On the Level Stories: Who Sold Their Boat for the Same They Paid for it?:

[Trailer Park Casanova]

Ya can sell any boat in decent condition for a good price.
Whats your experience?:

[coolchange]

I have a hard time getting what I paid for it. I almost always get more.

[HocusPocus]

over the years i have always bought and sold many used boats.. sure some needed a little attention but i have alawys made a profit on them, some more then others. i try to buy and sell 2 boats a year, its a hobby something i enjoy doing, the part i like is i get to experience all sorts of boats mfg, styles, sizes, power etc.. etc.
none of them have been big dollar boats i look to buy boats under $15k and which are priced well under nada.com value. if you can buy one, fix it up and still sell it under nada.com, you can turn them over quick.

[riverbound]

I sold my Spectra for more than I bought it for but WAY less than I had into it. I know I could sell the Stoker and turn a profit though.

[GunninGopher]

I've sold 2 boats for what I paid for them.
My first one I paid $5,000 for and sold it for the same. I put $7,000 into it in between though!!!

[Dribble]

Bought my 78 Southwind jet in 89 for $5,500.00. Used it ten seasons with just regular maintanence. Sold it in 99 for $5,000.00. I stilll miss that boat.

[doesitfloat?]

I've sold 2 boats for what I paid for them.
My first one I paid $5,000 for and sold it for the same. I put $7,000 into it in between though!!!
That sound like the "norm". I don't think that most people are aware of how much money they actually dump on their boat while owning it. I am in the bad habit :rollside: of saving every receipt, no matter how small (ss screws, for example). When I add them up, it's always more than I thought I had spent.

[rerfert]

I bought my first jet for $2500...73 Kona.
invested $1000 fixing the previous owners handy work and upgrading general things (starter water lines wood under the seats...etc)
sold it after 2 years for $3700...2 years play and still cleared $200 not including labor...Pretty much broke even.

[2Driver]

I am on my 12th boat. At least 8 of those went for more than I paid. ON the Tiritoon I made 6500 and on one Spectra I made 5K. Not hard to do. I have turned down 2K over my current boat. At the end of the day I am up about 17K after 12 boats.

[KineticoH20]

My last two boats were sold at a profit :) :) :)

[Trailer Park Casanova]

Bought one a few years back that had a 1 year before the first payment dealio promotion.
They sent the finance papers,, and for some reason gave me two years before the first payment + 0% interest on the whole deal.
I sold the boat in 2 years,, never making a payment, and for just about what I paid for it.
These posts above show in fact, you can have a free boat.

[BALLSDEEP]

Bought one a few years back that had a 1 year before the first payment dealio promotion.
They sent the finance papers,, and for some reason gave me two years before the first payment + 0% interest on the whole deal.
I sold the boat in 2 years,, never making a payment, and for just about what I paid for it.
These posts above show in fact, you can have a free boat.
What kind of boat did you buy that you had a deal like this?

[doesitfloat?]

My last two boats were sold at a profit :) :) :)
Not to nitpick (okay, I am) but profit means that you got paid for your hours of work on your boat as well as the parts/upgrades costs.
That's a rare boat transaction where a profit is turned.

[GHT]

Bought a 97 Baja 252 for $24,500.00 with very low hours. Re did the bottom, because it was blistered from sittin' in a slip for many years. Had a 454 mag. Sold it one year later for 30k even. Took that money and bought Kachina Ken's old Dalmation. I could sell it now for more than I owe. Although the buyer may make me change the paint scheme.

[HMF'er]

Bought a 21' Commander Jet for $11,500 in 1999 and sold it in 2003 for the same price. The only money I spent on it was for gas and service.

[Hardin18454]

I am getting ready to sell my jet boat. I paid $9,500 for it and am going to ask $14,000 when selling. The thing is I have put around $10,000 in upgrades, so I will end up loosing my *ss on it.

[HocusPocus]

Not to nitpick (okay, I am) but profit means that you got paid for your hours of work on your boat as well as the parts/upgrades costs.
That's a rare boat transaction where a profit is turned.
not if thats your plan from the start and your understand what your getting into. personally i don't keep a boat long after the work is done because the longer you hang onto the greater the chance your gonna be putting more $$$ into it. another key is to avoid the "upgrades", if its not broke don't fix it just make it look and run good then put it on the market

[doesitfloat?]

not if thats your plan from the start and your understand what your getting into. personally i don't keep a boat long after the work is done because the longer you hang onto the greater the chance your gonna be putting more $$$ into it. another key is to avoid the "upgrades", if its not broke don't fix it just make it look and run good then put it on the market
I agree, HP, but I still say it's rare (not impossible, just rare) that a PROFIT is turned.
Many sell for what they bought it for (or more)...few sell for profit.

[JetBoatRich]

I just sold my boat for more than I originally paid for it :rolleyes: but throw in all the cost between buying and selling :mad: new engine, blower rebuilds, etc......

[ThongMagnet]

The last 10 years have been great for the boating industry. The test will be over the next ten years, after everbody has spent their equity line of credit. When the money dries up, I expect a lot of boat owners will be in trouble. Most will take $10K loss just to get out of the payments, some will take more.

[bchbum]

I bought my Ultra jet new in 2002 for 32,200 otd . Sold it 2005 for 30,000 , the guy that bought it would have paid even more than I paid for it . New boat prices had gone up that much. :cool:

[RiverOtter]

Ya can sell any boat in decent condition for a good price.
Whats your experience?:
I have done it 3 times. BUT none of them were Custom or even High Performance boats. The last 2: I got $1,000 more than I paid 2 years before and on the next I got $5,000 more than I paid 11 mos before :cool: