Good deal for this boat? (Photos)

[Home Cookin']

Re: Good deal for this boat? (Photos)

keep in mind there are a lot of people who need to unload their toys and cut expenses. Some are even desperate. The summer is over (I hate to say it!) so a boat (like that) is nothing but an expense with no benefit once school starts. It could very well be that the bank is allowing a short sale because it certainly doesn't want to take the boat back. I am familiar with the process (by work, not personally!).

None of the bank/finance issues are a real cause for concern as to the boat, once you determine that the boat has not been subject to absolute neglect. At a discounted price, too, you can absorb some deferred maintenance. You're not in the frozen North where the winterization is a more important factor.

What you need to do, though, with his permission, is talk to the loan officer directly about how the closing/pay-off/lien release/title transfer will work. The boat I bought recently, I had to send some money to the credit union and a few days later meet the seller with the rest. Again, being familiar with the process, I could make it work. But the process can leave you somewhat exposed.

I'm a big believer in trusting your instincts about the seller; it sounds like you think he's on the level. You'll lose the sale if you get too paranoid. With reward comes risk!

 

[jkust]

Re: Good deal for this boat? (Photos)

I am a 'no to 3.0' kind of person and would wait it out as well generally. You get so little time on the boat as it is that the time I get, I want what I want. On the flip side, I see (in reality hear) bowriders all day long that have the 3.0 and I bet their kids aren't missing the bigger engine. When you aren't towing are only have the four you described, the larger 4.3 is only going to give you maybe 5mph more. The 3.0 gets as good or worse mileage than a 4.3, is a little louder has 50% less hp and a lot less torque but is priced at a steep discount. For me, that would be a great boat for the collection but not my only one. As for how often deals like this come around, I think the answer is going to be more and more often as things only get worse. You are in a warmer climate and so have the luxury of waiting. In a few weeks here in MN things are going to change quickly and the season will soon wind down. Like everyone, I have bought things that were the lesser of what I wanted and kept them for the long run. Invariably I always say I wished I had bought the upgraded xyz at some point during the ownership. With my boat, I wished I had the 5.0 mpi option instead of the setteling for the 4.3 carb. Those same however many thousand dollars are still sitting in the bank and I bet I'd have gotten more enjoyment out of them in the larger engine than on paper.

 

[MilChad]

Re: Good deal for this boat? (Photos)

So much for flipping it, a local dealer beat me to the punch. Here's the last email I received from the seller.

I am sorry to inform you, but I have sold this boat at 1:00pm today to a dealer. It seems that the $9800 offer was better than I had thought because they gave me $1000 more than I was asking. After the dealer did his inspection and paid me cash, he said the boat would easily sell for $14500. I really appreciate your inquiry of the boat.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Good deal for this boat? (Photos)

I figured it wouldnt last long at that price.

 

[seaboo]

Re: Good deal for this boat? (Photos)

Could be a good thing too, something about the bank owning it (and not the seller) I don't like. You would have had to do the transaction thru the bank (or trust the seller was going to pay it off, then hand you the title). Just seems like a third party involved in the transaction could REALLY complicate it. (It was a SWEET deal though).

 

[Borgey401]

Re: Good deal for this boat? (Photos)

Damn, that really sucks. I was hoping you were going to own it for sure. Oh well like previously said more and more fire sales will be coming around. This was without a doubt a pretty damn sweet score tho!

 

[jkust]

Re: Good deal for this boat? (Photos)

When it is a good deal, you really need to jump on it and have done your research already. $9,000 dollars in the grand scheme is pocket change in the boating world even if you bought it and didn't like it. Just saw this same exact thing happen on one of my car forums. The price was so good and low it took only a day to sell while the poster was still asking questions.
In the beginning everyone has this type of thing happen while shopping.

 

[MilChad]

Re: Good deal for this boat? (Photos)

When it is a good deal, you really need to jump on it and have done your research already. $9,000 dollars in the grand scheme is pocket change in the boating world even if you bought it and didn't like it. Just saw this same exact thing happen on one of my car forums. The price was so good and low it took only a day to sell while the poster was still asking questions.
In the beginning everyone has this type of thing happen while shopping.

I'm armed and ready when the right deal comes my way. If nothing else, this boat helped set the bar as to what I might be able to expect to purchase when the time comes. I have a 4 month old and the wife / baby are the main things holding me back. In the mean time, I'll keep watching deals come and go and try to educate myself on the ones to jump or pass on.

 

[jkust]

Re: Good deal for this boat? (Photos)

I'm armed and ready when the right deal comes my way. If nothing else, this boat helped set the bar as to what I might be able to expect to purchase when the time comes. I have a 4 month old and the wife / baby are the main things holding me back. In the mean time, I'll keep watching deals come and go and try to educate myself on the ones to jump or pass on.

Well you are in the right place. Boating is a language and the more you hang out here, the better you will speak it.

 

[baylake]

Re: Good deal for this boat? (Photos)

Look Good and sound legit. Agree with a test drive first.

 

[98Shabah]

Re: Good deal for this boat? (Photos)

Bummer, that would have been a pretty amazing deal. I wouldn't let another 3.0 18' scare you though, if you prop them right they perform just fine. Just drove mine all over lake norfork for 3 days pulling kids on tubes, 3 adults in the boat, plenty of gear on board, lots of cruising around, used about 20 gallons of fuel total.

 

[jimh1626]

Re: Good deal for this boat? (Photos)

Then it wasn't meant to be yours and another deal will come along. You will know it when you see it. Keep looking, you'll find an even better deal I am sure. Good luck.

Jim

 

[jkust]

Re: Good deal for this boat? (Photos)

Bummer, that would have been a pretty amazing deal. I wouldn't let another 3.0 18' scare you though, if you prop them right they perform just fine. Just drove mine all over lake norfork for 3 days pulling kids on tubes, 3 adults in the boat, plenty of gear on board, lots of cruising around, used about 20 gallons of fuel total.

Yeah don't make fuel mileage your deciding factor on where engine size is concerned. The 3.0 gets just as good of mileage as the 4.3 since it works much harder to push the load.

 

[98Shabah]

Re: Good deal for this boat? (Photos)

Yeah don't make fuel mileage your deciding factor on where engine size is concerned. The 3.0 gets just as good of mileage as the 4.3 since it works much harder to push the load.

Better yet, don't even consider fuel mileage (besides, you're pushing water), consider gallons per hour because not every boat is utilized at a specific rpm or speed for a specific period of time as in fuel consumption comparisons/testing. I idle around a lot and rarely cruise at above 3800rpm.