Quote Originally Posted by gazza2006au View Post

They are money pits but where else would u be in life? Putti g 50 dollar notes in a chicks knickers?

Possibly loading the car with 2 cases of vb a week sitting on the lounge killing your liver?

We all have something in common be it boats, cars, bikes, whatever... we get enjoyment from our hobbies we know we over spend we know we will get jack all back its just life
HAHA So true mate . I should have worded this whole topic differently. There are quality used boats, then there are money pits. I use to be a mad drinker, Id swallow 1 litre of 40% brown poison and a 24 box of Tooheys EVERY friday night, then have a hang over for 6 days, rinse and repeat. I stopped at about 37yo when I realised how crap I was feeling. Not so much the money as Im frugral anyway and was saving $1500 cash a week from my pay cheque. But definitely for some people, they can spend $100 a week on piss, easy as.

Good brands hold their value. I look at Stabicraft here while Im in NZ. I remember the 389 model when it was first released in 2005 was $19kNZD all packaged with fruit etc. You wont get a used one for under $22k here now, regardless of Age.

I was looking at a 2007 Quinny Coast runner 480, 90hp merc, 90 litre fuel tanks, 2.3m beam, all the elecs you could want, split screen for the anchor, solid grab rails fixed to the hull but instinctively where the screen top is. $40k new, JUST sold for $15500nzd here. I feel a bit silly to not keep bidding, as I like Quintrex, even if other boat manus here use 4-8mm plate (depending on hull etc), a 15yr old quintrex still looked 8.5/10, the hull 9/10. Only thing I could see was slightly faded steering wheel. Guy had babied it, as it should be. I missed out on a good boat with my fear of buying used. My main concern is I didnt get to view under the floor to check for electrolysis and pitting (rare but when it does happen can cost a lot to repair).

So very interesting, the Quin was worth WAY more new and imo unless you going westcoast bars here in NZ (some are insane to be fair) often, the Quintrex is a much nicer boat for the east coast and occasional west coast when the swell is down to 1.5m and below.

One of the most loved boats here in NZ is the Fish City 3.9 and 4.3m, tiller, side or centre. 30-50hp is plenty for them and they handle the west coast on the good days and are built tough. They also seem to hold there value well here.

I think the only time to buy a used engine to save money is one that a tech has fully serviced and 60hp upward, ie a 90hp engine that has just been taken off a 2yr old boat to repower to 130hp etc. You can save money on the bigger engines, maybe $3k, but on 50hp and down, there is no meat in the savings, nothing there to make buying used worthwhile. Not to say there arent some great used 50hp engines out there. But for the Average person it is a risk. I think the key here, regardless of whether you are an experienced DIY service person or not, get a marine tech to check out any used engine and or hull. Ive bought some great used boats, both Haines and Seafarer. Like care there is a sweet spot. To me with cars it is about 3yo. With boats its more 5-7yo.