2008 338 Four Winns

[redneck joe]

. . . As a seller, I would have taken it in a heartbeat. .

100%

 

[Lou C]

Thank you Lou. The boat purchase did not work out. Your advice is excellent. An aside, I remember a LouC from the old IFourwinns board, always good advice. Was that you?

Yes that’s me!

 

[Boaterdan278michigan]

Yes that’s me!

What boat do you have now? I have my 278 vista which was perfect up until the last couple years. Mechanically and aesthetically my 278 vista is sound, better condition than any of the mid 2000 boats we've looked at

 

[tpenfield]

Yes, it seems like more and more the boats for sale are not taken care of . . . thus the reason for selling. I've seen boats that were supposedly maintained "with an open checkbook" that were in visibly rough shape . . .

Must not have been much of a checkbook

Years ago I went to see a boat that was described as "mint" . . , it might have been before the bomb when off

 

[flashback]

I have a searay I'll give you if you come get it. Needs lots of love.

 

[Lou C]

What boat do you have now? I have my 278 vista which was perfect up until the last couple years. Mechanically and aesthetically my 278 vista is sound, better condition than any of the mid 2000 boats we've looked at

I still have the same boat all this time! Recent repairs that I had to do in the last 5 seasons:
Replaced a leaky steering actuator (tough job because of limited access), original lasted 23 years.
Rebuilt both trim rams, not hard as long as you can get the cap nut off the end of the trim cylinder. $100 for a pair of OEM rebuild kits, originals went 26 years!
Replaced water pump shaft seal on the Cobra outdrive, this was last done in 2005, I started seeing a bit of water in the gear oil
Cleaned & rebuilt the 4 bbl Quadrajet carb, this seems needed about every 6 seasons but it’s just the cost of a good rebuild kit & a couple hrs of my time….
The structural repairs (2006-7) and outside paint job (2012) are holding up well.
I also did a top end overhaul in 2017 with reman cylinder heads, replaced the exhaust at the same time.
And did a major upgrade to the single axle trailer in 2021 (6,000 lb custom galvanized axle, 12” surge brakes, load range E tires). Lowered the boat on the trailer to make launching easier.
A bit of work not that much money though compared to a newer boat!

 

[tpenfield]

The problem is, and will be, that boats 15-20 years old will need a lot of work. The owner/seller may not be aware of all the things that could use attention. A surveyor will certainly point all sorts of things out . . . that is their job. So the amount of work needed could be a shock to both buyer and seller.

As a buyer, you have to figure out how to make things work . . . else you will become a perpetual buyer and not an owner. I got to believe that a deal on the Four Winns could be had.

I reached an impasse with the seller when I was buying my Formula 330. The survey showed a few things that needed to be fixed as safety issues, and a few other things that would be needed fairly soon. In presenting the issues to the seller, he took a hard stand . . . 'take it or leave it', the boat is being sold 'as is'. My response was that I understood and was willing to meet him half way. . . . with a little back & forth, we had a deal.

 

[Boaterdan278michigan]

The problem is, and will be, that boats 15-20 years old will need a lot of work. The owner/seller may not be aware of all the things that could use attention. A surveyor will certainly point all sorts of things out . . . that is their job. So the amount of work needed could be a shock to both buyer and seller.

As a buyer, you have to figure out how to make things work . . . else you will become a perpetual buyer and not an owner. I got to believe that a deal on the Four Winns could be had.

I reached an impasse with the seller when I was buying my Formula 330. The survey showed a few things that needed to be fixed as safety issues, and a few other things that would be needed fairly soon. In presenting the issues to the seller, he took a hard stand . . . 'take it or leave it', the boat is being sold 'as is'. My response was that I understood and was willing to meet him half way. . . . with a little back & forth, we had a deal.

Compromise is part of the deal, I get that. I had accepted several scratches and nasty spider cracks. I obligated myself to repair several thousand dollars of items. I wrote a purchase agreement obligating the seller to repair everything related to mechanical and safety. They signed the agreement and took my down payment money. If they hadn't signed the agreement, it would have ended there. But they signed a legal agreement and I ordered surveys. This boat was selling for the above average price, according to JD Powers and BUC. Had I accepted the financial burden of all necessary repairs, I would have been 17 to 20 percent over for a boat in average condition. It was a slow speed train wreck which played out on a public forum.

 

[tpenfield]

Yes, I was thinking. . the price was a bit high . . . I've seen same boats in the $70K range . Were the mechanical and safety issues and $ cost known at the time they were signing?