How important is buying a used boat locally?

I am/will be shopping for a 17' or so bowrider this Spring. My question is, when buying a used boat (thinking 1997 or newer), how important is it to buy locally?

Would you travel 4 or more hours to buy a used boat, or do you consider that too risky? I assume that an outboard would generally be a safer purchase than an I/O(?) Are there any other concerns you can think of if you were traveling to buy a boat?

I saw a boat I liked, listed by a dealer who is about 4 hours from me. The dealer said I can put 85% down on the boat, then test drive it in the Spring to decide if I really want it. If not, he said that they would refund my money. I thought this sounded good, and mentioned it to a friend of mine. My friend said that I was naive to think the dealership would really give me my money back in the Spring if I didn't like the boat. This got me thinking about how much weight to put on buying something close by versus traveling.

Thanks for any thoughts!

Re: How important is buying a used boat locally?

i would consider 25% not 85%. i would also consider a having the money held in escrow, by an attorney. who's to say the dealer is on the verge of backruptcy, and won't have a cent come spring.

Re: How important is buying a used boat locally?

As long as the dealer puts all aspects of the deal in writing, then why not do it? I have never purchased a new boat. The newest was only five years old but completely bare without a trailer and in really bad shape. I just got rid of my 1965 boat last year. I have purchased boats from friends, co-workers, strangers and internet auction. You do the legwork and take your best shot. The experts on this forum, which I am not, can really help you. Good luck and happy boating!

Re: How important is buying a used boat locally?

Buying anything is called "The Art of the Deal". If the deal is a good one, there is no advantage or disadvantage to buying locally vs distant unless you are one that needs to go to dealer for even routine service. However I would consider it extremely risky to plop down 85% of the purchase price on anything that I couldn't test until spring. The dealer will likely have to hold the boat until spring anyway so a contract stating the details (both yours and his) is necessary. 15% down should certainly be enough to hold the boat. And by all means have it checked out by someone other than the dealers shop. It also makes no difference if you buy an I/O or an outboard. Either can be junk depending on how the unit was cared for. The advantage with outboard is this: If you like the boat but hate the engine you can keep the boat and replace the engine with whatever you like. If you hate the boat but like the engine, you can keep the engine and buy a new boat. Neither of those options are available with an I/O. Yes, you can replace the engine but you are generally stuck with what what was there originally. There is also a lot more maintenance on an I/O and it is more difficult to do because of the cramped quarters one needs to work in.

Re: How important is buying a used boat locally?

What is the name of the dealer? Perhaps someone here has made any experiences with him.
My next boat is one with an outboard motor. The modern engines are not much louder than the inboard ones. I think there are fewer things to do to keep an outboard motor alive compared to an inboard one.
Take someone with you who has notion of outboard motors in general.
You can get a lot of information by phoning the seller. Make a list of questions and ask the dealer as much as you can by using the telephone, so that you have an impression on which you can decide if it is profitable to make the travel or not.

Re: How important is buying a used boat locally?

These guys are very generous. Even if it was an exceptional buy from a very established dealer, I'd only consider 10% down. In most areas there are allot of 17' Bowriders to choose from. Most will be power by a 3.0L. It is a common entry level boat, that people upgrade from.

Re: How important is buying a used boat locally?

tashasdaddy said:

i would consider 25% not 85%. i would also consider a having the money held in escrow, by an attorney. who's to say the dealer is on the verge of backruptcy, and won't have a cent come spring.

Click to expand...

Wise advice. But I'd also consider buying boat with an authorized service center close by. If your motor needs work or repair, you'd want it closer than 4 hours away.

Re: How important is buying a used boat locally?

I guess because there are so many dealers in this area i would NOT travel unless it was special boat

I would still want to buy a brand with a dealer in my area unless there just were not any brands sold there



Tommays

Re: How important is buying a used boat locally?

few points here

if the boat is being sold without warranty. and is sold as is, you can drive from seattle to florida if you want that boat.

if there is a warranty, its only at his shop. unless its a big chain marina.

few things to do, before you buy a boat. decide what your gonna use it for. if you fish, that wake tower is gonna get in the way!

second
have a real mechanic crawl over the motor. i/o or ob doesnt matter.
if he finds anything, you have it in writing and you can use it as a barganing chip.
then have a boat man go over the hull, (marine surveor)
you dont want to end up with a cleaned up hurricane victim

if you still want the boat, buy it now.
if you can go 85% you can go the rest!
the dealer should go the rest just cause he doesnt have to store it!

but 85 % down is way too much. (i think the sales guy was feelin you out!)
a deposit is 10%
if its a new or small marina. do what was said earlyer. lawyer and escro,

in the mean time ***(this is very important)*** go take a safe boating course!

enjoy your boat

Re: How important is buying a used boat locally?

Thanks for all the responses. Reading all of them makes me think that I should keep looking and see if I find something locally. I don't have a sense of how likely I am to find something locally - but the comment about 17' bowriders being common is encouraging.

Re: How important is buying a used boat locally?

You can start by filing your location or at least give us an idea where are you located. Someone might live close by that can help. %85 percent is insane. Keep looking and dont tie up your money. But if you like the boat, make sure the money is returnable, even if it is because you found a better deal or just dont want the boat anymore. However, if you get the marina to agree they will probably also indicate that they can sell the boat to any other buyer. This will make your deposit purelly academic.

Re: How important is buying a used boat locally?

sidechoke67 said:

Thanks for all the responses. Reading all of them makes me think that I should keep looking and see if I find something locally. I don't have a sense of how likely I am to find something locally - but the comment about 17' bowriders being common is encouraging.

Click to expand...

I just bought a bayliner 175 that i found in a walmart parking lot.Another person upgrading to bigger.So if you look aroung i sure you can find one closer to home.When i looked at new the first time they did not want that much to hold it,just refundable $500 depoit to take a test drive.

Re: How important is buying a used boat locally?

Great idea, thanks.

I live in Rochester, NY. I am hoping to find a Four Winns 170 w/ an outboard, or a Glastron 170/175 this spring. Basically I am looking for a 17' or so openbow, powerful enough for tubing and skiing, but light enough to tow with a minivan. I'm not sure how likely I am to find one of those boats locally between now and June or so.

Any insight will be appreciated.

Re: How important is buying a used boat locally?

i traveled about 550 miles to get my boat. guess that was about 10-11 hours drive time, one way.. it was a consignment sale for the dealer i got the boat from. i discussed the boat several times on the phone with the dealer. i then got the name of the owner and called him up and talked with him for several hours too. it finally got down to either drive to see it or forget it. i did make the drive. it took a whole day to look the boat over + test drive it. i had intentions of not closeing the deal if there was anything that didn't meet my expectations, but it passed and i bought it. my difference is that i was able to test drive it. i don't know how yer gonna do that in the winter. as for the down. i don't know. 85%. i wouldn't have done that for the boat i got. i wouldn't have done 15% either. just not the way i do biz. i also wouldn't have made the drive if i knew the circumstances were such that i couldn't make my decision on the spot.......ya've got all winter to look at boats. if it's the one ya know ya want. ???? yer gonna have to make your decision one way or the other.....
as for my long trip, it was fun but costly. 2.5 days lost at work + fuel for a tow vehical + a hotel.......
oh, don't forget the trailer needs to be serviceable for the long trip home. when i got my boat it went from the dealer to the tire store for new tires, brgs and some new grease. just another expense before i left rapid city, sd where i got it. about 250 at the tire store in my case.

Re: How important is buying a used boat locally?

I agree with Ziggy. CALL THE PREVIOUS OWNER, an NOT from the dealership, from your own home then you can talk freely.

10% would be the max, I would go.

-OR- try www.boattraderonline.com there are ALOT of NICE boats in your area !!!!!!!

Just my $0.02

Re: How important is buying a used boat locally?

Sidechoke,

There are alot of marinas/dealers within an hours drive of Rochester. I'm sure you'll find what you are looking for alot closer to home. I can think of at least a dozen marinas/dealers in the finger lakes, Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, Onieda, Canandagua, etc,,,,,, all within an hours drive from you. If I was looking and was in your area, I think I would check out Pelican Point marina in Canandagua. He usually has lots of good deals, and has been there forever. Good luck in your search.

Re: How important is buying a used boat locally?

A dealer asking you to put down 85% is something I never heard of, that certainly in not standard business practice and would make me suspicious from the get go. I think it's better to go local if you can find the type of boat you want. More important, is to buy something with an engine system that can be serviced locally. For ex don't get a Volvo sterndrive or a Honda outboard, good as they are, if there is no local service. The one exception I might make if I were buying a used boat, is to look in freshwater areas such as upstate NY because I am in a salt water area.

Re: How important is buying a used boat locally?

Without a "barn burner" deal, shop locally.

Re: How important is buying a used boat locally?

Sidechoke- just wait until spring to get something. I live in Rochester too, and there is never a shortage of boats to look at here, whether at a dealer or private sale. Of the three I have purchased, two were from people I knew, and one was advertised in the local paper (D&C), private sale. As was stated earlier, you can go to many places that are within 1 hour of of the city, with the proximity of Lake Ontario and all the Finger Lakes. Be patient, start looking at ads in April, as there will be a ton of them. And the dealers will be in full swing in the spring, if that is more comfortable for you. Don't lock into something now that you can't test drive right away.

Re: How important is buying a used boat locally?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ What he said^^^^^^^^^^^^^