On Aug 26, 11:58 am, "Ernest Scribbler"
wrote:


And in answer to JimH's OP, I'd never buy something as big as a boat sight
unseen. (Even the little ones I can afford to buy.)


OTOH, I don't really know if this is buying sight unseen or not, but
I bought both my boats online though ebay.and have been satisfied with
both. My 18' ChrisCraft scorpion , the guy took great pictures of it,
and when I showed up the boat was in the garage, and looked very well.
I didn't ask about mechanical problems etc, I jsut saw the boat was in
great shape. When I got it out on the lake it ran very well, but
seemed a bit odd. Later my brother pointed out that the way it was
cranking trying to start, he was suspicious of a bad headgasket, and/
or burned valves. We took the head off and sure enough , he was
correct on both accounts. There went another $240.00 for material
expense and I provided the labor. But the neat thing is that I didn't
give much for the boat. I'ts a 50-50 toss weather the guy mis
represented it. it did run nicely, and would hit 4000 rpm with little
effort. And even after repairs it started and ran smoother, but
honestly it didn't really change the performance. I was amazed.

so! $1500 for the boat and even if I paid to have all the work done
it wouldn't have been over $500.00. ie $2000.00 in a boat and
trailer that the boat blue books for about $3200.

My 23' Marquis? it's a neat old tub.. Again very good pictures, all
questions answered fairly well. I had to drive almost 600 mi round
trip to the west side of Ohio to get it, but it was very well worth
over the $1221.00 I paid for it even with hauling it back.

When I bought these boats, it was during the early fall part of the
year, and so a lot f boats are going to market jsut to get them out of
the yard, and buying is a bit more flexable. Unlike the sprigtime when
it truely is a sellers market., because people are in a frenzie and
want something to gothe lake NOW!

I took into consideration of possible failures. and so it they
turned out to be a wash. I would be out, of course, but not out much.
Certianly out no BIG money.

Now I also look at it like this on ebay. if I had "won" the auction,
and showed up, and decided the boat was really misrepresented, there
would be no money exchanged, then what could the seller do? leave me
bad feedback? OK. if he wanted to push it further, it could be
contested as mis representation. as well. Of course, there would have
to be more evidence then not telling there's a speck on the gell coat
leaving suspicion of backing out of the deal due to nit-picking. But
I mean hard core lying. so in this case the buyer still has an
advantage.

If buying though ebay, don't really bid more than you feel comfortable
with losing, instead of spending..