feed back on this boat

[rs1lollie]

looking at buying this 1998 four winns horizon 180 rs with a new long block jasper Volvo4.3. looks really clean, no rips or tears, floor solid, what do you all think.

http://brainerd.craigslist.org/bod/5535472695.html

 

[SkaterRace]

Looks like a nice boat, but as always condition condition condition. I would want cores from the transom and stringers as well as a marine survey. They are worth every penny.

 

[GA_Boater]

Looks like a nice boat, but as always condition condition condition. I would want cores from the transom and stringers as well as a marine survey. They are worth every penny.

Would you let a potential buyer drill holes in your boat? A dealer will throw you out on your ear.

RS - I won't give you a go or no go. Pictures from a dealer aren't the best way to judge a boat - They have practice posing boats for sale. When you look at the boat, open every hatch and seat and look and look and poke with your fingers. Then go for a water test.

 

[SkaterRace]

Would you let a potential buyer drill holes in your boat? A dealer will throw you out on your ear.

RS - I won't give you a go or no go. Pictures from a dealer aren't the best way to judge a boat - They have practice posing boats for sale. When you look at the boat, open every hatch and seat and look and look and poke with your fingers. Then go for a water test.

No I wouldn't but some would and asking can not hurt. I did follow up with saying a marine survey since that is the next best thing.

 

[GA_Boater]

I only agree with the survey.

 

[LSU]

Either a survey or a very good boat guy to go with you. This is an $8995 boat so I'm not sure the cost of the survey would be justified but that's me.

I'm not sure what a survey costs but I think a good inboard/outboard motor guy with a set of tools could tell you how the engine looks and runs and then a water test might not hurt.

If the boat is for hauling your 3 kids around the lake with your wife, bring them all to see how the boat performs with weight.

Let us know what you decide.

 

[rs1lollie]

it is 2 hours away talked to the guy who has done the work, sounds good, do i take the trip to see it.....

 

[Grub54891]

it is 2 hours away talked to the guy who has done the work, sounds good, do i take the trip to see it.....

​
Absolutely. Make a day of it, bring the family, Have lunch and go check the boat out. If there is still time in the day after the water test, go look at the local attractions.

 

[Newbie@boats]

Yes go look at it, by the pictures it looks great, but again you won't know until you get there......I wonder why the motor was replaced the begin with? What did they replace it with a RE-MAN or a "USED" motor...etc

Good luck getting them to let you drill holes for samples....

 

[oldjeep]

Looks decent from the pictures, take the trip up and inspect it and take it for a drive. Make sure you do it quick, this is the time of year in MN when decent boats in that price range disappear in a couple days.

These folks who keep saying survey live in places where that is a common/easy thing to have done. Would be a pretty rare if not impossible thing to have done on an 18ft lake boat in Pequot Lakes.

 

[airshot]

In my neck of the woods a survey would run around 250-400 for an 18 ft boat. Normally you get some type of warranty with the more expensive survey. If the owner does not want to OK a survey then run in the opposite direction.

 

[oldjeep]

In my neck of the woods a survey would run around 250-400 for an 18 ft boat. Normally you get some type of warranty with the more expensive survey. If the owner does not want to OK a survey then run in the opposite direction.

I doubt the owner (a marine dealer) would have a problem with a survey. Issue would be finding someone to do it. Guy who bought my Bayliner read about all this survey stuff that the coastal types are so big on and asked if it would be OK to have my boat inspected/surveyed. Told him fine, after he looked around he found out that the very few marine surveyors in MN only really look at big boats and getting a marine mechanic to look at a boat during the season was a couple week wait.

I'm all for due diligence and if someone actually finds a marine surveyor who looks at 18ft lake boats in MN then I'd be interested to hear about it

 

[H20Rat]

Looks decent from the pictures, take the trip up and inspect it and take it for a drive. Make sure you do it quick, this is the time of year in MN when decent boats in that price range disappear in a couple days.

These folks who keep saying survey live in places where that is a common/easy thing to have done. Would be a pretty rare if not impossible thing to have done on an 18ft lake boat in Pequot Lakes.

Same here... An actual survey done by a accredited surveyor isn't going to happen in my neck of the woods... I've bought and sold a lot of boats, not once have I requested a survey or had anyone want one. (just checked, the nearest marine surveyor is roughly 500 miles away.)

The most I've ever seen happen is a reputable dealer checking out a boat for a seller, and even then, I've personally never run into that but know a couple people who have.

 

[JASinIL2006]

I didn't find a surveyor, but a local marina did check out a boat I was interested i. I paid $250 as a complete novice buyer. They found a bunch of non-marine parts (starter, alternator), bad gimbal bearing and evidence that the boat has been in water up to its gunwhales. Saved me thousands!

That being said, I think I just got lucky.... No surveyors around here for small boats.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

The condition of that prop has me suspect. Why would a dealer not change the prop on that boat. It looks fairly clean in the pictures but I only trust my own eyes. I've slapped lipstick on a few pigs in my life.

My county abuts the north shore of Erie for more than 60 miles, there are many Marinas and dealers here and not a single survey service, you would need them to come from out of town or tow the boat to them, and then they only will do large vessels not runabouts.

 

[airshot]

I am in the SW corner of Lake Erie and we have plenty of surveyors for all size boats, didn't think they would become scarce in other parts of the country. As a boater for more than 50 yrs I always did my own survey but then again I worked for a marina for quite a few years so when a newby is looking for their first boat or someone not well educated on boats I always recommend a complete survey on older boats. Way to many unpleasant surprises to be had out there.

 

[Rick Stephens]

rs1lollie, just wondering how much experience with boats you have? Not to be intrusive or anything, but we all make WAGs that end up being bad. Having experience with what can and will go wrong on a boat helps make checking one out and then pricing one easier. That boat looks very nice. I'd run up and look at it. They offer any kind of warranty at all? Or just buyer beware?


Note, I am not a good judge as evidenced by my past behavior. I paid $4k for a boat that I easily have doubled the initial investment in just a few years.

 

[JimS123]

$6000 in parts is the deal breaker for me. That's an 18 year old boat. In the 32 years I've owned my boat I haven't spent that much money for all the years combined.

 

[Slip Away]

Typical over analyzing responses. It's an old, inexpensive boat. Take it for a ride if you like it, buy it and enjoy.

 

[Rick Stephens]

Typical over analyzing responses. It's an old, inexpensive boat. Take it for a ride if you like it, buy it and enjoy.

I got a bridge to sell ya