits you and what doesn't. My offering, after 50+ years of boating and a dozen or so boats of sizes from 8' up to 18' and 1.7 hp to 125 hp is get it cheap, learn what you need to learn about boating, the boat, and yourself, and when the time is right move up. Taking a USCG boating course would really be helpful. On the www.

 

[gr8shot]

As a new boater myself, the 3.0 is a great little motor. I just bought my first boat last April. It's 17' with the 3.0. I'll agree with the comments here, it's no speed demon. Not sure exactly what prop is on mine, but it will do about 30mph and thats enough for it. But it does get on plane and cruise pretty happily at 3500rpm or so. And the 3.0 just sips fuel. We'll go out and spend 3-4 hours on the lake, some idling around, a few high speed bursts from place to place, pull the kids on a tube for a bit, and use $10 worth of gas.

That being said, 17' is just barely big enough for the wife and I, plus our three kids. So this fall I picked up a 19' boat with a better layout, and I'm building a 350 to put in it, should be around 300hp. More room and more power should be a lot of fun this next season. But the wallet may not like the fuel bill every weekend.

Bottom line, if the boat is in good shape, go for it. It'll be a great first boat, as the 3.0 is super easy to work on, and very reliable. And if boating isn't for you, it should be an easy resell too.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

With the warm weather we have had in Ontario if you dress warmI'm sure you can take it out on the river. If the owner won't run the boat on a garden hose for any reason run don't walk away. When buying used it's all about condition. The price sounds below retail, that could be a good thing or it could be a bad thing. Let us know what happens. Good luck fellow Ontarian. How bout dem Leafs! Maybe Senators for you up there.

 

[Mischief Managed]

3.0 is a good motor, but I think that boat is under-powered with it.Test drive it with 6 people, a full fuel tanks and food and drinks on board and see if it performs adequately.

If it were my money, I'd opt for an older high-end brand that's been well-maintained and has plenty of power. A 1997ish Cobalt 190 comes to mind as a similarly-sized boat in the same price range. Cobalts have a much better build quality and they didn't sell under-powered boats.

 

[Starcraft5834]

3.0 is fine, i had one....on a 20 ft cuddy....with proper prop...4 blade did fine....match the boat for the water your going on... bigger water, deep V best.... bigger is better in boats for sure

 

[Old Ironmaker]

3.0 is a good motor, but I think that boat is under-powered with it.Test drive it with 6 people, a full fuel tanks and food and drinks on board and see if it performs adequately..

If I was selling and a prospective buyer that wanted to do what you say he isn't getting my boat. A water test OK but not with the entire family and stuff for a picnic. Next they will want to tube behind the boat and have a shore lunch. I have heard of some people wanting a day on the water with the family and zero intention of buying a boat.