Budweiser
05-17-2006, 12:22 PM
Does anybody know of any good websites to find a used boat in MN?
Nainoa
05-18-2006, 07:03 AM
Does anybody know of any good websites to find a used boat in MN?
Yeah Boat Trader is about the only really good one...
Keepitlocal.com, can surprise you everynow and then, but is mostly a cheap site for a dealer to advertise through.
My Boss bought his last 3 boats through e-bay...
(Now read below.)
***
Now as you might be aware I just bought a New boat back in February...
Before buying that boat though, I spent all of 2005 comparison shopping, thinking about what I wanted in a boat, reading, talking, asking questions etc...
So how much research have you put into boats? And how much money do you have?
The world of buying a boat can be trickier than it seems... After a year of looking into it, I decided that I'd rather go through a dealership and buy a new boat, (Which I did) than deal with a second party.
This is also THE ABSOLUTE WORST time of year to buy a boat in MN... Right now is a time when Demand is high and supply is low... Thus the prices are at the highest they're going to be. Buying my boat in Early February (Though there's a long story involved) saved me 3 grand!
***
If you're going to buy a used boat this time of year, then I STRONGLY SUGGEST going with an "Old Man Only" rule...
Meaning that you want to buy a boat that is currently owned, and has been owned for a while by an old man.
The real foible with buying a used boat, is that you don't know what the previous owner really did to it.
And some small things can really add up to causing some serious problems...
That's why you want "An Old Man Boat." Because Old men have a habit of taking care of their stuff, where as young guys tend to just procrastinate maintence and upkeep.
And then all of a sudden that 23 year old lazy chunk of pecker meat, who didn't replace his fuel line, ends up getting you stranded on Mille Lac's five mile flats, while a massive storm with 5 foot waves is slamming in...
And I'll guarantee you that you won't be thinking about the two hundred dollars you saved going with a young guys boat vs and old guys boat, when you're laying on the floor of your used boat, vomiting in your own eyes, shivery, and staring up at the clouds to see the face of a vengeful God about to smite you!
***
Other things to consider...
Boats that are 17 feet or more cost more to license, fee and insure...
Motors over 50hp cost more to insure... If you go over 90 HP, expect to get a giant cock in your ass from the insurance company.
The Mantra of "You get what you pay for" applies to boats the same way it does to hookers... If you pay less than 4 grand for a boat, it probably means it's a filthy, herpes encrusted whore...
***
In the end, since I'm surrounded by people who have boats, or people who use their parents boats, I got a real good hard look at how people treat and how the boat responds... And I decided that I was more comfortable going with a new boat...
Yeah it's hard when I do stuff like graze the skag on a sunken deadhead, get fish slime on the new carpet, or put a tiny scratch on the cowl of the motor...
However when that "Vengeful Gaze of God" comes pouring through the black clouds on the horizon, I can put the hammer down and know that the top speed of my boat is 28 MPH... And as long as that storm is moving at 27 MPH or less then I'm safe...
You don't want to be the guy who starts putting out his drift sock, shooting up flares and hoping someone will come tow you in.
For me... That alone is worth $148 a month! (Which includes my 3/5/10 year warranty!)
King Crush
05-21-2006, 09:20 AM
Hey Bud,
When you get a boat you should paint it camo. :D
One More Time
05-22-2006, 08:54 AM
Does anybody know of any good websites to find a used boat in MN?
Try bassboatcentral.com. I sold my boat there last year. It is not as big as some of the others, but there are a few listed on the website.