how do you determine the value of a used outboard?

[bluebrownie]

looking at some motors, but unsure how to go about determining if you are getting a good price....any thoughts?

 

[Vic.S]

Re: how do you determine the value of a used outboard?

Could look HERE

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: how do you determine the value of a used outboard?

1st depends on size. IMO there is about 4 different markets 5-20, 25-60, 75-115, 125 on up. Then there is the age issue, how old is it? Most of the used motors I buy are in the 5-20hp range and anywhere from 20-50 years old.
Unless it is pristine condition I won't pay over $200 for a 40-50 year old motor. In the 20-30yo range in VERY good conditon maybe 30-40% of new. Slightly lesser quality they also fall into the $2-300 range. A non-running good brand of motor are in the 75-100 range depending on what your inspection shows. If they don't have good compression the price falls into the parts category.
Any aircooled motor in VERY good condition is worth $75.00 IMO. Any thing less than that condition I wouldn't want it for any price.

So, that is one mans opinion. That and $1.00 will get you a cup of coffee. Alot will dpend on local conditions as well.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: how do you determine the value of a used outboard?

to me, they first must meet this criteria, or i know i can overcome a problem, which lowers the price.

BUYING A USED MOTOR

overall condition, condition of the place you are buying it from, usually tells you how they care for things. compression 100 + psi, and within 10% of each other, good strong blue spark, no water in the lower unit oil. look for discolored paint, (sign of over heat at
one time, also scarred up bolts, as why. have them start it. if they fail to put it in a barrell or tank, or on muffs, or in the water, to start it they don't know what they are doing. best yet is to take it for a 30 min to 1 hour test run. also if remote controlled motor, the controls should come with it.

 

[bolter15]

Re: how do you determine the value of a used outboard?

I wouldn't trust that site Vic.S mentioned for older motors at all. It places the value of a 1974 85hp motor in the $50 range, and that's just not true. People will pay a lot more for that motor if it's running.

I know of a mid seventies 70HP in a local shop being sold by a guy who's been in the biz 50 years, and he wants $1500 for it. Not $60 as the site says it's worth. But he's got a staff of mechanics who have been over the motor, and stand behind the sale.

You might find the same motor in the back of someone's shed and pay $300 for it. Or find it on the back of an old boat and only have to pay $1000 with the boat and trailer included. But those are "orphan" sales. You don't know what you are getting and you are on your own the moment money changes hands.

The ideal situation is where you find a motor with an issue you know how to fix in the hands of someone who doesn't know what's wrong with it. But don't buy it figuring you stole it. You still might have to spend four or five times what you paid putting parts on the motor, to get a runner that you could really trust.

 

[Daviet]

Re: how do you determine the value of a used outboard?

Sometimes the local market dictates the price. It is only worth what someone is willing to pay.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: how do you determine the value of a used outboard?

looking at some motors, but unsure how to go about determining if you are getting a good price....any thoughts?

I think if you named a few of the motors that you're interested in you would get a better response. Pics and description of each motor would be even better. 15 johnsons from the 80's and 90's go pretty high, so do most newer 25hp motors. Bigger motors than 40hp I don't know much about.

If a motor is more than 4 or 5 years old, I wouldn't likely pay more than 1/2 the cost of when it was new.

What hp are you looking at?
JBJ