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Author Topic:   Payment Question?

Carolina posted 08-21-2002 11:41 PM ET (US)
I am possibly about to make my first Boston Whaler purchase, but there is one problem. The boat is in an other state, but i can't just take a quick drive and look at it. It’s the exact boat I want at the right price. Lets just say the seller seems like a credable guy, honest, knows what he's talkin about and all that good stuff. Now I want to purchase the boat. This is where my question comes in. Is there a safe method of payment that could be used so i don't get takin?
Thanks guys

David Jenkins posted 08-21-2002 11:51 PM ET (US)
Were you planning on having the boat delivered rather than driving to pick it up? What state is it in?
Dunk posted 08-22-2002 12:15 AM ET (US)
Boats/US will do an escrow type thing for you, but I think it has to be at least 25k.
Your best bet is to have Marine Surveyor go look at it for you. If the boat is more than 3-4 years old chances are you'll need condition and valuation survey for insurance, especially if you want to shop different ins companies. Here's the link for National Assoc of Marine Surveyors. Use the locator to find a guy near the boat.
http://www.nams-cms.org/
Matthew posted 08-22-2002 12:55 AM ET (US)
In conjunction with the survey....
Digital pictures work well to convey general condition. If the seller doesn't have a digital camera they might know of someone who does.
Matt
jameso posted 08-22-2002 08:21 AM ET (US)
You are looking at a 15 right? in another state and it seems to be a good deal right?
Look the boat over, if it's what you want a t price you are willing to pay....whats the problem? I always carry CASH. It talks louder than any other method I know.
Jim Armstrong
Barry posted 08-22-2002 08:54 AM ET (US)
Pics help, but the boats always look better in pictures.
I assume you can't drop everything and drive over to see it. So I would consider offering to immediately send the owner a check for partial payment as a deposit. Anywhere from $100 to 10%. It doesn't guarantee he won't sell it to someone else if they walk up offering to pay more in cash, but it at least this lets him know you are serious.
If you then get there and the boat is still available but you decide not to take it you can ask for your deposit back. He may not want to return it depending on how long it took you to get there and how many other offers he turned down during that time. But then worst case you are out that amount plus your time.
I would request the boat's HIN and the engine SN. This will allow you to verify the age of both. I got burned once by not doing this (the engine was much older than the seller claimed).
Good luck,
Barry
hooter posted 08-22-2002 09:15 AM ET (US)
Hey Carolina, Mebbe Ahm jest a dinosaur, but some people in dis modern EE-bay-Ah-wants-it-right-now-cause-Ah-sees-it-on'da-'puter-sceen world forgets some basic rules yer grandpappy probly tole ya' but'cha weren't payin' attention. Like,"Don't ever buy a car (or a boat) at night". Mebbe he also tole ya,"Don't buy a pig in a poke" (a poke is a burlap sack). Dey both means go see the damn ting in da light of DAY, man, before you spend yer hard-earned money! If dat li'l 15" ain't woith you takin' a day of vacation to go see it, then jest you wait for a better op'tunity to come along. We'druther have you a happy camper than a newly wisened one, if ya get Mah meanin'.
gnr posted 08-22-2002 09:36 AM ET (US)
I just purchased a boat that I drove a thousand miles to get. After a few e-mails asking all the questions and after viewing all the pictures and after talking to the seller on the phone I drafted a purchase agreement detailing exactly what I expected to find when I got there and just as importantly what I expected NOT to find. I then sent a postal money order for 10 percent of the purchase price to the seller. The purchase agreement specified that if any of the conditions specified were not met then I would be refunded my deposit plus $300.00 for my traveling expenses. Went out ot get the boat the next weekend. Everything worked out great for me. Boat was as I expected and I love it. All this does require a leap of faith but it was worth the anxiety.
Good Luck
Monnas Rock posted 08-22-2002 12:26 PM ET (US)
Carolina,
Wish I could offer some solid advice but the truth is, I'm going through exactly the same situation. I'm in Las Vegas and considering a Whaler in Seattle. I have seen pictures of the boat (It looks great) plus the opinion of a third party, in the marine business, who knows the boat. In spite of that however, like "gnr" says...It's a leap of faith. At some point your going to send your hard earned money to a perfect stranger at a strange address and that's a lot different then sending a deposit to a licensed business with a store front. I suppose you should follow Hooters sage advice and "Don't ever buy a boat at night" but, personally, I'd probably go with my gut feelings. Let us know how it plays out as I may be doing the same thing.
Best of luck,
Gary
ps: Thanks Hooter, I always wondered what a poke was, Of all the pigs I've bought in my life, not one of them came with the promised poke!!!
whalersailer posted 08-22-2002 04:55 PM ET (US)
Carolina,
I'm assuming that you would have to drive to pick it up? If so, you will have an opportunity to check it out (no pun intended!) before forking over the $. Talk to the seller to see what he is looking for to hold the boat until you can get there. If he really is a credible guy as you say, he should be ok with you sending a deposit to hold it for a bit. Remember that good deals on Whalers tend to be gone quickly! Get there to seal the deal as soon as you can. Good luck!
T Party posted 08-22-2002 05:16 PM ET (US)
You shouldn't buy a "pig in a poke," because when you get it home, you'll "let the cat out of the bag."
I am told that both these phrases come from the same transaction: unscupulous shysters would go to auctions and offer a pig in a burlap sack. After the money changed hands, the unfortunate buyer would open the "poke" to find he'd bought a cat instead. If anyone could verify that I'm right about this, I'd appreciate it (I recall hearing it once, thinking it was a pretty cool explanation, but not being able to verify its . . .veracity).
hooter posted 08-22-2002 06:00 PM ET (US)
...mebby had sumpin t'do wid lovin' fat women?
lhg posted 08-22-2002 06:21 PM ET (US)
Since there's a pretty good bunch of knowledgeable Whaler people here, maybe someone who frequents here lives in the area of this boat and would take a look at for you. I think I have seen offers like this before. Might be well worth a tip to the guy of $50 or $100 bucks
So where is the boat?
Carolina posted 08-23-2002 10:36 AM ET (US)
hey guys.....talked to the seller, the boat is in NJ, he is going to take some digital pictures for me. The ironic part of the story is, he goes to college here in north carolina, so if im sold via looking at the pictures, he will trailer it down and I will meet up with him. Oh I'm so excited.
David Jenkins posted 08-23-2002 10:42 AM ET (US)
Coincidence or serendipity, not irony :)
SuburbanBoy posted 08-23-2002 10:49 AM ET (US)
Have you ever tried to put a cat in a bag? Once inside, you don't want to let em out until you are ready...
This is good advice. I purchased a 15' Striper on ebay, boat and trailer, no motor. I picked it up, and it was as advertised. No deposit required, I brought cash. I picked the boat up within 5 days of auction end. I called the owner just before I walked out the door to pick it up, verifying it was still available.
I have always used this strategy for used vehicle purchase, but I have been burned. I purchased an older 4-stroke trials bike some years ago. We agreed on price (asking price I felt it was fair), pickup date and time (less than 24hrs. later). As I was driving to pick-up my purchase, I called the seller to remind him I was on the way. He sold it to some one late the night before! Oh well, I still had my cash.
I don't think I would ever sell any used vehicle (boat or other) with a clause where I would pay the buyer if it was not as represented. I have never had a problem, but I can imagine a misunderstanding leading to a "dry closing".
Leap of faith is a good description for both sides.
sub
Monnas Rock posted 08-23-2002 03:10 PM ET (US)
Good for you Carolina, glad it is working out. Now, if I could get the seller to trailer that Revenge from Seattle to Las Vegas, I'd KNOW it was as advertised.
Good Luck,
Gary
hooter posted 08-23-2002 03:20 PM ET (US)
Carolina, mebby it's not irony... it's DEStiny!

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Author	Topic: Payment Question?
Carolina	posted 08-21-2002 11:41 PM ET (US) I am possibly about to make my first Boston Whaler purchase, but there is one problem. The boat is in an other state, but i can't just take a quick drive and look at it. It’s the exact boat I want at the right price. Lets just say the seller seems like a credable guy, honest, knows what he's talkin about and all that good stuff. Now I want to purchase the boat. This is where my question comes in. Is there a safe method of payment that could be used so i don't get takin? Thanks guys
David Jenkins	posted 08-21-2002 11:51 PM ET (US) Were you planning on having the boat delivered rather than driving to pick it up? What state is it in?
Dunk	posted 08-22-2002 12:15 AM ET (US) Boats/US will do an escrow type thing for you, but I think it has to be at least 25k. Your best bet is to have Marine Surveyor go look at it for you. If the boat is more than 3-4 years old chances are you'll need condition and valuation survey for insurance, especially if you want to shop different ins companies. Here's the link for National Assoc of Marine Surveyors. Use the locator to find a guy near the boat. http://www.nams-cms.org/
Matthew	posted 08-22-2002 12:55 AM ET (US) In conjunction with the survey.... Digital pictures work well to convey general condition. If the seller doesn't have a digital camera they might know of someone who does. Matt
jameso	posted 08-22-2002 08:21 AM ET (US) You are looking at a 15 right? in another state and it seems to be a good deal right? Look the boat over, if it's what you want a t price you are willing to pay....whats the problem? I always carry CASH. It talks louder than any other method I know. Jim Armstrong
Barry	posted 08-22-2002 08:54 AM ET (US) Pics help, but the boats always look better in pictures. I assume you can't drop everything and drive over to see it. So I would consider offering to immediately send the owner a check for partial payment as a deposit. Anywhere from $100 to 10%. It doesn't guarantee he won't sell it to someone else if they walk up offering to pay more in cash, but it at least this lets him know you are serious. If you then get there and the boat is still available but you decide not to take it you can ask for your deposit back. He may not want to return it depending on how long it took you to get there and how many other offers he turned down during that time. But then worst case you are out that amount plus your time. I would request the boat's HIN and the engine SN. This will allow you to verify the age of both. I got burned once by not doing this (the engine was much older than the seller claimed). Good luck, Barry
hooter	posted 08-22-2002 09:15 AM ET (US) Hey Carolina, Mebbe Ahm jest a dinosaur, but some people in dis modern EE-bay-Ah-wants-it-right-now-cause-Ah-sees-it-on'da-'puter-sceen world forgets some basic rules yer grandpappy probly tole ya' but'cha weren't payin' attention. Like,"Don't ever buy a car (or a boat) at night". Mebbe he also tole ya,"Don't buy a pig in a poke" (a poke is a burlap sack). Dey both means go see the damn ting in da light of DAY, man, before you spend yer hard-earned money! If dat li'l 15" ain't woith you takin' a day of vacation to go see it, then jest you wait for a better op'tunity to come along. We'druther have you a happy camper than a newly wisened one, if ya get Mah meanin'.
gnr	posted 08-22-2002 09:36 AM ET (US) I just purchased a boat that I drove a thousand miles to get. After a few e-mails asking all the questions and after viewing all the pictures and after talking to the seller on the phone I drafted a purchase agreement detailing exactly what I expected to find when I got there and just as importantly what I expected NOT to find. I then sent a postal money order for 10 percent of the purchase price to the seller. The purchase agreement specified that if any of the conditions specified were not met then I would be refunded my deposit plus $300.00 for my traveling expenses. Went out ot get the boat the next weekend. Everything worked out great for me. Boat was as I expected and I love it. All this does require a leap of faith but it was worth the anxiety. Good Luck
Monnas Rock	posted 08-22-2002 12:26 PM ET (US) Carolina, Wish I could offer some solid advice but the truth is, I'm going through exactly the same situation. I'm in Las Vegas and considering a Whaler in Seattle. I have seen pictures of the boat (It looks great) plus the opinion of a third party, in the marine business, who knows the boat. In spite of that however, like "gnr" says...It's a leap of faith. At some point your going to send your hard earned money to a perfect stranger at a strange address and that's a lot different then sending a deposit to a licensed business with a store front. I suppose you should follow Hooters sage advice and "Don't ever buy a boat at night" but, personally, I'd probably go with my gut feelings. Let us know how it plays out as I may be doing the same thing. Best of luck, Gary ps: Thanks Hooter, I always wondered what a poke was, Of all the pigs I've bought in my life, not one of them came with the promised poke!!!
whalersailer	posted 08-22-2002 04:55 PM ET (US) Carolina, I'm assuming that you would have to drive to pick it up? If so, you will have an opportunity to check it out (no pun intended!) before forking over the $. Talk to the seller to see what he is looking for to hold the boat until you can get there. If he really is a credible guy as you say, he should be ok with you sending a deposit to hold it for a bit. Remember that good deals on Whalers tend to be gone quickly! Get there to seal the deal as soon as you can. Good luck!
T Party	posted 08-22-2002 05:16 PM ET (US) You shouldn't buy a "pig in a poke," because when you get it home, you'll "let the cat out of the bag." I am told that both these phrases come from the same transaction: unscupulous shysters would go to auctions and offer a pig in a burlap sack. After the money changed hands, the unfortunate buyer would open the "poke" to find he'd bought a cat instead. If anyone could verify that I'm right about this, I'd appreciate it (I recall hearing it once, thinking it was a pretty cool explanation, but not being able to verify its . . .veracity).
hooter	posted 08-22-2002 06:00 PM ET (US) ...mebby had sumpin t'do wid lovin' fat women?
lhg	posted 08-22-2002 06:21 PM ET (US) Since there's a pretty good bunch of knowledgeable Whaler people here, maybe someone who frequents here lives in the area of this boat and would take a look at for you. I think I have seen offers like this before. Might be well worth a tip to the guy of $50 or $100 bucks So where is the boat?
Carolina	posted 08-23-2002 10:36 AM ET (US) hey guys.....talked to the seller, the boat is in NJ, he is going to take some digital pictures for me. The ironic part of the story is, he goes to college here in north carolina, so if im sold via looking at the pictures, he will trailer it down and I will meet up with him. Oh I'm so excited.
David Jenkins	posted 08-23-2002 10:42 AM ET (US) Coincidence or serendipity, not irony :)
SuburbanBoy	posted 08-23-2002 10:49 AM ET (US) Have you ever tried to put a cat in a bag? Once inside, you don't want to let em out until you are ready... This is good advice. I purchased a 15' Striper on ebay, boat and trailer, no motor. I picked it up, and it was as advertised. No deposit required, I brought cash. I picked the boat up within 5 days of auction end. I called the owner just before I walked out the door to pick it up, verifying it was still available. I have always used this strategy for used vehicle purchase, but I have been burned. I purchased an older 4-stroke trials bike some years ago. We agreed on price (asking price I felt it was fair), pickup date and time (less than 24hrs. later). As I was driving to pick-up my purchase, I called the seller to remind him I was on the way. He sold it to some one late the night before! Oh well, I still had my cash. I don't think I would ever sell any used vehicle (boat or other) with a clause where I would pay the buyer if it was not as represented. I have never had a problem, but I can imagine a misunderstanding leading to a "dry closing". Leap of faith is a good description for both sides. sub
Monnas Rock	posted 08-23-2002 03:10 PM ET (US) Good for you Carolina, glad it is working out. Now, if I could get the seller to trailer that Revenge from Seattle to Las Vegas, I'd KNOW it was as advertised. Good Luck, Gary
hooter	posted 08-23-2002 03:20 PM ET (US) Carolina, mebby it's not irony... it's DEStiny!