First Boat and I need help

[sparkyjoe81]

So, I'm thinking of buying my first boat, but the one I'm looking at could have some problems. I'm looking at a 1989 sunbird corsica 190 with the 4.3 omc. The dealer selling this boat says it had a cracked manifold, and it needs some interior work.(its being sold as is) If it is truly just a crack in the maniford then it's not a big deal, I'll buy a new one and install it. But i'm worried that the block could be cracked as well. I don't think that my funds will support this savvier of a problem. I'm wondering if there is any way that I can tell if the bock is cracked. Or maybe some signs of a cracked block that I should be looking for.
Dose anyone else have experience with this boat or engine? Is there any other potential problems that I should be looking for? With this being my first boat purchase any additional information would be much appreciated.

Thank you

 

[Don S]

Re: First Boat and I need help

Keep looking. Don't buy anything "AS IS" that says OMC on it, unless you know a lot about them. OMC went out of buisness about 10 years ago, what does that tell you.

 

[Wotknot]

Re: First Boat and I need help

Yep, keep lookin' elsewhere...... here's why.
btw......welcome to iboats.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=206454

 

[Dakota47]

Re: First Boat and I need help

Hi, 2 months ago i purchased a 1987 Rinker V-180 with the OMC 4.3 V-6 with the Cobra outdrive, i have allready dumped $1,250 dollars in it(tune up/oil change/new throttle cables/new upper & lower shift cables/ new thermostat & impeller ,, but the motor/manifolds was in great condition(no cracks) the shift cables go bad on these and ruin the lower gears. luckly my gears were ok. if i new what i now know, i would have looked for a Merc or Volvo set-up. fyi...the boat is in exellent condition so im happy know.

 

[Dakota47]

Re: First Boat and I need help

a picture is in here http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=206363

 

[whywhyzed]

Re: First Boat and I need help

tune up/oil change/new throttle cables/new upper & lower shift cables/ new thermostat & impeller

Everything in that list is just regular maintenance. Nothing OMC specific there. 20 year old Mercruisers need all that stuff too...

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: First Boat and I need help

Heed that advice. DO NOT BUY a boat with an OMC drive in it!



NO ONE here is BS'ing you on that!



Cheers,


Rick

Everything in that list is just regular maintenance. Nothing OMC specific there. 20 year old Mercruisers need all that stuff too...

 

[whywhyzed]

Re: First Boat and I need help

and don't buy a 20 year old boat with a Mercuiser in it either, if you aren't willing to do the maintenance items on the list above.

 

[fourwinnsdook]

Re: First Boat and I need help

well, let me start out by saying this... "Opinioins are like *****holes, Everybody has one". Some people like omc's some don't buy whatever is in your budget. But if i were buying that boat i wouldn't pay more than maybe 1K for it. If it were just the manifold he would replace it.

 

[ziggy]

Re: First Boat and I need help

"Opinioins are like *****holes, Everybody has one"

OMC went out of buisness about 10 years ago

that aint an opinion. that's a fact.... the followin statement is an opinion though.....

i don't think anyone is bashin omc. it's just that they's obsolete.

if ya don't want to set yerself up for a hard time. don't get the omc. boats are hard enough to keep up and runnin proper w/o the grief of havein something that's hard to get parts for or that the parts that are available are very expensive. there's plenty of good boats out there that are volvo or merc powered that would be much more fun to deal with when they break. and they all do break at some point....

 

[evilratgirl]

Re: First Boat and I need help

As far as the OMC/Merc battle. The OMC is as good if not better then The Merc IF properly maintained........

Parts are SLIGHTLY more difficult but not bad. Local marine techs to work in the OMC are harder to find if you're not going to do it your self.

As far as your origional question of AS-IS, for your first boat, walk.

I'm a full believer of in the cheap starter boat. This way you get to learn about the boat and boating at a greatly reduced cost for the first couple of years. You also get to know what you'd eventually like to get into. Or stay away from. I can't help to think this would be a pricyand nightmareish way to start.