potential Sea Ray owner this week

And I'm not discounting the value of NorCal's advice. Not one bit. I truly value all of the great information offered here on CSR!!!

As far as NADA is concerned. Comps are great if you can find them, but on a boat this old, good luck finding one in the same condition in the same geographical region to pull comps on. Everybody on this thread says the NADA value on this boat is way overpriced but then I read another thread where everyone says NADA is too low, it favors the dealers and "If I was selling my boat and someone offered me NADA I would tell them to go %&@# themselves" So which is it? I use NADA for a ballpark idea, but at the end of the day your boat is worth EXACTLY what you can sell it for. Also, if you have to finance your purchase, which I'm sure many do, good luck getting a loan for more than book value.
 
Good luck In the year ahead on the Mon. Allegheny,and the Ohio. Keep an eye out for the river debris.Spent many weekend as a kid on the Ohio in the pool near East Liverpool around the Shipping Port area.Did pretty much the same thing you did purchased my 1988 230 We. three years ago for $6500 with trailer from the Erie Pa. area without a test ride.Are you taking a risk without a survey you sure are but under $10,000 invested I understand.One thing you got to keep in mind is that fresh water boats like we are used to in this area do not have the problems that the salt water boats have or the hours on them because of are boating season.


previous boat Shipping Port nuke

 
You know, you guys are right. If someone doesn't want to follow advice given that's their prerogative. Just as those on this site that are willing to take the time to offer it have the choice of offering it or not. Maybe I'm just getting cranky in my old age.

I guess my frustration comes from people coming on the site and asking for help and then ignoring it. And there have been some that have heeded the advice and moved on. In the big picture, it's not my problem.

Enjoy your boat....really. I hope it all goes well for you and that you and your family enjoy boating as much as I have over the years. And please forgive my rant.

Shawn
 
Truth be told, I know I'm getting cranky and intolerant in my old age. I guess its just inevitable...:huh:
 
most on here are trying to help "in good faith" and don't want others with the same interests and hobbies to make expensive mistakes.

I liken this and many other situations like this to Parents (experience) and teenagers (newbies).

There comes a time in a parent's life where your teenager knows absolutely everything about everything and then some, even though you can tell by the questions being asked and/or their actions and life experience that they need guidance.

Most parents and most teenagers go through this stage.

Most parents and teenagers don't "breakup" over the disagreements as frustrating a process as it can be but as time and experience gathers under the teenager's belt and they have teenagers of their own they realize their parents (experience) were only looking out for them and had their best interest at heart.

So if you give advice and someone does not take it no matter how sage the advice is, don't take it personally, just chalk it up to that person likes to skin his own knees and learn from his own mistakes. He will ask what you think but he is only doing so as a minute part of his decision making process (just like a teenager does) your advice will not be the "end all and be all" of his decision. If he wants to make an emotional decision, well guess what, he will and there is NOTHING that you can do about it but hope for his sake that things work out and that he enjoys his new hobby, or you could always poke fun at him when his new toy costs an arm and a leg to make it sea worthy.

Maybe we can create a sticky that answers all of these newbie questions and when asked we can point/link them to the sticky that way we knew we tried to help them and whether or not they take our advise is up to them. If they do great, if they decide they want to skin their knees and learn from their own mistakes well, good for them too, I guess, but at least we won't be as frustrated that they did just ask for and then not heed our advice.

Mama always said a fool and his money are soon parted!!

If I may insert a little humor here, for those of you with experience please don't take your ball and go home!! I'm sure you remember being a teenager (newbie) and being headstrong and wanting to make your own way in life and your parents (experience) didn't know a thing and couldnt tell you anything and wouldn't let you make your own decisions, seriously what was wrong with them??? ............ most individuals making a decision to purchase a boat have managed to get to a certain point in thier life and they feel like they are pretty savvy decision makers, little do they know how wrong they are .......... lol

Thank you all for all of the free advice and diagnosis that you so freely share and to all the grumpy old farts out there; I guess when I grow up I'll be just like you, lol

crap I just looked at my license, it appears I'm already a grumpy old fart ..............
 
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no offense taken guys. and i understand where you are coming from. i am a veteran on a racing forum and give advice all the time and its ignored...lol. but i think (hope) i got a good deal. i have been shopping around and this was by far the best looking boat that i found in this price range. if you guys are finding them for thousands less then buy them and bring 'em here and sell them cause everything under $6000 around here looks like it has 1 foot in the grave.
but i am sure i will have more questions. for personal reasons i had a strict budget and couldn't afford to pay out for surveys on 3 or 4 boats. and before you say that if i can't afford that then i shouldn't be boating, again, you don't know my situation. it was either get a boat now or i probably never would be able too. i'm just crossing my fingers that this one all works out. everything that i can see it is solid. and i understand there is hidden stuff but i guess i have to take my chances here.
 
here is a quick pic
boat1 (640x360).jpg
 
Do you really think the seller's going to foot the tune-up bill now that you have the boat?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
lol. i'm not holding my breath on that but i will give it a shot
 
thanks for that ten. good advice on the trim tabs. i watched a couple owners adjust them and they explained it to me. but trust me, i'm going to take it very slow. this boat actually planed quickly. we were at about 70% throttle and it was on plane after about 100' or so. we were in a 23' wellcraft a couple weeks ago and it took a good 1/4 mile. i had my truck in 4WD when i launched it the other day. and blocks behind wheels. i watched too many youtube videos of trucks taking an unexpected bath. i'm staying near the dock and going slow until i get used to it.
 

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