Hello, New member. Assistance Please and tks

[Roccafellas]

Hello all, my names Jordan. 26 from Sudbury Ontario. I’m a mechanic and looking at purchasing a new boat..

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here is the link to it. I just have some quick questions..

are outdrives hard to find?
He claims its solely an outdrive that’s wrong (says he trimmed up too much heard a noise and shut it down) has a hairline fracture at the foot. I believe it’s called.
Is it worth $5000.00 if I got it for less could I resell easily?
last but not least. Parts parts parts.. are they expensive? Is this not worth it? Or could it be fairly easy..

he has 3 outdrives to go with it, ones missing the little fin at the very bottom, one has a decent crack and the third is the original with a hairline crack.. it’s a young kid. Seems straight forward but also says he has not transfered the boat into his name. But he never had troubles.. i’ve done this a few times with vehicles, but never got anything on the road was just a flip,
Are boats the same? Or could he of used it in the water (said he had it in the water for a year in a half on and off)

thanks!!!! Excited for responses.

 

[Roccafellas]

Hello all, my names Jordan. 26 from Sudbury Ontario. I’m a mechanic and looking at purchasing a new boat..

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Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.

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here is the link to it. I just have some quick questions..

are outdrives hard to find?
He claims its solely an outdrive that’s wrong (says he trimmed up too much heard a noise and shut it down) has a hairline fracture at the foot. I believe it’s called.
Is it worth $5000.00 if I got it for less could I resell easily?
last but not least. Parts parts parts.. are they expensive? Is this not worth it? Or could it be fairly easy..

he has 3 outdrives to go with it, ones missing the little fin at the very bottom, one has a decent crack and the third is the original with a hairline crack.. it’s a young kid. Seems straight forward but also says he has not transfered the boat into his name. But he never had troubles.. i’ve done this a few times with vehicles, but never got anything on the road was just a flip,
Are boats the same? Or could he of used it in the water (said he had it in the water for a year in a half on and off)

thanks!!!! Excited for responses.

 

[dwco5051]

Does not sound like that good of a deal to me. 5.000C sounds about the right price if everything worked and the rest of the boat is in good shape. Remember that boat is 30 some years old. Possible paperwork problems with ownership questions. Don't know about Ontario but down here it might be a nightmare to transfer ownership. A rebuilt outdrive could cost 2500 or more. It might be a diamond or it might be a lump of coal. I would not go for that deal.

 

[Roccafellas]

Does not sound like that good of a deal to me. 5.000C sounds about the right price if everything worked and the rest of the boat is in good shape. Remember that boat is 30 some years old. Possible paperwork problems with ownership questions. Don't know about Ontario but down here it might be a nightmare to transfer ownership. A rebuilt outdrive could cost 2500 or more. It might be a diamond or it might be a lump of coal. I would not go for that deal.

Thank you for the reply, much appreciated. Where are you located? For $5k I figured trailer and engine were probably worth around that much considering it’s swapped to electronic ignition?
and I’ve just been reading and reading on horror stories about how hard it is to service or get parts for a king cobra outdrive.
up here it’s rediculous, for $5k you find a jon boat with a 9.9.. idk if its covid or what but it’s insane a boat way worse than this is selling for $9500.. and sold.

 

[JASinIL2006]

A boat with a broken, defunct OMC drive? Personally, I would not even consider it. Few, if any, places will work on it, parts are hard/impossible to find… no thank you.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... If it was Merc or Volvo powered, it might be a deal,....

With a broken king cobra, it's something to Run away from,....

 

[hugh g]

The guy has 3 outdrives that are cracked/beatup, KC's to boot & paperwork issues. He should give you $5000 just to take it off his hands.

 

[Jermy-Jinky]

Knowing what I know now (because of this forum), I wouldn't have bought my boat (it was a unexpected gift from my wife) and it was only $600 USD. If I had known she was looking to buy me a used boat, I would've done all of my research upfront and quickly passed on it. LUCKILY my paperwork issues were not a problem; the boat and trailer are another story. So now, I am the proud owner of a 30+ year old boat and trailer that need a good deal of work (read that as $$$ and TIME) before I can splash it.

Because recreational vehicles (especially boats) are in such high demand right now, every yokel with a boat that's been sitting in his side yard for a decade is trying to sell it for top dollar. There's a lot out there. A lot of it is crap, unless you're really in to the whole boat rehabbing thing. There's a lot of decent stuff out there too...you just have to be smart about it. Do your homework. Read and ask questions on this forum (there's a whole sticky section on buying boats). Look over every square inch on that boat, ask the owner every single question about it. Look where you wouldn't think to look. Don't let age alone scare you off....there's some really nice, well cared for older boats to be had. BUT, there's twice as many piles of junk too.

Good luck and happy boating!

 

[Roccafellas]

Ayuh,..... If it was Merc or Volvo powered, it might be a deal,....

With a broken king cobra, it's something to Run away from,....

Hey! Thanks for the reply, when you say powered by, do you mean the engine or the outdrive? And why do you say a no go if not powered by either or?

 

[Roccafellas]

Knowing what I know now (because of this forum), I wouldn't have bought my boat (it was a unexpected gift from my wife) and it was only $600 USD. If I had known she was looking to buy me a used boat, I would've done all of my research upfront and quickly passed on it. LUCKILY my paperwork issues were not a problem; the boat and trailer are another story. So now, I am the proud owner of a 30+ year old boat and trailer that need a good deal of work (read that as $$$ and TIME) before I can splash it.

Because recreational vehicles (especially boats) are in such high demand right now, every yokel with a boat that's been sitting in his side yard for a decade is trying to sell it for top dollar. There's a lot out there. A lot of it is crap, unless you're really in to the whole boat rehabbing thing. There's a lot of decent stuff out there too...you just have to be smart about it. Do your homework. Read and ask questions on this forum (there's a whole sticky section on buying boats). Look over every square inch on that boat, ask the owner every single question about it. Look where you wouldn't think to look. Don't let age alone scare you off....there's some really nice, well cared for older boats to be had. BUT, there's twice as many piles of junk too.

Good luck and happy boating!

Thank you, I actually did read up on that thread. God you guys are smart! I’m a mechanic and I’m pretty hands on. I also have a dreaded 6.4 powerstroke that everyone told me to run away from because they were junk.. so I’m thinking in my head this is just another case like that, that I can maybe actually keep running? Like my truck. But I have read that thread honestly Im just so bummed because up in sudbury we have NOTHING for boats and I want a 454. I’ve literally been reading and calling places all morning. Half say RUN! The other half say they can fix it but for how long. I wish I knew what killed these things if its too much or too little trim etc that way if I did find a good drive I could keep it running. I’m going to try and get the boat for close to $2500 CAD if I can.
Thank you so much for the help! I really do appreciate it

 

[dwco5051]

Not an expert by far on that drive but I did hear they were hard to adjust the shift cables right.

 

[JASinIL2006]

If you're really thinking about the boat, I suggest you try finding a replacement outdrive, or parts for it... it doesn't matter how accomplished you are as a mechanic, if you can't get parts, you can't fix it. I think you're nuts to even consider it -- folks like Bondo know what they're talking about -- but if the idea of a 30+ year old boat with an obsolete drive with NLA parts (and who knows what other problems, like rotting of wood structure below decks, which we haven't even mentioned yet), sounds good to you, go for it. I predict we'll be seeing you in the Restoration forum before long.

 

[gr8knurlin]

Well the ad is gone so either you bought it or someone else did.....

Four Winns makes a very solid product, mu first cabin boat was a 1993 Vista 238 and was a phenomenal boat - Still is, it lives on my dock still owned and enjoyed by friends of mine.

Boat prices in the great white north are CRAZY right now, $5K will get you a knock off zodiac with a 9.9hp or a 1979 16' Peterborough. I'm not a mechanic but if the bones are good it might be worth changing out the whole drive system motor & all - drop in a merc or volvo. Buddy of mine repowered his 90's bayliner (engine & drive) for about $5k doing the install himself. I'm not knowledgeable on flipping but if the powertrain were to cave on the 93 Vista on my dock ( Cobra 5.8L with OMC drive) I'd encourage them to invest the $7-10K into a new drivetrain and continue to enjoy it for years to come. Structurally the boat is mint. Had the drive seal replaced about 8 years ago and at that time there was zero rot or degradation to the structure.

Just my 2 cents, these guys are probably right, you likely should run away but I'm a big fan of the Four Winns product.

 

[Jermy-Jinky]

Thank you, I actually did read up on that thread. God you guys are smart! I’m a mechanic and I’m pretty hands on. I also have a dreaded 6.4 powerstroke that everyone told me to run away from because they were junk.. so I’m thinking in my head this is just another case like that, that I can maybe actually keep running? Like my truck. But I have read that thread honestly Im just so bummed because up in sudbury we have NOTHING for boats and I want a 454. I’ve literally been reading and calling places all morning. Half say RUN! The other half say they can fix it but for how long. I wish I knew what killed these things if its too much or too little trim etc that way if I did find a good drive I could keep it running. I’m going to try and get the boat for close to $2500 CAD if I can.
Thank you so much for the help! I really do appreciate it

You're welcome. And I am FAR from being an expert...I'm a rookie owner myself; I've ran and driven many boats of all kinds over the years, but only as a driver, never an owner/operator. But the guys on this forum have already taught me a lot, and everyone is super willing to give guidance. It's a bummer that there isn't as much available up there; down here you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a boat for sale. Good luck! One thing I have learned so far, it doesn't matter how mechanically inclined you are...these floating things we are all obsessed with here are a completely different animal.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Well the ad is gone so either you bought it or someone else did.....

Four Winns makes a very solid product, mu first cabin boat was a 1993 Vista 238 and was a phenomenal boat - Still is, it lives on my dock still owned and enjoyed by friends of mine.

Boat prices in the great white north are CRAZY right now, $5K will get you a knock off zodiac with a 9.9hp or a 1979 16' Peterborough. I'm not a mechanic but if the bones are good it might be worth changing out the whole drive system motor & all - drop in a merc or volvo. Buddy of mine repowered his 90's bayliner (engine & drive) for about $5k doing the install himself. I'm not knowledgeable on flipping but if the powertrain were to cave on the 93 Vista on my dock ( Cobra 5.8L with OMC drive) I'd encourage them to invest the $7-10K into a new drivetrain and continue to enjoy it for years to come. Structurally the boat is mint. Had the drive seal replaced about 8 years ago and at that time there was zero rot or degradation to the structure.

Just my 2 cents, these guys are probably right, you likely should run away but I'm a big fan of the Four Winns product.

With a 30+ year old boat, who made the boat is much less important than how well the boat was cared for, and the conditions under which it was used and stored.

 

[Bondo]

Hey! Thanks for the reply, when you say powered by, do you mean the engine or the outdrive? And why do you say a no go if not powered by either or?

Ayuh,..... While the motor in the boat yer lookin' at is a Chevy 454, it's been marinized by OMC, so it's a package, 'n many of the accessory parts are NLA, 'cause OMC went outa business,.....
Only the Long Block, is Chevy,....
Well,.....
The other drive manufacturer's also do the same thing,.....
Stick with a Chevy powered Merc or Volvo, 'n you might become a Happy boater, rather than an ex-boater, frustrated that ya can't find parts,.....
Even Merc, 'n Volvo have packages that Suck, such as the Merc 470, or the ole Volvo's with the Volvo I-4 motors,.....

 

[Roccafellas]

Ayuh,..... While the motor in the boat yer lookin' at is a Chevy 454, it's been marinized by OMC, so it's a package, 'n many of the accessory parts are NLA, 'cause OMC went outa business,.....
Only the Long Block, is Chevy,....
Well,.....
The other drive manufacturer's also do the same thing,.....
Stick with a Chevy powered Merc or Volvo, 'n you might become a Happy boater, rather than an ex-boater, frustrated that ya can't find parts,.....
Even Merc, 'n Volvo have packages that Suck, such as the Merc 470, or the ole Volvo's with the Volvo I-4 motors,.....

Thank you. Lol Ayuh! I love that hahaha,

well ladies and gents.. he sold the boat..

but honestly thank you guys so much I appreciate all the replies I now know what to look for..

Before I saw this boat I was looking at another 89 liberator with a 454 and nothing was wrong with it.
Until I made this thread and I saw how hated the king cobras are..i went back to look at the other liberator and saw the outdrive was also a KC! So I said even tho it’s running now…she probably won’t last.. SO. I guess it’s a waiting game..

with all that being said. What would be the best boat combo HAS TO HAVE A 454! or bigger..lol first time boat owner.

 

[Roccafellas]

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This guy is willing to go to $8500 said it was just serviced and runs like a top. It also has the King Cobra.. although all the previous comments here were the fact it was a broken KC.. a good running one is it a problem? Thanks!

 

[gr8knurlin]

$7500 below asking seems fishy to me... I've bought and sold a ton of boats on kijiji and typically there is about a 10% negotiation buffer, 55% seems like a red flag. I bought my Vista 238 for $15k and they guy had been asking $23k but it was an end of season buy and he didn't want to have to pay for winterization/storage etc. just to list again in the spring. I also had to drive 12 hours to Penticton BC to pick it up. I can see a major price drop like that in late Sept/Oct if there wasn't much interest but a 55% reduction in June seems fishy to me..... I would think that is comparable to these;

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Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.

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Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.

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[Roccafellas]

$7500 below asking seems fishy to me... I've bought and sold a ton of boats on kijiji and typically there is about a 10% negotiation buffer, 55% seems like a red flag. I bought my Vista 238 for $15k and they guy had been asking $23k but it was an end of season buy and he didn't want to have to pay for winterization/storage etc. just to list again in the spring. I also had to drive 12 hours to Penticton BC to pick it up. I can see a major price drop like that in late Sept/Oct if there wasn't much interest but a 55% reduction in June seems fishy to me..... I would think that is comparable to these;

Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds

Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.

www.kijiji.ca

Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds

Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.

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Yes I saw those! The Cobalt is beautiful, honestly is an old man, and he owns a successful mechanics shop. He said he bought the boat and got sick and couldn’t use it. Where he is, it’s very far on the outskirts kind of “back country” honestly it’s almost as if there is no GPS to get there so I feel like many people are scared because they won’t find it or it’s so far. I know that sounds so far fetched but he was going to go to 10 then I said well I’m coming from 6 hours he said if you come this weekend and get it out of my hair i’ll take $8500. He actually told me he paid 9 for it 2 years ago. I have looked a lot through this site and I don’t care to drive 12 hours round trip if its not good. But I’m definitely interested as long as people say the boat itself isn’t junk. But I’m well aware how the scenario sounds haha.