HELP! buying my fist 89 bayliner capri

[bearsallday]

Hello im buying my first boat which will be a 1989 Bayliner Capri for $2500 with very clean cockpit, well maintained upholstery with a mercury 115 hp mercury.
Boat is used. The owner says it is ready to run EVERYTHING works great no problems.
BUT that the hydraulic lift needs fluid...
I dont know what that is so thats basically what i need to know FOR NOW..
Help me please
Thanks, Bryan

 

[tpenfield]

Re: HELP! buying my fist 89 bayliner capri

Got pictures ???

Have the seller do the thing with the hydraulic fluid and see if that is accurate. Don't take the seller's word for it that everything works, see it for yourself.

With a boat of that age, soft spots in the floor can be signs of trouble, so check it out.

 

[bearsallday]

Re: HELP! buying my fist 89 bayliner capri

Got pictures ???

Have the seller do the thing with the hydraulic fluid and see if that is accurate. Don't take the seller's word for it that everything works, see it for yourself.

With a boat of that age, soft spots in the floor can be signs of trouble, so check it out.

Im new to this site i will try to post pics right now. Thanks for the info
i dont really know what to look for.

 

[bearsallday]

Re: HELP! buying my fist 89 bayliner capri

 

[jigngrub]

Re: HELP! buying my fist 89 bayliner capri

Im new to this site i will try to post pics right now. Thanks for the info
i dont really know what to look for.

Don't rush into buying this boat. $2500 is very expensive for that 24 yr. old Bayliner.

Spend a couple of weeks reading the restorations in this forum before you buy anything, you'll learn what to look for so you don't get ripped off.

I think if the power trim just needed fluid the owner would have already put it in so everything worked on that boat for a potential buyer.

 

[Alwhite00]

Re: HELP! buying my fist 89 bayliner capri

Man, Be VERY careful and really go over that with a fine tooth comb, I hear about a lot of that model of boat that the transom & stringers are shot. - Every boat can have issues but they seem to be more prevelant, Maybe yhat is just because they sold tons of them.

LK

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: HELP! buying my fist 89 bayliner capri

Yep, don't rush into a $2500 24yr old boat.

 

[bearsallday]

Re: HELP! buying my fist 89 bayliner capri

Don't rush into buying this boat. $2500 is very expensive for that 24 yr. old Bayliner.

Spend a couple of weeks reading the restorations in this forum before you buy anything, you'll learn what to look for so you don't get ripped off.

I think if the power trim just needed fluid the owner would have already put it in so everything worked on that boat for a potential buyer.

Very true i am not in a big rush to buy i will post other pictures just so you guys can see how this boat looks

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: HELP! buying my fist 89 bayliner capri

Pix only get you so far, remotely via the 'net

Getting your hands on it, in person & EVERYWHERE you can reach...

Chicago, right?

be right back.......

 

[bearsallday]

Re: HELP! buying my fist 89 bayliner capri

Man, Be VERY careful and really go over that with a fine tooth comb, I hear about a lot of that model of boat that the transom & stringers are shot. - Every boat can have issues but they seem to be more prevelant, Maybe yhat is just because they sold tons of them.

LK

Yeah ive heard that also i will do my homework before buying a boat. Thats a very nice boat you have on your signature
.

 

[bearsallday]

Re: HELP! buying my fist 89 bayliner capri

Pix only get you so far, remotely via the 'net

Getting your hands on it, in person & EVERYWHERE you can reach...

Chicago, right?

be right back.......

Yes sir chicago northwest burbs

 

[bearsallday]

Re: HELP! buying my fist 89 bayliner capri

 

[bearsallday]

Re: HELP! buying my fist 89 bayliner capri

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: HELP! buying my fist 89 bayliner capri

Not to derail your plan, but go get your hands all over that Bayliner:

then go see this boat:
1974 starcraft 18ft fishing boat - $2000 (antioch )
You might offer $1250, and drag it home for less then the $2K asking, if the motor runs & the interior looks decent, it'd be a better 'deal' then that Bayliner.

But what exactly do you intend to use the boat for? Cruising, skiing/tubing, friends/family/kids, fishing? And where, Lake Michigan?

Don't hold me to it, but if I had to guess, that wood slat between the consoles on the Capri isn't original, nor is the 2-tone carpet, it at least warrants a very close inspection.


I like those sloped windshield Bayliners & the Capri's, and because they sold millions of them, many suffered poor maintenance & storage at the hands of inexperienced owners. They weren't exactly the VW bug of boats, but Bayliners were definitely a volume volume volume production runs.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: HELP! buying my fist 89 bayliner capri

This boat of this vintage is Notorious for bad workmanship and If not meticulously maintained they have a LOT of issues. You should take a very slow and extensive inspection of that boat. I'm betting you'll find a LOT of issues unless the PO was very conciencience about the care and upkeep of the boat.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: HELP! buying my fist 89 bayliner capri

Here's a potential problem I might have found with the Bayliner:

It looks like that walk-thru winshield is mismatching in a couple of places. At the top in the circle it doesn't look like it lines up straight accross and at the bottom in the square it looks like there is a gap.

If this is the way that walk-thru is, it's probably caused by a rot weakened deck. If the deck is strong and the consoles are set right that swinging glass will match up perfectly.

If you go look at that boat be sure to check for soft spot in the deck in the console area and around those seats.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: HELP! buying my fist 89 bayliner capri

I missed the mis-alignment, I was thinking an overlaid new deck... The slat & mis-match carpet were enough for me to think there might be trouble......

 

[jigngrub]

Re: HELP! buying my fist 89 bayliner capri

I missed the mis-alignment, I was thinking an overlaid new deck... The slat & mis-match carpet were enough for me to think there might be trouble......

Yeah, it's probably double decked taboot... I think whoever buys that boat is going to have problems and be disappointed.

 

[akorcovelos]

Re: HELP! buying my fist 89 bayliner capri

Way too much money for that boat. If the tilt fluid wasn't an issue it would be a $1500 boat, but I would bet money the lift rams leak and that's why the fluid is low. There are tons of better deals in the Antioch/Fox Lake area, keep looking.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: HELP! buying my fist 89 bayliner capri

Way too much money for that boat. If the tilt fluid wasn't an issue it would be a $1500 boat, but I would bet money the lift rams leak and that's why the fluid is low. There are tons of better deals in the Antioch/Fox Lake area, keep looking.

I agree, keep looking, but w/out getting my hands on it, IMHO, $1500 is still too high.....