What would you offer and what's the most you'd pay for this boat?

[tcbass]

This boat seems like a nice one. The NADA is included. The NADA may have a few things missing, so it might be worth a bit more.

 

Also, I'm assuming this boat runs 24v TM off of 2 batteries and then a starter battery for a total of 3 batteries, how does it only have a dual charger?

 

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/boa/5678535817.html

 

What would you offer for it and what's the highest you'd pay?

 

Do you go off of low retail or average retail?

 

I don't know why the pic is sideways, I can't change it.

[iabass8]

I don't think you're going to get him to budge on the price. You may be able to get a little lower but that's a pretty fair deal.Especially with the motor having 4 years left on the warranty. Looks like there's no electronics on the bow. It's a pretty stock boat /w little upgrades aside from the helm electronics which are good. Looks really clean. You could try 18,500. A 2016 186 VLO starts are 23,295 but has a 12v TM and older electronics. You have a little wiggle room /w the 19.5 but not a ton. 

It's strange a 19' glass boat is only rated for up a 115. It looks like the boat tops out around 48-50mph according to a couple people on various forums. The new 186's are rated to 140. Weird.  I've seen this  2014 or 2015 186 sitting in the cabela's parking lot /w a 90 on the back. Boat just seems really small. It's been in the lot for a year or so. 

A lot of "stock" boats come with a dual charger only for your TM even when equipped /w 2 TM batteries + cranking battery. A (working) motor chargers your battery while running but, personally, I have a charger on every battery in the boat when it's plugged in.  Some people think that because a motor charges your battery while running you don't need to charge it overnight but it takes a lot longer runs than what people think to fully charge your battery so if you make short runs every time you aren't ever charging your cranking battery to the fullest which will lead to problems eventually. Long story short...if you have 3 batteries on the boat, get a 3 bank charger. 

[fishnkamp]

The boat looks very clean and those engines seem pretty nice. I use the services of a guide on Dale Hollow. He is the hardest working guide I have ever met. He has run Stratos forever, His current boat has a 225 hp Etec (first generation) with a ton of hours on it,  It is six years old and he loves it. The dealer he has been hooked up with for over 20 years now sells Phoenix, so his next boat will be a 920 with another Etec on it. That will be ordered sometime this fall.  As for the VLO they have a nice hull and I have not heard anyone complain about them much.   The 115 was max horsepower on that boat.. Here is what I would suggest. Ask to give it a test run. If the boat performs well and you like it go for it. I was looking for a used boat like that, and saw a lot of junk compared to that rig for his asking price. It is much easier to get a better deal on a used 20 footer than an 18 footer these days.  If I drove it and liked it I would offer him $19,000 for it.  Be prepared to go his full price though.

[Way2slow]

Your little picture there is showing you looked up a 176, the boat listed says it's a 186

Price is all going to depend on how bad he wants to get rid of it, how much he still owes on it, and if he's willing to come out of pocket much if he's really upside down on it, and if there are any other interested parties involved.

Then it's how bad you want that particular boat, and what kind of negotiator you are.  Under the right conditions, you might can get it for $17K, and doubt I would go over 18K.  Now, if he stills owes over $19K on it, unless he's about to loose it to the loan compay, it might be hard to deal on.

[fishnkamp]

If you do get it, I would consider removing the center seat if you never fish three people. I have done that on several boats and you will be amazed how it helps make the cockpit seem bigger. Also I do it in order to avoid walking on the seat getting up and down to and from the back deck. Most of the time the seat never get sat in but ends up getting ruined because of traffic. I just cover the seat with trash bags and save it in case I sell the boat.

[Jig-Man]

Don't you think it is a bit under powered with a 115 on it.

[Redlinerobert]

That's a tough one.  There's a fine line between a decent offer and an offensive one.  The fact that it's underpowered doesn't help.   

[tcbass]

1 hour ago, fishnkamp said:

If you do get it, I would consider removing the center seat if you never fish three people. I have done that on several boats and you will be amazed how it helps make the cockpit seem bigger. Also I do it in order to avoid walking on the seat getting up and down to and from the back deck. Most of the time the seat never get sat in but ends up getting ruined because of traffic. I just cover the seat with trash bags and save it in case I sell the boat.

 

 

Never been in a bass boat, does the center seat just come out?

 

1 hour ago, Jig-Man said:

Don't you think it is a bit under powered with a 115 on it.

 

42 minutes ago, Redlinerobert said:

That's a tough one.  There's a fine line between a decent offer and an offensive one.  The fact that it's underpowered doesn't help.   

 

 

Isn't it max powered?

 

 

From this article:

 

http://www.boatingmag.com/boats/stratos-186-vlo?lkiXMcUAczA1xBwq.03

 

Quote

The 18-foot-9-inch fisher is rated for up to 115 horsepower, but weighing in at just 1,450 pounds, it would perform nicely with as little as a 90 horsepower motor to save on the sticker price and at the fuel pump. When we tested it with a 115-horsepower OptiMax, it climbed to a top speed of 48.7 mph at 5,340 rpm. The hull design of the 186 VLO cuts crisply through the water and offers a smoother, quieter ride than that of most aluminum competitors.

 

 

Also, this boat has a 90" beam, the average appears to be 92", making this boat smaller than normal. Is that enough to make the bow seem smaller or less useful?

 

 

[fishnkamp]

First the 115 is the max horsepower for this boat so no it is not underpowered.  

The center seat should flip up to expose a storage area underneath and there should be 4 large phillips head screws coming up from the bottom of the lid. Unscrew them and the seat should fall off from the lid. No different than my current aluminum boat.

[iabass8]

The 115 is the max HP for the hull but relative to the majority of 18+ foot bass boats it's under powered. That's what we are referring to. Most bass boats, especially ones from 2014......, will accommodate around 150. If top end speed isn't what you're after then it won't bother you much cruising 48(ish).

It's "smaller' than your normal 18+ ft bass boat. I've only stepped on the front deck of a 186 and sat in it at Cabelas out of curiosity. The whole hull just feels small and cramped but that's just a personal opinion. It's hard to say whether you would feel cramped or not. You would have to stand in it yourself. The  boat will be plenty stable and if you remove the butt seat on the deck and fish alone up front you won't notice it being smaller than normal. 

Keep in mind, assuming you are going to get a 3 bank charger instead of his 2, you are immediately out of pocket for a new on-board charger and bow electronic. The 4 year warranty on the motor is nice though. 

Center seat should just fold up and unbolt like said above. I hate a middle seat. It's the exact spot everybody, including myself, steps to get to the back deck. I always have a storage counsel in the middle. 

[slonezp]

If you're going to putt around on smaller bodies of water the boat will do just fine. The hull should perform slightly better than an aluminum hull of the same size. If you plan on fishing larger water or rough water, there are better 18ft options out there BUT they will run more money. As far as price is concerned, what do you feel is fair? I'd offer 10%-15% under the asking price and be willing to negotiate up.

[tcbass]

Thx for the help guys. I contacted him and he is no longer selling it.

[Way2slow]

My guess is, with the way people are financing boats today, he was probably too upside down on the loan to get high enough offers for the boat to pay it off.  I know two people that own new boats they've bought in the last couple of years trying and wishing they could sell them but can't, because it would cost them several thousand dollars out of pocket.  An Air Force neighbor got unexpected orders to Germany and had to sell a Nitro he bought on one of the forever term notes at BPS less than a year ago and had to pay $4,300 out of his pocket to sell it.   He was over a barrel though, said he had no family he could leave it with and would have to pay secure, covered storage and let the boat sit for at least three years.  Poor guy had 19 years in, had just gotten stationed here a year earlier and thought he was going to retire here.

[Further North]

On 7/14/2016 at 7:38 AM, Way2slow said:

My guess is, with the way people are financing boats today, he was probably too upside down on the loan to get high enough offers for the boat to pay it off.  I know two people that own new boats they've bought in the last couple of years trying and wishing they could sell them but can't, because it would cost them several thousand dollars out of pocket.  An Air Force neighbor got unexpected orders to Germany and had to sell a Nitro he bought on one of the forever term notes at BPS less than a year ago and had to pay $4,300 out of his pocket to sell it.   He was over a barrel though, said he had no family he could leave it with and would have to pay secure, covered storage and let the boat sit for at least three years.  Poor guy had 19 years in, had just gotten stationed here a year earlier and thought he was going to retire here.

That blows...odd that he couldn't find someone to use it for a few years until he got back. 

I'd have found a way to store it for an  active service member.

[tcbass]

On 7/14/2016 at 7:38 AM, Way2slow said:

My guess is, with the way people are financing boats today, he was probably too upside down on the loan to get high enough offers for the boat to pay it off.  I know two people that own new boats they've bought in the last couple of years trying and wishing they could sell them but can't, because it would cost them several thousand dollars out of pocket.  An Air Force neighbor got unexpected orders to Germany and had to sell a Nitro he bought on one of the forever term notes at BPS less than a year ago and had to pay $4,300 out of his pocket to sell it.   He was over a barrel though, said he had no family he could leave it with and would have to pay secure, covered storage and let the boat sit for at least three years.  Poor guy had 19 years in, had just gotten stationed here a year earlier and thought he was going to retire here.

 

You are correct. He reposted it at $20,500 when it was $19,500. He said that his kid couldn't make it happen. I went and looked at it. Clean boat, almost no wear and tear. Some sunfade, but that's going to happen. Boat has been stored inside a garage it's entire life and he's the sole owner. He bought it 3 years ago for around $27,500. 

And the above poster was right, I NADA'd the wrong boat. I did a model that was 1 foot shorter.

I couldn't get him to budge off of $19,500. So, I agreed to pay $19,500 for it. He said he had 2 other interested parties who would buy it and in this case I believed him because the boats not a steal, but I think it at least seems like a fair deal.

 

Last thing is a friend of mine who knows boats and I are going to take it for a test drive before I take ownership.

 

Here's the correct info:

 

 

Did I get a good deal?

[Way2slow]

When you and your friend take it for your test ride.  Make sure you fill the livewells and I would sit an old battery in the floor to simulate how the boat is going to be loaded like it would be when you and a partner are fishing out of it.  See how it gets on plane, it may have to struggle with that size motor and that's not fun when you have to deal with it constantly.   Getting on plane would be my main concern, speed is not a big deal, but having fight to get it going sucks.  

With the e-Tec it may just pop right out of the water, those motors make a lot of torque.  If it was a four stroke, I would really be concerned. 

[tcbass]

5 minutes ago, Way2slow said:

When you and your friend take it for your test ride.  Make sure you fill the livewells and I would sit an old battery in the floor to simulate how the boat is going to be loaded like it would be when you and a partner are fishing out of it.  See how it gets on plane, it may have to struggle with that size motor and that's not fun when you have to deal with it constantly.   Getting on plane would be my main concern, speed is not a big deal, but having fight to get it going sucks.  

With the e-Tec it may just pop right out of the water, those motors make a lot of torque.  If it was a four stroke, I would really be concerned. 

 

It is the max horsepower for that boat. There will be 3 of us in the boat, so that should be a good test. I will check the livewell. He never used it, said he's allergic to fish.

[Way2slow]

I was talking about filling it to add the weight, and see how it does.  Yes, if there are three in the boat and the live well if full and it gets right up on plane, the that should be a pretty good test.

I know 115 is it's max.  The problem is Stratos was kinda ridiculous with that limit.  Most 18 1/2 ft boats would carry a 150 to 175 hp motor.  When Stratos cut the ratings on a number of their boats like that, I think it was to help push customers to their higher end models to get the bigger motors.   If you look at the new ones, they are 140 and look at the 189, just a couple more inches and it's rated at 175.

[tcbass]

21 minutes ago, Way2slow said:

I was talking about filling it to add the weight, and see how it does.  Yes, if there are three in the boat and the live well if full and it gets right up on plane, the that should be a pretty good test.

I know 115 is it's max.  The problem is Stratos was kinda ridiculous with that limit.  Most 18 1/2 ft boats would carry a 150 to 175 hp motor.  When Stratos cut the ratings on a number of their boats like that, I think it was to help push customers to their higher end models to get the bigger motors.   If you look at the new ones, they are 140 and look at the 189, just a couple more inches and it's rated at 175.

 

Hmmm...scoundrels!

 

So, the 115 is mid range for the 185VLO, while it could have a minimum of like 90, and a max of 140?

[Way2slow]

If you go back in history, I had a 1989 285 Pro, same size boat as that one, and it was rated for 175hp.  Then they make the hull a couple hundred pounds lighter and started rating it for 150 hp.  Then they change manufacturing processes and started making the VLO's and cut the ratings even more.  If yours' has a max rating of 115, I think they figured out 115 was at the bottom of the barrel for that boat and went back up to at least a 140.    However, I was running over 300hp on my 285 Pro, so I wasn't worried about getting on plane.

[Further North]

Just for reference...NADA values are worthless for real-world boat prices.

[Way2slow]

Yep, it's all about how bad you want it, and how bad the person selling wants to get rid of it, and how bad of a beating, in any,  he's willing to take to get rid of it, and who's the better negotiator.   You will rarely get your best deal on a boat you are not willing to walk away from if they won't come to your terms, or if it's a boat you feel is just what you are looking for and willing to pay top dollar because it is the boat you are looking for. 

[tcbass]

2 hours ago, Further North said:

Just for reference...NADA values are worthless for real-world boat prices.

 

 

Are NADA prices usually higher or lower?

[Way2slow]

From what I've seen when I've looked, they can be either one, but to my opinion tend to run a little on the high side.  However, I've never used their guide to buy or sell a boat.  I do a visual inspection, do a little homework on the internet  and determine what I feel I would pay if buying or set a price I feel would be the least I would take if selling. 

When I'm selling one, I tend to let the go pretty cheap simply because I don't won't it lingering on and don't won't to mess with a whole bunch of people asking about it.  Plus I rarely have anywhere near the value of one in it. 

I've never sold but one boat for less than what I have in it, a nice 1988, 15' aluminum Fisher with a 40hp Evinrude I sold for $900 and had $1,300 in it, and wouldn't give a dime for a dozen more like it.  I despised using that thing, you was always leaning to one side or the other when sitting in the front pedestal seat. 

[Further North]

Sorry, double post...

Edited July 30, 2016 by Further North
double post