We recently moved to a part of Wisconsin where there are lakes and rivers everywhere and boating is a huge part of the lifestyle. I have always been interested in having a boat, but there were not a lot of great places to boat where we moved from. I have no way to tow one, nowhere to store one don't really want to deal with either. I have a coworker who has a 93 Searay Bowrider that I jokingly offered to buy a few weeks ago and he has become interested in selling. I have no prior experience buying a boat, so I turned to the only place I knew I could find complete experts in any subject. He is asking $4000 and that includes a trailer. My research shows this is a fair price and it is right around where I want to be for a first boat.
The boat is stored at a boathouse with a hoist, so there is no towing involved and storage isn't an issue. The catch is that the only time he put it in the water last year it had a dead battery and he couldn't get it started. He has disclosed the dead battery and that it will need serviced due to inactivity before being ready to go. He has also told me about a couple other small issues that are non-issues for me. The boat looks amazing for it's age.
With the battery and service issue I wouldn't be able to trial the boat, this is my big concern. This is a coworker who I would see everyday and I really don't think he would want to screw me over and has tried to be as honest as possible. Do I pay a mechanic to come and service it before buying? Just buy it and take my chances? Have him pay to get it running and add that to the total? Avoid all together?
Also, I don't have any family or friends with a boat that I could use and I already know that this would require ongoing costs and that the best days of boat ownership are the days you buy and sell.
Any advice would be appreciated. TIA
The boat is stored at a boathouse with a hoist, so there is no towing involved and storage isn't an issue. The catch is that the only time he put it in the water last year it had a dead battery and he couldn't get it started. He has disclosed the dead battery and that it will need serviced due to inactivity before being ready to go. He has also told me about a couple other small issues that are non-issues for me. The boat looks amazing for it's age.
With the battery and service issue I wouldn't be able to trial the boat, this is my big concern. This is a coworker who I would see everyday and I really don't think he would want to screw me over and has tried to be as honest as possible. Do I pay a mechanic to come and service it before buying? Just buy it and take my chances? Have him pay to get it running and add that to the total? Avoid all together?
Also, I don't have any family or friends with a boat that I could use and I already know that this would require ongoing costs and that the best days of boat ownership are the days you buy and sell.
Any advice would be appreciated. TIA