How to evaluate boat prices

I just sold my pontoon and am now looking to buy a used Tracker aluminum bass boat.Not sure what year or model i want ,other than a flat bottom boat. I am trying to determine a way to reasonably evaluate asking prices of both private owners and dealers on used boats so I dont overpay due to lack of experience. I know that any boating rig is only worth what someone will pay for it , but I have historically used the NADA boat, motor and trailer value guides on Boat Trader as the only place i know of which provides detailed and comprehensive values based on age, model, option etc of the specific boat, motor and trailer.

There are a ton of Tracker boats for sale in my area...South Carolina...and i am finding the asking prices to be all over the ball park and typically much higher than the NADA values my research is finding. Some of the boats I am seeing are really in beautiful condition and minimally used but many arent .Im not looking to steal a boat on a deal,but I had two guys who tried to trade their Trackers even for my pontoon and when i told them my boat's value was much higher than theirs, they said you can never get NADA value for a boat. Actually what my research is showing are a lot of asking prices which are much higher than the NADA value of their rig.

Unfortunately I live in the middle of nowhere so driving more than 100 miles to look at a boat , after viewing its pictures and talking to the owner is a serious decision. I am not very mechanical so making sure the outboard is in good shape is more important to me than anything else. I am wondering if I should hire a local company or boat dealer/mechanic to check out a boat i am seriously interested in buying before I buy it, and IF I SHOULD BE PERSONALLY IN ATTENDANCE WHEN THE MOTOR INSPECTION/TESTING IS conducted?
I am a little sensitive about the motor issue because the Honda 4stroke on my pontoon never did perform very well during the 6 years i owned it. I am committed to either a Mercury or a Yamaha this time around.

Any suggestions on how best to proceed or the value of the NADA value guide in comparing boat prices would be appreciated.

Thanks so much and Merry Christmas!!!

Re: How to evaluate boat prices

Merry Christmas to you too!
I searched for a smaller Tracker boat for a few months before finding what I really wanted.
I live in Texas on Lake Fork and my fiberglass boat is on my lift which is about 50 ft. from the water's edge. We hope for the lake to fill again sometime nest year but of course there's no way of knowing - -
There are still several usable ramps close by and I wanted a smaller aluminum boat since I rarely go onto the main lake. Most of my fishing is on the smaller creeks.
My search started with Craigslist and eBay, just to get a feel for the market. I soon learned that there are lots of boats out there for sale and most of them are not worth the money. Not even close.
I did drive around Texas a lot looking at the more interesting boats listed and finally found one that had been well cared for. I talked to lots of potential sellers and found most to be fairly honest about their boats regardless of the asking prices. What I found at first were boats that were uncovered, full of leaves and trash with rotting floors. I began asking about specific things when I would find an interesting ad: motor, hull, transom,floor and accessories and their condition. I said no to a lot of sellers because you just have to inspect the boat and see the motor run if you want to get your money's worth.
In the end I got a 1992 Tracker Pro 16 with a 25 hp Johnson. I added a CMC power tilt, rewired the lights and pumps, replaced the non slip covering on the fore deck, re-plumbed the livewell and repaired the trailer wiring.
What I have is a boat with like new seats and carpeting (as it had been kept in a garage when not on the water) with a motor that starts quickly every time. I was really lucky to find a well cared for boat that could easily be restored.
I know this was a long post but maybe it willhelp you find just what you are looking for, or at least a boat that can be what you are looking for.
Lee

Re: How to evaluate boat prices

BEARCATJER said:

Any suggestions on how best to proceed or the value of the NADA value guide in comparing boat prices would be appreciated.

Thanks so much and Merry Christmas!!!

Click to expand...

NADA is often a bit on the low side versus other price guides, like BUCValu. They are just guides.

Generally, you will find many boats listed well above what a price guide would indicate. This is fairly common, and the boats with the more reasonable (i.e. lower) prices sell, while the others tend to sit there. So, if you are buying, focus on the sellers that are more realistic in their pricing.

If you have some time on your side, then you can make a list of boats that meet your needs and watch for the prices to come down into 'your range'; then take action.