How to sell my boat

[mraz72]

here's my plan

Take my boat out of the water, get the boat winterized and acid washed. then take it to my barn and polish the boat (orbital buffer and marine 31 products). After the boat shines, take pics and place adds.

Buy 24' at local boat show over the winter, I'll most likely have two boats for a period of time

My question is, how do you sell a boat in the winter? They can't start the thing, definitely can't go for a ride. If it doesn't sell until next spring, I'm ok with that, but just wondering if anyone has done something similar

 

[Ronnie]

I don't have experience selling during the winter but have sold at the end of a season before, just had to drop my sale price a little. From a Buyer's perspective I wouldn't buy a jet boat or any vehicle unless I could at least start it up and compression check it. My preference is to test drive it even if it's cold out. If you are open to it, sell it contingent on a successful test drive at the start of next season. That is, show the boat, allow the buyer to compression check it and if you reach agreement on the price and they are still hesitant because they haven't been able to test drive it, offer to hold it for them until X date on a non refundable 10% to 20% deposit.

 

[bronze_10]

There is always someone stupid enough to buy it with out a test drive if they are convinced they are getting a good deal!

 

[Ancient canoe]

I would require a test drive. People buy boats without sea trials all the time, but I can't imagine purchasing not even getting to start it. You can either put a steal of a price on it or wait until spring.

 

[jawsf16]

Wait until spring and get more for it AND be able to offer a test drive...

 

[Av8tor07]

This topic brings me to a question. I have visited two Yamaha dealers to look at a 2016 212x. One of the dealers says that the nearest body of water to them is 45 minutes away, so they don't do test drives. So I ruled them out. The other dealer has the 212x but it isn't prepped, so they are willing to do a test drive in their "test drive boat". It's a 242x. What do you guys think about this? I know that these boats are miles apart, but at least they do the test drive.

 

[AZDANSX230HO]

I do not get the full blown winterizing that some people do on these boats. On your last outing make sure to put some fuel stabilizer in the tank, top off with fresh fuel, and run the boat so stabilizer is in the fuel system, then blow excess water out by blipping the throttles a few times and you are done. I personally do not feel it is necessary to fog these fuel injected engines, they are internally lubricated by oil already, the fuel is stabilized, the only thing I do as a best practice is change the oil at the end of the season so it's ready for the next season. If fogging makes you feel better to do it go for it, Yamaha makes a few extra bucks selling you fogging oil.

That said, it will not hurt the boat to start it for a potential buyer or run it on the hose in the Winter. These engines are jet ski engines, very minimal winterization is required compared to inboard/outboard engines where you have to drain the engine block, etc.

 

[mraz72]

thanks for all of the advice, like I said, I don't mind waiting until spring, and as a buyer I would want a test drive.

As far as the dealer question, what is the point of test driving a 24' if you are looking at a 21'? You should get a test drive on the size boat you are buying, since it is new and under warranty, you don't necessarily have to test drive the exact boat, but at least get the size so you know what you are in for.

 

[bronze_10]

thanks for all of the advice, like I said, I don't mind waiting until spring, and as a buyer I would want a test drive.

As far as the dealer question, what is the point of test driving a 24' if you are looking at a 21'? You should get a test drive on the size boat you are buying, since it is new and under warranty, you don't necessarily have to test drive the exact boat, but at least get the size so you know what you are in for.

Because THEY ARE Hoping To Make THE Move To A Larger boat.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

I've sold many boats and pwc's over the years on eBay and boat trader. Buyers always liked a date stamped (show a news paper)video of the vessel running and the displays showing no error, codes or anything bad. This will increase buyer confidence and possibly sway someone to pull the trigger while shoveling snow.

 

[Julian]

The other dealer has the 212x but it isn't prepped, so they are willing to do a test drive in their "test drive boat". It's a 242x. What do you guys think about this? I know that these boats are miles apart, but at least they do the test drive.

These are two very different boats! @bronze_10 has it right....they are hoping you'll buy the 24' boat! You'd be better off test driving any other 21 LS boat with the 1.8L engines.

Having driven both a 2016 242X (I own one) and a 2017 212X they do drive very differently.

 

[djetok]

here's my plan

Take my boat out of the water, get the boat winterized and acid washed. then take it to my barn and polish the boat (orbital buffer and marine 31 products). After the boat shines, take pics and place adds.

Buy 24' at local boat show over the winter, I'll most likely have two boats for a period of time

My question is, how do you sell a boat in the winter? They can't start the thing, definitely can't go for a ride. If it doesn't sell until next spring, I'm ok with that, but just wondering if anyone has done something similar

why not just trade it in as part of your new boat purchase. That seems so much more simple than holding on to it until it sells. Then they negotiate or try.

 

[2nazt]

why not just trade it in as part of your new boat purchase. That seems so much more simple than holding on to it until it sells. Then they negotiate or try.

I think it is a hard decision most times you make more on a private sale. But the saving on the sales tax from trade in usually helps or mitigates the cost. I would like to get a dealer prove and see if I'm comfortable with that compared to what I could sell on my own. I usually hate dealing with haggling idiots and dumb questions too lol.

 

[Volffas]

When you go to sell be sure to take lots of pictures. Also, take the cover completely off the boat for the pictures. Nothing drives me crazy more than seeing someone trying to sell a $20,000+ boat and they are too lazy to take off the cover. It always makes me think if they are too lazy to take the cover off to sell the boat, they are probably too lazy to properly maintain the boat to being with. RANT OVER.

 

[jawsf16]

When you go to sell be sure to take lots of pictures. Also, take the cover completely off the boat for the pictures. Nothing drives me crazy more than seeing someone trying to sell a $20,000+ boat and they are too lazy to take off the cover. It always makes me think if they are too lazy to take the cover off to sell the boat, they are probably too lazy to properly maintain the boat to being with. RANT OVER.

Agree but make sure you get one pic WITH the cover on. It reminds people that you care for your stuff...

 

[pagekl]

There is always someone stupid enough to buy it with out a test drive if they are convinced they are getting a good deal!

I sold my Sea Doo and we never did a sea trial. Of course the guy the bought had the same boat that he sold and regretted selling so he jumped on the chance to grab the the one I was selling. It was in January 2010 and cold as sh*t. He did do a compression test on both engines and some other test of either oil or fuel (really can"t remember) and that was enough for him to buy the boat. Never heard from, so I assume everything was okay. But like I stated in another post, that boat was trouble-free the entire time I Owned it. While I would be hesitant to buy a boat without a sea trail, there are people out there that know a lot about a particular item in terms of exactly what to look for. Example, anyone who knows about Subaru's and the notorious head gasket issues they had, doesn't need to drive one to figure out if they are bad. There are telltale signs with just looking under the hood, checking oil and removing the radiator cap. Boats are no different.