Tall Tales from the Shopping Trail

[amiller]

As I've previously posted, we are in the market for a 40' Caribbean cat for our family. I love wasting time shopping through yachtworld and sailboatlistings.com, but boy is there some nonsense out there! For example:

1: when a boat is 5+ years old, why does the broker post pictures from the Lagoon website and only one distant picture of the actual boat? Hello obvious red flag!

2: What about the boat that reportedly had 1500 engine hours, but then it turned out that 1500 is the number at which the meter stopped working and the engines are perhaps closer to 8000 and leak a ton of oil?

3: And then I found a boat listed for sale, with pictures showing it in pristine condition....but then I realized the boat name in the photos was not the same as the one for sale! Shenanigans!

Why don't sellers/brokers just write an honest listing and include current photos and move on with their day? These boats for sale are a $1000 flight away and I don't want to travel for some load of BS!

Ok, rant is over....

ps: if you have a 2000-2012 cat, in the Caribbean, in good condition, and at a good price I'm still shopping!

[hellosailor]

If you think Yachtworld and the brokers are nonsense, wait until you've played the fun and games with private listings and Criagslist.

[vjm]

I am also shopping right now, and I definitely can sympathize. The process has been quite frustrating and the seller shenanigans have been unbelievable. I have cash in hand and about five questions I need answers to. You would think that would spell a quick purchase, but no.

Did I mention the guy who didn't tell me about the hole in the deck the size of my head until I drove three hours to see the boat? Good times.

[Jack Lahr]

Everybody--Save your time, money, and aggravation in pre screening candidate boats simply by hiring a qualified local surveyor for say two hours time to look the boat over and give you a telephone report . Chances are you'll be very impressed with the results--And then be better able to decide whether it's a boat to consider seriously. And look at the savings in time, money and aggravation!


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[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by amiller

(...)

Why don't sellers/brokers just write an honest listing and include current photos and move on with their day?

(...)

Because it takes will, skill and effort to do anything well. These values are neither vastly abundant nor promoted in our society.

b.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by amiller

As I've previously posted, we are in the market for a 40' Caribbean cat for our family. I love wasting time shopping through yachtworld and sailboatlistings.com, but boy is there some nonsense out there! For example:

1: when a boat is 5+ years old, why does the broker post pictures from the Lagoon website and only one distant picture of the actual boat? Hello obvious red flag!

2: What about the boat that reportedly had 1500 engine hours, but then it turned out that 1500 is the number at which the meter stopped working and the engines are perhaps closer to 8000 and leak a ton of oil?

3: And then I found a boat listed for sale, with pictures showing it in pristine condition....but then I realized the boat name in the photos was not the same as the one for sale! Shenanigans!

Why don't sellers/brokers just write an honest listing and include current photos and move on with their day? These boats for sale are a $1000 flight away and I don't want to travel for some load of BS!

Ok, rant is over....

ps: if you have a 2000-2012 cat, in the Caribbean, in good condition, and at a good price I'm still shopping!

Some brokers and sellers are actually honest, believe it or not. Some brokers seem to throw as much **** up against the wall hoping some will stick. Just like many consumer sales jobs. Boats today used cars tomorrow.

[Stu Jackson]

This should be read along with the How Much to Offer thread.

[kim123]

I love the ads that say"Replaced NEW in 1996". When does "NEW" become "OLD"?

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by kim123

I love the ads that say"Replaced NEW in 1996". When does "NEW" become "OLD"?

It is new compared to the 68 mfg. date. :biggrin

Now come on that new engine only has 20K hour on it barely broken in. PS, the oil was changed twice.

[Oc1]

Its unfortunate but it seems to be across the board with salesmen. You have to weed out the good ones from the bad. I think the hope is that if they can get you in the door there is a chance they can talk you in to making a purchase. So sad and a huge waste of time.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Oc1

Its unfortunate but it seems to be across the board with salesmen. You have to weed out the good ones from the bad. I think the hope is that if they can get you in the door there is a chance they can talk you in to making a purchase. So sad and a huge waste of time.

Unfortunately it seems the shisters (sp?) seem to make out and the honest salesman doesn't unless it is a repeat business and dependent on word of mouth.
It is buyer be where.

[valhalla360]

I suspect they are counting on people who spend $1000 for an air ticket (and probably another $1000 on hotel, food, etc... once they get there) will want to make it work. By that time, you have become emotionally invested and want the deal to work out.


I wouldn't bother with a surveyor until you are ready to make an offer. Ask for pictures of specific things or even request a time stamped picture. If you mix a few of those in with general request for recent pictures, they probably don't have a recent photo of the engines and refuse to get some, good chance there is something else going on. Way too expensive to pay a surveyor $600-1000 until you are pretty sure you are going to put an offer in (contingent upon survey).

[Jack Lahr]

Ahoy Vahalla 360: let's do the math. A two hour consulting fee with a surveyor near your candidate boat--$300 max, maybe $200 . You get a frank report on whether this a boat worth pursuing(solid decks?etc) If not worth pursuing you save how much in travel expenses and time? If yes, you know your trip will be no wild goose chase. And if you make a contingent offer, this consulting surveyor may credit the $200-300 against the survey charge. The preliminary expense is not for a full blown survey. It has worked great for me in $$ savings to screen faraway boats.


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[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Jack Lahr

Ahoy Vahalla 360: let's do the math. A two hour consulting fee with a surveyor near your candidate boat--$300 max, maybe $200 . You get a frank report on whether this a boat worth pursuing(solid decks?etc) If not worth pursuing you save how much in travel expenses and time? If yes, you know your trip will be no wild goose chase. And if you make a contingent offer, this consulting surveyor may credit the $200-300 against the survey charge. The preliminary expense is not for a full blown survey. It has worked great for me in $$ savings to screen faraway boats.


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Even if you can talk a surveyor into doing a quick preliminary survey, that can still quickly eat up a lot of money before you're ready to pull the trigger. It makes no sense to travel until you are pretty sure you want to buy (assuming you aren't treating it as a vacation)

Doing a little free recon makes a lot more sense and once you think you have found one, then move on to spending money.

[sartorst]

How about the boats that sold almost a year ago and still on the listing?? Just to get you to call them ?