What to look for on used 2017 AR195?

[Ribs77]

Hey all,

Apologies if this isn't the right forum for this post.

I've been looking to buy a used 19 footer (preferably a 195) for a while now. I've seen a few member posts in the classified that look really good, that I was almost ready to pull the trigger on, except for the logistics of actually getting the boat. One was in NY which is impossible for me in Washington state. The other in Southern California which may be a possibility, but not as easy as something local.

In the meantime, I found a local boat that's seemingly what I want. It's a 2017, about 150 hours, and the price seems right. I have the service records and nothing out of the ordinary has been done or happened to the boat - it was most recently serviced this summer.

It hasn't been winterized for this winter yet, but the owner said that he took it out as recently as three weeks ago, so the gas should still be fresh, and we haven't really had any freezing temps here (also, I understand that freezing doesn't really affect these boats in the way it does I/Os).

It looks to be in generally pretty good shape in person, but I'm not an expert at what to look for. There were a few scuffs on the hull that seem like normal use, and one ding near the front that's higher up near the metal bumper-like trim that's about the size of a dime. I assume that these are repairable and not really a concern? See the attached image. One is visible in the photo (circled in red) and the other isn't, but I put a circle in the approximate location (it's slightly more toward the bow so you can't see it in the picture).

I'm hoping to do a water test soon - is there anything I should look at closely on my second look? Any particular thing I should pay attention to on the water? As a motorcycle guy, all I'd know to look for is a rough start/ rough idle / weak performance, etc. Anything else specific that I should try to check? If the boat starts easily and runs well, is that good enough to make a confident purchase?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Coult45]

There's a lot of good information in the FAQ section, including this thread which has new and used suggestions in it...

https://jetboaters.net/threads/new-boat-check-list.919/

 

[SCP1]

Keep in mind when idling, if you open the engine compartment they sound rough. I was very surprised on how they sound. Look at the oil to make sure it looks normal, look at the impeller looking for dings, generally boats are easy to tell if someone took care of. If the outside is in good condition I feel a lot better about a used boat (honestly I think it’s hard to find a used boat that is clean on the outside). However I feel like this is a good gauge as to how the rest of the boat was cared for, in my opinion of course. Take for a water test. Check out the facts as I’m sure I’m missing a bunch of good things to look for as stated above.