What should I do???? Help!!!!

[LibertyBoat]

Re: What should I do???? Help!!!!

The HIN information, which is free, assisted me in identifying a Tennessee boat that was victim of flooding. This was never disclosed by the seller. Thankfully, I had not purchased the boat, which looked pristine but had a strong musty smell.

I highly encourage you to go ahead and invest in a survey conducted by a highly respected Marine certified surveyor in your area. They will check many things besides the engine: electrical, quality of the hull, gel coat, electronics, and help you prepare for any additional issues. Request an "in water" and "out of water" survey. In addition, they can affirm the good things about your purchase. It will not hurt, and hopefully it will prevent future surprises (outside of the engine/motor). Safe boating to you!

 

[crqflier]

Re: What should I do???? Help!!!!

The HIN information, which is free, assisted me in identifying a Tennessee boat that was victim of flooding.

Where is the free HIN information? I've only found pay sites that provide a history check.

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: What should I do???? Help!!!!

Since you already have a firm grip on your broken boat due to "as is" laws, chasing recourse at this point is a waste of time. You own it, let's try to help you make the best of it. The #'s you put up with a warranty don't seem too bad for a turn key repair. A survey first to see if it's worth it to drop a dime further makes some sense also. I have no personal faith in most of the VIN research sites, that information rarely gets logged as well as private sales prices making resources such as NADA and "car fax" type reports unreliable. But it's cheap enough for a look on the long shot it has a history.
I had a 96 27' Crown, nice boat. Nothing I would suspect that is inherently wrong with the hull that should give you problems. Sucks to have to drop a motor in one at 500 hours. But I think you're best off to bite the bullet and get it done and move on to enjoying it if everything else is reasonably sound.

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: What should I do???? Help!!!!

Honestly, even if he did lie to you about the motor, it's way too late at this point.

Someone else said it......a motor with problems would not run underload for 2 hours. Especially THOSE kinds of problems.

What was going on RIGHT before it quit on you? Where did it quit on you? Etc etc.

I'm willing to bet whatever caused the event happened while you were driving it.

500 hours on a boat is a LOT for certain types of boats..

 

[ingalp01]

Re: What should I do???? Help!!!!

Unfortunately, it is buyer beware. Everyone above has given good advice and their own opinions. My suggestion is this. Do this yourself... I'll explain why this is doable and YOU can do it below. I think the quote for new motor and install is excessive, but I'm cheap and mechanically inclined, and not afraid to get my hands dirty.

Spend some time surfing this forum in depth. Just read, read, read. You will find videos, pictures and countless success stories about engine installs, Transom re-builds, and complete boat restorations. After you see what some have done, make a decision and believe me you have come to the BEST place anywhere for all the free and friendly advice, or help you could dream of or hope for. I'd bet there's probably a member close that might even be willing to give you a hand for a beer or two, or just for an extra set of hands when he needs help.

Check it out and then decide. Best of luck to you...

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: What should I do???? Help!!!!

I agree with mostly everything said above, its your boat now but it certainly cannot hurt to contact a lawyer about the laws in your state most of us can only speak to the laws where we live so that would be my next step.

If you do find out it is your boat then the last thing I would do is put a remanufactured 260 hp carbed 350 in your 25' Crownline, I would take the opportunity to upgrade to a 350 mag or a big block 454 MPI or 496, inject it and make it what it should have been all along. You have a heck of a boat but I am biased, 260 hp is simply not enough for that boat though.

I'm sorry for your issues unfortunately you bare alot of responsibility in this, if there is a bright side it is that your not the first and you certainly will not be the last, spend some time on the site and you will find out the proper way to purchase a boat and perhaps others can learn from your mistakes or the previous owners unethical practices, there may not be anything left to do but invest more money into your boat or simply take the loss and sell it with a blown motor, only you can make that decision, but I can tell you that there is a large contingent of Crownies out there who love the boat, The boat you have is a quality product the problem is you did not purchase it new and you have no way of knowing what the previous owner did to it in regards to maintenance and care, this is something we preach here on iboats by way of always suggesting a survey and a sea trial, or possibly taking someone with you with good experience in boats, motors and outdrives. I hope the Previous Owner had no idea that the motor was done I really do as I have one of those tempers. Man this makes me sick you should be out boating not worrying about how your going to put a motor in your boat. Hopefully you have some legal recourse but my experience in my state says that your hosed, take a bunch of pics of your boat and show us what you have and upgrade the motor, get your tail on the water and have a blast.

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: What should I do???? Help!!!!

I totally agree with Lipp if you are doing a new engine anyway you need more power. I have a 20' Crownline open bow with the same power package your 25 footer has in it. For my size the boat is plenty powerful but a 25er is a big heavy boat that can haul alot of people, gear, and gas. Not sure what drive you have but I have heard of people using an alpha behind bigger engines with success, but you do need to skipper accordingly as the alpha is really designed with a lower horsepower/weight setup in mind. That really is a bummer that this has happened so soon after purchase. Explain exactly what went down and how it died to get better insight from the pros here.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: What should I do???? Help!!!!

Power is plenty for where he is using the boat. There are not a lot of places on Lake Minnetonka where you are going to be running a 25ft flat out.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: What should I do???? Help!!!!

oldjeep I respectfully disagree, I have a 25 foot Crownline with a 454 MPI its not about the top end for my boat although its a plus, getting her big butt out of the water takes a lot. At 4300 lbs, were easily around 6000 lbs with 60 gallons of gas, passengers and gear. Crownlines are known for being a little fat in the waistline but for me thats a plus as the added weight makes for a nice smooth ride!

 

[oldjeep]

Re: What should I do???? Help!!!!

oldjeep I respectfully disagree, I have a 25 foot Crownline with a 454 MPI its not about the top end for my boat although its a plus, getting her big butt out of the water takes a lot. At 4300 lbs, were easily around 6000 lbs with 60 gallons of gas, passengers and gear. Crownlines are known for being a little fat in the waistline but for me thats a plus as the added weight makes for a nice smooth ride!

You boat in lake Minnetonka?

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: What should I do???? Help!!!!

Never been and like I said its not about the top speed as much as it is getting the boat on top of the water, its a big heavy boat and it needs some pretty big torque to get it there never mind if your pulling a skier!

 

[Thulz10]

Re: What should I do???? Help!!!!

Hey everyone, thank you so much for the advice you have posted. Just to cover a few of the questions that were asked.

1. What were we doing when it died? We were sitting at big island and I went to turn on the boat to charge the batteries because we had the radio on and it would not turn on. The starter just hissed and would not engage the fly wheel. We thought it was a blown starter. We then got towed in at the tune of $118 and took the boat right to a boat tech to change out the starter. Once we took the starter out we found out that the starter that was in the boat was not the correct one. The one that was in there was a 10 prong sproket when the motor calls for an 11 prong sproket. There were metal shavings in the starter as well as the wrong sproket was worn and dull compared to the new one. From what I have read and heard from marina techs this could be a cause of issues because everything is down to the mm when it comes to these engines. The new starter did not work because we then found out the eninge was siezed. The fly wheel would not turn and I then took it to another tech for repair. That tech found the real issues. All of the techs have said the wrong starter could have been a short term band-aid to get the boat started while you were there. They also think that poor winterizaiton is a cause.

2. Regarding a larger engine, we just can afford to up the HP with this large cost for a new engine but I do understand your points as well as agree we dont really open it up on Tonka.

3. I have spoken to a couple of lawyers in MN and they all feel I have a case because of a couple of things in terms of the contract and other technical law. We do plan to take the seller to a small claims court and we are confident there will be recorse, but I do understand what everyone is saying the posts. I am no lawyer but I have to protect myself and my purchase.

Keep the posts going because all of these posts have helped. Thanks!!!

Thulz10

 

[oldjeep]

Re: What should I do???? Help!!!!

I'd still like to know what they found that points to incorrect winterization.

As for the starter the 10 tooth vs 11 tooth isn't really that big of a deal, just means that they probabally had a starter go bad and bought a new one. Small block chevy starters come in 9,10 and 11 tooth varieties for 153 and 168 tooth flywheels. The shavings would be because they didn't shim the new starter correctly when they installed it not because of the tooth count.

 

[produceguy]

Re: What should I do???? Help!!!!

Hey everyone, thank you so much for the advice you have posted. Just to cover a few of the questions that were asked.

1. What were we doing when it died? We were sitting at big island and I went to turn on the boat to charge the batteries because we had the radio on and it would not turn on. The starter just hissed and would not engage the fly wheel. We thought it was a blown starter. We then got towed in at the tune of $118 and took the boat right to a boat tech to change out the starter. Once we took the starter out we found out that the starter that was in the boat was not the correct one. The one that was in there was a 10 prong sproket when the motor calls for an 11 prong sproket. There were metal shavings in the starter as well as the wrong sproket was worn and dull compared to the new one. From what I have read and heard from marina techs this could be a cause of issues because everything is down to the mm when it comes to these engines. The new starter did not work because we then found out the eninge was siezed. The fly wheel would not turn and I then took it to another tech for repair. That tech found the real issues. All of the techs have said the wrong starter could have been a short term band-aid to get the boat started while you were there. They also think that poor winterizaiton is a cause.

2. Regarding a larger engine, we just can afford to up the HP with this large cost for a new engine but I do understand your points as well as agree we dont really open it up on Tonka.

3. I have spoken to a couple of lawyers in MN and they all feel I have a case because of a couple of things in terms of the contract and other technical law. We do plan to take the seller to a small claims court and we are confident there will be recorse, but I do understand what everyone is saying the posts. I am no lawyer but I have to protect myself and my purchase.

Keep the posts going because all of these posts have helped. Thanks!!!

Thulz10

Sure, the lawyers say you MIGHT have a case.Why do you think they would say that$
Maybe the PO didn't know their was a problem.
Just my thought.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: What should I do???? Help!!!!

Well that sounds great Thulz, I don't think you did anything wrong so hopefully you will get some justice in Small claims court, Good Luck!!

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: What should I do???? Help!!!!

Sorry about your bad Luck. A 6k Bill for a new motor would kill boating for me. Atleast for a while.

 

[25thmustang]

Re: What should I do???? Help!!!!

I would think if there was a winterization issue that allowed water into the motor, the seller could have possibly not known. After all, it sounds like you didn't know either, until it stopped running. Have you been in contact with the seller since the boat became yours? If they are answering their phone, talking with you, and getting you service records, I would be hard pressed to think they pulled a fast one on you and sold you a boat they knew had problems. Those sellers usually never answer the phone again when the boat leaves the property.