Newbie: Looking at buying our first boat. Please comment.

[Jrock_02]

****I already posted this Thread in "Boat Topics and Questions", but I'm not sure if it belongs there or here****


Hello all, I'm new to this forum and to boating in general.......

My wife and I are looking at purchasing a Pre-owned 2003 Chaparral 235 SSi "Cuddy Cabin" from a Boat Dealer. It has a Mercruiser 5.7L 350 MAG MPI (300HP) Bravo III Engine (with approx. 300 hours on it). According to the Dealer, the previous owner of this boat was an older gentleman (whom purchased the boat new from them back in '03). He would use it for only 6 months out of the year and ONLY in Freshwater (so it has never been in saltwater). Anytime the boat wasn't in use, he kept it on a lift in his boathouse. He has performed the yearly maintenance on the boat through the dealership and they have record of this. He has supposedly traded in this boat to upgrade to a much larger one.

My wife and I went out to the dealership to look at and test-drive the boat. It is truly in immaculate condition!!! Inside and out, it looks like a brand new boat; and it rode beautifully (we got it up the 53mph)!!! The boat is listed as 23' but with the extended swim platform it is really 25'. It has the "Quick and Quiet" exhaust (which makes it sound aggressive when you route the exhaust above the waterline), it has a fire extinguishing system, Dual Battery Cross-over Switch, Snap-in Carpet, Cockpit Cover, Bimini Top, Transom Shower, Porta-Potti, and the Premium & Convenience Packages. It also comes with a 2003 Magic Tilt Aluminum Trailer (with Surge Brakes) and the dealer is throwing in a "Coast Guard Kit" which has 4 Life Jackets, Flares, Anchor, etc (they told me that they normally sell those for $250). Unfortunately, the 3 year warranty on the engine and the 5 year warranty on the hull have both expired.

Being that this is our very first boat purchase and neither my wife nor I are very savvy when it comes to boats, I wanted to make sure we are indeed getting a good boat and a good deal. I don't want to go into a deal overpaying (especially in today's market where the buyer has the upper-hand). They wanted $32,600 but I negotiated them down to $29,500 Out-The-Door (tax, tag, title, dealer fees, etc.) This is a lot of money for me and my family, but we are more than willing to go through with the purchase as long as I know I'm getting a good boat for a good price. The engine has its original manifolds and risers but being that the boat has only been used in Freshwater, I was told they are still in good condition. I don't want to purchase this boat and then have to put out a lot of money for immediate repairs. The dealership (which has performed all the maintenance on the boat) has said that the manifolds and riser are still in excellent condition, which I have to take their word for it. They claim that the boat is pristine condition because of the previous owner's light use, him only using it in Freshwater, and because he never left it in the water (he stored it in his boathouse when it wasn't being used). Oh, and the boat is Not bottom painted (I'm not sure if that matters or not).

I'm sorry for such a lengthy post, but like I said, since this is our very first boat and it being a major purchase for our family, I want to ensure I'm not overpaying or getting a bad boat/deal. I wanted to give all the information that I have to you experienced individuals, so that you can give me your most honest answers. Please comment on the Boat Manufacturer (Chaparral), this type of boat, the engine, your experiences with this boat, the price, or anything that you feel will be helpful to me. Thank you for your time, it is greatly appreciated.

Here are some pics of the boat:
http://images.traderonline.com//img/6/dealer/1327929/92462076_1thumb_550x410.jpg
http://images.traderonline.com//img/6/dealer/1327929/92462076_2thumb_550x410.jpg
http://images.traderonline.com//img/6/dealer/1327929/92462076_3thumb_550x410.jpg
http://images.traderonline.com//img/6/dealer/1327929/92462076_4thumb_550x410.jpg
http://images.traderonline.com//img/6/dealer/1327929/92462076_5thumb_550x410.jpg
http://images.traderonline.com//img/6/dealer/1327929/92462076_6thumb_550x410.jpg
http://images.traderonline.com//img/6/dealer/1327929/92462076_7thumb_550x410.jpg
http://images.traderonline.com//img/6/dealer/1327929/92462076_8thumb_550x410.jpg
http://images.traderonline.com//img/6/dealer/1327929/92462076_9thumb_550x410.jpg
http://images.traderonline.com//img/6/dealer/1327929/92462076_10thumb_550x410.jpg

Here is the Link to the 2007 Chaparral model of this boat:
http://www.chaparralboats.com/containers/chaparral.html
(just select SSi Sportboat 235)

 

[MichaelYor]

Re: Newbie: Looking at buying our first boat. Please comment.

I too wrote you a long reply and lost it due to this website. Anyway, here's the short version. If you email me personally, I'll reply with my phone number and I can share our experience. (yor @sti.net)

We just bought this exact 2003 boat (minus transom shower and exhaust options) at a wholesale auto auction 2 months ago for $22,700 in California. BUT, realize it's a big risk with no test drive and totally "as-is" when you buy wholesale. All I can tell you is my wife (who's the car dealer) told me the boat dealer who she outbid was very upset with her.

We lucked out and learned it only had 41 hours. I called the orig selling dealer and he told me the boat originally sold in 2004 for $36,500. He also said a typical recreational user will put 100 hours per season so 300 is probably low for Florida.

Remember, the blue-book values are never right on boats. Too low.. because demand is high for the good ones. I'd feel good about your price if I were you. Maybe just pull a negotiating gambit called a "nibble" right before you give the final agreement and say, "Of course, you'll need to throw in a "Super Mable" with tow rope to make this a complete family package, okay?" Good luck!

I have many specific details to share with you about the thoughtful design of this boat and what we've learned comparing it with our previous cuddies. It won a design award in 2003 and I know why. It's awesome! You are guaranteed to love it. It's not too big. You can handle it and you'll need the space with your kids. Boat camping is the best and this cuddy has plenty of room and storage. You'll wake up to million dollar views that you and your family will remember for a lifetime. ~Michael

 

[GAChapDealer]

I hope this finds you in time

I hope this finds you in time

Dear Boater,

Hi, my name is Shannon, and I work for one of the top 10 Chaparral Dealers. We are located in Georgia. I happen to have stumbled upon your forum, about the 2003 Chaparral 235 SSi Cuddy Cabin, to my dismay It appears you are being taken. That boat based on the condition you described, and options, is only worth $21,000 (extremely clean) in my ABOS book. Also I noted that they where giving you the life jackets, flare, Etc. at no cost I'm not sure what state your in but most states make it mandatory for the dealer to put these in the deal for no charge. If you?re in a state where that is not mandatory, the dealer cost for this package is a mere $64.00!!! I hope this message is of some help- I would renegotiate the deal-make an offer of $24,000 not a dime more. The boat is not worth any more than discussed. Let me know if you have further questions.

 

[Jrock_02]

Re: I hope this finds you in time

Re: I hope this finds you in time

Dear Boater,

Hi, my name is Shannon, and I work for one of the top 10 Chaparral Dealers. We are located in Georgia. I happen to have stumbled upon your forum, about the 2003 Chaparral 235 SSi Cuddy Cabin, to my dismay It appears you are being taken. That boat based on the condition you described, and options, is only worth $21,000 (extremely clean) in my ABOS book. Also I noted that they where giving you the life jackets, flare, Etc. at no cost I'm not sure what state your in but most states make it mandatory for the dealer to put these in the deal for no charge. If you?re in a state where that is not mandatory, the dealer cost for this package is a mere $64.00!!! I hope this message is of some help- I would renegotiate the deal-make an offer of $24,000 not a dime more. The boat is not worth any more than discussed. Let me know if you have further questions.

I read that the ABOS Pricing Guide does not take the boat's engine or trailer into consideration when calculating its' price. So that could be a reason on why is priced so low. I also checked NADA and BUCvalue and both of those websites price the boat between $27K to $31K. Unfortunately I can't price my boat with ABOS since it's not available online. Also, doing my research on various "Boat Selling" websites (ex. BoatTrader.com, iBoats.com, Boat-World.com, etc.), all these websites seem to have comparable boats in the price range that I'm paying.

I'm not saying that I disagree with you........ all I'm saying is that there seems to be more sources that price the boat in the range that I'm paying vs. the ABOS (which is the only source that I've seen/heard price the boat so low).

Either way, Thank you for your comment and concern. It does make me more skeptical of this deal. Maybe I'll have to drive up to GA to buy my boat!! By the way.......... do you have any Chaparral 235 SSi's??? LOL