Purchasing a 2000 180RX

[jay32827]

I just put a deposit on a 2000 180 RX that was (and still is) in excellent shape. I took a look at it the other day. Bellows were replaced a couple years ago. Everything was in great shape on it. Boat was always stored inside. The guy claimed he never had to put any money into it since he got it from his brother 3 years ago. Still pending a sea trial but I am expecting good results. I went into the boat and couldnt find any kind of weak flooring or anything. Seems like it was well taken care of. He was bullet proof on $5700 down from $6500. Good deal? Seems to be comparable with most pricing around here.

 

[jay32827]

Re: Purchasing a 2000 180RX

noone has an opinion? really?

 

[jay32827]

Re: Purchasing a 2000 180RX

bump

 

[JaseBosto]

Re: Purchasing a 2000 180RX

Bump

 

[jkust]

Re: Purchasing a 2000 180RX

That is probably the most entry level bowrider back in 2000 of the available brands that I know of. It listed at 13k and likely the first owner paid less. He is getting 50% or more that the original owner paid. For 5700 I would search out a boat at least one notch up the scale and then it would have to have all the covers and options and need to be perfect engine wise. $5700 is pocket change for a boat and seems like cheap money but I would want more for that money. My gut says $4000 for that if it has all the optional equipment and is pristine. He should be happy someone has the money to take it off his hands. Just my opinion. Let us know what you do.

 

[JaseBosto]

Re: Purchasing a 2000 180RX

(changed my name)
Thanks for the reply. I have been looking in this class of boats for a while and havent't been able to find one in this condition, for this price. They aren't selling fast, but $4000 would be a dream price for this boat in this region. As I said before, it's in excellent shape. From a visual inspection, the boat was a 9.5 out of 10.0 overall. I am taking it for a sea trial tomorrow morning so we will see how it performs. Any issues and he will have to come down. Going to check compression and lower end oil.
I could probably get the boat for $5000-5200 if I played the waiting game, but I don't really want to let one in this condition pass me by to save a few hundred. Someone once told me, it's not always how much you buy the boat for, but how much you have to put into it. I am confident this boat should give me trouble free years.
I looked at the same boat, but it was a 1997 and that guy wanted 6k for it, eventually came down to 5k but no more. I passed that one up.

 

[JaseBosto]

Re: Purchasing a 2000 180RX

Got the boat, pleased with it. You always notice more things after you purchase something, than when you originally look at it. Still think it's in great shape. There is a small "blemish" on the sundeck, and I need to get a bottle of hull cleaner for the lake stain underneath it. It had a barely noticably rough idle,I will tune it up with a new set of plugs, air filter, maybe a cap and rotor. Other than that, she ran good in the lake.
I called the place that winterized it. They told me the oils were changed. They didn't do the water pump, but said the impellar is very tough(durable) in those mercruiser alpha one gen 2's so it could easily wait till this fall and change it when I go to winterize it, if it had flow, which it did.

 

[jkust]

Re: Purchasing a 2000 180RX

Good for you for taking the plunge. Funny on how you notice things when you get it home. When I bought a couple years back, I saw several brand new, (not new old stock) boats for sale with plenty of dings on them on the show floor. A boat is meant to be used and it is not a matter of if you will ding it or drag the skeg or ding the prop, it is a matter of when you will do those things. You hate when it happens but eventually it happens. Go ahead and post some pics of it. You will find that there is no such thing as an air filter for marine engines instead you will notice it is a spark arrestor and can be cleaned. If the impeller is the original, for cheap insurance I wouldn't wait but do it now in the off season.

 

[JaseBosto]

Re: Purchasing a 2000 180RX

I will be sure to post pictures tomorrow. I know on the newer ones, or any 3.0 with a volvo, there is a water pump on the engine. It doesn't look like that is the case here, is it?

 

[JaseBosto]

Re: Purchasing a 2000 180RX

here is a few. As you can see, I have to get some hull cleaner but other than that, 9.9.