First boat purchase?

[NEboater28]

Hello, new to the forum.

I recently purchased a lake house in the northeastern US and will be buying a boat in the next 4 weeks. I grew up on a lake and have been driving and recreating on boats for many years. However, this will be my first boat purchase. I'm looking to buy a deckboat. I've narrowed it down to three options as follows:

2002 Monterey 220 Explorer 5.0 MPI -310 hrs - single owner $13,900 (no trailer)
2006 Ebbtide 2100 Fun Cruiser 5.0 Carb - 430 hrs - former rental from reputable marina $12,900 (no trailer)
2008 Larson 204 Escape 5.0 MPI - 460 hrs - former rental from reputable marina $15,000 (with trailer)

I'll be using the boat on a moderate sized lake with 6-10 adults/children on board for cruising, and a couple people on board for skiing/wakeboarding. I'm thinking the 5.0 should be good for any of these boats. I'm leaning towards a MPI because my older parents will likely use the boat when I'm not around and I don't want them to get stuck with a tricky cold-start with the carbs.

I'm looking for opinions on whether to go with a newer boat with more hours vs. older boat less hours. Also I'm looking for opinions on former rental boats? I'll need to get a trailer with the two boats w/out. The prices above are negotiable... just looking for some help/guidance from some more experienced boat owners...

 

[tpenfield]

Re: First boat purchase?

Welcome to IBoats . . .

check fair market values with nadaguides.com and BUCvalue.com.

Typical hours is about 50 hours/year . . . More in southern regions and less in northern regions. So, the Larson looks like it has been used a lot and the Montery has been used lightly. Keep in mind that hours of use are not always evenly spread throughout the years. So, a low hour boat could be indicative of longer term layup and perhaps lack of maintenance.

none of the boats listed are scary in terms of hours, and you will likely trade up after you put 200-300 hours in the boat, and they will still have good life left in them. The thing beyond hours and engines would be to check the boat's condition and any pre-mature issues, like water intrusion, etc.

you could get a marine survey for about $400 to look for any show stoppers.

 

[Slip Away]

Re: First boat purchase?

Of the 3 you posted, I think the Monterey would be the best choice. It would be more attractive if a trailer would be included in that price.
Rental boats are well maintained, but would you buy a rental car from Avis if you needed a used car?

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: First boat purchase?

I absolutely would buy a rental car (or a leased car). They get used a lot, but you know they do regular maintenance on them and they generally are well cared for.