Posts: 3508
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
Buying a rig without driving it may or may not be a big deal. At a minimum, I think it would be best to hear the engine run, and when warm, do a compression test on the cylinders if you do decide to go about it alone. If you decide to take it to a dealer, have them perform a leak-down test, which is a little better than a compression test and if it has an onboard computer, plug it in and find out what you can from there. If there is any difference in color on the lower unit paint, a quick tear down of the lower unit to check gearing would be a good thing as well.
Simple things like checking spark plugs can be an indicator, as there are so many times I have seen used motors that don't have the correct plugs in them (ones that don't even cross reference to the correct plug).
In most cases, any test done by a mechanic is usually paid for by a potential buyer. When I sold my last boat, the buyer wanted to tear down the lower unit and, knowing it was fine, I had no issue with that being performed. Cost him about $100 but if you think about it, that is a cost is well worth it for assurance of a motor in great running condition.
From there, checking as much wiring as you can, hoses, and overall condition can tell you a bunch about how the boat has been taken care of. Turning on every switch, locator units, transducer pinging, etc. all can be gone over well. As the buyer, it is your cash on the line and once the transaction is done, anything wrong is now your issue and not the seller's, unless you have some sort of contract written.
Jacking a trailer up and checking for bearing play, lights, tire wear, etc. all come into play as that trailer is your lifeline to the water. Oh...and one big thing...check the weight capacity of the trailer. If the boat is already maxing out the trailer, it doesn't leave you with much to play with for load....especially if you take any big trips where the boat needs to carry some of the gear. So many rigs have trailers that are as light as can be for the boat.
At the very least, a contract that clearly defines any issues the rig has currently that you have been made aware of, and, given you have not had a chance to take it out and run it, a clause that would hold the seller liable for any repair you did not know (given a mechanic has not done any leak down, compression, or water tests while the engine is under load) covers you as the buyer. If the seller is not o.k with something like this, it could potentially raise an eyebrow as it could be a good indicator he/she could be hiding something. Keeping an eye on the sellers actions, nuances, etc all come into play in determining if there is any potential deception going on.
Steve
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