Buying Used: It's Crazy Out there - will the Seller's Market Swing Back?

[DB Cooper]

Re: Buying Used: It's Crazy Out there - will the Seller's Market Swing Back?

One thing I've found with craigslist (when I'm the seller) is if they don't call me, they usually aren't serious. I always list my phone or they can contact through the craigslist email system. I've sold many many things on craigslist from boats to trucks tractors, and I don't think I've even sold something to someone who has made first contact by email. When I don't feel like dealing with the BS emails I sometimes put DON'T EMAIL in the add.

My point is, if the add has a number listed (some sellers only list email) then call it.

Austin

I will admit I like to email first with just a couple of questions, and I always ask for additional photos. Most people do not know how to embed or hyperlink to outside photo sharing services to be able to share high res photos on CL. Just about all of the boats that I have interest in are at least 2 hours+ drive for me to go look at. If it is local, I call first and go see it, but for long distance I want to be able to see if the boat is even worth my time. I have got burned by calling a guy and then driving a long way to look at what turned out to be POS. I would rather have someone answer a few questions (no one seems to know how to write an ad) and email some photos, then if it is what I am looking for I will call the seller. I always am polite and thank the seller for responding to my email. We live in a time where email and texting is a way of life, and in fact most of my emails get an initial response from an iphone.

 

[KFS]

Re: Buying Used: It's Crazy Out there - will the Seller's Market Swing Back?

I will admit I like to email first with just a couple of questions, and I always ask for additional photos. Most people do not know how to embed or hyperlink to outside photo sharing services to be able to share high res photos on CL. Just about all of the boats that I have interest in are at least 2 hours+ drive for me to go look at. If it is local, I call first and go see it, but for long distance I want to be able to see if the boat is even worth my time. I have got burned by calling a guy and then driving a long way to look at what turned out to be POS. I would rather have someone answer a few questions (no one seems to know how to write an ad) and email some photos, then if it is what I am looking for I will call the seller. I always am polite and thank the seller for responding to my email. We live in a time where email and texting is a way of life, and in fact most of my emails get an initial response from an iphone.

Great points. When I respond to a CL ad I keep it short but sweet and inject some humor so they know that I'm a real person. I've gotten a few very nice "loved your email" replies.

Having missed out on what would have likely been a great boat for us within an hour of home (and sold by a friend of a friend as it turns out) I am now annoyed by the idea of having to drive across two states to see the exact same type of boat! "If I'd known then what I know now ..."

I want to believe we are "drive six hours to buy a boat!" types but I fear we are not based on your story of having driving to see what turned out to be a POS. I was annoyed beyond belief that we'd wasted half a tank and our evening looking at the boat that was not to be, I can't imagine how I'd feel after a 12 hour round trip plus gas and tolls!

 

[KFS]

Re: Buying Used: It's Crazy Out there - will the Seller's Market Swing Back?

In that vein what do you think of this boat and would you EVER drive six hours to see one? http://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/boa/3131310614.html

aka Is the Jersey Shore nice this time of year?

 

[KFS]

Re: Buying Used: It's Crazy Out there - will the Seller's Market Swing Back?

My story: I bought another boat early in the season and wanted to get rid of the existing one quick as it was all in the way. Posted to Craig's List one night, priced it right and sold it sight unseen the next morning based on pictures and description. Could have probably sold it three times notwithstanding that we got 2.8 inches of rain that day. I was pleased.

That's my understanding (and good for you!) Wish all things we had to sell went so well

 

[DB Cooper]

Re: Buying Used: It's Crazy Out there - will the Seller's Market Swing Back?

In that vein what do you think of this boat and would you EVER drive six hours to see one? http://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/boa/3131310614.html

aka Is the Jersey Shore nice this time of year?

Don't think I could drive 6 hours for anything, but that is just me. There is an 1830ss Chaparral that is 4 hours away from me that I believe I have talked myself out of going. I think 3 hours is about my limit this late in the season. Another concern of mine is the trip home with an unknown trailer- tire blowouts, wheel bearings locking up. Take a tool kit and some fix-a-flat.

That Four Winns boat would be on my list, although I really want sport seating in the back. Make sure they don't keep it in the water, the photos where it is docked in the water always make me nervous.

 

[KFS]

Re: Buying Used: It's Crazy Out there - will the Seller's Market Swing Back?

Don't think I could drive 6 hours for anything, but that is just me. There is an 1830ss Chaparral that is 4 hours away from me that I believe I have talked myself out of going. I think 3 hours is about my limit this late in the season. Another concern of mine is the trip home with an unknown trailer- tire blowouts, wheel bearings locking up. Take a tool kit and some fix-a-flat.

That Four Winns boat would be on my list, although I really want sport seating in the back. Make sure they don't keep it in the water, the photos where it is docked in the water always make me nervous.

Thanks for the input. Momentary insanity. It's passed now. I'll pass.

I'm clearly suffering "non-buyer's remorse" after letting a good one get away because I was too NOOB to realize that I really liked that boat in particular = it was less than an hour away - and that they weren't a dime a dozen. I feel downright STUPID now and just can't seem to let it go. I don't know if I'm more upset about missing the perfect boat for us - or letting a bargain get away. I liked EVERYTHING about this boat - the color, the size, the seat config and I LET IT GET AWAY. I just didn't KNOW <Shakes head sadly> Shoulda woulda coulda.

 

[jkust]

Re: Buying Used: It's Crazy Out there - will the Seller's Market Swing Back?

Buying anything seasonal at the peak of the season is a scramble. I went through this buying my boat, snowmobiles, etc. When I was boat shopping way back when I got my sig boat, there were no new boats in stock that fit my needs and the used search was similar to yours. You get boat obsessed and everything falls by the wayside until you have one in your possession. It's just that much more satisfying when you find one.

 

[KFS]

Re: Buying Used: It's Crazy Out there - will the Seller's Market Swing Back?

Buying anything seasonal at the peak of the season is a scramble. I went through this buying my boat, snowmobiles, etc. When I was boat shopping way back when I got my sig boat, there were no new boats in stock that fit my needs and the used search was similar to yours. You get boat obsessed and everything falls by the wayside until you have one in your possession. It's just that much more satisfying when you find one.

Boat obsessed! So true. I call it BOB (Boat on the Brain). You should know that I am NOT usually like this. Example: we bought my new-to-us car last week after looking at it for 15 minutes before handing over the cash and driving it home - for something I'm going to need to use daily. Have me start searching for (used) boats (which have limited use in NE Ohio) and I'm the Queen of Sheba.

Meanwhile the damaging side effect of BOB-itis is that the boat I was perfectly fine with last week (our boat) I now have no use for.

 

[DB Cooper]

Re: Buying Used: It's Crazy Out there - will the Seller's Market Swing Back?

KFS - I have been all over the place on what size, price range, and brand that I want. Everytime I am focused on a size and price range there are always lots of boats in the a range/brand I have ruled out, and when I switch back to that previous range/brand the boats dry up. Oh well, just have to keep looking one will eventually come along that meets my needs within a reasonable driving distance. I have definitely learned a lot in the process and have enjoyed the search, but it is very frustrating.

Jkust - really love those SSI Chaparrals, was looking at a 196SSI at the end of last season but it did not have enough of an engine. Man, those boats are heavy - Chap was really ahead of its time when those boats came out. The resale value on those really jumps up from the previous generation of SS models.

 

[jkust]

Re: Buying Used: It's Crazy Out there - will the Seller's Market Swing Back?

Jkust - really love those SSI Chaparrals, was looking at a 196SSI at the end of last season but it did not have enough of an engine. Man, those boats are heavy - Chap was really ahead of its time when those boats came out. The resale value on those really jumps up from the previous generation of SS models.

Well here's more info than you ever wanted to know about Chaps. There's actually a sort of schism between the SSE models which were before the new hull patent design in 2001 and the SS and SSI models after the hull design. So for example my 183SS is actually the 190SSI as they just rebadged it in 2004 as they quit making SS models and the SSE models were already dead (save for the ultra cheap 18 footer they kept making). The 183SS was the only one they rebadged to an SSI and it is 100% identical to the 190SSI. So my point is that there is a logic to why I have what I have which was part of the Boat Obsession Syndrome I was going through as the 183ss/190SSI was made exactly the same except for a slight helm redesign made in the later years all the way through 2008. You wouldn't believe how many people think my boat is new or near new since you have to be a Chap fan to see the slight differences on the outside being where they placed the Chaparral insignia on the hull. If you were in front of or on my sig boat you would fail to find any wear and tear what so ever because the materials are so superior they don't wear or at least have shown no wear with all of the use it has received. Literally zero signs the boat has been used as much as it has other than the Faria, digital in dash hour meter denoting the hours which in and of itself took other makers years longer to include.
Back to your 196 comment and not enough engine, I'll tell you where the early and mid 2000's boats are concerned Chaparral's took a ton of HP as for example my sig boat optioned up to 270HP for an 18 footer which is a lot but you almost never saw them with that power plant. The difference is subtle but what I discovered is that other higher end brands were missing a bunch of the forward thinking that the small Chaparrals had on them but some of the others seemed to have for example the MPI optional engine more often. Of course Cobalt hasn't had an under 20 foot bowrider since the 2002 model year so they aren't in contention but as an example Crownline which is another decent brand seemed to many times have the upgraded engines but alway lacked snap out carpet and was glued in. Glued in carpet is to me just egregious and a slap in the face to how nice a boat the small Crownlines were in the early/mid 2000's. Point being Chaparral offered a no corners cut, very well rounded boat where you could have high hp but you had to shell out through the nose for it. I say that because the newest/redesigned, small Chaparrals have now cut corners and offer smaller engines than my generation of hull. I mention all this because the brand of boat you buy isn't just a name but the differences in quality are huge and you will learn all of it as part of the shopping obsession. It is interesting that you linked the dry weight directly to the resale as many don't seem to recognize that. The size of the gas tank is another indicator as silly as that sounds in the early 2000's as well. Other brands, even cheap brands have now finally added large gas tanks or as in the case of Tahoe, include large tanks in line with their fishing heritage.

 

[DB Cooper]

Re: Buying Used: It's Crazy Out there - will the Seller's Market Swing Back?

Good info, thanks. The 196 I was looking for had the 5.0 carved 220hp and I didn't think I would be happy with that. I came across an early 216ssi and saw what high end features that boat processed. I have since decided to reduce my price range to make sure the family likes boating before upgrading to a late model 21' Bryant, Crownie, Chappie, or even an Interceptor. Thus I am looking at 1830/1930ss among others.