The economy and "weird" boat sales.

[ctraugh]

Re: The economy and "weird" boat sales.

Then you get the listings that will look like this. You would think somebody would proof read there ad wouldn't you?



18ft open bow 1983 evinrude 140 v4 with trailer mottor runs grate i have titel to both boat and trailer this is the list of extra stuf thet go with it am/fm radio uhf radio boat cover for winter life 4 jackets toob and rope bumpers morning line ancker with 100ft rope biminy top troling motor there is a problem with troling motor only work in revers dont no why im shore it can get fixt there is some cracks on two seats past that this is a graite first boat 2000.00 or best offer

 

[Mark42]

Re: The economy and "weird" boat sales.

Then you get the listings that will look like this. You would think somebody would proof read there ad wouldn't you?



18ft open bow 1983 evinrude 140 v4 with trailer mottor runs grate i have titel to both boat and trailer this is the list of extra stuf thet go with it am/fm radio uhf radio boat cover for winter life 4 jackets toob and rope bumpers morning line ancker with 100ft rope biminy top troling motor there is a problem with troling motor only work in revers dont no why im shore it can get fixt there is some cracks on two seats past that this is a graite first boat 2000.00 or best offer

People who don't know how to spell simple words often do not know how to take care of their stuff. This is a good boat to pass on.

 

[This_lil_fishy]

Re: The economy and "weird" boat sales.

Now is the time to buy new if you're of the type that would rather make bank payments over mechanic payments. My truck was $13K off list when I bought it at 0% financing, including 5 year unl. mileage bumper to bumper warranty. The boat was $15k!!!! below list and got a 5 year power plant warranty on top of the factory warranty (which I think is two years on the merc I/O's).

PS: The Ford 4.6 V8 is a horribly underpowered engine for a very large heavy truck and get's pitiful mileage. My 5.4 is much better on gas, and has decent towing power. My previous truck was the '06 with the 4.6, and before that I had an 2000 with the 4.2 V6, these two engines are almost identical in real world power with slightly better mileage on the V6. Avoid at all costs.

Ian

 

[PFalcon]

Re: The economy and "weird" boat sales.

My .02c

ANY Salesman, Dealer, Etc. that sells to THEIR needs, will see short lived highs, but long term lows.

[Rant]
Friend owns an all interior Used Luxury Auto Dealership which I created for him, from rebuilding the entire indoor space, the Website, the Database system for the vehicles, etc. etc. Worked for a year and a half sold over 46% of the total cars we had available each month, by selling to my customers needs, not mine nor his, I walked away in disgust when it became a "Used Car Lot".

Since I left they have 3 salesman, 2 office people, to replace what I did alone for 1 1/2 years. Now he keeps complaining that his overhead is so high and no one is buying the same vehicles I sold 3 months ago AFTER the economy went bad.

I told him quit screwing people, ask a fair price, make some on each vehicle, and keep your customers happy, like I did. His response was I didn't understand the business. To shorten this I still receive emails from my customers wanting vehicles again and have to actually send them elsewhere.
[/RANT]

You CAN sell anything for whatever price you can get; however if you want to be successful selling be reasonable, be fair, and be honest, sell to your Customer/Buyers needs not yours.

I am fortunate to say I have managed several large companies, owned and operated my own, and made a lot of others rich. I did not get rich because who I am means more to me than what I have.

I look forward to creating a small business doing boat restoration projects, kind of a one off salvage hull here and there to sell, I know only ONE thing for sure; my customers will get what they pay for, and I will make a fair profit if I am blessed , if not I will shoot for break even and go forward to the next project.

I am doing a lot of wasted driving look at all these "Pristine Boats" (*read Salvage) but you just have to move forward. People Suk, get a good Dog!

 

[Bowser4x4]

Re: The economy and "weird" boat sales.

Biggest problem is that most of these people are way upside down on the boat. I had been looking for almost a year and made over 100 bids/offers before someone actually took it... The most common thing was: "I would like to take it, but I owe more than that on the boat." Not being the bashful type, I would ask what they did owe.... A few times I actually had to pick my jaw off the floor. One Starcraft Aurora that was 3 years old...the payoff was more than a quote I had from a dealer for a new one. The guy knew he was in trouble, but kept hoping someone would bail him out.

Ended up buying a 05 Searay Sundeck with less than 100 hours on it, all the toys and the owner thru in all the skis, wakeboards, jackets, extra prop...everything. And got a great deal on it. Just need to be patient and have a really thick skin when it comes to dealing with all the comments that people make.

Woof
Bowser

 

[This_lil_fishy]

Re: The economy and "weird" boat sales.

Biggest problem is that most of these people are way upside down on the boat. I had been looking for almost a year and made over 100 bids/offers before someone actually took it... The most common thing was: "I would like to take it, but I owe more than that on the boat." Not being the bashful type, I would ask what they did owe.... A few times I actually had to pick my jaw off the floor. One Starcraft Aurora that was 3 years old...the payoff was more than a quote I had from a dealer for a new one. The guy knew he was in trouble, but kept hoping someone would bail him out.

Ended up buying a 05 Searay Sundeck with less than 100 hours on it, all the toys and the owner thru in all the skis, wakeboards, jackets, extra prop...everything. And got a great deal on it. Just need to be patient and have a really thick skin when it comes to dealing with all the comments that people make.

Woof
Bowser

This is true in both the auto and boat industry, and was the only reason we decided to buy new. A similar boat that's 2 or 3 years old around here would have an asking price within a few thousand of my new boat. We got lucky, maintained both of our jobs through the tough times and were able to take advantage of a bad situation.

Ian

 

[Sikiguya]

Re: The economy and "weird" boat sales.

This has been my experience as I bought my first boat recently. I would have never done it had I not moved to an area with a bunch of lakes nearby. The economy was another factor. Wife pretty said that it needed to be a good deal for us to get one.

I had found a boat on Craigslist and it had mentioned how it was such a steal. When I check it on NADA, it was several thousands over. When I pointed it out, he mentioned he just got the price from his banker...guess it was the payoff and not the market price. He called me back in a week later and offered it at the NADA...wasn't interested. Just saw it listed by his bank....after it was repossessed!!

I ended up buying a 2007 Seadoo Utopia 205SE from a gentleman in Minnesota. He was upside down on his loan and he asked a reasonable price We made a fair deal and he had to write a sizeable check to his bank for it. He included a bunch of extras..lifejacket, towable, etc.

 

[11rufus11]

Re: The economy and "weird" boat sales.

I searched for a boat three years ago and I won't waste your time with the many jokes and horror boats I have seen, but I noticed a running theme from my search and that is: beware of ads whose pictures are blurry or taken from afar. The owners are trying to hide the minor, and sometimes major, exterior imperfections. I could not believe the neglect and lack of proper care of some boat owners. And the lies, too. I would contact an owner and ask them about the condition of the boat because the pics were not very clear or they did not show every aspect of the boat, and the owner would say it was in great shape with maybe some minor "normal" wear. I would drive 30-50 miles only to find out that "normal" wear for a 5-6 year old boat is sun-bleached, split vinyl seats, ruined carpet, and peeling gel coat. Not to mention the rubbed raw boat bottom and dinged prop. I have a rule of thumb and that is: if someone does not take care of his boat, he is most likely not taking care of his motor either. A co-worker of mine asked me once years ago to come with him to look at a 5 year old Bayliner with a 70hp Force outboard. When we got there it was under a hundred year old oak tree uncovered. The decaying leaves had formed a soil in the bottom of the boat and weeds were growing out of it. The dash had started to peel away. The registration decal was expired for two years. We left the newspaper ad and picture (which had obviously been taken years earlier) on top of the compost heap and left before the owner got home.

 

[jakebrake]

Re: The economy and "weird" boat sales.

but which is sadder? the fact that they let that boat become a dry-rotted worm farm? or the fact that they are selling that dry-rotted worm farm, and can't understand why you're running away as fast as your feet will carry you?
Didi they not notice the hornets nest in the cuddy? or do they think that's worth an extra $2500?

 

[reelfishin]

Re: The economy and "weird" boat sales.

but which is sadder? the fact that they let that boat become a dry-rotted worm farm? or the fact that they are selling that dry-rotted worm farm, and can't understand why you're running away as fast as your feet will carry you?
Didi they not notice the hornets nest in the cuddy? or do they think that's worth an extra $2500?

I think the worst part is when someone does come along and think that's the way it should be. I just got done talking to a guy that bought a heap like that.
No floors, no transom, no upholstery, and a seized Force motor. He had never owned a boat, knew no one that knew any more than he did. The seller told him the boat needed a starter and some new carpet. He was arguing with the guy the had towed the boat for him, who stopped here for me to give him an honest second opinion. I actually though they were joking at first.

The boat was a mid 80's Bayliner Capri, with basically nothing but scraps left of the interior, the deck was collapsed beneath years of leaves and weeds, there were bees and all sorts of inhabitants in the boat, the motor was locked up solid, as was the lower unit, the cables were rusted off the motor, the steering cable was cut, stuck in the motor, and the swivel pin was seized. He paid $1200 for the boat. The trailer was in fair shape other than the rotted tires and soft bunks.
He though he had gotten a bargain since he had just looked at a new 16' boat at a dealer and they wanted $27K for it. He fully believed the seller when he said it only needed minor work.
He didn't seem like he was at all capable of doing the work himself, or was he interested in learning. The only thing he learned was how to throw away $1200 in a hurry.

I told him to junk the boat, part out the motor on eBay, and hope he gets some of his money back. I figured he could get a few hundred or so from the trailer, maybe as much as $600 if he fixed it up a bit, then maybe a few hundred or more from the motor in pieces if he was lucky. The rest was just junk. I'm not sure I'd have even fought off the bees just to hook it up to my truck, let alone haul it home even if it were free.

 

[quad59]

Re: The economy and "weird" boat sales.

I shopped around a lot for boats before I bought mine. I would shop for awhile and then give up, all and all it took about a year and half. I was shopping for a max price of 5k and was just looking for a solid water ready boat that was an open bow. I saw so much garbage I couldnt beleive it, when I finally bought a boat it was 1500 dollars for 1981 16.5 ft glastron with a 1984 90 hp outboard. Clean and solid I dont think it saw much use in its lifetime only thing I have found broken on it on two full weekends and 30 gallons of gas is that the fuel gauge doesnt work. It came with a trailer but it needs some qork so I just bought and ez loader for 300 bucks im going to stick under it. I was just amazed that people dont maintain, or cover these things at all. I saw a ton that sat all winter in Ohio with no cover outside. If I did find a decent boat the guy was 1k+ over priced and refused to take it on the lake for a test run.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: The economy and "weird" boat sales.

at least this guy is realistic...

"Fiberglass boat no motor or trailer. Will trade for 5 cases fo beer to drink in my new boat"



http://www.bismanonline.com/getListing.php?tcat=10&cat=84&p=2&a=357903

 

[11rufus11]

Re: The economy and "weird" boat sales.

If North Dakota wasn't so far away I would buy 5 cases of some Old Milwaukee's Best Ice and take him on it.

 

[Blue Crabber]

Re: The economy and "weird" boat sales.

This thread never ceases to amaze me!

 

[ctraugh]

Re: The economy and "weird" boat sales.

Then you come across ads like this. I find this reasonable and if I had the money to spend I would take him up on it. In the ad he has pictures of the boat, very nice.

1988 four winns sundowner 21 foot. It is a cuddy cabin boat. It wll seat ten and sleep 3-4. It has a full cover,. The boat is very clean for the year of the boat. You need to really see it to understand. It has a 4.3 cobra and an omc outdrive. The cabin is very clean with lots of storage space. The interior in the boat is very clean and well taken care of. The carpet and floor is both good and solid. The hull of the boat is very clean and you can tell it was never beached. Comes with 1988 trailer. $3800 Both have title

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: The economy and "weird" boat sales.

I got a 98 jeep, i was going to sell for say 1500, now they are talking about 4500 credit as a clunker credit. Ill sit this out.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: The economy and "weird" boat sales.

I went today to look at a 'Boat and truck' deal, it was listed as being a low mileage truck in excellent shape with a turn key boat fro $3500. What I found was a water logged boat, 125 Force which hasn't run in a decade, no seats, no windshield, and a truck that was covered in rust, had the lower 3" of all panels rusted completely off, and the two remaining seats were shredded. The guy swore on the phone that it was "Mint". The trailer was nice but that's about it.
The van was so rotted you couldn't put your feet down on the floor, the seats were pretty much just springs, and the engine was leaking oil so bad it left a trail all the way down the guy's driveway.

His excuse was "What did you expect for a 20 year old rig?"
When I questioned him on the phone he swore there was no rust, no body damage and the boat was in near new condition, just pulled from a garage after years in storage. He listed the motor as being Mercury, it was no doubt a well worn Force, and the boat was listed as a super clean fishing boat.
The entire mess belonged in the junk yard. I drove an hour to see it, I wanted to strangle the guy, he kept on about how clean it was and that he didn't see any rust. The lower edges of the doors were filled in bondo, and broken free and swinging in the breeze. The pics he sent me had to be old or doctored up. The pics didn't show all the dents, rust, or peeling paint, and the boat was conveniently left out of the pics. I wasn't after the boat, I was after a cheap fishing truck but what I found was pure junk. Of course, the 4 year old pickup in the driveway next to it wasn't any better.
The yard looked like a junk yard, there was parts everywhere, two boats flipped and partially cut up, and about 10 trucks on blocks. The one he was driving was missing it's bumpers, and back window, and the yard was full of "Beware of Pitbull" signs.
The ad was in a local paper which covers all of this area. He had the thing listed for blue book value, but I wouldn't have wanted it even for nothing in that shape.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: The economy and "weird" boat sales.

If there weren't any windows replaced with plywood then you should have jumped on the deal

RF, I gotta tell you, your buying/selling stories are some of my favorite posts to read on this forum.

 

[11rufus11]

Re: The economy and "weird" boat sales.

Anybody out there need a set of golf clubs? Check out this offer!
http://columbia.craigslist.org/boa/1163645409.html