looking at a boat! HELP!!!!

[needwake]

Correct Craft Junkies,
I need some help. I have been looking at a 93 barefoot excel with a 94 engine it has 1000 hrs, it has a ballast, tower, tower speakers, trailer. It looks great from the pictures like the guy has taken care of the boat. The guy is asking $16,500 is this a good deal? What questions should i ask him about the boat? Should i steer away from this type of boat? was this a good year? any help would be great. This will be my wifes and I first boat and i want to make sure i get a good boat that will last for many years. Thanks again for the help. Dave

[Laptom]

RE: looking at a boat! HELP!!!!

I think you found a great boat for the sport (wakeboarding, skien). But you've to be a bit sceptical with the 1000 hours. If those are well maintained hours I don't see a problem. Which engine is the boat equipted (Ford small block, Chevy Big block)? I'm pretty sure this '93 has no wooden stringers (can anybody verify that)? So that would be no problem. Check the engine compression, check the transmission. Drive the boat. And if all works out; you should be able to talk the price a bit down (around $15k with those options).. Show us a picture, perhaps we can say more about it then.

[SGY]

RE: looking at a boat! HELP!!!!

Nice boat--although the asking price seems a bit high--I think Laptom is correct in his estimate on price.

What are your and your wife's interests? Do you both ski or wakeboard or both? How do you plan on using the boat? Do you guys have kids that will be in the boat with you? Answer these questions and we can get closer to what suits your needs the best.

The barefoot Excel probably has the big block. It'll be a screamer but will use more fuel. I'd ask him where he takes the boat for maintenance and follow up there. If he does his own maintenance, question him on how often he changed the oil and tranny fluid. Also ask him what procedures he used to winterize the boat. Other questions like what kind of wax he used will tell you quite a bit about how anal the guy really is. Also ask him when the trailer was last serviced. If you find a guy who takes care of the trailer, chances are he has taken care of the boat. Other than that, I would do some pretty intensive nosing around the boat.

Make sure you take the boat to the lake with the owner. Pay attention to the owner and what he does. What are his procedures? Does he allow the boat to warm up before throttling up? Does he let the boat slide into gear or does he hit it hard from neutral? How proficient does he load and unload the boat on and off the trailer? Does the guy wear shoes in his boat; does he ask you to take off your shoes. These kinds of things will tell you alot about the owner and how the boat has been cared for.

I'd also question him intently on how he used the boat. Is he the original owner? These suggestions along with Laptom's info should give you a pretty good idea of what you are getting into. Good luck.

[Flux]

RE: looking at a boat! HELP!!!!

As a reference, my buddy has his 92' Sport up for sale for the exact same asking price. Everything is original and it has 350 engine hours on the Ford PCM 351 and comes with a tower and dual axle trailer. The excel you are looking at sees a good deal of use. Definately grill them on the maintenance and ask to see all the receipts and such. Find out why the engine was replaced. Also find out what they mainly do with the baot. 1000 hrs of weighted down wakeboarding could definately be a factor.

1000 hrs may not be a problem is the boat was maintained well and driven nicely. But if it was beat on, you may be replacing the engine and drive train and be 20k into in no time.

Too bad we are in California, we have a great boat for you with much less wear and tear.

[Flux]

RE: looking at a boat! HELP!!!!

Oh yeah, make sure you test drive it and take it in and out of gear a few times. Look for oil in the endine compartment and check out the engine after it gets hot, smell for burning oil, etc.

[Rick]

RE: looking at a boat! HELP!!!!

I have a 2000 with 1300 hours. Thats alot . Having said that PCM says 2000 to 2400 hours before overhaul. Mine was maintained by WCCC and the oil was changed every 50 hours (once a week in the summer.) The boat still looks and runs like it was new. If it was well maintianed 1000 hours on a boat that age still shouldn't be a problem

[needwake]

RE: looking at a boat! HELP!!!!

Thanks for all the advise! I will ask him all the questions you have mentioned above. I believe he has taken great care of the boat from what he has told me and the picture i have seen.

[mike-d]

93 excell

if its a closed bow excell, I wouldnt pay over 14k, judging from the picture, maybe around 13k? It looks like it has a knock off flight control tower? and decal? I would offer 13k.

my two cents,
Mike
fyi
93 excell open bow, first vdrive nauty with 2000 fct
95 super sport with 2000 fct, second
99 san, third
2001 san, current

[needwake]

RE: 93 excell

It is a closed bow, and i dont believe the engine was ever replaced, i think the hull must have been built in 93 and by the time they got finished and put a engine in it was 94 or something like that. My wife and i both wakeboard and are just wanting to find a great starter boat. I live in Nashville, TN and have been searching dealerships all over the southeast. I want to find that boat that the most Anal guy has owned, beause that will be the differeence in a boat being old and junk and being a old beauty. Thanks for agian for all the help. I will ask him all those questions that you mentioned SGY. Dave

[Mikeski]

RE: 93 excell

judging from what I see in the pix $13-14 is probably closer, 1000 hours is starting to get up there especially if it was used much for footing. Figure a rebuild at around 1500-2000 hours, with a big block were talking $4-5k range. Although I know of a brand new PCM 454 that may be a screaming deal if anybody is interested.

[mike-d]

excell

please go to www.wakeboarder.com classifieds, there is a red open bow excell with 800 hrs, tower, speakers etc. for 12.5! I would buy this boat over the barefooter, its open bow, red and grey, looks sharp! less hrs. Hurry up on this one, it will sell soon.

fyi,
Mike

[magene]

Wakeboarding behind a Barefoot N or Excel N

I have boarded behind them both. You need the 454 in that boat. the 351 is poor and the 454 is a pig. I would spend the money on a 93 sport N before I would get the v drive. That hull is only good for footing, which I do. The boat plows at 20 mph. Complete different bottom from the super sport N.

C

[82tique]

16.5k for a ten year old boat with a 1000 hrs sounds pretty steep.

I'd keep on searchin', you can always throw a new tower on a boat in better shape and still spend a lot less.

One thing I learned from my old man is that you never pay full asking price on a used boat ever (especially during the winter).

Check out correctcraftfan.com, lots of old Nautis for sale.