V drive boat buying help

[Brichter14]

Tomorrow I am going to be driving from Illinois to Georgia to pick up this boat and I have never checked over a v drive before. Is there anything in particular I need to be looking for? Another thing is that the ad says the boat has 104 hours but it has e crappy digital gauges so I'm gonna check on the perfect pass. Any other suggestions?

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/boa/3877427457.html

[Brichter14]

Also, is this technically a super sport or a SAN? It has all the SAN accessories but it says super sport on the side.

[jmo]

It's super sport he added the tower and air graphic, did he add ballast as well? If it has ballast, it is in effect a SAN. Check the Walters v-drive oil level, its under the rear seat. The boat has extremely low hours, that would make me nervous it's not accurate, is he the original owner and does he have maintenance records? This could be the second set of telefax gauges as well as I think they were replacing them for bit with the same digital unit until people's figured out the flaw.

[5bison]

Looks clean... good luck!

[crobi2]

Looks real clean. I like the way the seller says "with just 104 hours ON THE CLOCK". May not want to lie, but possibly doesn't even know the hours.

I can't tell if that is a post 2006 PP guage or the earlier 2 line version.

Just be sure to go over everything well, and you'll probably be fine. Take someone with you who knows about engines and doesn't have boat fever.

Make sure that all of the keypad buttons work, they are pricey.

Good luck!

EDIT: check the strut and prop and shaft for damage. Yank up and down on the prop at the strut to check for excess play in the cutless (strut) bearing/bushing. While under there check the gel coat. Etc. etc.....LOL. Enjoy it, you're buying one of the best wakeboarding boats of all time.

[MikeC]

Besides the electrics, I would check the prop - dings, general condition; the prop shaft - no play either side to side or fore and aft; steering - it should turn easily while at rest and without any abnormal resistance while moving. Good luck with the water test, it's too bad you couldn't come down on a weekday and take it to a shop to have a quick prepurchase inspection done.

[Brichter14]

After a 9 hour drive one way. The rear hatch wouldn't go up. The perfect pass didn't work. The prop was bent. Ballast didn't fill.

I walked away. Just got home. The search continues.

Btw no records of boat hours.

[gride]

bummer. seems fishy to me that he is on lanier, but has the boat registered in TN. you shoulda just driven down to bama. i'd have given you my 2005 for a little more. and everything but perfect pass works with lots of extras. good luck finding the one you want.

[crobi2]

Sorry that happened to you, but was probably good experience for looking at the next one. That was kinda pricy for a 2000 anyway.

[Brichter14]

I had him down to 20k cash before I left Illinois. After finding out its problems I offered 16 and he said he could do 18 and I walked away.

[MikeC]

There are a few problems with traveling so far to purchase a large ticket item - the biggest being that you are trusting the seller to be honest about the condition of the item and after having travelled so far the seller has a slight advantage in that you may not want to drive all that way for nothing and feel compelled to make the purchase.

So, kudos for you for walking away from what could have been a bad purchase. And if you find a boat that requires a long trip try getting someone from here to stop by and take a look at it or pay the seller to take it to a shop of your choice to have a prepurchase inspection done. I don't know what MarineMax charges, but it would have been money well spent in this instance. Good luck on the search.

[Brichter14]

Ya I just kinda rushed into it thinking it was a pretty good deal. Next time ill try to get someone to check it out a little more in depth.