Mike wrote:

By all means, bring your own mechanic. If the dealer objects, then move on
and look for a boat elsewhere. Insist on a sea trial if at all possible.

I never mind when someone brings a qualified mechanic, what I see more
of is bringing a friend who claims to know something about boats, who
proceeds to try and show off in front of the person that brought him to
make it looks like he knows something. It's a no win situation for me
because if the tag-along says something is wrong and I claim otherwise,
I look like I'm covering up when it's just that he doesn't know what
he's talking about.

I have been hired many times to look over a boat for someone who was
about to purchase from a private seller and it was the best investment
they could make.

--
Regards,
Dave Brown
Brown's Marina Ltd
http://brownsmarina.com/