2002 280 Sundancer

Good morning. I just signed up in hopes of getting some help with my decision to buy or not to buy a 2002 280 Sundancer that is in VERY GOOD condition. She has 600 hours on both 4.3 twins @ 220HP each. I have a sea trial set up for tomorrow and a survey. My wife and I have been weighing the pros & cons of this particular boat.

Pros:
1.) It’s in mint condition.
2.) Its only had one owner.
3.) It’s been kept out of water on the owners automatic boat hoist in between trips.
4.) We love the lay out of the cabin and upper deck. etc....
Cons:
1.) 16 years old.
2.) 600 hours. (Maybe this is not that many considering it’s a 2002?)
3.) No A/C.
4.) No generator.

So this gets me to my reason for joining this Sea Ray group. The boat has twin 4.3 engines @ 220hp each. I am just a little worried about having enough power. We live on Lake Michigan and will be using the boat for taking weekend trips to some of our favorite destinations. This boat is priced half the amount of a 2010 280 Sundancer that I was also looking at that only has 88hrs.

Can anybody please give me some advice on the 4.3 engines as to their functionality with the 280? Also does anybody know how much it cost to have A/C installed? Or is that even a possibility? How much for a generator install on this boat?

Please help! We want to be in the water by the 4th!

Thanks,
The Genos

600 hours may be on the low side. Ours is at about 600 and I know the previous owner stored it for at least two seasons, and ours pretty much sat out the last two while I was sick and then recuperating. 50 to 75 hours per season is my guess at the average for us northerners with a 6 month season, so you can do the math.

What shape are the electronics in? I've upgraded once already and we are do for a second as everything while working is about three generations obsolete. Figure $ 5000 to $ 10000 for a full electronics suite installed professionally: radar, chart plotter, FF, GPS/AIS/DSC/MMSI enabled VHF.

Check under the carpets, if there is black stuck to the deck it is the carpet backing disintegrating, replacements will run $ 600 to $ 900 depending on material choice.

If you can get the maintenance records great, if not keep in mind too few hours can be as bad as too many.

If you plan to be away from a slip any period of time lack of a genset is a definite negative. Not buying a boat with one is my one regret with ours. While you can add one, I'm not sure it would not be cost effective for you. Also about $10 k installed.

AC would be a task. I have never seen a 280 without AC so I don't know what they don't install. While SR is pretty good at installing wires when they aren't installing the devices, its doubtful the AC wiring would be in place, or the plumbing, both water and air ducting. So you pretty much would have to disassemble the port side of the cabin. Since the ducting goes through the cabinetry, unless your existing cabinetry matches the AC installed boats that would be a significant cost to either replace (if parts available), or modify. Again I suspect this would go well over $ 10k mostly in labor. And another cheaper to get another boat situation.

Im curious about your comment about cost. I recently was researching the value of 280s and did not notice that large a disparity between 2002s and 2010ish boats. Care to share the asking price, it might be the the cost of the boat is already factored to cover the lack of gen and AC.

Henry

I believe Presentation a member no longer active installed AC in his 280DA or maybe it was a genny. search for the thread. Personally I wouldn’t mess with it. There are many boats for sale that have both options. Also, if I was going with twins I would want the B3s plus the 5.0 mags. If you are going to maintain two power plants why go for the cheaper option. As I’m writing this I convinced myself you should pass on this boat.

Thanks Henry & Jim,

I appreciate the help/suggestions. They are asking 39,900 for the 2002 280 and the 2010 with 88 hrs jumps up to 79,900 which is a huge difference between the two. I was thinking that if I offered cash for the 2002 I could get it for a good enough deal to put the money into it for A/C and a generator. I am an electrical contractor so the generator install I could do myself.

The 2010 doesn’t have A/C either. Both these boats are right close to home so I think it’s the convenience of being able to get right into a boat without dealing with driving across the state or country to get the right one. I am going to look at a 330 Sundancer this afternoon that just came on the market for 69,900 and I believe it has A/C and a generator.

The 2002 price is in line with what I have seen. The 2010 price is way out of line, as you might now guess by finding a 330 for 10K less. I'm with Jim, find another boat that has the stuff you want.

Travel and transportation are just expenses once completed and paid for there are no repercussions. Major jobs like the AC, or a Genset, install could turn into gifts that keep on giving and not in a good way.

Henry

Just for reference there was a 2008 280 at our marina that was for sale for $62,000. It had the 350's and genset and was very clean. He ended up trading it in at the local SR dealer and they advertised it for $70k. I was there Friday looking at boats and we were talking about that boat and the salesman told me they sold it for $65k. It had a trailer too. Not sure what the trailer was but it was in very good condition too.

No A/c is a deal breaker. We use ours in chicago all the time since we live the harbor life.

The generator and a/c is the reason I bought my 280. Can't imagine not having them, as the reason we moved up from a bow rider (Sundeck) was to have amenities like a/c etc.....

Adding a gen and A/C would easily add 20k+ to the cost of that boat. Now you are in the 60k+ category, for a boat thats going to get really small, really quick for 2 people on a weekend.

For 60k, you should be able to find an older 310 or 320 with A/C and gen already installed.

bobeast said:

Adding a gen and A/C would easily add 20k+ to the cost of that boat. Now you are in the 60k+ category, for a boat thats going to get really small, really quick for 2 people on a weekend.

For 60k, you should be able to find an older 310 or 320 with A/C and gen already installed.

Click to expand...

The 2010 probably has a single i/o yes? Also has a narrower beam by a foot I think...the post 2009 280's are closer to the 260's...I've always been a fan of the 2000-2009 280 Sundancer's.

I just sold my 2002 freshwater 280 with 600 hours. Boat had both A/C and a genset. I can't imagine not having either one. I'd move on.

I recently purchased a 2001 280 DA ... The PO told me the A/C was dead( it needed some love but works fine) so I looked into what it would take to replaces it. The units are cheapish but the problem is retrofiting one might be a pain in the butt, the panel is different iirc and more importantly I doubt it has the sea cock for the water supply and through hull drains already installed. I could be wrong but that and the ancillary parts, water supply, duct work, drains ect would make it not worth the effort.

if you're dead set on buying and installing, I'll gladly share whatever info I can.