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Tell Me I'm Crazy/stupid Or Price This Boat...


Asmodeus2112

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So, I want a VLX, but I have don't want to spend over 20. I'm an engineer and very capable, although I'm not going to be replacing any engines. Driving down the highway I see a familiar shape out of the corner of my eye and it turns out a boat dealer has this 2001 VLX. It's a 2001 with 316 hours. I like it, but it has some problems. They have two prices, one "As Is" and another with a lot of the problems fixed. I think I can fix almost everything myself. I generally don't like other people working on my stuff because they seldom do as good of a job as i do. Anyway, the biggest concern is there was a prop stike, and they say the rudder is bent. I've always been one to go for investing sweat equity to build value in something, but there comes a point that the risks are too big to mitigate.

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Edited by Asmodeus2112
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It seems to depend on your tolerance for risk. I lost an opportunity on what was probably a pretty decent boat because I am not very tolerant of this sort of situation, but you might be different.

I think that you need to have the drivetrain repaired and have a test drive before you can really judge the state of the tranny and engine. So I think no one can give you a fair estimate on price unless those things can be proven to be in good condition. I guess a compression test would help, but it would be nice to feel the unit drive.

A few warning signs: electrical tape holding the trailer bunks on is never a good sign. Seems like the boat may have been neglected.

I might be overreacting, can someone tell me if the rust trail on the bilge drain might mean anything?

This boat reminds me of one of those boats that went down in one of the super bad storms that was had in recent years in Texas.

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martinarcher

If the price was right I would be towing that thing home and fixing it up. The prop strike doesn't look to bad, but it's hard to tall form the pics. If the rudder shaft is bend...no big deal, swapping it is no big deal at all. If the fiberglass and gel around it is damaged it's more work. The ding in the side looks fixable as well after calling spectrum for some color match gel. Thumbup.gif Anything else wrong with it?

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Hard to tell from the pics but if that boat hit anything it didn't do much damage, if the rudder is bent it isn't bent much and didn't hit very hard. If the price was what you wanted to spend I wouldn't be scared of taking on those small tasks. The fiberglass repair will probably be the most expensive fix for you.

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If you are seriously considering this I'd say bare minimum you should have the dealer throw on a stock prop and take her for a spin. Bent rudder is a pretty straight forward replacement. The fiberglass damage would be enough form me to walk, but then again you might get a great boat in exchange for a little elbow grease and hassle.

Sharing with us the 2 prices that they are asking might help generate more opinions also.

Good Luck!

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I wouldn't pay more than $12k assuming it runs. Assuming the repairs are worth $4-5k retail and that you don't have perfect pass and that it's always going to be a repaired boat.

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At some point if you aren't playing in the new/like new league you are playing in the Repaired Boat League. Maybe it's the minor league but there is a whole bunch of life left in a boat like this one. The rudder can be straightened $50, prop reworked $90, then have fun doing the rest yourself

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These are the questions I have:

Is the trailer correct? It looks like it might be for a direct drive.

What does the engine compartment look like?

Was it ever submerged? As mentioned earlier, Texas had storms that damaged a lot of boats. The damage to the hull and prop look consistent with storm type damage.

Can you get it for 12K or less? Maybe closer to 10K. I know, way cheap for a v-drive of that year.

Does it have a salvage title?

IMHO positive answers in those areas would make it a consideration for me!

I hope this helps you make a good decision! Tim

:werule:.

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These are the questions I have:

Is the trailer correct? It looks like it might be for a direct drive.

What does the engine compartment look like?

Was it ever submerged? As mentioned earlier, Texas had storms that damaged a lot of boats. The damage to the hull and prop look consistent with storm type damage.

Can you get it for 12K or less? Maybe closer to 10K. I know, way cheap for a v-drive of that year.

Does it have a salvage title?

IMHO positive answers in those areas would make it a consideration for me!

I hope this helps you make a good decision! Tim

:werule:.

That's a biggie, that will make it very tough to sell (by you) no matter how good you get it fixed up.

The rest all depends on price.

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If this is the boat which is located between Austin and Waco and is visible on the West side of I-35, it has been uncovered and subject to much rain. I would recommend McNeil Marine in Leander (next to Volente Beach) for the fiberglass repairs.

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Thanks for the replies! Gave me some insight and questions I didn't think of.

Dealer is asking 17,995 as is, and 21,995 fixed. I wouldn't pay that, there are some very nice VLX's in the high teens / low 20's that are not repaired boats. I think 12k would be a great deal, but a long shot. Can't hurt to ask though, huh? (I offered a guy 11k on his 16k offer recently and was told to piss off and never contact him again! And I though 11k was generous for how beat his boat was! Some sucker will probably pick it up though.)

Edited by Asmodeus2112
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If this is the boat which is located between Austin and Waco and is visible on the West side of I-35, it has been uncovered and subject to much rain. I would recommend McNeil Marine in Leander (next to Volente Beach) for the fiberglass repairs.

Yep, that is it. Any idea how long it's been there? It just got soaked with the rains on Mon/Tue. No cover on the poor thing.

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Thanks for the replies! Gave me some insight and questions I didn't think of.

Dealer is asking 17,995 as is, and 21,995 fixed. I wouldn't pay that, there are some very nice VLX's in the high teens / low 20's that are not repaired boats. I think 12k would be a great deal, but a long shot. Can't hurt to ask though, huh? (I offered a guy 11k on his 16k offer recently and was told to piss off and never contact him again! And I though 11k was generous for how beat his boat was! Some sucker will probably pick it up though.)

LOL, I was recently looking for a car for my daughter. I looked at one that was priced on the high side of market, and while the miles were low-ish, it was a bit on the beat side, but most of it could've been addressed with a nice detail. I went back to the seller with an edmunds true market value printout and said "this is what I'm willing to pay." I was told to F off. Then I said that I'd have probably offered more if the car were detailed, and the seller threatened to "kick my ___." Really?

I don't think you'll have the problem of a dealer getting all offended like that. But it is springtime and hope springs eternal. You'd probably have a lot better shot at getting a lowball offer accepted in November or December than in March or April.

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Advice above looks great. Prop repair is minor. Although.....is that a crack protruding rearward from the strut, or a line of grease/dirt?

Anyway, when looking at a boat that needs some work you need to figure out what it will be worth when you are done. Meaning what could you sell this exact boat for, not what a similar boat with no fixes would sell for. Especially with the possibility of a salvage title. Then figure out what it will take in money and time to get to where you will be happy.

I bought my boat knowing it would probably never be "perfect" again, but with some time and effort I'm well ahead of the game on value. It can be a balancing act sometimes because really mine could be perfect again, but it would be cost prohibitive and I'd never get back what I spent to get it there.

Edited for butchering of the English language.

Edited by jk13
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Again, thanks for the help! Here's the dealers review sheets. I have a spreadsheet started to assess the financial feasibility. I certainly don't expect it to ever be equal to a well taken care of boat, but if I can save a couple k from what it would cost to buy a nice example of a VLX I enjoy the work.

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How is the interior? That is a big ticket (and big effort) item.

You really think so? You can get skins for the entire boat including installation for under $3K. I bought my boat knowing that the interior needed to be replaced, and made sure that the sale price reflected that.

To the OP, I would offer him 16K fully repaired and see if he bites. The boat needs work, but it's not a lost cause. And don't worry about lowballing a dealer. The worst they can say is no...

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You really think so? You can get skins for the entire boat including installation for under $3K. I bought my boat knowing that the interior needed to be replaced, and made sure that the sale price reflected that.

Where did you get the skins? This may be something I will be considering in the future.

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The boat seems to have a lot of electrical issues, kind of make me wonder if it's been submerged? As others have said I would find out first if it has a clear title, if not it's a no brainer... salvage title=No sale!

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The boat seems to have a lot of electrical issues, kind of make me wonder if it's been submerged? As others have said I would find out first if it has a clear title, if not it's a no brainer... salvage title=No sale!

Yeah, it does appear that almost all of the electrical is in-op.

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Advice above looks great. Prop repair is minor. Although.....is that a crack protruding rearward from the strut, or a line of grease/dirt?

Anyway, when looking at a boat that needs some work you need to figure out what it will be worth when you are done. Meaning what could you sell this exact boat for, not what a similar boat with no fixes would sell for. Especially with the possibility of a salvage title. Then figure out what it will take in money and time to get to where you will be happy.

I bought my boat knowing it would probably never be "perfect" again, but with some time and effort I'm well ahead of the game on value. It can be a balancing act sometimes because really mine could be perfect again, but it would be cost prohibitive and I'd never get back what I spent to get it there.

Edited for butchering of the English language.

Hard to tell. I haven't seen it in person yet but will be sure to look hard at all the areas around the running gear.

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Skins......It cost me 2600 and change to have my 23 Escape reskinned a few years ago. Maybe I paid too much, but I was more than satisfied. It was done (moonlight) by a guy who did upholstry at the Tenn. Malibu factory. I can't imagine having such a good job done for much less.

Beau

Edited by Beau
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Where did you get the skins? This may be something I will be considering in the future.

A guy by the name of Chee. He works for Malibu in California and moonlights in doing interiors for boats that are 8 years old or older.

Hard to beat basically a brand new factory interior on your boat.

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