test rides for potential boat buyers

[whiteworks]

I would like some opinions about dealing with this situation. I keep my boat at the river and live in socal it is currently for sale. I have had some people call that want to check it out and go on test rides. I will continue to keep the boat at the river so it is standard operating procedure when I want to go out and use it. in my mind if a potential buyer wants to go for a ride on a weekend that I dont plan on going out I would like to ask for a $250. non refundable deposit that would be credited to the sale price if they purchase. is this cool or am I out of line. also should i use some sort of escrow? company any opinions would be appreciated.

[h2oski2fast]

I guess you don't want to sell it that bad. If I was a buyer, I'd move on as your's is not the only boat on the market.

[BoaterX]

I would limit your test drives to serious buyers only. Bad thing is, sometimes it's hard to tell. IMO...you are trying to charge your potential buyers for the fact that YOU keep YOUR boat at the river and need to go get it for the test drive.
My boat is for sale too and I keep it close to me in case a buyer wants to see it. I can even start it up for a buyer to hear it, but unless you got cash in hand and are looking like you're gonna take it today, I would't go out on a test drive. Some people go out to scope out what he can get for his money and is not necessarily looking to buy your boat, so you gotta weedem out.

[ChumpChange]

am I out of line.
Yes.
If you want to sell the boat, you do what it takes to sell it. I'm in sales... I don't charge a potential buyer a gas surcharge for me to come out and look at their business.

[vmjtc3]

I can see where you are comming from. But I think I would be a little put off if I had to pay $250 for a test drive. I think it might be worth it in your case to have a broker where you keep your boat sell it for you. Then you can take it out when you want and leave it for him to sell when you are gone. Just my .02

[whiteworks]

let me clarify what i consider a test ride it would take place at the river and and last all day and when they got on board the ice chest would be full. make a run from havi to speed ally then the sand bar then to moabi. and haul ass back at the end of the day.

[phebus]

let me clarify what i consider a test ride it would take place at the river and and last all day and when they got on board the ice chest would be full. make a run from havi to speed ally then the sand bar then to moabi. and haul ass back at the end of the day.
That seems a little much, who to say the potential buyer wants to spend the whole day on your boat with you? It's a test drive, not an audition :)
Let them give the boat a little shakedown, and look it over. It's a pain in the ass with all the tire kickers, but it's a game you have to play if you want to sell it. One reason I got a goood deal when we bought our boat, was because the guy just didn't want to deal with traveling back and forth, and come up empty.

[Kilrtoy]

. in my mind if a potential buyer wants to go for a ride on a weekend that I dont plan on going out I would like to ask for a $250. non refundable deposit that would be credited to the sale price if they purchase. .
and your next words to me would be,
"HELLO! HELLO! ARE YOU STILL THERE? along with the dial tone......

[2Driver]

Once you know it's the boat you want and we settle on price the very last thing on the way to the bank is to take a test drive. In other words I don't want to take people out to see if they like the boat, I only take people out so they are comforatble that it is mechanically sound (which you can also do at servce dealer in a "pre-buy" inspection. I have sold 11 boats over 20 years and only took 2 out for test runs for the buyers.
It's a reasonabe request, but one used for mechanical check not for boat shoppping. IMO

[whiteworks]

well the concensus wins. I guess it was wishful thinking on my part. so what are some good ways to weed them out?

[whiteworks]

Once you know it's the boat you want and we settle on price the very last thing on the way to the bank is to take test drive. In other words I don't want to take people out to see it they like the boat, I only take people out so they are comforatble that it is mechanically sound ( which you can also do at servce dealer in a "pre-buy" inspection. I have sold 11 boats over 20 years and only took 2 out for test runs for the buyers.
It's a reasonabe request, but one used for mechanical check not for boat shoppping. IMO
this makes good sense.

[dicudmore]

just for curiousity sake what are you selling?

[whiteworks]

M186396 (http://www.***boat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=108928&highlight=2001+stoker)

[h2oski2fast]

Once you know it's the boat you want and we settle on price the very last thing on the way to the bank is to take test drive. In other words I don't want to take people out to see it they like the boat, I only take people out so they are comforatble that it is mechanically sound ( which you can also do at servce dealer in a "pre-buy" inspection. I have sold 11 boats over 20 years and only took 2 out for test runs for the buyers.
It's a reasonabe request, but one used for mechanical check not for boat shoppping. IMO
That is good advice!

[Jyruiz]

Nice boat.

[chub]

Yeah this is a turn key ultra clean STOKER. If you want a STOKER and have the money, the only reason for a test ride is to get some seat time with an experienced driver. If I didn't already have one I'd take this one from him.
He does pose a good question, "How do you weed out the serious ones?"

[JetBoatRich]

does not hurt to ask :cool: if they still want a ride they must be serious :rolleyes:

[MBlaster]

He does pose a good question, "How do you weed out the serious ones?"
OK when I bought my boat I talked to the owner by phone first, then I made arrangements to look it over pretty closely.
The price was agreed upon over the course of a few phone calls after I had inspected the boat.
The money changed hands AFTER I had my test drive and I was satisfied with my purchase. Everything went fine, that's how I intend to buy my next boat too.
I think you need to take your boat home to do a private sale. There are plenty of spots to do a simple test drive. Let the new owner test high speeds on his own.

[wedge44]

Ok ...an old timer saw my boat when I was leaving Avi resort....boat was 12 yrs old...long story short ...boat looked great for 12...it's kept in the garage...traded info ..week later he's at my house in SCV....verifing boat stored in garage....settled on a price.... a week later he comes up from his house at Havasu where he lives for test ride at Mojave...he bought dinner and said " Don't take it back and detail....boat's good to go drop it off at my house in Havasu on your way home" done deal... at dinner he said he'd been looking for a while everything looked like junk to him....92 Ultra 20xt first of the purples and pink let downs....454 berkley hydraulic PD...all the fixens :D :D :D
I still miss that boat....turn key 12 yrs, except the year I stuffed it at havasu and almost sank it of site six , f*ckin J540 left me behind ...wedge