A little buying advice

I'm new to the site but lthis looks like the right place to get some jon boat answers!

I have a question on boat price. I have found a 16ft mod v hull 1992 lowe side console with a 40hp johnson. The boat has sat for two years that I know of. He is asking me to make an offer. Now I know nothing about the motor condition and such. I was thinking of making him an offer on the stipulation that I can take to to get a mechanic to look at it( compression check, see if it will crank, and so forth)

I dont want to insult him cause he is my neighbor...but I also don't want to pay to much for something that i'm going to have to spend a little bit of chaching to get it in the water.
Any sugggestions? comments anything?
I'm posting a pic as well.
Thanks
Jesse

Doesn't look like he took much care of it/cared about it much. I'd offer 1200, but no more than 1500. Check craigslist for your area.. it is essentially the kelly blue book for anything used nowadays.

thats what i was thinking...it would be different if it was garage kept and running every month or so...
Thanks for the advice

As not to insult, I'd offer my neighbor $900 for that boat he obviously still isn't going to use after 2 years and in you pic it seems he has another boat just sitting there too :shock: ? Bet the boat needs tires (3), impeller, l/u oil,carb kit, is steering froze? Just for a mechanic to check out the motor will cost ya a few bucks. Yeah $900 since you know it needs work.

I would offer just around 1k myself, Tops $1500 if boat, motor and trailer are mint and just need a good cleaning.

shoot him for 700 if he doesnt take 900 but id be weary taking it for anymore then 1k cause you could easily spend another 1k on making it running as well as a boat you could find on craigslist for 2-2500

if he takes 700 for that rig, he's the worlds best neighbor. :shock:

It got some leaves in it,looks pretty nice to me.
Galvinized trailer,1648/52 boat?,side console,motor...trolling motor?
If it was mine,I wouldn't let it go for a grand especially if the motor checks out.
I don't know the situation your neighbor may be in though or the area you live.
If you get it at a grand I'd say you did real well.

Buncha tightwads on here. At least in these parts, that hull (appears to be a 1648), would fetch an easy 800 bucks by itself, even in the condition shown, tucked back in the woods, full of compost.

On a trailer, with a motor, whether or not they are in good condition, I'd say 1500 minimum, but he could probably get close to 2k for it, just by pulling it to the driveway, if nothing else.

On top of the (minimum) 800 for the hull, at least in this area, any halfway decent trailer is going to start at 300 bucks. And, by halfway decent, I mean still fixable, and not a hunk of junk. From what I see, you have a good galvanized frame, if nothing else.

That engine will still fetch something. From looks alone, it doesn't look that bad. Popping the hood and giving it about a 2 minute glance, along with a possible compression check will generally tell me what I need to know, as far as fixing it. I'd say a few hundred there, on the low side.

Clean it up, make the motor run, and the trailer tow (and I'm not necessarily talking new parts here - just to make it work), and you have a 2200 or better rig, at least 'round Atlanta.

I was thinking the same as Dawson. That rig only needs a cleaning, remember its a tin. If you get it for a grand that would be a steal, even 1500 is a good deal.

Go put it in the water and see what its (worth or not worth) before you get into prices. If he takes a few days to clean it up and make it work smoothly, he'll get his money back in spades.
You can do the same, only you need to see it work first so you'll know how much cleaning it's gonna take, and he'll know too.

Im on the coast of NC..I mean i could get a boat off of craigslist now for around 2200. But I have been looking at this thing just about everyday for the past two years and I figure what the heck might as well ask. they have had other inquires but since i'm a neighbor i get first dibs! :mrgreen:
Yeah...I'm going to start around a decien't price and I have a price in my head which I don't want to pay over. I do know... it looks like the tires are rotten, the gas tank and lines need to be replaced, and it def needs a good cleaning, carb kit, water pump all that and possibly the hubs need to be repacked,

A boat's value is judged by condition not age unlike a car. This boat is in poor condition, as is, for its age. The guy has a fiberglass sitting in front of it that he cares a little more for because he does, at least, have the console covered. Being a neighbor/friend and cutting your a break, the 1000-1500 range seems fair. With work and money you will have a nice boat. With a lot of work/mod your will have a really,really nice boat. Go for it, Good luck.