Buying Used Moomba

[snyderaaron]

getting ready to buy a used 2009 moomba lsv with 140 hours. What steps or precautions should I take when buying a used boat? Also the boat is in Florida and I live in Nebraska, do you know any places that can rent me a pickup to drive it back, or a place that can deliver it to me.

[04OUTBACK]

www.uship.com for delivery
I used them to move my LSV from Mississippi to NY.
You post the item for bid on the delivery. you get bids from competing drivers.
anticipate $1 / mile maybe better..

very FEW rental facilities want you to tow with their vehicle.

[zabooda]

Sounds like a good time to go on a spring break trip.

[lsvboombox]

getting ready to buy a used 2009 moomba lsv with 140 hours. What steps or precautions should I take when buying a used boat? Also the boat is in Florida and I live in Nebraska, do you know any places that can rent me a pickup to drive it back, or a place that can deliver it to me.

I shipped a new moomba from st louis to east PA.. I used uship.com as well and it was a very pleasant experience... Driver went over the boat with a fine tooth comb and called me to discuss some things before he took the boat. He actually had a flat bed so it was not towed... If you want the guys number let me know... I think uship charges an extra 250 or so..

As far as renting a truck, uhual is the only company that would rent a truck to tow with... Just about every car rental place will not allow you to tow with their trucks, having said that some of their trucks do have hitches and some dont.. so if you rent a truck its a 50/50 chance there is a hitch mounted on it...

I would definitely make the flight to check it out and pay a mechanic to check it out....

[deerfield]

getting ready to buy a used 2009 moomba lsv with 140 hours. What steps or precautions should I take when buying a used boat? Also the boat is in Florida and I live in Nebraska, do you know any places that can rent me a pickup to drive it back, or a place that can deliver it to me.

snyderaaron - Depending on your specific location and destination, you are looking at a 3,400 mile round trip. That's a loooong way. From that standpoint, getting it delivered makes sense. But, issues with the boat once it arrives home may be a challenge to resolve to your satisfaction. Best way to mitigate that risk is to have someone on the ground at the seller's location be your advocate. I'm not sure how you put that in place. Maybe you simply negotiate down on purchase price to build in budget for anything that is or goes wrong once you take delivery. In addition, you will have to budget for the delivery service. Maybe seller could you meet you in Kentucky, saving you time and him a little bit of money? I guess if it was me I'd find a UHaul location with a guaranteed hitch and drive it back myself. How about a Moomba chain? I'd take the Illinois section of I get to use it for a week..or two. Regarding a used boat, ask for the service record. Make sure there is documentation that all the routine maintenance was completed. Ask where the work was done and speak with the service manager. Get pictures or video of the hull, prop, rudder, and interior to confirm condition. Someone will have better ideas than me. I bought new in 2007. Only used boat was in 1982 when I drove to Florida to buy and haul back a used Nautique. - Deerfield

[cab13367]

I would have the owner take it to the nearest Moomba dealer or qualified inboard mechanic and pay them to do a thorough cosmetic and mechanical inspection. If it checks out, I would then buy a plane ticket and fly down there and see the boat in person. If everything is to your satisfaction, then complete the sale in person, then make the arrangements to have it shipped/tow it home.

I would never buy anything of this magnitude sight unseen but that's just me. Please go to the boat owners section and read dusty's post regardning his new Supra. He bought a boat with 103 hrs on it sight unseen and it was nothing like described. Lucky for him, the dealer stepped up and took care of him. Most buyers are not so lucky.

[kaneboats]

Hey bro, where is it? We may have someone on here right in the area that would be willing to look at it for you. Believe it or not we all love looking at boats and most of us would be willing to help. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

[zabooda]

Put a minimum deposit down, jump in your truck and go get it. You see it first hand, very little money committed, most economical method and make a vacation out of it. I've done that many times and even took Amtrak once to drive back a motor home. Try out a few lakes on the way home. It's a once in a lifetime experience so enjoy it.

[mcdye]

I once brought a boat over 600 miles away. I had the seller send only pictures of the bad stuff, every used boat has something, even thou it may be minor. That way I knew what to expect and hopefully no surpirses. I personally cant make a buy of this nature with out a test drive. I made the drive, tested the boat in 43` weather, luckliy the boat had a heater...it went smooth. Definitely check it out yourself or by a dealer for the mechinically side, a 2009 should be able to transfer the Inmar warranty.

[KG's Supra24]

Buying sight unseen is scary!! I would def make the trip down there. I made the trip to GA a year ago and made it again with Dusty this year. My thoughts, a burning a few days on the road is nothing compared to the headaches you could have for the next several years.

Also to mention, my dad "bought" a boat (a moomba lsv actually) a year before i went to pick mine up. Well he doesn't have a moomba but someone has his money. He made some bad choices but ANYTHING is possible.

As mentioned in Dusty's thread, the seller talked like nothing was wrong but he would have been furious to find the little things that we came across if it was dropped off at the house.

If you don't have the time, get one of the guys from the forum to go check it out and/or have a dealership look it over. Just my opinion.

Oh, and since it is in Florida, be sure to ask about salt water use.