What is too many hours on a 270 SunDeck w/496?

SeaNile

SeaNile

Well-Known Member
Aug 16, 2010
1,522
Chadds Ford, PA
Boat Info
2003 50 Sundancer
Engines
Cummins QSM11
Looking to pick up an 05 270SunDeck w/496 which has 400hrs. I'm a long time boater and the hours don't concern me but how many hours till it starts to bother/worry people? I put about 35-50hrs a year here in the Chesapeake area so if i keep this boat for 2-3 years it will probably still have under 500hrs.

Guess what I am asking is would you consider buying this boat if it had 500hrs on it? I always have resale on my mind...

Thanks.
 
Little Ducky said:
I would want to see a good log of maintenance records vs. worrying about hours.
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I hear you on that. No real records but the price is right. It's not local either so it's not like I can drive there and check it out. Might be worth paying for an engine survey at the least.
 
^^^^^ agreed
At that age and hours needs:
Plugs and wires, impeller and possible water pump, antifreeze changed, belt changed, injectors serviced, out drive removed and complete service including bellows, seals, shift cable, water tube, bearing, etc, cool fuel module replacement.

Service records needed to see how they did keeping up on maintenance.
 
Little Ducky said:
Private sale or at a dealer as a trade in?
Click to expand...

Private sale and this owner has had it for a full season now. He is a multiple boat owner and we talked for quite a while. Outdrive and bellows serviced but as for the engine just the basic stuff with no major repairs. One of the other boats he owns is a go fast with twin 502s and he sounds like a knowledgeable owner. I think he bought the boat and has used it trouble free and didn't go looking for issues and replacing a bunch of stuff. Kind of like what I've done with my previous few boats.

The other 270 SunDeck I'm looking at has 290hrs but has the wakeboard tower option with the smallish bimini top.
 
Hours are always an odd thing for boaters - it seems they're always too high or too low. Low hours and people are worried about lack of use - high hours and they're worried about to much use.

I go with maintenance history, and surveyor inspection results - and have a pre-determined hour range I'm looking for. I also look closely towards the rest of the boat and it's systems, as I've always felt they were a good indicator to an owners care for a boat. It's pretty easy to distinguish if they're an anal owner like many of us, or if it's a "happen to own a boat" owner that doesn't view boats like most of us - for lack of a better way in describing the difference.

500 hours is a nice round number it seems - not too high, not too low. All about the history and how they check out.
 
We have twin 454 with 3,000 hours. They seem fine boat goes as fast as it did when I got it with 650 hours on it. Maintenance and how hard it is used are key items. A good mechanic can tell you how the engines are and a good surveyor can tell you how good the boat is but it could cost you $1,000 and if you look at 5 boats the savings are gone. Find the boat you like and then get it inspected. It is like grocery shopping you will pay more for better items but you will find you do not get sick from bad items.
 
400-500hrs doesn’t bother me. I like to see an avg of around 50hrs a year. I figure the boat is being run and can’t have too many issues. Regardless of hours, if I could not verify maintenance was done that would be a deal breaker. I just walked away from a 2006 Cobalt that had a 496 with 500hrs. Main reason, dealer could not provide any history - combined with some things that didn’t look right it was a no go. The hours alone would not have made me walk. Now, you get in the 1000hrs range, l would pay much closer attention. Still plenty of life left in a well maintained 1000+hr Engine, but even well maintained, things eventually break or wear out.
 
I think you answered your question yourself in the second sentence. Its not as much about hours as it is about the overall condition that the boat is maintained in.
Lots of hours on a nice clean well maintained boat , or low hours on a not so clean, mildewed up crunchy vinyl, water in the bilge boat, most real boaters will choose the latter.
 
Well I absolutely agree with needing the maintenance history. Also, DON'T put too much credence in the fact that his other boat is a "go fast boat with twin 502"s and he seems knowledgable...." Plenty of go fast boat owners beat up their boats pretty bad. Also, he's only owned it for 1 season and is already selling it??? YOU better get a full survey on the hull and engine my friend!
 
Got the record today of all the work done since the summer. Very impressive list, almost too impressive! Now it seems as if too much work was done, I can't win. I'll call him again tomorrow and see if i can get some clarity on all the work.
 
A good survey by a GOOD mechanic . Service records , replaced items.
Going with 11 years at least it had the elbow replaced in the past year, (2nd set)manifolds are 11 years old? there due unless previously replaced.
inboard or I/O? need those service records too. If I/B when were the trans coolers replaced last?
 
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