mirrocraft16
Seaman Apprentice
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2014
- Messages
- 36
A buddies dad who hasn't had a boat now in 25 years, kept the then almost new 40hp Tohatsu he bought for his runabout in 1992. The boat turned out to be a rotten mess so he pulled the motor and junked the boat.
I tried to buy it 10 years ago for my aluminum boat but he said he still wanted to find another hull for it.
Now, 10 years later, he's in his late 80's and realizes that he's too old to put another boat together. In casual conversation he mentioned that his neighbor offered him $850 for the 40h Tohatsu.
I really wasn't looking for a motor since I had rigged my boat for a 35hp Johnson that's in good shape but the Tohatsu is cleaner and has far less use on it, spending 99% of its years in his garage under a blanket. My 35hp is healthy but its also 42 years old.
He offered me the motor for the same price. I took a quick look around to see what others were selling for, but really didn't see anything that new for sale for less, in fact, most 40-50hp motors were all over $1,500, many none of which were newer or four strokes.
My question is should I spend the $850 and upgrade to a much newer motor with less hours on it, or leave well enough alone?
My boat is rated for 40hp, I'm running a 1979 35hp Johnson with 119/117 compression and moderate corrosion from saltwater use over the years. I had looked at a newer 30hp, which I'm told is the same as my older 35hp, just rated different, so in reality I'd be bumping up my hp by 10hp, and getting a motor that's 13 years newer, with electric start.
Plus, I can likely sell my 35hp to recoup a good bit of the $850, if not all of it since I don't see any complete outboards selling for any less here.
I tried to buy it 10 years ago for my aluminum boat but he said he still wanted to find another hull for it.
Now, 10 years later, he's in his late 80's and realizes that he's too old to put another boat together. In casual conversation he mentioned that his neighbor offered him $850 for the 40h Tohatsu.
I really wasn't looking for a motor since I had rigged my boat for a 35hp Johnson that's in good shape but the Tohatsu is cleaner and has far less use on it, spending 99% of its years in his garage under a blanket. My 35hp is healthy but its also 42 years old.
He offered me the motor for the same price. I took a quick look around to see what others were selling for, but really didn't see anything that new for sale for less, in fact, most 40-50hp motors were all over $1,500, many none of which were newer or four strokes.
My question is should I spend the $850 and upgrade to a much newer motor with less hours on it, or leave well enough alone?
My boat is rated for 40hp, I'm running a 1979 35hp Johnson with 119/117 compression and moderate corrosion from saltwater use over the years. I had looked at a newer 30hp, which I'm told is the same as my older 35hp, just rated different, so in reality I'd be bumping up my hp by 10hp, and getting a motor that's 13 years newer, with electric start.
Plus, I can likely sell my 35hp to recoup a good bit of the $850, if not all of it since I don't see any complete outboards selling for any less here.