New Buyer of a 1997 1900

[stevo97]

Hello all! I am new to the boating world and looking into buy a 1997 Maxum 1900. The boat is in ok shape, clearly neglected for a while. What should i Look for besides cracks in the hull and a properly running motor? There is no engine hour meter. Just from looking at it, the carpet and seats are in good shape, the paint is faded and the prop has some bites taken out of the edges of the blades, but other than that the boat appears to be in good shape for the year. is $4000 too much to pay? Let me know your thoughts and suggestions!

Steve

[seapuppy]

Welcome to the zoo!!...glad you joined and hope you have many good times with the boat..was this boat kept in the open or in a garage??..
.first off the hull can be restored using rubbing compound and a good wax...or what I use is called seapower...really does a fantastic job at restoring fiberglass and all...if it's really really bad..you may have to wet sand and the compound and finally a good wax...
for the inside use Mr. Clean magic eraser on the seats and to remove black marks....
for the engine..get it surveyed or atleast a good compression check..was it used in salt water???..if so..may have to pull the manifolds and check those to make sure that they aren't corroded beyond usage....change all oils and fluids....even the outdrive oils...this should be done before you do any serious running....find out from the owner when he replaced the impeller in the outdrive....what drive do you have??..alpha 1 gen 2??...if so..I'd replace the impeller before you even start and run the boat.....do a complete tune up on the engine...plugs,wires, cap and rotor....
then you can start the engine on muffs and check the timing.....adjust to spec.......finally ...before you run the boat out on the lake/river/ocean..take an approved boating safety course and enjoy the time on the boat!!....again..hope this helps..welcome to the zoo....let us know what happens...

[tglee]

What model is it? SR/SR2/XR and which motor does it have 3.0 / 4.3 or 115/120/150hp outboard? Does the price include the trailer?

Older boat pricing is very dependent on condition. I have seen some 1997 19' foot Maxums that are worth every penny of $8,000. I have seen some that aren't worth anything.

Search on the internet for 1996/97/98 models in similar condition and see what they are selling or have recently sold for. Most ads will have pictures so you can at least compare cosmetic conditions. You can also check some online price guides. Here is a link to one...

http://www.nadaguides.com/SectionHom...=24&p=0&f=5601


Good luck and we hope to see you on the water soon.