Should I charge a deposit?

[Rob LaMoy]

I can't believe I'm doing it, but I'm so busy this year, I'm actually paying a shop to winterize my boat, $70. Well I have an interested buyer who may want to come up and look at it. I know that I would want to take any boat I'm buying for a test run. What I fear is that he'll run, then perhaps drag his feet for weeks or not buy it at all, and I'll have to flip another $70 to rewinterize. Should I ask him up front for the $70 deposit as insurance. It would help keep the tire kickers away. If he buys it, the money goes towards the purchase price. Sound fair????

 

[Matt Erickson]

Rob,



In my opinion only. It will deflect a few potential buyers if they're comparing between boats to make a final decision. Realizing that right now it's winter, and that's when a bargain-seekers are looking for a good deal - knowing many boat owners selling now are DESPERATE to move them (not to buy a new boat, but to get rid of) in contrary to the boat owners selling later in the summer mostly wanting to UPGRADE their rigs. Bargain-seekers are not as willing to spend as those who desperately wanting a boat (for example, Spring/Summer time after watching fishing shows or be involved with friends who owns a boat for the first time). My point is, don't winterize your boat, and run it regularly to maintain the motor - 15 mins run once per week is sufficient. Extra work, but that would move to sell faster. Again, that's my opinion, not a proven fact.



- valky

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Valk,

Thanks, I would but it's already down in the teens here at night and if I run it during the day and let it sit with a lower unit full of water at night, my $1400 new lower unit will be shot. Also, any water still in the jacket of the block could crack my new powerhead too. It's already at the shop. I'm not desperate to sell it. I know that if I don't know, I will before spring. Buzz is bringing the 896 over for me to store for winter anyhow, so I'll just put them together. The 896 isn't going anywhere either so once, I get mine sold, I let Buzz know, run to the bank, get the balance, and buy the 896. I'm excited to get it sooner so I can begin customizing it. But I'm fighting off the urge to take less than my boat is worth to simply speed up the process.

 

[Rob LaMoy]

supposed to now, not know

 

[Steven Atwell]

I would make him pay the 70 I guess. That's a tough question isn't it? That may deter him from even coming to look at it at all. Who knows.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Sell it "AS IS" with the caveat that if upon startup in the spring there is a problem, you'll take care of it. What is a test run gonna do anyway, prove that the motor starts ? You already know that it does. Prove that it doesn't leak? You already know that too. You know if there is anything wrong with it. Disclose it if there is. To me it is an added plus that you already have it winterized...No deposit.



TOXIC

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Nothing wrong with it Tox, hell, I covered EVERYTHING this year! LOL I'm leary of covering anything in spring. Who's to say this guy knows what he's doing. Say he runs at home without muffs, or does something else bright and does blow it do due ignorance. I'm not flipping the bill for another powerhead for that! He is a first time buyer, so I told him what to look for regardless of what boat he looks at, and encouraged him to check those things on mine. Transom, hull, compression, lower unit, prop, prop shaft, etc. But Tox, I know those things, but he has to take my word. If I was him, I'd be leary. I intend to give him copies of receipts and work orders for the engine rebuild and lower unit, along with the other misc things I replaced this year. That I would think, by looking at the dates on the forms, (this year) would be adequate!

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Yeah it should. If he has those kind of doubts, running it isn't going to help anyway. I'd just tell him that if he wants to test drive that's ok with you but that if he backs out, he foots for the $70 to re-winterize it. Otherwise he takes it as is and you will address any "issues" he might have in the spring (no winter start-ups). No way he is going to do something during the winter that you wouldn't be able to tell, i.e. blowing the powerhead besides, you already got his $$ and if you are fair and say "You broke it, you fix it" I trust you would be right.



TOXIC

 

[Jim B]

Rob has the work already been done to winterize? If it has not been done why not take this guy for a test ride then have it done? That way there is no need to have it done twice and if he drags his feet no biggie. Let the buyer know you that if he does buy the boat it will be fully winterized for him before he picks it up.

 

[Rob LaMoy]

It's in the shop as we speak. Could already be finished, but like I said, I don't want to wait because it's in the teens at night here. No need to replace lower unit or water pressure gauge etc waiting. The guys says he's out of town on business and will get with me this weekend. I don't even know where he is. He might just be "fishing". But we have corresponded about 6 times via e-mail. I just thought of this for any buyer. Just in case.

 

[Matt Erickson]

Rob,



I forgot the fact you're not from Texas. I'll definitely winterize the boat when the temperature goes into 20's or below - it is rarely the case here so I don't usually winterize, and fish all year around.



I like Tox's suggestion - have the buyer to foot the bill if he insists on a test drive and choose not to buy the boat.



Good luck on selling your boat, and I know the temptation to lower the sales price to move it faster for a new boat - that would definitely something you'd regret later. My dad-in-law quoted: "There are two best days of his life; buying a boat, and selling it." He emphasized that his quotation is true if he takes his time and seek for a bargain at desired savings; and at the end he take his time to sell it at desired price.



- valky

 

[Andrew Zuber]

I'd have him pay the deposit...



Be careful if you store Buzz's boat and yours together. I lost a buyer one time when I parked the "old" truck next to the new one in the driveway...They saw the "new" one and changed their mind about what they wanted to buy!

Not saying yours is "old"...but you get the jist...



az

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Andy, they'll be covered and in the back. But thanks, never thought of that.

 

[Texas Transplant]

I'll take a different tact here.



If you are selling, running it on the water is part of the deal. Virtually no-body buys a used boat without having it checked out and/or running it on the water.



If I'm looking at a boat and am asked to put up $70.00 so that the owner can get it ready, so that I can see it work, I'm probably going to go down the road instead.



It's just one of those 'costs of doing business'. I think you have to look at this from the buyers perspective, and not the sellers.



Just my .02 cents worth.



Tex

 

[Matt Erickson]

I just thought of this, it may not be feasible to you, Rob, but I just want to say it.



1) Get an old oil drum (the metal that homeless in NYC used to keep a fireplace in - or however I describe this drum - haha);

2) Cut it in half (or as high as the drum with filled liquid can sink entire lower unit.

3) Place some kind of ballast (rocks, or sandbags) to reduce the volume around the area below the water intake to save the coolant;

4) Fill it up with 50% car engine coolant and 50% water;

5) Submerge the lower unit in it;

6) Start motor, run it in idle until the motor tell-tale hole spews the coolant, shut it off.

7) You can store the boat between test runs without re-winterize the motor and saves you $70 each time and saves you from scaring your potential buyers.



DISCLAIMER: I'm not responsible for any damages caused by using my idea because this is never tried before not by me or not by anyone that I know - use it at your risk ;-)



Well, what a silly idea, but who knows?



- valky

 

[David Jordan]

Sorry Rob, But that's part of selling the boat. If you charge $70 I would walk away. It says to the perspective buyer that your nickle and diming them. You may have to eat the winterizing cost just to sell your boat. It's not what you want to hear but the guy who is looking at the boat doesn't care how much you paid. That the seller's problem, They just want to test the boat and engine. Now if you could get some mechanic to inspect your engine, ie compression ect w/ paperwork, that might work.

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Ths shop called and only charged me $35, so I won't sweat it. If he buys, great, if not, I'll just have the work redone. I just don't have time for people that aren't serious buyers and don't want lose a sale to a real buyer because of somebody that's just killing time. Thanks for the input everyone.