Advice needed - Possbile purchase of a 2000 Maxum 1900 SR - Maxum Boat Owners Club

theelblue · 06-14-2012, 04:59 PM

I've been looking for a boat for our family at a reasonable price for nearly a month.

A coworker of mine is selling his 2000 model 1900 with the 4.3L V6. Price is $8200. Having never owned a boat before, can someone suggest some things I can check on my own to rule it in or out before paying a mechanic for a full inspection? He has owned it since new and has all the maintenance records, but of course any 12-13 year old vehicle is going to have a problem.

Thanks for any advice.

ss3964spd · 06-14-2012, 06:09 PM

Blue,

Is the boat water ready? In other words, can/will your coworker put it in the water for a test run? A test run, if it goes well, all by itself will tell you almost all you need to know mechanically. If the engine does not over heat, if the oil pressure is good, if none of the alarms go off while underway, if it reaches it's claimed top speed/RPM range, if the drive goes up and down like it's supposed to - it's probably fine. Inspect the service records to see how it was maintained. Look for when the raw water impeller was last changed.

If you cannot perform an on-water (AKA sea trial) test then you'll have to have it inspected - which is a good idea anyway in general. Note, however, that even a inspector won't be able to fully determine the condition of the mechanical bits without being able to run the boat on the water. Once it's back at the dock, but BEFORE removing it from the water, open the engine hatch and see how much, if any, water is in the bilge.

So, assuming you can sea trial the boat, and everything seems to be working fine, then just do a visual inspection of the outside of the hull for any obvious impact damage or cracks. Crawl around the inside and look for moldy seats, loose fittings, make sure all the electrical stuff works - especially the bilge blower.

Dan

theelblue · 06-14-2012, 08:56 PM

Thanks, Dan. Yes it is water ready and has been out just once this season. His kids are leaving for college which is why he is selling. He took it out only 3 times last year.

I definitely will not buy without a sea trial to see how it runs. I was trying to think of anything in particular to look out for when I do a visual inspection later today. I will go through it as thoroughly as I can on land. I've read there is wood in these boats' stringers, decks etc. so I'm especially weary of any rot.

ss3964spd · 06-14-2012, 09:55 PM

True, there is wood, but it sounds like this boat has spent most of its life on a trailer. My guess is it was only in the water while actually being used, then pulled out and put on the trailer until the next use. In that kind of scenario I think it unlikely it would have any real moisture issues at all. If it was covered while on the trailer - all the better. If it was stored indoors AND covered - all the better-better.

How many hours are on it?

Dan

theelblue · 06-14-2012, 10:26 PM

There's no hour meter on the boat according to the owner but he states low time since he only went out 8-10 times each season. And he does state it was always on a trailer and under shelter at the local marina which has a shed that would easily cover a boat this small from rain and sun.

I'm told you can hook up the motor to a computer to get hours. Is that an OBD II connector like on automobiles?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

ss3964spd · 06-15-2012, 02:56 PM

How'd the inspection go?

If the engine has an ECU a mechanic should be able to plug in and pull the hours, but I don't know if it's OBD II or not. OBD II came to be mostly, if not completely, to keep emissions in check. Boats, until just recently, haven't had a great deal of emissions related equipment.

theelblue · 06-15-2012, 04:38 PM

Not good. Another guy came to look at it at the same time as me and offered the seller asking price with no mechanical inspection and no sea trial. I couldn't believe it. He sold it right out from under me. Oh well I guess the search continues. Thanks for the advice.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

seapuppy · 06-15-2012, 04:59 PM

well that was crappy of them!!!...sorry bout that....

SP

ss3964spd · 06-15-2012, 05:14 PM

Nice co-worker.

Bummer - sorry it didn't work out.

theelblue · 04-18-2013, 04:01 AM

I'm back and going to give it another try. Purely by coincidence another local guy is selling a 2000 1900SR just like the one I looked at last year (except green instead of burgundy). This one is priced cheaply compared to other 19-20 footers around here and the guy is the original owner. But he just had the engine replaced after he did a poor job winterizing it which led to a cracked block. The new engine was installed by an auto shop and not by an authorized boat service shop or mercury dealer. That makes me a little nervous.

Also, checking out a 2002 model 2100 sr with a 5.0 but the guy is asking a lot more for it.

Looking at both boats on Saturday. Wish me luck.

ss3964spd · 04-18-2013, 01:29 PM

Luck.

I'd be very leary of the boat with the engine swap by an auto shop. While it's possible they did it correctly they may have also just slappped it in there at the owners instructions so he could just unload a "running" boat. At the very least I'd want to talk to the shop that did the work. Engine alignment with the outdrive comes to mind. You're right to be nervous about that one.

If the 2100 looks good and doesn't have a bunch of hours on it, and if you have the financial means, consider the 2100. 2 more feet of boat makes a lot of difference.

shrew · 04-19-2013, 07:01 PM

I would be very surprised if a Auto shop had a engine alignment tool for a boat. Were marine parts used, or were the comparable non-marinized versions used because that is what they're used to ordering? It DOES make a difference. Sometimes it's ignition protection, sometimes it's the difference in the types of metals used (non-corrosive) in the case of marinized parts.