Need advice Sketchy Seller

[twostroke87]

Ok, so couple of months ago a guy put on craigslist that he had a 1981 175 Johnson Short shaft selling for 400. I called him up and he said he would sell it to me told me that he took it off his boat because it was too much of a gas hog and he didn't really need all the power *older retired* So he put a 120 Johnson on there, and wrapped up the 175 and put it in his garage. I was stoked and ready to buy it.

Long story short, death in the family, other expenses that needed tending too. It got pushed to the wayside and I never called the guy back until just this week. Well he still has the motor.

I told him I would come down this week, then i called him today asking him if i could take a look at it and then come back thursday because thats when i would have the money. He got really defensive and was like, "why would i take the time to wrap this up and put it in my garage if it was a peice of junk! I'm not gonna stand around and let you butcher into it and run all kinds of tests on it I don't care that much I'll just repost it online!" So i said I wasn't going to butcher it, i have the harness and controls from my old johnson and just wanted to test some things like power trim. etc (didn't even get into compression never made it that far.) He insisted still that I not do any tests of any kind to it. Just come with a truck and money and take it, its only a 400 dollar engine. (which is a good point its cheap)

Now normally I would have ran off but he does have a good point, if it was junk why would he save it, and also 400 is pretty cheap. Another problem is that used 175 short shafts (atleast in my area) are really hard to come by.

The question is should I just blow this guy off and save money for another engine that might be more expensive, or should I risk the 400, and possibly get a good motor out of the deal.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Need advice Sketchy Seller

Why doesnt he operate it on muffs or in a barrel so he knows what "tests" are being done? He just sounds like he's a little grumpy, probably is a good motor but I'd have it compression checked and fired up anyhow prior to paying him.

Good luck with it!

 

[trendsetter240]

Re: Need advice Sketchy Seller

I would go there and check it out anyways. At least take the cowling off and have a look at the condition of the powerhead. Turn the flywheel by hand and check the prop+ prop shaft condition.

Any reasonable seller would let you do that.

If the above was good I'd probably buy it anyways. The leg alone is worth a couple hundred on ebay if it's good. If it looks in crap cosmetic condition then walk away.

Maybe he is just grumpy and doesn't want to have you come over twice.

 

[82mustang]

Re: Need advice Sketchy Seller

I would want to test it first. However, I'm sure if the motor is blown (for some strange reason and he knows it) that you would be able to recover the money in parts. Look on ebay, power trim assemblys go for close to $400 depending on the motor. Thats one example of probally good part, even if the motor is junk.

 

[marcortez]

Re: Need advice Sketchy Seller

Even at $400 bucks.....that motor is 29 years old and will end up putting a big dent in your wallet, sooner rather than later.

Mechanical contraptions have a finite life.....unless you pour gobs of cash into them with replacement parts and copious amounts of shop time.

Hard starting, carbs gummed up, low compression, rings sticking with gunk, wiring corroded, shafts corroded, water in the lower unit oil, seals leaking.....the list goes on and on.

 

[twostroke87]

Re: Need advice Sketchy Seller

well he said he was getting aggravated because I called him a couple months ago, seemed interested and never called him back. I apologized and said that it was the middle of the winter, the guy lives in south NJ which was in the process of getting multiple feet of snow every week. His main reason for wanting to get rid of it was that he wants to rebuild his garage, I never called him back cuz of family problems and I figured he wasn't rebuilding his garage in a snow storm. I never realized how angry he would be for having an outboard sit in his garage it must have been killing him just knowing that takes up space in the universe.

On the plus side - fresh water use only
He didn't raise the price after I blew him off for 2 months
NO VRO PUMP!! Old school diaphragm pump only straight mix in the tank YAY!
175 is the max rating for my boat so I will be maxing my boat out.
Like all of you said some parts, Heads, trim assembly, lower unit, flywheel, carbs etc I could probably recoup my money if its blown
Supposedly also he had the block rebuilt around the early 90's, so its not original original.

Thanks for all the advice guys, I think I am going to go ahead and go for it, I gotta lay it in the back of a truck and I'm gonna rip the cover off and try and spin the flywheel because "I'm not laying it in my truck with the cover on" really I'll just be seeing if its locked tight.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Need advice Sketchy Seller

wait till you have the money, wave it in his face if you have too. but check out that motor before and money or title changes hands. 50% of sellers like that are total liars, the other 50% are part-time liars, and just old farts. if he does not want you to check it, then give him $200 for it as is, and take off, or then say if you let me check it out, and it is ok, you get the other $200.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Need advice Sketchy Seller

one of my clients, just bought a 24 Aquasport, with 275 erude, stole it, the engine started and ran, but needs $1,800 worth of work to be right. the seller knew what was wrong with that motor, the reason it was so cheap.

 

[DJ]

Re: Need advice Sketchy Seller

Good luck.

As suggested, there re many parts, off of that engine, that could easily recoup your $400.00 investment. The L/U itself comes to mind.

 

[paw2000]

Re: Need advice Sketchy Seller

To me its sounds like a good deal, figure you will have to plugs, lower oil change, water pump and other normal maintenance items. So even if the motor was bad, its still "fixable" or part it out. My concern is how he stored it. Leaning on its side for long time is probably not good. (carbs and oil settling in piston areas)

Like others, unwrap it and check it over, if he balks at the idea, maybe not a good deal after all. I sold my old Force 125, I went over everything so as not to see that motor again, explain it was painted, why it had this and that. Some expect it to be show room new for a 30 yr old motor.

Good luck, take a picture let us know what it looks like

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Need advice Sketchy Seller

sometimes you have to take a chance.

I suspect he is looking for a no-hassle sale and the idea of hooking up controls, etc. is a hassle. Even setting it up for water test is work. For that price I can see his point.

I doubt he'd agree, but this is what I did on a motor I bought: I put in the Bill of Sale "as is with no warranties, but Buyer will have a reasonable time to test for material mechanical problems and return for refund if found."

You can put time limits in there--maybe he'll let you buy it Saturday morning, take it home and test it, if it's a no-go return it Sunday. Sure you're taking a risk he won't give the money back, but so is he. After all, no one shoveled a path to his door since you called.