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Boat Test Drive

Subzer008

Red Skull Member
Joined
May 22, 2020
Member Number
1192
Messages
61
Loc
NY
Selling a 2016 Lund, 22k. Would you buy without being allowed to test drive? If you’ve sold a boat how did you work a test drive? Thinking proof of funds/something in my hand before it it’s the water.
 
the way dealers and brokers do it, contract agreed price, deposit required(10-20%), deal based on water test evaluation. If the boat does not perform to the buyers expectations, deposit returned, contact nullified. If the buyer can not come up with the balance due within an agreed amount of time, seller keeps deposit and boat goes back on the market. No dealers will give you a test ride without a deposit and a signed contract, unless they are on the water or having a boat show.
 
Subzer008 said:
Selling a 2016 Lund, 22k. Would you buy without being allowed to test drive? If you’ve sold a boat how did you work a test drive? Thinking proof of funds/something in my hand before it it’s the water.
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Nope, wouldn’t buy without a test drive. Too many things can be wrong with a boat that you can’t see, but will show up in a test drive.

I haven’t personally bought a boat, but have ridden with my FIL when he was. The way it worked for him was the guys met us at a dock, and rode around on the test drive. We didn’t ride around too long, maybe 10-15 mins. He had one guy that refused to let him test drive, so he just passed on that boat.
 
I wouldnt buy anything for over 5k without a test drive/demo/etc. Especially something with a motor.

Proof of funds, you are on the boat, you dock/leave the dock, get them out in the open and let them drive. No different than a car since you can fit, not like a motorcycle. Pretty easy to tell who is serious with a few questions.

If they want to take it out on their own its full cash in hand, if they dont like it return it in the same shape for the cash back.
 
spareparts said:
the way dealers and brokers do it, contract agreed price, deposit required(10-20%), deal based on water test evaluation. If the boat does not perform to the buyers expectations, deposit returned, contact nullified. If the buyer can not come up with the balance due within an agreed amount of time, seller keeps deposit and boat goes back on the market. No dealers will give you a test ride without a deposit and a signed contract, unless they are on the water or having a boat show.
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The difference between a dealer and a private party is dealers can't close shop and meet someone at the lake every time they have a buyer. They also have a professional license and permit that can be gone after if they fail to return the deposit for a valid reason. An individual is expected to be able to meet the buyer at a reasonable time and typically won't be trusted with a deposit (unless its a hold this check) since there is no decent way to validate they are not a scammer
 
spareparts said:
the way dealers and brokers do it, contract agreed price, deposit required(10-20%), deal based on water test evaluation. If the boat does not perform to the buyers expectations, deposit returned, contact nullified. If the buyer can not come up with the balance due within an agreed amount of time, seller keeps deposit and boat goes back on the market. No dealers will give you a test ride without a deposit and a signed contract, unless they are on the water or having a boat show.
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bingo
 
87manche said:
would it be worth consigning it to a dealer and letting them take their cut to not deal with it?
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no. not complicated, show up at their bank/CU with the boat. get paid, hand over title. done.
 
The last time I sold a boat I took the buyer for a free ride. It's hard selling a $37k boat on craigslist so I went above and beyond. :laughing: I didn't require a deposit. I knew he was going to buy the boat before we went out by the way he was acting.
 
When I bought one boat the guy selling wouldn't let me purchase it without taking it for a test drive, met him at his house, rode with him to the local lake and took it around a couple of times, got back to his house I paid him.
When I sold the same boat for almost the same money as I paid for it a few years later the guy bought it without a test drive, I was willing to let him.
For 22K I would have to have it in the water for a test.
 
No way in hell I’d buy a boat without a test drive. I’ve had two personal instances where this exact thing applied. First one the guy was willing to start it on the muffs but wouldn’t allow it to be put in the water. I had cash in hand. I walked. Next thing you know it’s sold. Guess where it shows up next? The boat repair shop. Next one was a blue water. Looked nice. I asked the old guy selling it to test drive it. We put it on the lake. It’s an absolute dog! Get back to the dock and listen to it, the outdrive sounds like it’s got marbles clanking around in it. I mention it to the guy and he says, I don’t here anything. I walked. Give em a test ride. You don’t buy a used car without a test ride. Same should apply for a boat.
 
I met the seller of my boat at the lake, drove it, handed him cash hooked up and went home. 100% must test drive unless its cheap enough you are fine burning the cash.
 
Test drive is a must for anything over a few grand.

Meet at the launch. Owner launches and loads the boat. Shouldn't be more than 10-15 minute ride.
 
We've always test driven. As buyers and sellers the same process has happened and worked out fine. Seller launches boat and picks up buyer. Seller drives the boat and gives the buyer a run down so they dont fuck something up. Buyer can drive if they want. Seller loads boat on to trailer and then a deal is made/cash exchanged. We have done this when buying and selling all our boats and it works out great. As a seller the buyer has never test driven, just rode along, most likely because they had no fucking idea what they were doing:lmao: Makes an easy sale as well when you can launch, dock, and load with ease, not because its necessarily easy, but because you know how to drive the boat. We had a Tahoe that was an absolute bitch to maneuver slow and somehow I managed to dock that thing and load it like it was a canoe, SOLD! We test drove the boat we bought a few years back after the seller gave us a rundown and took us for a spin. Wouldnt ever buy one without doing a test drive.
 
denverd1 said:
no. not complicated, show up at their bank/CU with the boat. get paid, hand over title. done.
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well I suppose that would depend on what the dealer wants for a fee.

maybe it's worth it to OP to not deal with it for a thousand dollars.

and I would never buy a boat without a test ride, and certainly not a 22K dollar one. so no, it's not that easy.
 
Why the fuck would anyone pay 22k for a used riveted boat? Christ for 22k that aluminum tub better be fully welded. I wouldnt pay 22k for a brand fucking new riveted boat. My father in law had a LUND and he insisted we use his boat on "his" lake. I really dont understand the following those shit piles have. I have never seen a lund over five years old that didnt leak.
 
87manche said:
well I suppose that would depend on what the dealer wants for a fee.

maybe it's worth it to OP to not deal with it for a thousand dollars.

and I would never buy a boat without a test ride, and certainly not a 22K dollar one. so no, it's not that easy.
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he didn't say dealer, he said broker. There are some seriously shitty boat brokers out there, Popyachts being the shittiest.

Dealer isn't necessary either! Obviously the business end of the deal gets handled after all the tire kicking and joy rides.

REALLY easy.
 
Subzer008 said:
Selling a 2016 Lund, 22k. Would you buy without being allowed to test drive? If you’ve sold a boat how did you work a test drive? Thinking proof of funds/something in my hand before it it’s the water.
Click to expand...

denverd1 said:
he didn't say dealer, he said broker. There are some seriously shitty boat brokers out there, Popyachts being the shittiest.

Dealer isn't necessary either! Obviously the business end of the deal gets handled after all the tire kicking and joy rides.

REALLY easy.
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no, he didn't. He literally asked for his options to make sure that he doesn't get fucked on a deal.
one of those options is consigning it to a dealer and letting them deal with it.
 
87manche said:
no, he didn't. He literally asked for his options to make sure that he doesn't get fucked on a deal.
one of those options is consigning it to a dealer and letting them deal with it.
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Sure that's an option. a shitty one, but so is fucking a blender. However, I do recommend you try it.
 
87manche said:
don't be butthurt because your reading comprehension sucks.

:flipoff2:
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yea, i didn't take the time to read a bunch of posts by dipshits on a 4x4 site about selling a boat. can ya blame me?

OP: get cash, a cashiers check, or go to whoever is financing it. don't sign title over till your paid. if its the joyrides you're trying to cut down on, demand a $2000 deposit so you know you're not wasting your time.

happy manche?
 
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denverd1 said:
yea, i didn't take the time to read a bunch of posts by dipshits on a 4x4 site about selling a boat. can ya blame me?

OP: get cash, a cashiers check, or go to whoever is financing it. don't sign title over till your paid.

happy manche?
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obviously not.
i'm shitposting on the internet.

it's just a cry for help.

no, really I'm fine. Try not to take shit on the internet so personally.
 
The boats I've bought/sold have all been under $20k. All but one under $6k. I've never done a test ride when selling or buying. I expect to hear the motor run, or show the motor runs to the buyer, and then look everything over and ask a ton of questions. I haven't been screwed over yet, nor have I sold anyone junk.
 
Stuck said:
Why the fuck would anyone pay 22k for a used riveted boat? Christ for 22k that aluminum tub better be fully welded. I wouldnt pay 22k for a brand fucking new riveted boat. My father in law had a LUND and he insisted we use his boat on "his" lake. I really dont understand the following those shit piles have. I have never seen a lund over five years old that didnt leak.
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Because when I think 'boat expert', the first thing comes to mind is some guy with a big belt buckle and his pants tucked into his shit-kickers,
 
Not going to give it to a broker or dealer. Can handle the transaction. Bought and sold cheap ones. I sure as shit wouldn’t buy one for this amount of cash without a test drive either. I’m 40 minutes to the nearest launch and didn’t want to waste my time with a tire kicker for a test drive.
 
Subzer008 said:
Not going to give it to a broker or dealer. Can handle the transaction. Bought and sold cheap ones. I sure as shit wouldn’t buy one for this amount of cash without a test drive either. I’m 40 minutes to the nearest launch and didn’t want to waste my time with a tire kicker for a test drive.
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I'd have the buyer meet at your house and make a deal pending it passes a test ride, have him put down $200 deposit and you meet at the lake at a time you both like. If he finds something that's a deal breaker, you refund him. If he wastes your time, you keep the cash
 
First excuse my earlier rant, I despise riveted tin cans. Any modern boat with rivets is just cheap.

More importantly never buy a boat without a test drive and never buy a boat with fresh bottom paint. There are hundreds of issues that will not show on the muffs. No power under load, thats the first thing a shake down will show. Then you have leaks from everything, hull penetrations, unseen cracks, RIVETS, holes or cracks under the strakes. Run the plumbing on the water, by this I mean bait wells, live wells, the pumps and the drains, run the bilge pumps. If its got water going through it run it. You never know how stuff you may have to remove to fix a hose. Plus youll find out if they work or if the wells are leaking.

The biggest issue that will show during a test drive is if the boat has structural issues. On aluminum or glass you may have a "hook" in the hull or other defect. This can be from poor manufacturing, bad repair, impact, or an improperly set up trailer. This can cause poor performance, bad handling, or a list in the boat at speed. Bottom paint hides issues like cracks, blisters, poor quality glass or shitty weld repairs, and leak stains around thru hulls.
 
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