Used Boats For Sale near Sebago Lake and Portland, Maine
Tips for Purchasing a Used Boat
When you want to dip your toe into the waters of boat ownership, you may want to consider buying a used boat as your first boat. You’ll immediately save yourself hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars because you won’t be paying the initial high sticker price. Boats, like other types of vehicles, depreciate as soon as you take them off the lot, and the first buyer has already paid that price so you won’t have to. Buying a used boat is also smart because you can always trade it back in if you find it doesn’t suit you and use the money gained to get the model you want.
Richardson’s Boat Yard is one of the top used boat dealers in Maine, with locations in the cities of Windham and Standish, so we’ve provided you with a few tips for buying a used boat to get you started with the purchasing process! If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch or stop by one of our locations to see the used boats we carry.
Value of the Used Boat
Once you start browsing the internet or classified ads in the paper, you’ll find plenty of used boats for sale. Buying your used boat from a reputable dealer like Richardson’s Boat Yard is a smart choice because we inspect our boats to make sure they’re up to snuff. Since quality boats last for a very long time, even a used boat that’s ten or fifteen years old is relatively “young” and has years of life left in it. Take advantage of this and get a great boat for you and your family that will last you for a long time.
What You Should Look For
When shopping for a used boat, you’ll want to inspect your chosen model thoroughly. Look over the hull to make sure there aren’t cracks or patches in the gel coat that could reveal a previous collision that did internal damage. Check the oil to make sure it isn’t milky, which indicates the boat took on water, or gritty, which indicates the engine parts are grinding together. Checking over a boat before you buy it can help you to save money by avoiding a boat that needs expensive repairs.
Test Your Options
Before you hand over your credit card for the boat you think you want, you should test drive it to make sure it functions properly. Any reputable seller or dealer will permit this; if you approach a seller who is reluctant to let you test their boat for sale, then move on! This boat likely has problems that would be revealed in a test drive, and the seller is trying to unscrupulously offhand the boat before anyone knows what’s wrong.
When test driving, make sure the engine starts well and doesn’t leak fluids. Check lights and signals and try the boat out at different speeds so you know how it functions. If something doesn’t feel right, you’ll be glad you test-drove the boat to figure that out before you buy it! If everything checks out, you can complete your purchase.
To view a great selection of used boats for sale in Maine, visit Richardson’s Boat Yard today. We offer plenty of used boats for sale at our locations in Windham and Standish. We also serve the cities of Portland and Auburn, Maine!