Reggie Smithers wrote:
JimH,
How can anyone know if the seller is being honest with the engine hours if
their is not hour meter?

For that matter, how can someone be sure if the seller is being honest about
the engine hours even if their is an hour meter? Today's cars are set up to
make it very hard to set back the mileage. I don't think there is anything
similar for replacing the hour meter and just running the meter to provide a
reasonable number of engine hours.


Which is precisely why an engine survey is so critical.

Even *if* it can be convincingly established that there are "only 600
hours" on the engine,
so what? Did the last owner beat the living stink out of the engine for
600 hours? If so, it could easily be ready to go toes up. Did the last
owner cherish the engine and maintain it
fastidiously? If so, there may be another 1000 hours or more left where
that first 600 came from.

A boat that "looks like it was well cared for" is no guarantee either.
I remember one having two nearly identical 34 CHB's for sale. One
arrived in "average" or maybe slightly better
condition, and the other was such a blown out filthy pig when it came
to the dock that we insisted the owner have it detailed before we put a
"for sale" sign on it. The detailer did one heck of a job. Several
people in a row came to look at both boats, and they all immediately
indicated they would be much more interested in the (previously piggy)
boat that had just been detailed because "It's obviously had much
better care and attention from the previous owner." Even pointing out
that one boat had been detailed and the other had not didn't sway any
of those prospects to the actually better kept boat......seeing is
believing. Fortunately the previously piggy boat passed a mechanical
survey, and for all I know the buyer was happy with it for years
afterward and maybe still is.

Private maintenance log? Better than nothing, but could easily be
dummied up by a conniving seller. Ask to see receipts for oil, filters,
and tune-up parts in addition to entries in a spiral binder......(and
remember to keep them if you oneday hope to impress some other
skeptical buyer with your own maintenance log).

Most convincing record is probably a series of work orders, from a
shop, with engine hours and dates noted.