Funny "TLC needed" boat ads on Craigslist.

mthieme

Captain
Joined
Oct 6, 2007
Messages
3,270
I check irregularly, it's a different story around here. There are moments though - recently someone had a jet boat hull and tried to pawn it off as a jewel. Maybe he was too lazy to cut it up and make a dump run (?). Those types are simply in the wrong neck of the woods around here...not too many tourists.
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: Funny "TLC needed" boat ads on Craigslist.

i missed an 83, Chris Craft 21' Scorpian, this week, $400. by 30 minutes. a boat like Gary H NC Chris Craft.
 

Nandy

Commander
Joined
Apr 10, 2004
Messages
2,145
Re: Funny "TLC needed" boat ads on Craigslist.

What about the guys that say yes to everything you ask and when you get there you are looking at a junk yard boat...
 

cdnfthree2

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
402
Re: Funny "TLC needed" boat ads on Craigslist.

What about the guys that say yes to everything you ask and when you get there you are looking at a junk yard boat...

No kidding. I found a 24 foot pontoon on CL for $2300 with an OK picture from the side. Called the guy and asked if it ran, had good upholstery, was on a good trailer, etc..

He said that it might need new carpet and a couple of wires hooked back up, but other than that it was fine.

As soon as I turned the corner to his house (75 miles) I could see this load in the distance. Picture must have been 10 yrs old. My wife refused to get out of the car. He called me back just before I got there and said he had run to pick up his kids but for me to please wait and he'd make me a deal on it.

This "boat" did in fact need carpet.

It also needed all new seats (not upholstery, SEATS), new rails, ALL of the wires to the console (Squirrels I Guess), tires, steering wheel and gear box. Pretty much everything. I'd say this low profile trailer (one about 5 ft wide that carries from the deck not the toons) was worth about $60 salvage only.

I left quickly to avoid having to tell this guy things that would have led to both of us getting angry. Seriously, Even if he had given me the boat, I could of bought 2 new ones for the repair price of that one. Who knows what issues the engine could have had.
 

Shizzy

Ensign
Joined
Aug 5, 2007
Messages
984
Re: Funny "TLC needed" boat ads on Craigslist.

Ill play devils advocate.

I have noticed that one persons opinion of "looks fine" is anothers opinion of junk.

I rented a house from a friend a few years back and let me tell you, his idea of nice and my idea of nice were two different things.

If a car ran, it was a "great car" no matter how rusty, broken or foul running it was.

the lawn looked "fine" if he mowed it once or twice over the summer.

I wish I had a nickle for every time I did go look at something and it turned out to be a pile. Thats why I now have a 15 minute rule. If its more then 15 minutes away, chances are im not going to go look at it.
 

scipper77

Commander
Joined
Sep 30, 2008
Messages
2,106
Re: Funny "TLC needed" boat ads on Craigslist.

I've noticed that people who try to sell you a total piece of junk almost always try to come off like some kind of mechanical genius. This is true for anything... houses, cars, boats, etc...

For example, It just needs a (insert part here), $20 from the junk yard but I have priced it $200 dollars less than it's worth. And it's "always" an easy fix (sometimes with an if your handy thrown in).

If people who said this were being realistic then they would have fixed it themselves because it benefits there sale.

I recently sold my old house and let me tell you, I fixed everything I could find wrong because if you have to convince people that something isn't really a big problem, you won't get what the house is worth. I replaced some cracked window pains, repointed the bricks on the front steps, replaced a few pieces of aluminum siding that we lost in a wind storm.

Anyone who would rather convince you that you are better off dealing with the problems is a fraud.
 

Steve Mahler

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 10, 2006
Messages
361
Re: Funny "TLC needed" boat ads on Craigslist.

I have been reading classifieds my whole life. a sickness.

my favorite is the ad that states an item 'only needs x'.

why not get it yourself? if it really only needs a new solenoid, why discount it hundreds of dollars?


makes me really wonder if people have the brains to think through what they are saying.

I too have made trips only to be disappointed in what I find. But that is the hobby....
 

Dave K.

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Messages
437
Re: Funny "TLC needed" boat ads on Craigslist.

i looked at a 19' caravelle, openbow during my boat search. the guy said the interior needed a little work. Yeah It Sure Did! Looked like a "crocodile" got in their w/ no where else to go. he wanted $2,000 for the boat but was willing to dicker - I told him if he gave me $200, I'd get rid of it for him! the 3 litre merc,,,the plugs were rusted in to the block..what a deal..............
 

oops!

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
12,932
Re: Funny "TLC needed" boat ads on Craigslist.

hey guys....this thread is a neat idea......why not start posting the adds on this thread?......that way we can all see !.....kinda like a best of cl or e-bay.

if it needs to be in the sht forum....the mods can move it for us...

this thread might go "epic"
 

cdnfthree2

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
402
Re: Funny "TLC needed" boat ads on Craigslist.

We might not all agree on what a "bad deal " is, but I see several that would make us laugh right now. The question is how do we immortalize them? If we link to CL when the ad is taken down this thread would become junk. Do we copy the HTML?
 

fishrdan

Admiral
Joined
Jan 25, 2008
Messages
6,989
Re: Funny "TLC needed" boat ads on Craigslist.

Looked like a "crocodile" got in their w/ no where else to go.

Ah Ha HA!

My buddy got a boat and while looking it over I asked him where the alligator was. Alligator? Yeah, the one that tore the crap out of this boat, cause I don't want to get bit :D
 

Nandy

Commander
Joined
Apr 10, 2004
Messages
2,145
Re: Funny "TLC needed" boat ads on Craigslist.

I think copying the text will be great. I wonder about copyright though.... Not sure about that... But it is a neat idea!!! If we cant copy the text then the links will do....
 

slasmith1

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Dec 2, 2008
Messages
1,028
Re: Funny "TLC needed" boat ads on Craigslist.

The best line, "NADA says its worth XXX."

Umm, no, its worth that much *IF* its in good condition.

My favorite response to that is "ask NADA to write you a check then" or "really NADA offered you that much go sell it to them".
 

Nandy

Commander
Joined
Apr 10, 2004
Messages
2,145
Re: Funny "TLC needed" boat ads on Craigslist.

My favorite response to that is "ask NADA to write you a check then" or "really NADA offered you that much go sell it to them".

I generally just say "Im buying, not NADA"... and btw, NADA means nothing in Spanish, which is the true!
 

kaferhaus

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
250
Re: Funny "TLC needed" boat ads on Craigslist.

I love the ones that fit any of the following

Pictures of only one side of the boat

Pictures of only 3 sides of the boat

No interior pictures

Engine recently serviced (to some of these guys recent is in the past decade)

"a little TLC and she's perfect"

The last boat I bought (last week actually) was off of craigslist.. the ad read

16' flats boat w/50HP Nissan outboard PTT

It floats, it runs and nothing is broken

Model year of boat and motor is 2000



There were no pictures, I called the guy and he said "if you want a nice boat that you can fish out of instead of work on then come take a look. Otherwise I've got some needlepoint to get back too...

I about laughed my *** off... anyway drove the 60 miles to see it and pulled it home. Very clean well equipped boat that even had a full tank of gas...

And the best part is I paid him $2,000.00 for it. He was an elderly man who bought the boat for use in his retirement and blew his knees out only a couple months later. He said he let his adult son use the boat maybe a dozen times in the 9 years he's owned it.

Cranked it up every week for the past 9 years and let it idle for an hour or so.

When I arrived the boat was covered and the engine dead cold. Started instantly and purred like a kitten. He and I both estimate that there has to be less than 100hrs on the boat and motor..

Anyway, my luck with boat purchases usually goes in the other direction...
 

jonesg

Admiral
Joined
Feb 22, 2008
Messages
7,174
Re: Funny "TLC needed" boat ads on Craigslist.

Ok, color me confused... :D

29 year old Sea Ray, one owner for 29 years, i am 3rd owner,...

Theres 3 types of boaters,
those who can count and those that can't.
 

jonesg

Admiral
Joined
Feb 22, 2008
Messages
7,174
Re: Funny "TLC needed" boat ads on Craigslist.

SAw one ad that stated "just needs a $57 head gasket, easy fix"

maybe on a 4 cyl volvo with its simple rubber timing belt
but not so simple on a V8 with timing chains.
 

Nandy

Commander
Joined
Apr 10, 2004
Messages
2,145
Re: Funny "TLC needed" boat ads on Craigslist.

SAw one ad that stated "just needs a $57 head gasket, easy fix"

maybe on a 4 cyl volvo with its simple rubber timing belt
but not so simple on a V8 with timing chains.

Sure, just that... I was never aware that head gaskets just disappeared. I always thought there was some sort of problem that burnt the dang thing or bent the cylinder head.
 

slasmith1

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Dec 2, 2008
Messages
1,028
Re: Funny "TLC needed" boat ads on Craigslist.

Here comes the head gasket fairy... poof your blown.:D
 
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