RANT: ??? is going on with used boat prices?

[Starppy]

Re: RANT: ??? is going on with used boat prices?

That's the thing. Boats aren't like cars in the sense of operation or care. 99% of the people out there don't really have a clue and buy on Oooooo factor. They get it home and then find the squishy floor or transom. Or, they take it in for that "tune-up" only to find the engine needs $2,000 worth of work. I'm not being critical, it's just how it goes. Boats are an expensive toy that need special care and feeding to say the least.

Then they figure out that maybe boating isn't for them (pockets aren't deep enough or knowledge level isn't high enough) and they try to "get their money back out of it".

How many people have we seen on the boards like this that just got a sweet deal only to find they are now faced with rebuilding an engine or replacing a floor? How many uninitiated got that really cool boat with the really big engine only to take it out and blow the thing up or bust up the lower unit on a rock because they didn't know well enough to stay out of the shallows or keep up on the maintenance?

The fair and great deals are out there, but unfortunately you have to wade through the desperate, dishonest and disillusioned to get to them. PAtients and understanding is the key.

 

[Biggems]

Re: RANT: ??? is going on with used boat prices?

Patience is deff. the key.

I got the boat-bug last summer out of no where and bought my bought late summer/early fall of last year. I got it off of craigslist. It was about an hour drive from me.

And as others have said, the asking price doesn't mean crap! The kid selling my boat wanted 2000 and we settled for 1200. Great boat, trailer, trolling motor, battery and all kinds of other gear. I got an awesome deal.

I checked craigslist about 3-4/day and after about 3 months I found this one. And I was only checking craigslist! There are a ton of other resources out there.

It's out there, be patient and keep your eyes pealed!

 

[jdlough]

Re: RANT: ??? is going on with used boat prices?

I'm being patient as fast as I can...

 

[22E6441]

Re: RANT: ??? is going on with used boat prices?

I went to see a boat the other day. 17 foot bowrider with an 80 merc that had tnt. The ad said it was in great shape...asking 2400.

The trailer was pretty nice, and the motor looked OK, but the boat was a wreck. Masive spider cracks all over the stern....hollow knocking noises...and a peak under the splash well was scary. HUGE cracks and mush. All the bolts that came through had gigantic washers added to them and you could see the crushing in the transom. I told him the boat wasn't even safe....he didn't seem to believe me or knew it full well and was waiting for someone stupid enough to overlook it.

People are brutal. Makes me wish that boats had to pass some type of safety checks like cars do when you transfer them. That would solve a lot of problems.

 

[flwestcoastboater]

Re: RANT: ??? is going on with used boat prices?

Last fall, I passed on a couple of used boats, thinking I'd have all winter and a lousy economy to find a nice, cheaper one now.

Where are they?

All I see out there is junk. Craigslist, Ebay, iBoats. All junk. Maybe it's from the same people who can't pay their mortgages, and think their boats (like their houses) are worth more than they actually are.

I think people who could afford nice boats are keeping them.

Where are the folks needing to save a bit, so they're selling their 2000 17' 115 HP OB Hurricane deckboat for $6000? Where's the 1985 19' Manatee garage-kept bowrider with the the 2002 135HP OB for $2600? (I passed on both - idiot) Why does anyone think that any POS 14' aluminum Gamefisher rowboat is worth $1000?

Why do I keep seeing these uncovered, yard-rotted, no-maintenanced, 'low hour' lawn-ornaments, who talk about 'pay-off amounts'? Why do I care about their pay-off amount? What does that have to do with ME? Does EVERYONE have a 'buyout' mentality now?

Do used boat prices actually seem to be going UP?

What is going on?

Sorry for the rant. Please go back to watching 'House' on TV now. (It's the one where that guy almost died, then they figured it out, and he's OK now)

Jim

this is the BEST ad ive seen on craigslist in a LONG time

http://tampa.craigslist.org/hdo/boa/1090664446.html

in case the link goes inactive... it is an old inboard with an outdrive , that has been sitting in someones woods probably for over a few months

 

[Landscaping Wiz 808]

Re: RANT: ??? is going on with used boat prices?

I'm being patient as fast as I can...

I find a lot of good deals in Baltimore and Philly, and it's not too far of a drive either. Any area with alot of people and alot of navigable water nearby seems to provide a large selection. BEWARE of saltwater boats around here though. Good luck to you & I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for.

BOB

 

[kamby]

Re: RANT: ??? is going on with used boat prices?

Last july i traded my 24' 2006 PJ Trailers car hauler for a 1985 Bayliner Capri 1950 bow rider. I must say the is actually pretty nice but i think he got the better deal tho, but i got a boat pretty much for free. I bought the trailer with a 1946 Chev pickup on it in Montana for 4k, and sold the truck on ebay as it sat without doing anything to it for 3500. So basically a boat for 500 bucks. I hadnt use the car trailer in over a year so i figured id get more use out of a boat. The only down fall with my boat is the epensive parts Volvo aq125a...

 

[jkust]

Re: RANT: ??? is going on with used boat prices?

These are just the breaks when shopping used. I and probably everyone shopping used for a specific boat type deals with this. I was finally lucky (like we all say) after looking for a long time to find the guy who paid cash new so no loan to pay off and who had it maintained well. I looked at a lot of seemingly unbelievable nearly new, expensive, totally beat bowriders. The worst was nice model 2006 Sea Ray that in the pictures looked fine with 100 hours but was inexplicably completely beat (every single part) like it had a million hours on it. I think he would have accepted any offer. As for the economy, we may be sheltered in MN but I have seen absolutly no ill effects of the economy in person. Times are better than ever assuming you made good choices along the way. If I didn't know better, I would think the media is selling us a story. The point to me is these difficulties are just part of the process....we all had our frustrations.