Potential Buyer

DougsMDX

New Member
Feb 10, 2007
65
Charleston, SC
Boat Info
2007 250 SLX
Engines
6.2 Liter
I have the paperwork for a 2007 250 Select in front of me awaiting a sea trial and my significant other's approval. It has the 6.2MPI engine and the fiberglass tower and totals out for $69,690.

At our boat show, Sea Ray and the dealer were throwing in more incentives (about 5% more reduction), claiming that Sea Ray wanted to get back lost market share in the 1st Quarter of 2007.

Boat listed for $82K.

My Basic question is this .................. I've never owned a SR before and am soliciting advice from this forum before I go and spend 70 grand.

Love the boat and the lines, just not sure buying new is the way to go. However this boat has only been out since last year, so there's not going to be alot of used ones available.

I can see me holding onto this boat for awhile. Currently have a 1994 Robalo that I've had for a long time, so I have experience in holding onto a boat for a long time.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Doug
 
Welcome to CSR.............

You will find differing views on this one and that some folks will passionately argue either side. But, this one is going to boil down to the fact that it is your money and your decision.

In general, you will not find systemic problems with a Sea Ray of this size. They just don't make serious mistakes in this size category. What frequently does happen, however, is that the market reacts to the first year's offering on a new model and Sea Ray adds, removes or changes some of the features based on the initial market reaction. So I always tell people to avoid the first year of a new model.

I am of the used boat school of thought. I am continually surprised at the number of really nice, clean and well maintained boats that show up on the used market. They get there for a number of reasons and almost all have nothing to do with the boat. The owner gets hooked and wants a bigger boat with more features. A lot of boats in this category also trade up candidates as the owner wants to move up to a cruiser, or he wants a generator and air conditioning, or his kids reach the magic age where teenagers have to travel in packs or they are miserable, etc. Sea Ray's dealer network and customer satisfaction record is such that boat problems get fixed.......Sea Rays are almost never sold because of a boat problem.

Used boats save depreciation. Buying a used boat also means the the new boat bugs are already taken care of.........this is a production boat, but they are still hand-build and as such new boats will have some minor issues that a new boat owner will need to take care of. Buying used also means you usually get more boat for the same money if you are flexible on model and style.

With new boats you pay more, but you get a new and unmolested boat that only you have touched. You get to break it in your way, etc. In my case, our boat was 9 months old and still had plastic on part of the interior, so how bad could it have been hurt by the first owner?

So just how much do you love the new style 250 and how badly do you want the new boat smell/color/features etc? There is a 2000 or 2001 290AJ for sale at the same and a 290SS for slightly more money than you are considering for the new 250 for sale in our area. Both these boats are like new and have warranties. There are some really nice ones out there if you look for them.

Good luck with your decision..............
 
DougsMDX said:
I have the paperwork for a 2007 250 Select in front of me awaiting a sea trial and my significant other's approval. It has the 6.2MPI engine and the fiberglass tower and totals out for $69,690.

At our boat show, Sea Ray and the dealer were throwing in more incentives (about 5% more reduction), claiming that Sea Ray wanted to get back lost market share in the 1st Quarter of 2007.

Boat listed for $82K.

My Basic question is this .................. I've never owned a SR before and am soliciting advice from this forum before I go and spend 70 grand.

Love the boat and the lines, just not sure buying new is the way to go. However this boat has only been out since last year, so there's not going to be alot of used ones available.

I can see me holding onto this boat for awhile. Currently have a 1994 Robalo that I've had for a long time, so I have experience in holding onto a boat for a long time.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Doug

Hey Doug, Welcome aboard :thumbsup: That new SeaRay bug bites hard doesn't it :grin: Don't let the dealer/boat show push you into something to fast. Frank hit nail on the head about 1st year models, has the wife checked out the boat yet? Is the head big enough for them. IMHO I like the Sundeck lines and the girls like the bigger head in it too. Are you going to be trailering it? If so with what? The price sounded about right for the 250. Nice boat just did not seem to have as much space as my 240. How many are going to be on the boat most of the time? If we are on the local lake seems to have 6+ aboard most of the time and still have room to spare. The older kids always want to have some of their friends with them. Hope this helps some.
 
Advise? I would venture to say you have arrived at the right place.

I have purchased four boats 2 new and 2 used, 3 were Searays and 1…..um, mistake. At the end of last season, when ready to move up, I had no intention of purchasing new and looked extensively at many slightly used Searays. As Frank has indicated, many are impeccable, with low hours and hardly any evidence of use or abuse. Unfortunately, none of them had what I like to call the “Wow†factor. That is, something that you are drawn to by mystical and inexplicable forces that none of the others can quite compare or compete with.

We asked the dealer if they had any 2006’s that were not sold and as fate would have it, the showroom model was available with all the extra whistles and bells that typically accompany one on the floor. An extremely fair deal was hammered out that in the end only cost about 20K more than a comparable boat that was 2 years old.

We found our “Wow†this time in a new boat and I suspect you are in the same place right now with your decision making. Justification for the purchase can be difficult. We made peace with the decision by realizing that someone was going to get this boat, so “why not us�

My advise – go for it!
 
I've owned two Sea Rays - one new, and one used. My new one gave me fits for the first year. Every time we took it out, I spent an hour or more chasing down a loose electrical connection or something like that. It had leaks in the head (shower sump), a bad windlass, several gauges went out due to loose wires...

Since the first year, it has been relatively trouble free. We've owned it 10 years.

The second one was about 2 years old. In the first 4 days, we cruised 700 miles to get it home - no problems. We bought it for 48% less than the retail price of a new one (38% less than a good deal). It didn't have that new boat smell, but it seems to now. My whole attitude about life changes when I climb aboard. All my problems seem to melt away.

In your price range, the price seems right and the difference between new and used is not too great, but there's a lot of satisfaction in shopping for and finding the right used boat, and pocketing the difference. It's all about choice.
 
Doug......welcome to CSR! :thumbsup:

I am on my third Sea Ray and I have really liked every single one of them. One was bought used and two were bought new. Buying a new boat is always nice but as others have pointed out there is money to be saved buying a used boat and there are very few negatives about making that kind of choice. Your other comparable choice in the used Sea Ray market is the 240 Bowrider which is also a solid boat but totally different in style to the new 250. My first Sea Ray was a two year old 210 Sundeck and it was in perfect condition. At the time I bought it, I saved roughly 1/3 of the price of a new one (which was essentially identical in style and features.)

I feel the 250 is a good choice in Bow Riders. There have been quite a few sold by our dealer. Since it's a new design it's likely to be unchanged for several more years as well. As far as price goes, that again is a personal thing but I think you have more room for negotiating the price downward. I might also suggest you purchase the extended warranty for the engine and the outdrive while you are at it. And you can negotiate the price on that as well (because I have done that twice myself :thumbsup: ).

Best of luck on your purchase and let us know if you have any more questions.
 
Thanks for the prompt replies fwebster, chuck1, jrirvine1, hampton and Dave S. I did leave out one item and I guess this is another question. Since Dave S mentioned it, I'll direct it to him but if the others know, feel free to answer.

They are throwing in an extended warranty on the powertrain. They list it as a passport 2+4 product protection. Dave, since you've negotiated this item before, How much is that additional warranty worth?

Doug
 
Doug............I don't know if the price is based soley on the motor and outdrive combination or if the size of the boat also figures into it. But logic tells me it's probably based soley on the motor and outdrive. I believe the "list price" on my additional 4 year extended warranty for my 350MAG with a Bravo III drive was around $1400 on my 2006 260DA so it's not trivial by any means. The nice thing is with the two year factory warranty and the extended warranty you are covered for 6 years total.
 
Ok ................ now I have a real good what if to ask you guys. Found a 2006 250 SLX in Maryland (I live in SC) that has 55 hours on it and guy had it for 2 months and traded it in on a Formula (???). Same motor and has the fiberglass tower, but is pewter. The new one I picked out was black, but I'm ok with grey if the savings warrrant it.

Anyway, that boat is 57.5K out the door, but doesn't have the extended warranty or the Navman 5505 (which I think is about 1500-1700 installed).

So ............... If my 3rd grade math teacher did me right and I use the warranty info that Dave just gave me, I'm looking at 8.7K in savings plus the challenge of getting it to SC.

I don't know of what all the differences are between 2006 and 2007, but I'm guessing it isn't much.

What does the group think now.

BTW, this forum ROCKS! Just like the Acura forum, I'm a member of!!


Doug
 
Welcome to CSR.

I am on my third Sea Ray too, in 5 years. I have always bought used (1998 270 DA, 1991 310 DA and 1995 370 DA). I have done very good maintenance on all of them and never got problems. My admiral and I really got used to Sea Ray boats and when we were shopping we felt more comfortable/at ease on SR boats.

In my area we do boating only 5 months per year so buying new is out of question.

Good luck with your search and hopefully you'll be a SR owner soon.

PS: Don't neglect the footitis.....I would go too for a used boat like a 290 or 300....
 
Doug,

There are other things to think about when buying used as well. Most will suggest that you have a survey completed on a used boat which you will need to add the cost of that as well. Was the boat broken in properly, serviced, etc. correctly. For that amount of saving and the money that you will have to spend to get it brought up to the standard that you are looking for I would go with the new. I have always been the type that if I mess it up that is one thing but if I bought someone else's mess up it eats at me. just my .02. Good luck with what ever you decide.... By the way that is one nice boat you are looking at!!!! :thumbsup:

btw - the boat did not change from 2006 to 2007 according to Sea Ray's website.

Wesley
 
Doug............you say you live in SC (so do I) so where will you be boating? Are you going to trailer it? Was this boat used in fresh or salt water? Does it have a "closed coolant" engine?

Dave
 
These are really good thoughts about new vs. old and really cover all the differences. We bought brand new because we were given a great deal on a last year's model boat that had been sitting around -- for our first two years of our first boat it has been perfect and that is what we needed for us at the time.

Frankly, it also was an easier decision because of the price of the boat. Although the percentage savings between new and old probably remain the same over the spread of Sea Ray models, the actual $$ spent are alot lower in you are looking at purchasing a smaller Sea Ray. While we bought new on our first Sea Ray, we will not be able to buy new for our step up boat so I am happy we had the pleasure of a brand new boat once.

Our issue in the Northwest is patience -- there are just not alot of slightly used boats. We have an incredibly short season and if you are not finding the boat you want slightly used and the season is upon you, you could conceivably not have the boat you want this year -- and have to wait another 9 months . . . it just takes a patient person!!

GOOD LUCK!! Kathy
 
Doug, in response to the “what ifâ€.

Several years ago I found an exceptional deal on an out of state boat that was trailer-able, but did not have one. (You did not mention if either of the boats you are considering had a trailer) My solution was to purchase a trailer in MD, drive to Richmond VA and haul it back. I was unable to water test the boat, so I arranged for a surveyor to meet me at the dealer and perform a complete survey, we then towed it to the surveyor’s mechanic to run the engine and perform compression tests. All checked out fine, so I came home with a one year old repossessed boat at a great price.

If the savings is worth the inconvenience or additional transport expense, then this may work fine. One other note, you mentioned the used boat does not have the extended warranty. I may be wrong on this point, but I think that you may not be able to purchase the extended warranty on the used boat now. There is a window of opportunity for the extended warranties and it may have closed.
 
If it is still under the original Mercruiser warranty I suggest you contact them to see about purchasing a extension directly through them after buying the used boat if you go that route. The pass port warranty is a big expense. Look at the systems on the boat, the two biggest issues are the motor and stern drive. How much else is it going to cost to fix something else on the boat? If the answer is not much then the better warranty vs value would be the Mercruiser, if there are a lot of other systems that look like they might need attention then the Pass Port might be the best solution.

Best of luck. Tough decision.
 
I've been in diesel boats for a long time and am not current on gas warranties now, but isn't there a 2 year OEM warranty on new Mercs now? Isn't there a Brunswick powertrain warranty product (not the Passport warranty product but one sold just on the MErc engine and drive?) available to owners of Merc still under factory waranty. I have a friend who was the original purchaser on a 360DA in2005......he took a pass on the warranty (Passport) the dealer was selling, waited until his warranty was nearing the end and bought the Brunswick plan directly from them. His cost was $1150 per engine, but his boat had v-drives.

Also, boats are not selling..........take your checkbook and go look at the used boat. Boats are always cheaper when you start writing deposit checks than telephone or internet prices. If the boat is in Maryland, you go next week and you have to beat the snow off of it to look at it, my guess is you are the only buyer the dealer has seen in months and they won't let you leave without the boat behind you.

In our area black boats look good but they are proving to be a very high maintenance color. Pewter is by far the more desireable color choice on anything.

Might be worth checking on the warranty.................
 
Welcome to CSR

Boat shopping is a lot of fun. Frank would encourae you to get the boat you want with all of the options that you want at your price. That said, your used boat needs a little upgrading to be comparable to your new boat. If you want the Navman then someone needs to install it for you. If you want the warrenty go for it. If the new boat has those features then you need to make a correction to the price of one of those boats so you are comparing apples to apples, not steak to turnips.

You also need to answer Dave's questions as they affect the value of the boat. You will have expenses in picking up the boat so factor those in. Do you have a proper tow vehicle? I would be pushing harder on that used boat and trying to determine how that model is selling in that market. Patience is a virtue in this game. Don't be bashful about your offer, it is your money. Make an offer you can live with.

If you are in the upstate I know that new boat you are looking at and it is very sharp. I hope it works out for you Doug.
 
Doug I found out from a very close friend in the boat business that there is at least 40% markup in new boats. This includes Sea Ray. That does not include options and accessories. I recently bought a 2007 Sundeck and asked the salesman what his best price was. He immediately knocked of 20% of MSRP. I thought that was a fair discount and bought the boat on the spot. So I think you should be able to knock 20% off the MSRP especially this time of year. I don't like to beat salesmen up on prices too much because I think everyone deserves to make a fair profit. The MSRP on my boat was exactly 50k and I paid 40k for mine. I'm sure not all dealerships are the same but just wanted to share this with you for peace of mind sake.
 
I currently dry stack my Robalo and was planning on dry stacking the SR. Of course, if I go the Maryland route, I'll need to trailer it, which since my last posting, the dealer in Maryland quoted $4400 for a trailer that would hold up in salt water. He also said the warranty was a one year warranty from Mercury that was transferable with 6 months left on it.

That being said, my out of pocket expenses are REAL close now, but I would have a trailer. Well .......... my 2006 Acura MDX can't pull a SR 250 SLX ................. Decisions, decisions.

I like the advice about black being very nice at the beginning, but could be hard to maintain. I can see that. But maybe by being dry stored, it will last alot longer before that happens.

I don't live in the upstate. I'm on the coast (Charleston, SC), where we can easily enjoy boating about 9 months out of the year.

I have 20 days before my boat show price of $69.6K with 6 years of warranty) goes by by ................

Doug
 
Doug,

If you boat in saltwater it would be better to have one of the closed cooling engines that doesn't circulate sea water but instead has it's own coolant and radiator. The 496 comes standard that way but I believe it is an extra cost on the other engines. If you are planning on Dry Stack Storage, then I certainly would not buy a trailer. The boat can be shipped down to you.........you just need to get some quotes to do that so you know how much it will cost you. The other thought I had when you mentioned Dry Stack is can you store a boat with an arch or will it cost extra if you have one? As far as the color goes, whether you are wet slipped or dry stored your hull will still show water spots with the dark colors. There is little you can do about that except to clean it regularly. As far as whether this used boat is the one for you, you probably need to make a trip to Maryland and look at it. I would be very leary of buying it sight unseen. And as others have said, you may also want to have the boat surveyed as well.

Good luck with making your choice. :thumbsup:
 

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