Ready to Buy - New vs. Used?

R

Riley-Morgan 735

New member
Okay C-Brats. Thanks to everyone that has been so patient with all my questions. Just to bring you up to date, the negotiating is over, the budget has been set and I finally have cash in hand (not a bank loan) to get a C-Dory.

Now the big question, new or used? Do I blow the whole budget on a new boat or get a used boat and have a few thousand in "spending money"?

Truth be known, I'm leaning toward new :mrgreen:
-Randy
 
Randy-
We went through the same thing in 2006 and decieded to buy new.
We have not reggretted it once. We got to customize the boat the way we wanted and had a lot of fun doing instalation of the electronics, down riggers, pole holders ect.
Several of the used boats we looked at were almost as much as the new one we bought from the factory.
Good luck and I'm sure you will be happy with what ever c-dory you end up with.
 
Randy, when it comes to C-Dorys, as far as I'm concerned, used from a C-Brat can be every bit as good and sometimes far better than new factory. Casey's boat recently sold and it was tricked out to the max and well loved/maintained. On the other hand, others have found (and pounced on) excellent deals from folks who took NADA as god and didn't know any better. (non C-brats.)

I bought new in 2005 because, for me, half the fun is tricking it out and I wasn't real handy to a large inventory of C-Dorys, new or used. I also didn't discover the C-Brats until after we ordered, otherwise I might have been tempted to buy used. Thankfully the Brats were around though, because they did help me fine tune that order before the hull was laid.

Make sure your dealer isn't afraid to face off with the factory for your benefit if you do buy new and Have fun looking/shopping.
:thup :thup

Don
 
I bought a new 22' in April 07. Since then I have learned a great deal.

I have been watching the postings of the used C-dories that are comparable to mine and if the postings are true and accurate there are deals to be had by buying a used C-Dory. However, where the used boat is located with reference to where you are at would be a consideration.

For example, the 2007 22' cruised located in Maine seems to be an excellent price, but then again--the boat is in Maine and you are in Alaska.

The boat in Maine is advertised about 20,000 below what you will probably pay new and it has added equipment that does not come with a new boat.
Here is the link to the boat that is located in Maine: http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=9072 Just using this as a reference for you to see what deals are to be had.

I have nothing to do with any boats for sale.

Hope my 2cts helps.

Good luck in your search
 
For Juneau, given the availability of used C-Dories, I'd probably buy new from a local boat shop.

Used may be cheaper, but new allows you to budget & provision the boat to your desires. You'll also be able to deal with someone locally for warranty work.

If you can wait for boat show specials, you may save enough to buy a good GPS/plotter/fishfinder combo.

Good luck on the hunt!
 
There has been a newer C-Dory 22 cruiser (2006)? in the printed ads of the Ketchikan Daily News recently. It was a photo ad. Might want to check it out if still available.


:smiled JT
 
Just Last week I spent an hour and 40 shots on the digital camera watching a brand new TomCat being unloaded off the Alaska Marine shipping barge. Later I found the ad for Panhandle Powerboats (789-5767) and saw that there is a C-Dory Dealer in Juneau. (BTW, it was on the top of a stack 5 high of shipping containers.) So...., you have access to a new dealer. Worth a talk anyway. We bought used, because it was the closest, handiest, and I am not into doing all the mods, and the nice thing, many of the really cool ones had already been done.

You have done the right first step, having money in hand. Decide what you want, cruiser, angler, 22, 25, tomcat, and go from there. There will be lots of opinions here, but the most important will be your's and your decisions about how you want to use your boat. Here's wishing you all the best.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
I will say that it is quite easy to underestimate the cost of outfitting a boat. We always think of the big things but the price of small marine do-dads really does add up. Just a thought.
 
We bought two new (22 and 25) and one used (16). The new boats were both Seattle Boat Show packages from the factory, looking backwards great deals at the right time (2003 and 2005). Today? I would buy used, there are terrific boats available at great prices that are better than new in lots of ways. If you want a 25, run don't walk to buy Sea Skipper, and see if Hank will throw in the Earth Roamer too!
 
"Little Things" and basic electronics - installed - can run up to $13-15000 range before you are done, yet seldom bring much on a used craft. If you can find a used model that is well equipped that is the type you want, it would definitely be the best deal.

When I bought my TomCat, there were no used ones available. I am happy with the purchase, though and plan to keep it a very long time.

John
 
I would rather buy used. Most likely the bugs have been ironed out. You will spend less and probably get a better out fitted boat for the money. Like Dr. John, I purchased my Tom Cat new, since there were no used ones available at that time.

Some of the older boats are very well built and will give equal service to a new boat at a fraction of the cost---and as mentioned every once in a while there will be a real bargin, if you don't mind doing a little polishing.
 
Riley-Morgan,
I would first go talk to a couple local dealers. Price out the boat with everything you want to have on it when it gets delivered. If I were buying a used boat I would look for one that hadn't been left in the water for long periods of time. There is a 22' cruiser in BC an 08 that has low hours it's on a trailer and it's been garage kept at a decent price. There is a 06 22' Cruiser in Florida that has never been bottom painted and it's been stored on a trailer at a good price. The new outboards hold up well with reports of two thousand hours and most carry two to six year warranties so I wouldn't think a used motor should be much of a problem. But if you have the money and the dealer is a good one; you can't beat new for piece of mind. All boats new or used always have something that needs to be corrected, upgraded, added or changed around. Good Luck!
D.D.
 
Hello,

I don't know much about boats. I've read a lot on this great site as I try to learn about C-dorys.

I'm researching (22 cruiser, I think) in hope of making a purchase in the near-term. I've read of many posts on this site which describe core rot due to improperly placed fasteners (screws). I've read of new boats that leak from bow rail attachment points, battery tray screws, etc, etc. I see many, if not most, C-Dorys have trim tabs. Yikes, theres several more screws below the water line waiting for water invasion.

So how big a deal is this core dampness/rot situation? There are a lot of older CDs out there, so they aren't all rotting away. Is it more likely for a used boat to have advanced water damage (core rot?). At least with a new boat, if leaks are caught early, maybe they can be fixed before serious damage occurs.

Please tell me what to look for to 'rule out' water invasion as I look at used boats. Is it rude to remove screws on a boat as I'm looking at it for potential purchase?

Is there a way to look at a new boat and tell if the accessories were properly screwed down (without removing the screws)?

Thanks!

/david
 
If you are handy and like to work on projects including installing items, new might be appealing. Hopefully you will find other C-Brats where you live that like to tinker!

I purchased new and have spent a ton of $ buying equipment and then paying to have it installed. I am always amazed at the cost of installing items, charged out at $100.00 per hour.

Had I waited a few months I would have bought a used boat for sure, but that is just me.
Anne
 
Thanks for such great info everyone! A new boat just seems so appealing, especially when you think you are getting an incredible, once in a lifetime deal (plus that new boat smell :wink: )

But then, as has been pointed out by several C-Brats, if you buy new, then you have to outfit the boat. And I'm not talking "frills", I'm talking "needs", like a VHF radio, a GPS Combo, anchor and chain, various lines, fenders, fire extinguishers, life jackets, Coast Guard safety gear and the list just goes on and on (and I'm not even to the fishing gear yet). Well, I'm just preaching to the choir...

So, what I need to do is, instead of believing that this money is burning a hole in my pocket, is to sit back and wait for a good used boat to come along and look at it as a long term investment, not just something to get me on the water by next weekend :lol:

Again, thanks for all the great feedback.
-Randy
 
Still boatless here too, looking, and debating the new vs. used issue. The core saturation concerns expressed above are a big worry to me as well. However I've been told, and I'm sure someone here can verify this, that recently a different core material replaced the balsa. Unfortunately I didn't have the presence of mind to try to pin down the date of the change. Depending on the nature of the new material it should theoretically go a long way to reduce water penetration plus eliminate rot in the event it occurs. Does anyone here know when the change took place and what coring is being used now?
 
SGI Dave , you have a pretty dedicated dealer right in your back yard . We would be happy to show you some used products we have as well as new . We will be happy to remove screws for your inspection , let you know what our experiences are etc..... Everything on a boat can be repaired if necessary, what counts is the dealer and the factory's support.
Marc
 
The fact that a core material is not wood does not necessarily eliminate the delamination problem between the inside and outside fiberglass coatings. In fact, the balsa blocks are assembled 'end on' which reduces the size and speed of water migration.

On many foam lined boats, a leak anywhere can totally undermine the foam's adhesion to the outside fiberglass over the entire piece of foam.

Even if you bought aluminum hull, there are precautions you'd have to take in installing accessories, bolts, screws, etc..

It seems some models of C-Dory's have slipped thru with inadequate sealing around windows, etc, here and there, and who knows if your new model will be any better sealed than an older one?

Just check the problem areas, cockpit floor, transom, transom joints to side hulls, hatches, and windows. You can tap firmly on the floor and transom for the sound of intrusion and delamination. You can easily remove a window or hatch for inspection, but in most cases, water intrusion here does not trave far.

Knowledgeable boatsmen and inspectors can pretty easily find any significant core problems. You'd have to have an opening like a crack under standing water or an installation hole to incur the risk of intrusion. You could hire a certified inspector also.

Good luck,

John
 
i bought used, it was the only way i could afford a c-dory, no other way to get a 22' for $3,500, gutted the whole thing and starting from scratch, so it will kind of be new....
 
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