Is this a good deal?

[oldschool]

Hi guys,
I'm new to Correct Craft/Nautiques and inboards, so new, that I'm looking at purchasing my first inboard and value your opinion(s). I have found a 2000 Air Nautique with less than 200hrs on it. It comes with a galv. trailer (which I don't want/like, since I will be in fresh water only), the top flight tower, ballast, PCM GT-40 engine, etc. Looks to be pretty much stock that I can tell. Since the boat is out of my state, I can only tell about the condition from the pics. It looks really nice. They are asking $19,995. What do you guys think?
Guess it might help to explain what we want to do with it: we ski and the kids (15, 12)just learned to wakeboard last year behind my Chapparal i/o. So, looking to be able to do both. Will this boat work? Any issues with this model?
thx.

[AuMDLST]

RE: Is this a good deal?

I would think the price is a good deal. You need to have a good feeling from the owners as to the care they describe of the boat if you are unable to visit the boat and look it over. Try to see if they are willing to have a local dealer go over it for you. The kids will enjoy wakeboarding behind the boat but depending on your skiing ability you may not.

[NCH2oSki]

RE: Is this a good deal?

I have a Sport Nautique, on the TSC1 hull. Its a very versitile boat. Do you know if the boat is the Pro Air or Tsc hull?

My family loves it, we have a fct on it along with a bimini. Best part of the tower is the way the bimini is attachted and can be stored when not in use. Otherwise we are purely skiers and have never even attached a rope to it. It does add a little more time in getting it into the garage.

The wake for skiing is great, it easily will run the slalom course, I have pulled friends at 32' and 15' and have no complaints as long as we stay away from 22' off.

I have heard others mention that with some weight it can be a nice intermediate wake board boat. I'm sure someone on here can give you first hand knowledge on it.

Lots of storage, and nice sun pad for the sun lovers to hang out on is nice also. The GT 40 is as close to Bulletproof as you can get.

Has it been in Salt? That would be my only reservation.

Good luck.

[oldschool]

RE: Is this a good deal?

The boat is at a dealership and they are brokering for the seller. I have asked the salesman some questions to ask, but you don't really know if you getting the right answers when your not speaking to the owner directly. I'm guessing it has been in salt, since its on a galv. trailer and in FL. Is that a bad thing for inboards?

[Miljack]

RE: Is this a good deal?

You'll find that the cooling passages in the engine will be starting to rust out, same with the exhaust manifolds. You'll probably be able to get quite a bit of use out of it, but it will start creating some maintenance issues down the road.
Since it at the dealer, ask how much they want to do a "survey" on the boat, you could probably spend $100 or so, and get some good insight into the condition of the boat. BTW the asking price is CHEAP, probably about $5k under market.

[jmo]

RE: Is this a good deal?

Is it a Super Air (V drive) or just an Air Nautique (direct drive - engine is in the middle of the boat)? If its a super air, thats ideal for wakeboarding and okay for skiing, inverse if its the direct drive. One issue with v-drives is the monstrous wake that a seasoned wakeboarder loves makes learning much harder for beginners when it comes to crossing the wake.

jmo

[crowland]

RE: Is this a good deal?

For that "good" of a deal and if you are serious about traveling out of state to purchase I think it is definitely worth the price of a round trip plane ticket to check out in the boat in person. I can speak from experience with this. Pictures do not tell you crap about the interior and condition of the engine. If the dealer is brokering the deal they are making commission and I wouldn't take their word for it. I 2nd the opinion that if you cannot fly down to take a look at least try to find a dealer close by that could take a survey of the boat. There are also independent appraisers that can take a look at the condition of the boat, this might be helpful since you are not familiar with inboards.

Best of luck!

[zapada]

RE: Is this a good deal?

I drove 12 hours once to look at a boat that looked great in pictures. The owner told me it was a 9.5 out of 10. I drove down with a check. I drove home...with the check. Boat was total crap when I got there. Faded, worn, torn, not maintained at all. If you're willing to drop $20K, you need to see it.

I also drove 10 hours for our very first boat (90 Bu Skier). Boat looked good in pictures, but wanted to see it in person of course. When we got there...it was even better than I thought. The thing was in emaculate condition. That day we came home with a boat... and not a check.

[oldschool]

RE: Is this a good deal?

It's at a dealer, I'm going to have them check it out and send me a report of the condition. Or would it be better to have a independent/different shop look at it? Is there something that I can do to prevent any rust (internally), going forward? I will only use it in fresh water. It doesn't have a jump seat or bimini. Do you guys know of somewhere to get those? thanks for all the insight!

[crowland]

RE: Is this a good deal?

There are Jump seats for sale in the classified section all the time, and occasionally you can find a bimini someone is looking to unload.

You said previously that the boat was being sold by the dealership, is this a Nautique dealer or another dealer that sells inboards? Once again they like a car dealer working on commission and I would assume are getting a cut out of the deal since they are brokering the deal and for that reason alone I would not trust them. Like I said earlier and Zapada had the same experience I have shown up to look at a boat and it has been completely the opposite of what was described or what was represented in pictures.

What kind of rust are you referring to internally?

[bkhallpass]

RE: Is this a good deal?

He's talking about possible salt water corrosion. BKH

[oldschool]

RE: Is this a good deal?

Ya, it's a dealship that doesn't even carry inboards. Should I pay them to check it? Or should I have someone else check it? If I have them check it, what should I have them check? I have the price deal worked out with them and basically have the right to buy or walk away from it.

[Hlymons]

RE: Is this a good deal?

If it were me I would ask some Local planet Nautique guys to go take a look.

[MHayes]

Re: RE: Is this a good deal?

If it were me I would ask some Local planet Nautique guys to go take a look.

Definitely worth a try!

You've never said it, but how far away are you from the boat? I agree with pretty much everything that has been posted....people have different ideas as to what pristine, immaculate, great condition, etc. mean and you need to go make that decision yourself.

[SkiTower]

that's why my boat key is on it's own 'floatie' and there's a spare in the truck. I've got a floatie on the gas cap and glove box key, but it's definitely overweight.