boat purchase?

[grousehunter]

I am pretty close to pulling the trigger on buying a used boat from private party next weekend. I live in ely and am planning on driving down to the cities for the purchase. I have never bought a boat before and was wondering what some questions i should ask beyond the obvious. How are some ways i can make sure the motor is in as good as condition as he says?, already had him do compression test and take pictures for me. For transferring the title are there any added costs for this? Is there any way to find out if come spring the 40hp yamaha is going to end up being a lemon and give me problems without actually taking it for a test drive? I am a little concerned because it doesnt seem like he takes the best care of it. He put it away dirty after his last duck hunt since it was so cold...its stored outside and for the last week or so without a cover since the cover ripped hauling it home to take pictures for me...just little signs that he might not take the best care of it. Should small things like that worry me, or is it not really that big of a deal? Can storing the trolling motor on the boat outside in sub zero temps have any adverse effects on it? Thanks for any tips or questions i should ask...most money i have ever spent on anything besides my truck so just want to make sure i go about it the right way....Thanks,

Blake

[Ray Esboldt]

grousehunter,

I really think if you have any doubts about the boat, don't buy it. The fact that it will be high of about 2 in the cities tomorrow pretty much eliminates the option of running it on muffs.

I'm tough on my equipment, but never do I put it away wet and hope that everything is fine come spring. If a guy can't keep a decent cover one the boat through the winter, would you guess that he even winterized the motor?

I hate to be a buble burster, because buying a boat is one of the finer things in life. However, with as many used boats around as there is, I think you can afford to pass on one that you have doubts about.

[Superduty]

Not sure how old the yamaha is, but not winterizing a 40hp one time probably doesn't mean its ready for the junkyard. Worst case you would have a blown seal in the lower unit if and only if there was water in there when he put it away. That being said...I don't think I would believe the guy's story about the cover and that would make me question anything else he said about the boat/motor.

[LovenLifeGuy]

I used my big boat the last week of the duck season due to the wind and weather, and I also put it away dirty. I pulled it back out a week later when it warmed and cleaned that thing till it looked new. Thats just the way I like my things to be taken care of. I would question the way the owner treated his boat, but I think you will be able to tell by looking at it what kind of shape it is in. Don't rush if you are not sure.

Also, minnekota suggests storing the motor upright when not in use. I find that stupid since thats not the way it sits on the boat.

Good luck

[GoFish4]

As an outsider looking in on your situation I would have to agree with the others. Too many red flags if you ask me. Not every boat is taken care of the best, but there seems to be a patern to his ways?!

[PerchJerker]

I'm not against buying a used boat in the winter, but since you have these questions about it and need to travel to see it, I think I'd keep looking for now and check back on this one when I could run it on the water. Good luck.

[Valv]

I added a similar reply in the Expert section, take a look.

If you have already many doubts about it I wouldn't do it, if you are confident it's minor issues, go ahead and save the money, I sold many boats during winter time and saved people a lot of $$. Why didn't I wait until spring to get more money ? Because I cannot keep all the boats in storage until market it's high. Many others do same.

[JohnMickish]

Take it to a dealer and let them run it and check it over before you purchase it. If the seller is confidant it's a good boat he shouldn't have any problem with that. If he balks at the suggestion just say thanks and leave it at that.

[grousehunter]

How much does it normally cost to take it into a dealer and checked out? It seems like it is all minor stuff, but a lot of little signs can add up like everyone was saying here i guess. I really like the boat and fits what i want, but it isnt the best deal ever. He is selling it for what he would get for trading it in, but im pretty sure he is not planning on getting a new boat after this since he did not use this one that much. How much is trade in cost normally below retail cost? The little signs worry me but i guess if i had it checked out that would reassure me. Does anyone know a place in the northern metro...zimmerman/princeton/elk river area to have it checked out? besides the motor should i worry about it snowing on seat/vinyl interior? What adverse affects can storing it outside without cover or poor quality cover have on a boat? Thanks for all the replies and it sounds like most people say i shouldnt buy it, but i just havnt seen anything else that matches up to it...Do a lot more boats normally go on the market come spring time?

Blake

Edit: Its a alumacraft boat and a 2000 40hp yamaha engine.

[Valv]

Blake do you know which year is the boat ?

If you don't, read the plate on transom upper right area, it's the HIN (Hull Identification Number) just like the VIN on cars, with the difference that the las 2 digits are the year of manufacturing of boat (sometimes there's a letter after), regardless of what title says. I've seen boats labeled 3 years newer on title but were manufactured a lot earlier.

Just because it sits on a dealer lot it doesn't mean it's new production. Also many sellers try to make it look 1 year "newer", but HIN never lies....

[grousehunter]

the boat is a 2002...pretty sure its the first year they made the yukon so couldnt be any older then that.

[rodmaker]

Before making the drive, I would really ask the seller alot of questions on the motor. You will be able to tell alot by looking at the boat/motor how it was taken care of. You could always bring it to a dealer and do a complete check on the motor.

shoot me an e-mail. [PleaseGetAuthorization]intricon.com

[grousehunter]

Well...nevermind he sold it today for 700 more then i was going to pay him next weekend. Just got the email from him. guess i should act faster on these thing, but maybe i just wasnt meant to buy that one. thanks for all the advice ill carry it over to the next boat i see that i like.

Blake

[rodmaker]

Sorry to hear that

Shoot me an e-mail tomorrow. [PleaseGetAuthorization]intricon.com

[blarkey]

As a guy that has bought many used boats I would save you money and buy new you get what you pay for. It's just the dropping the ching is the hard part. But the boat will last you much longer.

[bassNspear]

that is true,

the nice thing abou tgoing new, is you get what you want. Its hard to find that when it comes to used.