228G, What do you think?

[Grady_Crazy]

I found a much used 1999 228G, Hardtop, trailer with a, guess what? 2004 250 HPDI that checkouts out OK and the boat is structurally sound I am told. There are issues, pumps, switches, worn out bolsters, etc and it needs work. I was told as is $9000 and it they fix all that is wrong the price is $16,000. I know the reputation of the 250 HPDIs, would anyone take a chance? The sales rep said it needs to go to someone that likes to tinker with boats. It looks OK just needs a lot of TLC and elbow grease.

 

[leeccoll]

If you like projects I would go for it. The fact it has a hardtop is great. Just make sure that the transom is in good shape. That would be the only deal killer for me.

Good luck with your decision,

Lee

 

[Ky Grady]

Survey, Survey, Survey,,,, did I say Survey?? If it needs that much and a sales rep says it needs to go to a tinkerer,,, there are probably other issues you don't see or know about. Who deemed it structurally sound??? You say you've been told it's structurally sound?

Can you do all the work needed to get it back up and running?

 

[PointedRose]

If you’re talking to a dealer, they have no excuse but to do at least some of the work themselves. Why wouldn’t they fix some of these ‘simple’ issues? I’d leave a lot of room for unknown in offer price. I agree with KY - probably worth getting a survey to avoid potentially big issues if you aren’t sure what to look for. Once you buy it, the issues are no one else’s but your own. How confident you’d be able sell it at the same or similar price? I’d assume the engine doesn’t have a whole lot of value left, even if running well. Ask when the last time the fuel tank was replaced - might be due.

I say this having bought an ‘84 with an ‘02 I/O for similar price but everything worked, (except the trailer still needs fixes after I blew a bearing getting it first launched). I probably should have heeded my own advice.

IMO -SC isn’t that far a drive from FL where you can probably find a better boat for similar pricing or cheaper. Also not far from GW HQ in NC so I think youre likely to see other options surface. If you’re handy and you know what you’re getting into, maybe try to negotiate a bit. Get a sense of your competition- spring is coming soon after all and it has been a sellers market for over a year.

 

[glacierbaze]

Dealers often sell trade-ins, and used boats, on commission, and sellers don’t want to pay $100 an hour for them to fix “simple issues”.

 

[Ky Grady]

And dealers will tell you what you want to hear to make that sale/commission too!! Be aware of what you are walking into.

 

[Andrew93]

$16k doesn't sound bad fixed. I am someone who I guess like to tinker with stuff like that. Without photos in my eyes I would want to do the work myself and know what got replace and replaced correct. For reference 3-4 years ago we bought the a 1991 228G with a blown motor on a trailer with hardtop for $4500. Fixed her up, found a real nice OX66 for it, ran it for a season to make sure it was good to go and sold for 12,500, today I bet that boat would go for even more with COVID prices. She was VERY rough when we found her but was structurally sound and cleaned up nice.

In my tinkerer opinion without seeing it for $9k if the motor didn't work out sell the motor for parts and find an OX66 for short money and enjoy her or use as a stepping stone to something else.

 

[Don Davis]

I bought a 1999 Grady White 228 in December 1999 from an insurance sale as the previous owner hit a log and tore the outboard off the pod breaking the horns off the top of the pod. This is Canadian dollars but I paid double what you mention they are asking for this one. I took a huge gamble as the auction site would not allow me to inspect in person only pictures but they said I could negotiate any deficiencies afterwards. The transom, stringers and structure were good and now with newer engines and a lot of sweat equity, the boat is awesome. But if I were to do it again I would insist on a survey. There are too many shady dealerships out there as I have friends that were taken for rotten stringers in some of their purchases, buyer beware and some common sense helps people sleep at night. If the dealership has nothing to hide, you should be able to put a deposit down and get a survey before full payment, my 2 cents

 

[leeccoll]

Agreeing with everybody that is advising Grady_Crazy to get the survey. I take that as a given. No way I would have bought my boat without one whether I can look at it myself or not.

If any dealership has a problem with that, Run Forrest Run.

 

[PointedRose]

$16k doesn't sound bad fixed. I am someone who I guess like to tinker with stuff like that. Without photos in my eyes I would want to do the work myself and know what got replace and replaced correct. For reference 3-4 years ago we bought the a 1991 228G with a blown motor on a trailer with hardtop for $4500. Fixed her up, found a real nice OX66 for it, ran it for a season to make sure it was good to go and sold for 12,500, today I bet that boat would go for even more with COVID prices. She was VERY rough when we found her but was structurally sound and cleaned up nice.

In my tinkerer opinion without seeing it for $9k if the motor didn't work out sell the motor for parts and find an OX66 for short money and enjoy her or use as a stepping stone to something else.

True, maybe ask the dealer for a detailed price quote and see what you’d be able to knock of the list and handle yourself. I wouldn’t assume you’d recover $16k in resale but likely north of $10k fixed.

 

[PointedRose]

Dealers often sell trade-ins, and used boats, on commission, and sellers don’t want to pay $100 an hour for them to fix “simple issues”.

Fair, but for most of us, our time isn’t cheap either, so unless it’s enjoyable to do the work, the project ain’t worth taking on. A decent boatyard should be able to do a lot with a days worth of time to get the boat water worthy at least. If scuppers leak or something like that, it’s just a dealer taking advantage at that price. Side note - dealer probably isn’t going to include things like: extinguisher, unexpired flares, pfds, anchors, dock lines, etc so it’ll add up to get it tricked.

 

[ItalianAngler]

I bought a loaded 97 228G in 2016 for 15k, I replaced all the thru-hulls, if yours are original they are shot. I also did the scuppers and the Fwd bilge pump, aside from that she was turn key. I sold it to the first guy that looked at it for the same price I paid in March of '18, at that time it needed a new fuel sender and a trim/tilt unit. No trailer. The motor was a 97 Yamaha SWS II. Smoked on a cold morning, but ran great. These boats have solid transoms, so unless there is a weakness around your bracket, scuppers, or bad transducer install it should be good to go. There is no aluminum bang cap to fail. Mine was dry as a bone.

 

[efx]

Don’t forget that you have to tinker in very small spaces. That’s a tough thing to do. I’d also get ready to replace the fuel tank no matter what. That’s more than tinker.

 

[Grady_Crazy]

Interesting that no one mentioned the 250 HPDI. The dealer is a Grady dealer that I have done business with for 25 years and they have always been fair with me. I will drop by and take some pictures.

 

[Blaugrana]

7k worth of work seems like there are serious issues with it. Replacing pumps, switches, etc are relatively minor unless you need to completely rewire it.

Get a survey and go from there. 9k in this market would be a steal, which tells me there are issues.

 

[Grady_Crazy]

Well I talked to the dealer and I was mistaken, it is a 1991 and my rep said this was not the boat for me. Sound advice, I'm walking away.

 

[PointedRose]

Well I talked to the dealer and I was mistaken, it is a 1991 and my rep said this was not the boat for me. Sound advice, I'm walking away.

Once the COVID buyers realize how much work boat maintenance is, and that they aren’t using their toys, there will be supply of used boats within a couple years hitting the markets. I was surprised when someone told me Facebook marketplace is sometimes better than Craigslist, but it was sometimes true when I started looking at postings on fbook. When I bought mine it was cross posted, I was the first reply, I could see from his pics it was a fishy boat being used on the water, and I rolled the dice with no survey. In retrospect I could have been more careful, but he’d probably have just sold to the next buyer and not waited on me.

btw - I had been looking for a decent option for years...take your time, and end up with a boat you’ll want to enjoy and isn’t a pain in the a$$ when something doesn’t work