Learned a lot, now time to reflect
Jimbo3067
Member Posts: 23 ✭
and take a week or so and not look for boats online, go to dealers, go to private sellers, etc.
When you spend every weekend boat hunting it becomes a chore to me and not a pleasant experience.
The broker that was to show me a boat called 2 hours before showing to say he was sorry but the boat was pure JUNK.
Funny but the broker said the boat was in perfect condition and turn key ready...
Rule number one for wife and I is boat must be within 100 miles of us. I have to go see the boat, not a surveyor. Way way way to much latitude in someone saying great boat and me being out thousands.
In no hurry and the cash is not burning a hole in my pocket so I just need a deep breathe. Didn't think here in Florida it would be THAT hard to find a good boat but I was sadly mistaken. Reminds me of looking for a house. A process that should be fun is becoming a pain in the rear. Maybe I will order a new corvette instead..lol...just kidding.
Finding out boat owners have an inflated view of how great of a boat they own. Love these statements.
1. Where is the carpet? Oh it is so much easier to clean without carpet so I threw it away. You don't need it...(It is not up to him to tell me what I need and don't need - I want carpet)
2. Part so and so usually works, sometimes you have to warm it up or just kick it or turn the knob three times real fast and it works...and these owners think I want to do that and not fix the problem because they were too cheap to fix the problem.
3. Sometimes the boat does so and so but YOU'LL get used to it....(No I wont and you didn't buy the boat like that).
Don't you just love going to see a boat with a price tag of 39,999 and looking at the NADA guide with a price of 16,999. I just call now and not even waste my time looking at them if they say they could come down a little. They will own that boat for many many years.
Finally I know you guys think I am bitching (ok just a little) but really I actually like most of the process of buying a boat. I just cant justify to myself to spend every spare minute looking for a boat. Need a break.
Jimbo3067
Comments
PC BYC, Holland, MI
The cranky boat part or worn carpet is pretty typical because of the vast variety of systems found on todays boats combined with the harsh environment they live in. A used boat is non-stop maintenance. Like BD said so well, if you want the best deal and the boat is a sound design and the main components are in decent shape then don't worry about updating a few things that the buyer let go. basic stuff is pretty easy to spruce up.
On the other hand EVERY boat eventually has its day and there are marina graveyards filled with forlorn and dying hulls chock full of major problems, along with plenty of polished turds. Sounds like you've seen more than a few. Be careful but don't sweat the small stuff if it's a good design.
Now go have a beer and reflect on how much you've learned up to this point. It's good stuff. Let us know how it goes. Mike
I kept my eyes open, though, for a good deal to come along..
I made it to 41 before having any kids, but my wife gave birth to my first in late February... I've no idea how much those rascals cost, so I figured a boat just dropped off the bottom of the list...
I still kept my eyes open..
I went and looked at a 4winns 24' bow rider.. reported in excellent condition but w/o trailer... took it for a spin.. it was NOT in excellent condition, but the price was close to my market.. I walked.. I looked at several more, but leaned heavy on my experiences buying a house (especially for rule #1)- and rules I developed between that and buying cars/trucks/motorcycles, ect:
1- never will I buy something for what I envision it could be no matter how exciting the prospect of that project is- I buy it for what it is...
2- the first lie I encounter with a broker or salesperson, I walk away.. I won't enter into those contracts of BS that means if I accept a lie, then I can tell a lie- because it never ends.. I don't want to have to scrutinize everything someone said to me in the past because I catch them in a lie in the present- so, one lie no matter the size, I call it out, and I walk away.. I've done that several times over the last decade or so.. this was a hard learned lesson, but every single time I've been screwed in a transaction, it was downwind of me accepting a lie..
I found a good boat and a good deal, and yanked the trigger w/o much hesitation after the survey, sea trials, and my own inspection. So far, so good.. in the price range I am in, I expect there to be some things wrong, but nothing major.. I think I've got maybe $600 or so into it over what I paid, and I have a solid boat (knock on wood).. :-)
yours will come around, too... this is chess, it ain't no checkers. :-)
What you have experienced is why we ended up buying new. So many boats out there with a shoddy history and owners that want top dollar for a piece o junk.
Good luck in your search.
it's my firm opinion that we live in a culture of waste, and have been sold on the 'newer is better gotta have the bestest to keep up with the Jones's' notions lock stock and barrel... not that there is anything wrong with buying new, but there are certainly good deals out there to be had used...
the trick is spotting and differentiating abuse from neglect.. they're related, but not the same.. a neglected boat is recoverable if caught in time, and likely has sellers just as motivated as the abuser who just wants to dump it as quick as possible..
I like dealing with brokers, because they know where the boats are.. I like talking to owners, though, if only for a few minutes before I decide... there always seems to be, either real or perceived, a sense of forlorn when someone talks about selling something they cared for, and just the opposite when they just want out and are cutting to every point...
a question like "did you ever try her out in heavy seas?" hopefully ends in a tale being shared instead of a 'nope, didn't want to hurt her"... the tale tells other things, and the direct answer presents an obstacle the owner doesn't want you to be able to negotiate... It makes me wonder what they are hiding behind that obstacle..
I'm a used item buyer mostly because I want as much boat/car as I can get for my limited and hard earned sawbuck and don't mind using the WT refurb method (whiskey n Tylenol, love that new term) within reason. I actually enjoy the satisfaction of problem solving and messing about on my older boats almost more than using them (ok, there I said it).....almost
I actually brought/drug home a very old boat that was filled to the rails with yard trash/leaves, a frozen 50hp john/rude, and a horrible trailer. It ended up being one of the best flats boats I ever owned. of course it cost me 3mths of my life but at the time I had plenty of time with 3 kids in diapers and little cash so you dive in, solving one issue at a time and love the one you're with. My kids and wife loved that boat and it'd run all day on 6gals.
"New" is definitely for the guy with limited time or no patience for rusty bolts, bloody knuckles and occasional frustration....geez it sounds so appealing when I put it that way. New is also probably a better deal when you factor in my time doing research, actually fixing/buffing/upgrading and the cost of parts.
Hey I'm scrubbing the engine compartment tonight when I get home, any interest? WnT is on me.
Got it bad and I'm running out of projects. Even the kids are gone and doing their own thing. HooRah. Mike
Boat Name: King Kong
"Boat + Water = Fun"
Jimbo, definitely take your time. You definitely sound like you need a break. Good that you noticed that. I think that everyone here has made a good point, but you stay firm on what you want and give it time.
I've notice that I'd get along well with Drew surveying a boat!
>- Heck, I bet even chatting over a few drinks!
Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express
And BTW how is your season only a couple months long? Baltimore has to have a longer summer than up here in Michigan, and we get April to September.