2nd Deal fell through... ahhh

mnm99

mnm99

Well-Known Member
Oct 2, 2015
2,447
Long Island
Boat Info
2004 340 SeaRay Sundancer
Engines
Twin 8.1 Merc
Well I'm being patient , but why don't people just say it like it is or take care of there damn boats!! I'm wasting a lot of my time and money for people who lie. I live in the NY area and am looking for a 2003 and up 340 in good shape. I looked all over Boattrader, Yacht World, Marine Max and general web searches. Any other places that people people post or do YOU know anyone wanting to sell? Thanks...Hoping to have a boat by the new season.
 
I had 3 boats surveyed and rejected them all before I bought this one. We used to go to the winter Seattle boat show. I had no idea what I wanted in manufacturing but we knew what we want for interior and speed. I wrote a very detail specification of what I wanted and at the bottom of the page in big black letters I put.
IF YOU CALL ME AND DO NOT HAVE THE BOAT I WANT I WILL NEVER USE YOU AGAIN.
Two years of looking and no boat I got a call from a broker who said he had the boat I wanted for the price I wanted to pay. I went to Seattle went for drive in it and bought it.
I did get a few calls from brokers who were just trying to push what they had not what I wanted.
 
For me (after going through 4 boats) it came down to a bit of compromise to meet both my wants for the boat but also my wants for timing. Sometimes (at least in my case) it might make sense to compromise on certain aspects of the boat vs waiting until the PERFECT boat comes along.

I ended up compromising on some fit and finish issues that were DIY addressable to get a boat that had low hours, great runner and had received the deck repairs I considered a must for my vintage Sea Ray. With a wife and kids "motivating" me to get on the water there was no way I was going to miss the whole summer shopping. Even though I do love shopping...
 
Ohh - don't forget to peruse Craigslist as well. I've seen some nice rigs on CL in our area from time to time that may not show up in other places.
 
Stee6043 said:
For me (after going through 4 boats) it came down to a bit of compromise to meet both my wants for the boat but also my wants for timing. Sometimes (at least in my case) it might make sense to compromise on certain aspects of the boat vs waiting until the PERFECT boat comes along.

I ended up compromising on some fit and finish issues that were DIY addressable to get a boat that had low hours, great runner and had received the deck repairs I considered a must for my vintage Sea Ray. With a wife and kids "motivating" me to get on the water there was no way I was going to miss the whole summer shopping. Even though I do love shopping...
Click to expand...

I'm willing to compromise with stuff like , Radar, GPS, Bow thruster, Color ect...But stuff like beat up upholstery, rusty engine compartments, Faded dashes, moisture test failing I'm passing on.
 
I agree with moisture problems, As long as the hull and engines are in good shape, all other things are negotiable. Remember, the boats you are looking at are 10 plus years old. All boats are going to need something. At the right price, you can do all the upgrades, and have the boat you want.
 
I feel your pain. We've been looking at boats all winter and seen some real tubs of crap.
We pretty much know what we want (an 03/04 380 Sundancer or 03/04 3860 Regal) , but so far anything I've found in the places you mentioned were either long sold (but the brokers keep them as active listings), or have been listed for sale for years in some case because they are either real pieces of crap, or listed at crazy prices because the sellers owe too much money on them.
If a boat is listed on Yachtworld, Boatrader, Craigslist, or other places for any amount of time there is something wrong. Either it is not realistically priced, or not a great boat. The good ones go quick.
It's frustrating, but the good news is that I don't need to find a new boat to survive. I really want one, and am ready to pull the trigger and pay cash for the right boat, but it won't be the end of the world if it takes longer than I thought it would.
Keep your spirits up, and keep looking. There are boats out there that are really nice, and they do come up for sale, but they sell quickly if they are realistically priced, so you've got to be ready to buy.
 
mnm99 said:
I'm willing to compromise with stuff like , Radar, GPS, Bow thruster, Color ect...But stuff like beat up upholstery, rusty engine compartments, Faded dashes, moisture test failing I'm passing on.
Click to expand...

Good luck on the moisture test. The hardware on these boats was not always well sealed (and in many cases, not at all) from the factory and you will have a pretty hard time finding a completely dry 340sda. Many of these boats are wet on the deck and/or engine hatch, most just don't know it yet.
 
Have you tried looking north of the border??? Freshwater boats,generally lower hours and the premium of the US vs CDN $ in the 35% range..it might be worth the distance. boatdealer.ca might give you an idea.
 
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It took me a full year to find and buy my first boat. 27' Sundancer. It was worth all the time and effort. It was perfect for our family. Be patient. Don't buy until you can say "this is the one."


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Jack380AC said:
It took me a full year to find and buy my first boat. 27' Sundancer. It was worth all the time and effort. It was perfect for our family. Be patient. Don't buy until you can say "this is the one."


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Thanks....3rd one down...Another to look at this week.
 
Lot's of 340's down this way.
 
I have a friend in our Marina who has a 2006 340, tan hull for sale.
Looking for a larger boat.
Great shape, Fresh Water.
PM me if you want his contact info.
Boat is on Dale Hollow Lake, in Kentucky/Tennessee.
Steve
 
Waiting on a response on a bid for on a 2004...fingers crossed.
 
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Scott, if your boat was for sale, you wouldn't get near what you want for it. Sorry but prices on mid sized cruisers, used, are dead. New boats, no problem. 300k easy. Used clean, no gen in a 340da....80k to 120k....if you can find a serious buyer.

For arguements sake. My 240da, 30k to 35k, with trailer and option upgrades. No trade value, they won't even take my boat on trade unless it for wholesale, I'm not sure what that is. It would hurt my feelings or piss me off. So I keep it and use it. The times are screwed up man. Your boat, my boat, better than new I'm sure. But buyers don't care, they lowball everything. As long as people sell or lose their boats. There will not be a recovery. Sorry pal.
 
I'd rather pay a few extra bucks for a well cared for boat with upgrades and maintenance than to get a cheaper boat and fool myself that I wont have issues later or have to shell out money, time, labor, aggravation, etc to get it to same point as others....
 
There is a green 04 with 450 hours down here in VA. Asking price is high in my opinion at 109k, but it is a "certified used boat" from the local searay dealer and would come with a warranty. I don't know anything about it, but would be glad to take a look if you are interested. I have to stop by later this week to return some balsa core to the owner of the marina. It is a fresh water boat, so that adds some value(according to NADA).
 
A friend has a 05' 320 in excellent condition for sale in Milford Ct..
PM me if you want the details..
 
I probably looked at most of the local boats last fall before finding mine on boats.com. The site is not that user friendly but seems to have additional listings that were not on the other sites. Good luck!
 
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