2001 Triton TX 186 offer price

[golfmonke]

Looking at possibly making the following boat my first bass boat..

2001 Triton TX-186 Dual Console
150 Yamaha V-Max w/ Hot Foot
Single Axle Fold Away Tongue Galvanized Factory Trailer with surge brakes.
74lb 24 Volt Minn Kota Maxxum Trolling Motor
2 Bank on board charger for trolling batteries.
HDS 5 GPS and Sonar in dash
Fish Finder on bow
Two aerated live / bait wells with pump in and pump out.
Auto Bilge
Radio

Does 10K seem like a reasonable offer? too high/low?

[Lipripper]

I don't know a lot about boats but if the motor is Ok that sounds like a good deal to me.

[golfmonke]

Hmmm, ok, doesn't sound like anybody thinks this is out of place..

Unfortunately the guy won't go lower than $11,750

I was getting about $8700 in Nada, but have no idea on what boats actually go for

[Lee Smith]

If the compression is good, and the boat is in good shape structurally, that's not a bad deal, not a great deal, but I would take a good look at it.

[Bud Kennedy]

Price seems to be in the correct ball park.  I do question the galvanized trailer?  That is not a Triton standard and makes me want to know if the boat has been used in salt water.  As others have said if the motor checks out then you might have found a boat to meet your needs.  a 10K offer seems reasonable but don't know about any higher without the engine data.  The motor is still 16 years old and might be near the end of its normal usable life.  Just consider it potentially could cost you a re power of $15K or a power head at about $5k

[golfmonke]

He's the second owner.  Said he bought it through a dealer in 2011. Said the original owner told him he had put it in brackish water "a couple" times, but mostly bass fished it.

Said he used it maybe 8-10 times per year the first three years he had it. 
Took it to the Florida keys the fall of 2012 for a week.
2014 had it out 5-6 times.

All of 2015 and 2016 he had it out about 3 times. 
But he said he kept the boat maintained and ran it on the hose if he couldn't find time to take it to the lake.

Are you sure on the trailer?  This is the saltwater model..  I guess I can ask him.

I've already made a 10K offer, he came back saying the lowest he'll go is $11,750

[Bud Kennedy]

Not knocking the galvanized trailer but I am certain it is not a standard.  Could have been a dealer upgrade at one time just saying it indicates intention to use in Salt Water.  Quite frankly I would not go above the 10K offer but then again it is your call not ours.  I can just tell you that patience is a virtue that pays off when used boat shopping.

[golfmonke]

Oh, yes, the whole boat is intended for salt water usage

It's the TX 186, not the TR 186..

I was worried about that usage too though. 
From what he claims, it seems minimal use in saltwater, but you never know.

I've been seriously looking and actively shopping for 2 months now, and researching and thinking for at least a year.

[Pacific NW Ron]

Like Bud said, patience is a virtue.  I've been looking for about 8 months and still don't have one.
Almost given up on used and started looking at new now.
Ron

[golfmonke]

How come you've almost given up on used?

[Donald Garner]

The price sounds fair if the main engine tests out good.  Finding a good used boat that is reliable is hard to do.  I spent almost a year looking for my bass boat.  I was real lucky in my find I'm the 2nd owner of the boat.   The dealership I bought it from sold it to the 1st owner.   He had traded it back  in on a bigger bass boat due to fishing tournaments.   I was able to test drive it and I asked a ton of questions and the tech answered all of them.  They had all the maintenance records on it also.

My boat is a 2004 Stratos Dual Console 285 Pro XL with a Yamaha 150 Pro V.  I bought this boat in July of 2009.  It still has all the working factory original electronics, pumps, gauges etc.  I paid what I thought was a fair price for it.  I've upgraded the trolling motor.  I put a Minn Kota 80lb Fortrex on it.  The old trolling motor had seen it's better days.  I switched out the on board charger in it also.  It too had seen it's better days. 

Buying  a used boat you really have to ensure the outboard is still in good shape.  The boat itself need to be checked out to ensure its floatable.   Electronics is a whole another issue.  Do all the gauges work, bilge pumps, aerator livewell pumps, switches that turn everything on.  Depth finders most bass boats have (2) do they work.  The running lights are they operational.  Batteries for the trolling motor and main engine, have they been maintained properly?  What about the trailer how's the frame is it rusted, wheels and tires in good shape.   

Oh and insurance got to have some of that.  If it's an older boat how much are you going to ensure it for? I've had to replace my lower unit twice due to mechanical issues.  It wasn't cheap and my insurance only paid a part of it the 1st time.  The second time the lower unit was under warranty and it was replaced free.  I've had some fiberglass work done cause high winds pushed me into a floating dock and punched a hole in the top of my boat.  Again the insurance paid some but the rest came out of my pocket.

See when you buy a used bass boat there's no real warranties with it.  So you really got to take your time and figure out a plan.   If I had to replace my boat with a new one same style and same type of equipment etc it would cost me $30,000 dollars.  But with that I'd have a bunch of warranties covering everything on it.

Good luck with finding your right boat.     

[Oldfart9999]

Very nice used boats are out there but they aint cheap, patience is called for or do as Donald said and buy new with all the warranties.
Rodney

[fishandkamp]

This boat was designed to run in tidal water. The galvanised trailer would have been normal.
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