Six Question on Worth of a 2001 VENTURA 16

[carpenterboat]

[Moderator's note: this thread has been moved to THE GAM for discussion]

I inherited a 2001 Ventura 16 when my husband died. The hull is in great condition, but I think the engine needs to be replaced.

Q1: what type engine should be used to replace the current engine.

Q2: how much will a replacement engine cost?

Q3: is replacing the engine worth the expense of the new engine?

Q4: can the 2001 VENTURA 16 be sold as-is?

Q5: what selling price would the 2001 VENTURA 16 fetch as-is?

Q6: what selling price would the 2001 VENTURA 16 fetch with a new engine?

Thanks in advance for any advice and guidance.

[Phil T]

Without seeing photos, pricing will be very general.

[A 2001 VENTURA 16] without an engine or with an older engine that may not run well [may sell for] $6,000 to $7,000

The costs to buy and install a new engine:

• a new 90-HP engine will cost $11,000 to $13,000 installed;
• a new 115-HP engine will cost $13,000 to $15,000 installed.

The best time to sell a boat is in the spring.

If you can post photos, we can give you more feedback and advice.

[jimh]

Q1: what type engine should be used to replace the current engine.

The current engine from 2001 is very likely a two-stroke-power-cycle engine. The engine may be restored to running condition by a competent and honest mechanic for a modest cost, if the engine does not have major damage.

If the engine cannot be repaired at a reasonable cost, a suitable replacement engine will be of the same horsepower, but likely will be a four-stroke-power-cycle engine. A modern four-stroke-power-cycle engine will likely have greater weight than the original engine, and the boat may not be able to tolerate the additional weight. For this reason, selecting a new engine should also take careful consideration of the weight of the new engine compared to the original engine.

Q2: how much will a replacement engine cost?

New outboard engines purchased separately from a new boat are expensive and often hard to obtain. Their proper installation will also add a significant increase in the total cost. A rough estimate for a new engine price is to multiply the horsepower rating by 100. For example, a 100-HP engine will cost $10,000. But proper installation of the new engine will require expert rigging and fitting out. A new engine may require new remote controls, new gauges, a new battery, a new propeller, and so on. The total cost of re-powering will likely include several thousand dollars of additional expense, over and above the actual cost of the engine itself.

Q3: is replacing the engine worth the expense of the new engine?

Generally putting a new engine on a 22-year-old boat will not increase the value of the boat by as much as the new engine and its installation will cost. Re-powering a boat with a new engine is generally not an investment but a considerable cost that will have to be absorbed. Boaters will re-power an older boat with a new engine when they are very fond of the boat, and a new boat of similar size and style is too expensive for their budget.

The existing engine will have some value, but dealers selling new engines may not be able to take-in the old engine on trade-in for its true value. The most significant influence on the value of the old engine is its condition. An older engine that runs properly, looks well-cared for, and can be considered reliable will have much more value than an older engine that cannot be started, won't run, and cannot demonstrated itself to be useful for propelling the boat it is sitting on.

Q4: can the 2001 VENTURA 16 be sold as-is?

Yes, certainly the boat ca be sold as-is. But do not give up on the current engine without getting an honest mechanic to assess its present condition and the cost to get the engine running properly.

Q5: what selling price would the 2001 VENTURA 16 fetch as-is?

I defer to PHIL T and his estimates.


GUIDANCE ON SELLING OLDER BOSTON WHALER BOATS

Selling a Boston Whaler boat is not particularly difficult if the boat is in good condition, the engine runs, the boat is on a road-worthy trailer so it can be driven away by the buyer, and the price is fair. Beware of buyers who make ridiculously low offers.

The lower the asking price, the easier to sell a used Boston Whaler boat. Selling the boat as-is without a running engine will result in a much lower selling price, which may result in more interest in the boat, but on the other hand, most people want to buy a boat, an engine, and a trailer that are all in good working condition. But, curiously, some buyers. will be glad to buy a boat at a big discount due to boat having what the buyer thinks is a minor problem that the buyer has the time and skill to fix himself.

Q6: what selling price would the 2001 VENTURA 16 fetch with a new engine?

A new engine will certainly increase the value of the boat, but unless you were able to get an amazingly good deal on a new engine, the costs associated with the new engine will not be fully recovered by an increase in the boat's value if sold immediately. Typically older Boston Whaler boats get re-powered when the current owner plans to keep the boat for many years, and in that way he will get the benefit of the new engine. If you sell a boat with a really new engine, the benefit of the new engine transfers to the buyer at a much lower cost that the seller invested in the new engine. On that basis, I do not recommend that the boat under discussion here should be re-powered with a new engine and then immediately sold.

When considering the selling price of a nice Boston Whaler boat which happens to have an engine that is not particularly ready to be run and may need substantial repair, the value of that non-running engine will be minimal, perhaps about $500.

You don't mention a trailer, but having a 16-foot boat that is for-sale and having it sitting on a trailer is very important. If the buyer has to buy a new trailer for the boat, he will be looking at an expense of several thousand dollars, whereas if the boat is already on a nice trailer, he avoids those costs. A road-ready trailer under the boat will improve the value of the boat and hasten the sale.

As always, the asking price is an influence on how rapid a sale can be made. For a desirable boat being sold at a very attractive price, a buyer may come hundreds or even thousands of miles to get the boat. An over-priced boat can sit for a long time before a real buyer appears.