Misleading Buyers re: Actual Hours

[GoBig]

General rant...
I've been looking at buying a 2000 to 2002 SAN for several months. It is AMAZING to me how just about every ad I come across for these years claims, "LOW HOURS!!", "ONLY 80 HOURS!!", "HARDLY USED!", "USED ONCE SINCE 2003"...or something of that nature. I'm well aware of the issues with the electronic gauges on these years and the possible work arounds. But don't insult my intelligence by claiming that your 7-8 year old boat only has 13 hours on it...especially when every other ad is claiming the same thing.

I have found that most people are honest when I call them on it and admit that the gauges were just replaced last year. The boat really does have 500+ hours. Shocker. But I wonder how many unsuspecting, uninformed buyers are spending top dollar thinking they are getting a hardly used boat? I know there is a law in CA about misleading buyers regarding mileage on a car. Does anyone know if there is a similar law that applies to misleading buyers regarding hours on a boat? It just seems to be blatant fraud to me.

After months of looking, I'm just tired of reading the same "low hour" claim for these particular years when I know it is BS...

[bkhallpass]

RE: Misleading Buyers re: Actual Hours

I'm not aware of any law in CA regarding hours on a boat. You don't have to claim hours on the pink slip when you sell. In fact, you aren't even required to have an hour meter on boat. With the new Chevy engines, I'm told you can hook them up to the computer and determine the actual hours. Just stuck with common sense on the olde Fords. In CA, if the owner was a solid boating enthusiast, I assume about 100 hours per year. If just a family weekender, I assume 50-75 hours per year. BKH

[DanielC]

RE: Misleading Buyers re: Actual Hours

Average boat use is around 30 or 40 hours a year. I, and many others use their boats a lot more, so somebody has to be using thier boats a lot less. I used to work for a Nautique dealer, and we had a three or four year old boat come for its 25 hour check, and it was a pre 2000 boat, so it was not a teleflex forgetting the hours issue.
Some people have way more money than time, and buy boats, and rarely get around to using them.
It may not be BS. The boat may actually just not have been used.

[bkhallpass]

RE: Misleading Buyers re: Actual Hours

DanielC, I agree, in other parts of the country, my estimates would be lower. In Florida and California, it seems the boats gets used a bit more. It also seems that there are many boats that get used like **** the first two years, and then the owner moves on to other interests. Even in Discovery Bay, a waterfront community, I've seen some boats that haven't left the dock in several years. My own boat was only used 17 hours the year I had back surgery, and 35 hours, the year my daughter was born. BKH

[GoBig]

RE: Misleading Buyers re: Actual Hours

Totally agree that there are many people that spend the money to have the "Nautique" then never use it. Shoot, my parents have a 1990 Ski with 220 original hours. That's an average of 8 hours per year! I also understand that the ownice is on the Buyer to do their homework. However, there are plenty of cases of people intentionally misleading buyers into believing that their boat has a fraction of the hours that it actually does. Just doesn't seem right to me. Although BK, I didn't realize that an hour meter or reporting actual hours at time of sale wasn't a requirement...interesting.

[wi54545]

RE: Misleading Buyers re: Actual Hours

It is really easy to be misled. I have with some cars, mainly three 1986 Porsche 944 Turbos that I have owned thru the years, with questionable odometers. In my case, my boat is a '96 which I bought with 74.4 hours on it this year. It is true to the numbers because of the condition of the gel and interior. Hard to find any issues. Even the rubrail was perfect, until last weekend with my wife driving. It all depends on the owner and there story. The PO of my boat was 68 years old when he bought it new. He was then diagnosed with cancer that went into remission and came back last year. Hence never used the boat. Extremely upstanding family.

[MHayes]

Re: RE: Misleading Buyers re: Actual Hours

In my case, my boat is a '96 which I bought with 74.4 hours on it this year. It is true to the numbers because of the condition of the gel and interior.

This is typically the tell tell sign.....the condition of the boat typically reflects the hours on it. Yes, a lot of us take very good care of our boats and the condition may not reflect the high hours, as well, you have people that do not take care of anything, regardless of age. If you really pay attention to the details, you can tell if the hour meter is correct, or should I say reasonable.

[Batman]

RE: Re: RE: Misleading Buyers re: Actual Hours

One year I put 25 hours and the next year 30 hours and they were both brand new boats! Those people got loaded boats for a great price and all I did was the breakin for them. Last summer was about 40 hours and we road a fair amount. I never cruise, just drop in, fill the ballast, ride, empty ballast, go home. Some folks have to cruise aways just to ride and that puts extra hours on the boat.

[BSBell]

RE: Re: RE: Misleading Buyers re: Actual Hours

It's not the hours that bug me, its the condition of the boat... A boat engine is very simple and easy to work on or replace if it has ton of hours or has been beatin on.

I'm more concerned about the fiberglass, seats, floor, electronics, ect...

[clubmyke]

the dealer can hook up a computer and get the actual mileage and at what rpm.

[MHayes]

the dealer can hook up a computer and get the actual mileage and at what rpm.

Not on a Ford motor.