Looking at a 2005 280 Sundancer - pricing advice

N

NautiBoy

New Member
Aug 5, 2020
3
Minneapolis, MN
Boat Info
Boatless
Engines
boatless
Hi, a few friends bought older cruisers this summer - it's been great to see there trials and regrets without having to pay for them - handing over cash for gas, beer and food when they take us with them is a small price for that kind of knowledge! I've owned a few ski boats in the past, and am excited to see the 280 we are looking at has a great reputation. We will use our boat on the St. Croix river with jaunts down south a little on the Mississippi. This is a freshwater boat with a single 496 (totally fine without twins) and no Gen. Has demand gone up recently? Based on the research I've done, I am thinking $40k or less is a more realistic price than the asking of $47k. Thanks, Mark

Description from Minneapolis Craigs:
2005 Sea Ray 280 Sundancer with Mercruiser 496 Bravo 3 outdrive, air conditioning ,heat, extended swim platform with sea deck & snap in marine flooring. New speakers throughout boat. Upholstery & gelcoat is in excellent shape. Fresh bottom paint. Only 450 hours..
 
Pricing has been crazy this year. Some owners are now thinking they can get more and upping prices and holding out. I see one guy listed with a broker at $70 and on craigslist (without broker) at $75. Boat is worth high $50s at best.

If you watch long enough, you'll see prices roll down. The over priced boats sit and sit, while the ones priced within reason go quick. As soon as the high priced boats come down to that magic level, boom they're gone.
 
$40k would be a good price ... I wouldn’t go over that by much... $47 is too much.... 8 years ago my BIL paid $55k with a trailer for a 2005
 
20200805_183155.jpg
Good advice, thank you! I looked at the boat with my wife yesterday at the owners prime location slip, which he is keeping for a bigger boat. Very,very clean. Sadly, the owner has very few records to offer, other than a few oil change receipts. He has owned it for 3 years and put 100 hours on it during that time "was told it doesn't need anything by the winterizing guys" (low use is not uncommon around here, when you have a coveted slip in Hudson Wi (long waiting list)). He bought it from Marine Max and is not even sure where the original owner is from. What if its a salvage boat is my concern. I am not sure I want to waste my time and money on a survey, with a boat with no records. But it does look and sound clean running on the dock. Says he's holding at $45k. I could offer $42k and proceed with a sea trial and survey. Or wait for another prospect, though little to choose from locally, and he will be getting some more attention. Attached photo is of some rust I saw forming on the outside of the starboard manifold. I hear freshwater manifolds can last well over 1000 hours or 15 years, so maybe this surface rust is normal?
 
“He bought it from Marine Max and is not even sure where the original owner is from”

Give Searay a call with the hull number....they helped me before on a boat with an uncertain origin.
 
NautiBoy said:
View attachment 89756 Good advice, thank you! I looked at the boat with my wife yesterday at the owners prime location slip, which he is keeping for a bigger boat. Very,very clean. Sadly, the owner has very few records to offer, other than a few oil change receipts. He has owned it for 3 years and put 100 hours on it during that time "was told it doesn't need anything by the winterizing guys" (low use is not uncommon around here, when you have a coveted slip in Hudson Wi (long waiting list)). He bought it from Marine Max and is not even sure where the original owner is from. What if its a salvage boat is my concern. I am not sure I want to waste my time and money on a survey, with a boat with no records. But it does look and sound clean running on the dock. Says he's holding at $45k. I could offer $42k and proceed with a sea trial and survey. Or wait for another prospect, though little to choose from locally, and he will be getting some more attention. Attached photo is of some rust I saw forming on the outside of the starboard manifold. I hear freshwater manifolds can last well over 1000 hours or 15 years, so maybe this surface rust is normal?
Click to expand...
Would buying from the original owner make you feel better about the boat you buy? Perhaps a nice twin engine that's been parked in a shed for a few years. Maybe like this one...
DSCN2532.JPG
 
NautiBoy said:
Hi, a few friends bought older cruisers this summer - it's been great to see there trials and regrets without having to pay for them - handing over cash for gas, beer and food when they take us with them is a small price for that kind of knowledge! I've owned a few ski boats in the past, and am excited to see the 280 we are looking at has a great reputation. We will use our boat on the St. Croix river with jaunts down south a little on the Mississippi. This is a freshwater boat with a single 496 (totally fine without twins) and no Gen. Has demand gone up recently? Based on the research I've done, I am thinking $40k or less is a more realistic price than the asking of $47k. Thanks, Mark

Description from Minneapolis Craigs:
2005 Sea Ray 280 Sundancer with Mercruiser 496 Bravo 3 outdrive, air conditioning ,heat, extended swim platform with sea deck & snap in marine flooring. New speakers throughout boat. Upholstery & gelcoat is in excellent shape. Fresh bottom paint. Only 450 hours..
Click to expand...

Mark,

The “rust” on the manifolds is inconsequential. Just take a look at your own car. Besides, the 496 engine is bullet proof. It’s the Bravo 3 sterndrive you should be looking at. That’s the weak point on the single engine 280s (I know I had the repair receipts). I don’t think the B3 is inherently repair prone, but I think the combination of large boat and single drive puts a lot of load on the drive, or at least more than a set of B3 twins.

As far as price, last spring (2019) we got $35K in trade in for our 2002/575 hours 280 that is equipped the same as your proposed boat. Although that was to a Sabre dealer who had the sale of one of their boats in the mix, we had listed it with a broker at the same price. So 40-47K for a newer boat in today’s market may well be in the reasonable range.
 
Last edited:
Just a general question. Is it possible to do a survey before making an offer?
 
Generally you make an offer that is contingent on a successful survey and sea trial.
Any hidden issues discovered during the survey and sea trial would be addressed by the seller or reflected in a lower sale price.
 
Espos4 said:
Generally you make an offer that is contingent on a successful survey and sea trial.
Any hidden issues discovered during the survey and sea trial would be addressed by the seller or reflected in a lower sale price.
Click to expand...

got it. Kind of like buying a house. Thx.
 
RutgersAl said:
Just a general question. Is it possible to do a survey before making an offer?
Click to expand...

A true survey can take more than a day. Our most recent took up three man days with the sea trial and the cost was commensurate. Our Hull and engine surveys involved two surveyors and cost us about $3k. Does every boat purchase require something that extensive? Not necessarily, so if you are contemplating something informal like having your favorite Merc tech spend a couple hours, you might float the question. Planning to spend a day or more, then maybe it’s a bit too much.

Another point is that a survey is part of the negotiation process. That’s not to say that a good faith survey embellishes the results to tear down the boat, but deficiencies become negotiation points. It strikes me a seller would be more motivated to accept responsibility for a defect with a deal in the balance.
 
RutgersAl said:
Just a general question. Is it possible to do a survey before making an offer?
Click to expand...
The problem with doing it before is that you're not guaranteed a deal. You're out the money, and the seller may not want to agree on price. With that said, and having paid for surveys after which deals fell apart, I am all for a through inspection prior to the offer. Seems to me the obvious stuff can be found without a survey. You can make sure the engines hit their RPM numbers, check for soft spots on the decks, even use a moisture meter around hatches and such, work all the switches, etc. Survey can confirm your findings. And then identify any surprises. Good luck.
 
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