Im still looking for my first boat, is this a good deal?

[TiMe_1]

I found another boat that im lookin at right now it seems to be a good deal. The boat is a one owner boat, all service records for it, GPS, fishfinder, a lil over 100 hours on the boat, v6 merc outdrive etc.They are asking 7k for the boat with the trailer. You guys think its a good deal?

Its a 97 Chaparral

 

[Boss Hawg]

Re: Im still looking for my first boat, is this a good deal?

Looks & sounds like a nice boat but 7 grand seems a bit steep for a almost 13 yr old boat
Don't know much about that type boat value tho :redface:
I really don't worry much about what others think about the value of something i want & at a price i'm willing to pay

 

[jprice]

Re: Im still looking for my first boat, is this a good deal?

Looks like a pretty sharp boat. If it was as well kept as it appears to be then it's probably worth it.
Check the NADA guide to get a ballpark figure. http://www.nadaguides.com/

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Im still looking for my first boat, is this a good deal?

Assuming its about an 18 footer,,, Nada shows high end at 5500.00

 

[TiMe_1]

Re: Im still looking for my first boat, is this a good deal?

It's a 180le and I ran it thru nada and average retail showed 6800 and low retail was 6100 for everything checked that it has. I can get the boat for 6500 if it's worth goin after.

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Im still looking for my first boat, is this a good deal?

if it's worth goin after.

Only you can decide that..

 

[Les Robb]

Re: Im still looking for my first boat, is this a good deal?

Decks and transom are key points here. A restoration of this style boat would be extremely expensive. Also it appears the trailer is painted so on the plus side I would assume freshwater boating in the past? If not then I would have the exhaust side of the engine carefully evaluated.

No real opinion nay yea

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: Im still looking for my first boat, is this a good deal?

I did a fair amount of looking around in the Twin Cities area of MN before we bought our boat late last year. Based on what I recall, I agree w/the gentleman that said $7k seems a bit pricey for a 13 year old boat. It certainly looks like it's in nice shape, but I found a number of bowrider boats that were in good shape because families just couldn't get out on them enough. At least that was the case up here in the land of 10,000 lakes.

 

[redfury]

Re: Im still looking for my first boat, is this a good deal?

NADA is going to be for the boat only, not the trailer, so you have to take that into consideration.

As far as the boat goes, if they can provide documentation for the services performed on the boat ( anyone worth their salt will keep at least that kind of documentation if they ever planned to sell it ), I'd say to start showing interest in it. Even then though, I'd pay to have a marine mech give it a once over so you can get a good evaluation of the condition of the drive. Beyond that, it's a matter of how well they kept it up ( ie. keeping the nose up, drain plug out, etc, etc. )

 

[TiMe_1]

Re: Im still looking for my first boat, is this a good deal?

I live in the central valley of ca so Im sure it's only been in fresh water but i never asked i will have to do that. I think it's worth what they are askin as long as it's as clean in person as the pics and it drives good. I have a marine mechanic friend that's gonna go with me to look at and test drive it for me. I've never bought a boat and it seems like you take a gamble no matter what your goin after lol

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Im still looking for my first boat, is this a good deal?

Good luck and hope it's what your looking for. Sounds a little steep to me to, but if it's in mint condition hmm could be worth looking into. Hope it all goes well for ya, Good luck!! The guy might go down less if you bring cash

 

[TiMe_1]

Re: Im still looking for my first boat, is this a good deal?

The owner says he has all the service documents for the boat but Im curious on what the documents say. I really like the boat but don't wanna get ripped off on it. I'll probably go look at it this weekend.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Im still looking for my first boat, is this a good deal?

Used boat prices vary wildly across the country. What it comes down to is if you've shopped for a while in your area, and this boat is in better condition than others you've looked at, and is the style you want, it may very well be worth the premium price. Looks like a very nice boat to me with a good powerplant.

 

[JimKW]

Re: Im still looking for my first boat, is this a good deal?

I paid $10,750 for mine two months ago. That is a good bit over NADA. He was asking $12,500 for it and still owed about $12K. I fell in love with the boat to tell the truth and believed everything the guy told me when he said he kept it a garage since new and didn't use it very much.

I did take a ride on it before sealing the deal, but did not spend much time looking at it and didn't have an inspection done. So far I'm very happy with it. I basically trusted my instinct on the guy being honest and I still think my instinct was right. I wanted the boat so bad that I made up my mind I would pay to fix anything that is wrong with it. I am a sucker for red I guess. Did the same thing once on a 1980 Red Porsche 911SC and got taken on that deal. It had been wrecked and the fix was not all that great and the original color was not red. Ran real good though.

 

[TiMe_1]

Re: Im still looking for my first boat, is this a good deal?

I think im gonna go take a look at this boat on sunday and hopefully take it for a test drive. It seems like a really well taken care of boat but the only way to figure that out is to go take a look at it and drive it.

 

[rokrau]

Re: Im still looking for my first boat, is this a good deal?

You can probably get this one for less than 6k, depends on the situation of the current owner. Season's nearly over, prices are dropping. I'd go in low, if you think it is sound. There are many good buys for the patient. New Chaparrals went for about 18k in the Bay Area (entry level model, price from June). Saw a brand new Glastron (2007 model) for 13.5k at the same dealer.

Good luck

 

[bigbad 4cyl x2]

Re: Im still looking for my first boat, is this a good deal?

thats kinda high ,and not realy the quality of boat i see that i would say good deal!!!!!!!!!!!! . i look on ebay for terms like repo boat . and comb craigslist for months during the winter and boom it will pop up ,sea ray or larson,cobalt .grady, few others chris craft etc

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Im still looking for my first boat, is this a good deal?

The numbers NADA puts out always seem low, and others on here have said that as well. I'm not sure, but it seems like their values are comparable to trading in a used car as opposed to selling it on the open market.

 

[TiMe_1]

Re: Im still looking for my first boat, is this a good deal?

You can probably get this one for less than 6k, depends on the situation of the current owner. Season's nearly over, prices are dropping. I'd go in low, if you think it is sound. There are many good buys for the patient. New Chaparrals went for about 18k in the Bay Area (entry level model, price from June). Saw a brand new Glastron (2007 model) for 13.5k at the same dealer.

Good luck

Im not really looking to spend 13k LOL im only lookin to spend around 6k. I dont need another payment!


EDIT: I thought this thing would be a good deal since I see older boats (late 80's) goin for 4k around here. Ive been back and forth with emails with the owner and the wife just told me that its always been stored at their house and that after every trip the husband completely cleans the outside, inside, motor, and flushes the motor and outdrive. She told me hes a clean freak about his toys. The boat has never been in salt water.

 

[mickjetblue]

Re: Im still looking for my first boat, is this a good deal?

Looks good, although that's the exterior part of it.
Need to test it, as you will.

Sounds like you want it, so bring $3,000 for a down payment, and offer $6,000 total in cash,
if you got it.

I'd also ask first why they are selling out of such a nice boat.

Good luck!