Buying a new-to-me boat, what should I look for?.

[cjmcfall]

Hi all,

First timer here, but I have been lurking for a while.

Long story short: I will be buying a new-to-me boat this spring. I have found a 1993 Chaparral 1900 SLC which from the description and from what the owner says has been well taken care of. 4.3 Merc with alpha 1. Asking $6,800.

I have been around boating a lot, but most of my experience is with outboards or with larger sailboats.

First off, is this a well made boat and are there any inherent issues with this model? Does this seem like a reasonable price, I'm sure I will offer something a little less.

Secondly, can someone provide me with a list of things to ask/look for during my viewing of the boat tomorrow. Especially concerning the engine and out drive. What should I look for concerning rot on the transom?

Thanks a lot, you guys are great!

 

[JoLin]

Re: Buying a new-to-me boat, what should I look for?.

Unless it comes with a new trailer, it seems kind of expensive to me.

The brand almost makes no difference at all. The boat's nearly 20 years old, so current condition is a heckuva lot more important than the the badge. You should have a marine survey and mechanical inspection done. Regardless of what the owner says has been done to it in terms of maintenance, if he can't produce receipts then it wasn't done.

My .02

 

[cr2k]

Re: Buying a new-to-me boat, what should I look for?.

It would be worth it to take it to a shop and get a report on it. Probably cost an hour of shop time. But you would know what, if anything it needs.

Then you will have some bargaining power.

There are just too many things to list and as sure as we forget one that will be a problem.

You might look at the top of the forum for a Sticky concerning this issue.

 

[lakeerieboater26]

Re: Buying a new-to-me boat, what should I look for?.

Bellows, shift cable, trim, gimble bearing, gas gauge, cracks in the hull, transom's condition, u-joint, metal in the lower unit gear lube, props condition, check wiring for shorts or battery will be dead everytime you go to use it, ect ect ect..... Just repairing the first 4 items will cost nearly $700. I'd have a mechanic check it out first. An hour of labor is worth knowing what your getting into. Welcome to the wonderful world of boating !

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Buying a new-to-me boat, what should I look for?.

That price seems high for a 17 year old 19'.

 

[cjmcfall]

Re: Buying a new-to-me boat, what should I look for?.

Thanks! I will definitely have it checked out by a local mechanic. Agreed, $6,800 seems pretty high and I would never pay asking price for a boat!

I am looking at the boat today, the owner is driving 3 hours to show it to me. Thanks for the help!

 

[cjmcfall]

Re: Buying a new-to-me boat, what should I look for?.

I went to look at the boat this afternoon, and WOW was she in good shape! The engine looked almost new, the interior was in great condition, and the hull didn't have a scratch.

The owner and I settled on $6,400 which after seeing the boat seems fair. I am trying to find a mechanic to come take a look at the boat as we did not get the chance to start the engine.

Does anyone know a good mechanic in Northern Michigan? If not I will use the local marina who will charge me $75 for the pick up (I will be out of town) and $150 to give her the good once-over. Does this seem reasonable?

Also, does anybody know if this boat came standard with two batteries?

Thanks for the help!!

 

[cribber]

Re: Buying a new-to-me boat, what should I look for?.

Sounds okay but without pics of interior, exterior, engine, outdrive, etc... I'd start doing some google searches for marine mechanics nearby where the boat is. Northern Michigan is kind of a broad search. Also the fact the guy drove it three hours for you to view says a lot about his willingness to part with it. Could be a nice guy or someone trying to unload a lemon. Be careful without a survey or water trial.

 

[cribber]

Re: Buying a new-to-me boat, what should I look for?.

Also I'd ask if the mechanic would negotiate the pickup fee if the boat is within 15-20 minutes of the marina since it looks like he's charging a full hour for the pickup and return. $150 for a once over seems reasonable since that is about a third to half the cost of a complete service with parts included. Just make sure you're getting two hours of attention from the mechanic.

 

[tawood]

Re: Buying a new-to-me boat, what should I look for?.

When I saw your first post cjmcfall, I thought to myself, "$6800, for a 17 year old 19 footer???? Well, not in Michigan with this economy..."
Then, I saw YOU ARE in Michigan! Dude, there are MUCH MUCH better deals out there. Sorry to tell you, but I don't care how good of shape that boat is in, there is NO WAY you should be paying even half that.
I just did a quick check, and as a guide line, NADA is saying $3500 to $4100...here in Michigan, I have been buying (and selling) for about 30-50 percent LESS than nada!!!
I'm always checking in craigslist, etc, in this area (southeast michigan)...boats like this stay for sale a LOOOOOONG time for a reason. Plus, when it comes to craigslist, remember the ad is free, so you can't use the other boat ads as your price guide, because nearly every single boat on there that has an ad of a week or two old or longer, is overpriced (with the exception of niche boats, or really expensive boats)....In fact, this boat isn't from down river area is it? (I remember seeing one there).
As a hobby, I buy and sell a few boats, snowmoblies, motorcycles, and airplanes a year....not enough of any of each to be called a dealer (not to mention, I use / register everything I buy). Nearly every item I've bought, I've gotten within HOURS of the ad going out. Wait longer than a few hours, and a good deal WILL BE SOLD!

Oh, and an example of how bad the Michigan economy is...when I was just out of college in the 80's, I made extra money travelling around the country, buying airplanes, and bringing them back to Michigan to sell for a profit. There was an airplane demand here then. Now, I have been selling ALL my airplanes by offering to deliver them OUT of Michigan.

 

[cjmcfall]

Re: Buying a new-to-me boat, what should I look for?.

Thanks for the replays. It seemed like the current owner isn't really willing to budge on the price much more. I have been searching CL for a better less expensive boat for some time now, and although I would like to agree with the above statements, I just can't find a "very nice" used boat for under $6k. I think I will try to negotiate some more though.

I have attached some pictures. If $6,400 seems high, what would you expect the price to be, or what seems more fair?

I'm not sure if the pictures will come across, if not I will repost em.

Thanks again!

 

[tawood]

Re: Buying a new-to-me boat, what should I look for?.

Remember too, that it is winter here...more boats will be listed once spring/summer arrives....I'd wait a month or two. Besides, waiting works to your advantage with this boat too, and I seriously doubt this guy is going to sell it quickly. Not to mention, you can't use the boat now anyway, so there is no rush.
Tim

 

[Noah George]

Re: Buying a new-to-me boat, what should I look for?.

Pressure Test the lower unit to make sure your seals are good and make sure the lower unit has no water in it. Mercruiser outdrives are notorius for shifting problems because they are usually not shifted the way they are supposed to be. If it hesitates going into gear at all I.E. gear rub you are goung to be needing lower unit work on the shift dog soon. Compression test the engine. Never hurts, 4.3 are pretty good engines bit if used in saltwater without a freshwater cooling system you should always be cautious. Look under the oil fill cap for excessive milky color which could indicate a head gasket problem as well. NEVER buy a boat for more than a hundred bucks if they won't let you sea trial it first. Perform all these inspections after the sea trial as well. Always remember 70% of the time someone is selling a boat it has some sort of problem.

Hi all,

First timer here, but I have been lurking for a while.

Long story short: I will be buying a new-to-me boat this spring. I have found a 1993 Chaparral 1900 SLC which from the description and from what the owner says has been well taken care of. 4.3 Merc with alpha 1. Asking $6,800.

I have been around boating a lot, but most of my experience is with outboards or with larger sailboats.

First off, is this a well made boat and are there any inherent issues with this model? Does this seem like a reasonable price, I'm sure I will offer something a little less.

Secondly, can someone provide me with a list of things to ask/look for during my viewing of the boat tomorrow. Especially concerning the engine and out drive. What should I look for concerning rot on the transom?

Thanks a lot, you guys are great!

 

[Noah George]

Re: Buying a new-to-me boat, what should I look for?.

Concerning rot in the transom a simple ice pick will do. If the boat has been in the water the potential for sweetwater or osmosis is always going to occur to an extent. Probe around the transom inside by the intermediate housing with an ice pick. If it is soft I would walk! Hope this helps. Noah. Cloverdale, California

 

[superpop]

Re: Buying a new-to-me boat, what should I look for?.

From the pictures you posted the boat looks to have been very well cared for. Interior still looks new. How does the trailer look? With a boat that old it is all about the condition, not what NADA says. Looks like a nice deal to me for the money, and while I am partial to this brand I do have to say they make one ell of a boat.