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Old     (CHUCK_K)      Join Date: Aug 2015       09-19-2015, 11:49 PM Reply   
Hey guys,

Been looking around the forum for a while for how many hours on a boat would be too much. I found a VLX that had 800 hours on it that looked to be in great shape. I though to myself "how would I know when there are too many hours on a boat to just pass on the deal?" What do you guys think, how many hours on a boat to just pass on? Haven't found it yet, so I thought I'd ask.

Also is there a general rule for how many hours on a boat that would compare to miles on a vehicle?

TIA
Old     (kirk)      Join Date: May 2003       09-20-2015, 6:49 AM Reply   
Miles and hours cant really equate to each other. Hours on a boat basically give you the time the motor has been running... even at idle.
How old is the boat? Probably need to look at the average hours per year and take that into account. Big difference If its 8 yrs old and averaged 100 hours per season or if it's 2 yrs old and averaged 400.
I would almost rather have a higher hour boat that was very well maintained than a garage princess that just sat for 6 years with no PM.
Old     (Truekaotik)      Join Date: Jun 2012       09-20-2015, 6:58 AM Reply   
Agree^ although if going by the gauge hour meter, this runs with the ignition, to see the actual engine hours you need to scan it. Low hours on a gauge can be due to replacement also. So best to check the actual hours with a scan tool if that's what you want to judge your purchase by.. I like more hours with no warranty or maintenance issues when I look for a boat..
Old     (CHUCK_K)      Join Date: Aug 2015       09-20-2015, 7:26 AM Reply   
Thanks for the replies. It's a 2004, ~73 hours per year is what I get out of it. Maybe I'll look for something else, this specific boat just fell into my budget so I though I'd ask.
Old     (racer808)      Join Date: Jan 2013       09-20-2015, 7:40 AM Reply   
If its well maintained those hours don't scare me one bit. These motors and associated are good to 3,000 and up if taken care of
Old     (Nordicron)      Join Date: Aug 2011       09-20-2015, 3:06 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by racer808 View Post
If its well maintained those hours don't scare me one bit. These motors and associated are good to 3,000 and up if taken care of

Or u can blow a head gasket of have tranny go out at 2000! Wake boats lead a pretty rough life.
Bottom line is those hours are fine but boat should be priced accordingly. Meaning if you found a identically equipped boat with only say 400hrs that boat would be worth about 2k more in my book.
Old     (kx250frider617)      Join Date: Aug 2013       09-20-2015, 3:28 PM Reply   
Or you can find a older, super low hour, boat for top dollar and have to drop big bucks into it because it sat for 5 years and all the seals are dried out, fuel is gummed up, and the trailer tires are cracked, etc.

Im with the few that would rather buy a higher hour boat, thats been used and maintained. Like all toys, when they sit, they break.

Looking at a boat with 800 hrs, just inspect the rest of the boat and ask for maintenance records. If its exceptionally clean and has been maintained like it should, you would have no problems what so ever. I wouldn't be worried about a worn engine until it hits 2,000 hrs, and by then, it'll probably long gone out of your hands.
Old     (Nordicron)      Join Date: Aug 2011       09-20-2015, 4:30 PM Reply   
Whatever there ain't a one of u on here that would take a 800hr boat over a 400hr boat if they were identical in all other aspects. Meaning oil changed, maint done, stored properly. Whether u guys wanna admit it or not those hours u put on your boats cost u resale money not matter how nice u keep them. But by that same token I'm not buying the 400hr boat either if it sat beside some guys garage rotting in the sun.
Old     (matty_gs)      Join Date: Sep 2008       09-20-2015, 5:29 PM Reply   
The best way to compare hours to miles is the oil change intervals IMO. With the vlx, I'm assuming it has the monsoon 350 which recommends oil changes every 50 hours. Compare that to 5000 miles and you are looking at something similar to 80,000 miles. I definitely wouldn't be scared of 800 hours as long as the maintenance has been performed. Get a compression test as well. Cylinders should be within 10% of each other.
Old     (kx250frider617)      Join Date: Aug 2013       09-20-2015, 5:42 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nordicron View Post
Whatever there ain't a one of u on here that would take a 800hr boat over a 400hr boat if they were identical in all other aspects. Meaning oil changed, maint done, stored properly. Whether u guys wanna admit it or not those hours u put on your boats cost u resale money not matter how nice u keep them. But by that same token I'm not buying the 400hr boat either if it sat beside some guys garage rotting in the sun.
Let me ask you this. There are two boats for sale, one with 400 hrs and one with 800hrs. Same boats, same options, same engine, same condition aesthetically. Now the boat with 800hrs has a a complete maintenance record with all the receipts of everything he has done to the boat, the boat with 400 hrs has nothing but the word from the owner.

I would gladly choose the higher hour boat. If the owner took the time to organize a maintenance record and is able to keep all the receipts, they probably took care of the boat better than most people. If buying third party, don't just look at the boat itself, look at the sellers vehicles, garage, house, etc. That will give you a pretty good idea on how someone handles upkeep.

If the owners vehicle interior is thrashed with trash everywhere, I'm willing to bet the boat was the exact same way.
Old     (CHUCK_K)      Join Date: Aug 2015       09-20-2015, 8:19 PM Reply   
I had a 98 VLX until about 2005, and was hoping it would be similar to the 2004 VLX. It had about 350 hours and always garaged until it sold to someone in Utah. I loved the wake and the ride of the boat. That's why I was looking at this boat. I'm trying to get into the swing of things again.

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