good deal on this boat?

[spartaboat]

First post on this forum after lurking a while. I'd like to get a boat and would like your opinions. I live near Detroit and would use the boat >50% of the time for fishing Detroit River, Lake Erie and some inland lakes. The other time would be pleasure and towing my teenage daughter and maybe her friend either skiing or tubing. I'm looking at a 1988 4 Winns freedom 16' with a 3.0L mercruiser. It has been garage stored, has original cover, bimini, fish finder and swim platform. My parents live on Grand Traverse Bay and I would trailer it there also. I'd like to limit the boat size because many times it will be my wife with me or just me. he wants $3500. questions:
1)how often does the outdrive (gimbal, bellows, etc) have to be serviced?
2)is this boat a good deal at $3500? As I said it's been garage kept and in real nicce shape.
3)is a 3.0L enough to tow 1 or two teenagers?
4)is this a good "starter" boat?

thanks

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: good deal on this boat?

for the boat economy the price is high to me. for what you want good boat.

 

[spartaboat]

Re: good deal on this boat?

what's a fair price?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: good deal on this boat?

you are in a totally different market than me, but here, i would not go over $2,000 on a 20 years old boat. with a 3.0.

 

[triumphrick]

Re: good deal on this boat?

As an old tuber myself, I think a 16' with an IO may not give you the room you need for all the gear and some people. Also think 3k may be a little high. Also, there's a lot involved buying your first used boat. Make sure you've got some Qualified help! Otherwise welcome to a lot of fun and enjoyment. Just make sure whatever rig you get doesn't just sit and not get used. Worse that can happen to a boat

 

[spartaboat]

Re: good deal on this boat?

thanks. not sure he'll go that low. any thoughts on my general i/o questions? can most major repairs be avoided with good maintenance? is mercruiser reliable (if you've had one)?

 

[cribber]

Re: good deal on this boat?

http://boats.iboats.com/four_winns_boats/

Compare what's listed here and see if you can find a 4 Winns that is similar in model and year. And do a search on the net to find similar makes and models in your price range. Your gut will tell you when you've found the right deal. Just get the best bang for your buck, take your time and shop around.

Also, all boats should be serviced annually before your boating season starts. That way you'll be on the water while everyone else is waiting for their annual service. My local dealer has about a 10 working day wait for scheduling a service.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: good deal on this boat?

on a aged i/o. find out last time the outdrive was removed and serviced, bellows changed, gimbal bearing, exhaust manifolds, and any other service, that has been done. if in question get a mercuriser service center check it out.

 

[cribber]

Re: good deal on this boat?

Good to know, thanks!!! I learn new things with every post I read.

 

[fishingdan]

Re: good deal on this boat?

If the boat is in the shape that you state, then I don't think $3500 is out of line. I think I have seen boats like this go for between $3000 and $4000 recently. I just spent the last 6 weeks watching boat sales as I was in the market myself. I think $3000 may be a better price due to the boat's size.

The 3.0 engine in that boat will be fine for basic tubing with one or two riders. That is a very popular engine for entry level runabouts and you will find it in many boats from 15' up to 19' in length.

Garage kept is good. Proven regular maintenance is better. Spend some time with the owner and find out what has been done regularly and what additional repairs have been done. If you can, arrange for a quick in-water test. Insist on witnessing a cold start.

 

[roscoe]

Re: good deal on this boat?

Watch ebay.
It will give you an idea of what boats are going for now.

Usually, June brings the highest prices of the year.
But this year, with the economy/gas prices hitting $4+ a gallon, anything that burns gas is being given away.

I've seen many boats sold at 50-60% of last years prices.

 

[spartaboat]

Re: good deal on this boat?

thanks guys. this is all good info. I'll ask him for info on the service questions you've given me. Does the 3.0L have a known cold starting issue?

 

[fishmen111]

Re: good deal on this boat?

Welcome to iboats! I agree with fisherdan, the price is reasonable. I would offer $3k. This is a great power combo for a first boat. The first gen Alphas are very dependable and the 3.0 is bulletproof, great on gas and easy to work on though, of course, not a powerhouse. It will pull two tubers or one skier. Two skiers would be pushing it with a 3.0 IMO. I usually find that someone who cares enough to take up valuable garage space with a boat, takes very good care of it. If you question the outdrive or the previous owner cannot provide sufficient documentation, just get it "resealed". Around here, that means new impeller, grease/check gimbal bearing/ujoint, change lower unit fluid and overall inspection. Change the bellows and shift cable boot while you,re in there and you're good-to-go for 2-3 years. Should run $400-$600 including parts(OEM).

 

[fishingdan]

Re: good deal on this boat?

Known cold start problems? No. It is just a habit of mine to check that out when looking at a boat. I just find that a good engine that has been well cared for will not have any difficulty starting cold. Does that mean it will turn over on the first touch of the key. No, but it should on the second or maybe the third.

If you like the boat and it is in good shape, go for it. Don't forget to check out the trailer.

I agree with the above poster that June is the hot month for boat sales. This year was no different. I actually found boats going on ebay for more than comparable boats listed on Craigslist or others. Now that the month is ending, people that haven't sold will start to get a little more anxious. Some weren't sold because of their condition. Some weren't sold because the owners didn't do a good job with their ad. I like the latter.

 

[kg5388]

Re: good deal on this boat?

I bought my 88 4 winns freedom 160 last year for $2000 it was garage kept but still had the original bellows but only had been used about 50 times since new.

mine has the 3.0 and performs well on the Tennessee river with 4 in the boat with ski's or tubes.

check the outdrive as mine is a omc cobra and parts are getting higher in price.

it's the one with the red cover I'll have to find a pic with the cover off
it now lives next to my 84 venture bass boat

 

[spartaboat]

Re: good deal on this boat?

kg, do you have any complaints, regrets or to the contrary, have real good things to say about your boat? would you buy it again? as far as outdrive, they've listed it as a mercruiser. i've heard parts are hard to get for the OMC.

I'm also staying away from that 3.7L with the 460 c.i.d. head and aluminum block. I've obviously never had one, but that's bass ackwards from the way car engines were built. Lot's of those for sale around here.......

 

[kg5388]

Re: good deal on this boat?

I have had no problems with it and love the boat. It is a great starter boat for someone who is mechanical and willing to keep the boat maintance up as few shops work on OMC anymore. It has an omc 3.0L with the cobra outdrive I service it every spring and properly winterize it every year.

I bought several bellows kits along with water pump impellers and misc other seals and parts and put them up for the future.

I also got the info from Iboats on how to adjust the shift cable cause an out of adjustment shift cable will kill a lower unit fast.

check the plugs before running it for signs of water on them and perform a compression check and then take it for a test run or at least run it on muffs and check the oil for water afterwards as manifolds or cracked engine blocks are expensive to fix.
check the deck good for oft spots and check the in floor storage between the front seats water gets in and has a hard time getting out.

The boat planes easily at low speeds and Pulls two teenagers on a tube with two adults and two other teenagers in the boat with no problems.I'll get some pics when I get home from work.