Just looking for a price range (low to high) for this model of boat. Any
help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
TD

Terry Dalton wrote in
. 165:

Just looking for a price range (low to high) for this model of boat.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
TD


I fogoto add that NADA has it w/ the options at $4505 to $4915 just looking
for a boaters perspective.

TD

Is this your boat or one that you are looking to buy? My advice is
that NADA is probably correct, but you need to add/verify the value of
the trailer, which I do not beleive NADA includes in their value. A
used trailer is probably worth $750, but I am not an expert. Other
factors to consider are engine hours and the condition of the boat.

As far as hours - My guess is that a Sea Ray would not have an engine
hour meter on it, so you'd have to guess...20-30 Hours per year is
average if the boat was actually used and didn't just sit on a trailer.

As far as condition...you be the judge! Interior: tears & stains.
Gelcoat: fading, scratches or worse yet, blisters! Structural:
Stringer and Transom Rot...and that Sea Ray is all wood in the
stringers and transom. So, if you're buying...get a structural survey.
If there's rot, it would cost you 3-5 thousand to repair, which means
that boat is ready for the bone yard.

I've seen newer boats that are trashed after 3 years and then there are
boats like my two. I have a 7 year old Malibu and a 20 year old
Century which sit on a lift and are babied, wiped down and cleaned,
constantly. Boating is a labor of love for many, but many people treat
their boat as a disposible item and it easy to see the difference in a
used boat.

Terry Dalton wrote:
Just looking for a price range (low to high) for this model of boat. Any
help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
TD

I called back the day after my post and someone had come that morning, saw
the boat and paid the guy asking price I should have known that boat
wouldn't last! Now I am looking at boats that are half way across the
country and will end up having to get a survey done if I see something that
I like assuming I have to go this route since I can't find anything
locally. Thanks for the info!

TD

"Terry Dalton" wrote in message
. 167...
I called back the day after my post and someone had come that morning, saw
the boat and paid the guy asking price I should have known that boat
wouldn't last! Now I am looking at boats that are half way across the
country and will end up having to get a survey done if I see something
that
I like assuming I have to go this route since I can't find anything
locally. Thanks for the info!

TD




Who knows if the guy who purchased the Seville jumped into a bad deal. For
all you know it was overpriced and in bad shape.

Relax and don't fret it. Late summer and early fall is often the best time
to buy a boat.

You have 8 to 10 full months to find the perfect boat so it is sitting at
your dock in summer 2007. Take your time. Understand your needs and make
sure the boat fills them. Lastly, make sure the boat of your choice is
subject to favorable structural and mechanical (including a compression
test) surveys, as well a favorable sea trial before you buy it.

This can be a fun time or a stressful time, depending on how you choose to
use it. ;-)

I agree with Jim H on this one. Remember, "the 2 happiest days in a
boatowner's life...are the day you buy it and the day you sell it."
There are plenty of used boats out there and they normally do not go
that quick, unless someone's plain giving it away and then you'd have
to ask why it was selling for so cheap. You can't let yourself get
emotional when buying a boat...stay rational.

I've bought 2 boats on the net...one from a dealer and another one
through a private party, but I used a broker. If you think you've
found a good boat, you could try putting down a small deposit/earnest
money.

If you're buying from a private party...you've got some risk with with
putting down a deposit check, so perhaps you could agree with the
seller to post date a check or speak with a bank about setting up an
escrow account. If you set up an escrow account, you could draw up an
offer to purchase where the deposit and offer to purchase are
contingent upon a satisfactory marine inspection. If the seller is
reasonable, honest and believes that his boat is in good condition, he
might not even have an issue holding the boat for a few days, even
without a deposit, because you may very well be the only interested
party. The only caveat to this, is that you would need to move quick
with an inspection/survey, as cash is king and most sellers will take
the first offer that brings cash!

If you're buying through a dealer...use a credit card for a deposit and
draw up an offer to purchase, contingent upon a satisfactory
inspection/survey. AGAIN, use a credit card!!! I did this a few years
ago and I'm glad I did. I put $500 down on am 8K boat and scheduled a
survey. The surveyor found high moisture readings in the stringers
(ROT) and suggested that I walk away from the boat, which I did. When
I asked the dealer to refund the deposit, they started whining about
owing them money to re-shrink wrap and re-winterize the boat. I told
them to go pound sand, adding that we wouldn't be having this
conversation and that I would be buying the boat if the stringers
weren't rotten. The dealer disagreed and wanted to keep most of my
$500. I cancelled the charge on my CC and the credit card company
stuck by me in the dispute.

Get a Survey from a Certified Marine Surveror (SAMS/NMSA) to inspect
the structure of the boat, stringers, transom and hull. Some of these
surveyors wont do compression or water tests, as they focus on the
structure of the vessel, only. Do some searching on the net for an
independent surveyor and get references. Do not take a referral from a
dealer, the surveyor could be in his back pocket. Surveys are normally
charged, by the foot, but with a smaller boat, they will probably
charge a flat fee. Should be $250-300 and it's worth the peace of
mind.

If you're going to drive and pick up the boat, you could also make your
offer contigent upon your own final inspection at pick up. I wish I
had done this on the last boat I purchased private party on the net,
because I think the surveyor was an idiot. I didn't do this, because
the boat was 1200 miles away and I was going to have it delivered as it
was just too far away. While the boat is in good condition and I don't
regret buying it, within 5 minutes after having the boat delivered to
my house, I noticed a lot of little things that the surveyor missed
like...(a whine in the blower motor (bad bearing), a bilge pump that
was also crap and some interior courtesy lights that were inop. The
first time on the water, I also noticed a leaking water hose which lead
to also discovering that the water pump was also going and also
discovering that the manifold gaskets were leaking, etc, etc. Had I
known about these things, I would have asked for money off of the boat.
It wound up costing me well over $1000 to repair everything, because I
got fed up and had my mechanic start replacing all belts, hoses,
ignition, spark plugs, wires, etc. I figure it was cheap insurance to
not get stranded on the water. By the way, the Surveyor told me these
things were out of scope for his survey...what a tool!

"Boats are a hole in the water that you throw money in!!!"

Good Luck!

Terry Dalton wrote:
Just looking for a price range (low to high) for this model of boat. Any
help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
TD