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taking the plunge

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Benny Jim

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Shady Cove, OR
looking at my first toon purchase,  2275FSi with a 50hp Evinrude.  I've rented before and used my sister's toon when she had it at a local lake.  I am going Friday to check it out and looking for some pointers on what to look for besides the normal cosmetic stuff.  He's the original owner and it sits on a 2013 trailer since he no longer keeps it at the lake, been keep indoors since then with occasional use.  This is my first post and look forward to getting to know my way around the forum.  I wasn't looking to purchase yet as I have about another year before I retire but it is the model we like at a reasonable price.  It's a fishing model which is what I wanted and I know it won't win any speed contest with the 50 hp, that's ok.  He says it has 159 engine hours.  Thanks ahead for your replies.
 
Welcome and Congratulations .
 
Yes it does need more than a visual inspection but I think a lot can be told by the effort the previous owner had concerning pride of ownership.  When looking at boats our local craiglist I am always amazed at the pictures of boats filled with leaves and cluttered with debris, I would not even consider purchasing a boat that the owner has put up pictures looking to sell in that condition when he is trying to sell it. 

Not sure of where you are but a test drive on a used boat is mandatory, I am sure others will chip in with some tips on toons and structure inspection. 

If you rea not purchasing for a year I still think it is smart to start studying the market now as you should have a good feel for boat values so that when the time comes you can jump on a good deal rather than lose it through hesitation.

Finally, make sure your used boat is a Bennington 
 
Welcome and congrats on the new to you boat. What year is it and pics would be nice.
 
Looking forward to seeing some photos as well. For me when looking at a used pontoon it comes down to overall condition (No dents, damage), condition of the motor (this could be very expensive if there is an issue) but 159 hours isn't much. And lastly the condition of the seats. Reupholstering is very expensive to do an entire boat so make sure they are in good shape.  

Don't be afraid to price out a new boat as well. The way pontoons hold value sometimes it is not much of a stretch to get into a new one built to your specs. Plus if you time it right you get a 7 year warranty on the boat and 5-6 years warranty on the motor.
 
Agree with Lakeliving as to the new versus used concerning the warranty, plus that way you get exactly what you want [as we all know here when you buy new you always end up with the right boat the first time].  You owe it to yourself to play with the build a boat to see what options are available , build it and talk with your local dealer about price.  That was the way I did it and once in the dealers showroom I got a great buy on a leftover from the pervious year 
 
Check the prop for dings.  Dings means the lower unit has seen some hits and led a rough life.  Note that the opposite isn't necessarily true, as they could have just changed the prop. 

You should drain a touch of gear lube out of the lower unit.  If it is milky, it has water in it, which means big trouble.  Again, the opposite (non-milky) doesn't mean much since they could have just changed the lube, but if it's milky it HAS a water issue (no one intentionally puts milky lube in a lower unit).  Milky lube indicates a major problem.

If you can check the cylinder compression, that is a good test.  You don't want any one cylinder to be much different than the others.  If you can find the specs on what the compression should be, that of course is a good measure too.

Open/close every door and seat cushion to be sure nothing has damage.

Check every electronic item and it's switch.

Inspect the bottom of the pontoons for damage.  If you see any damage, look a lot closer to see if there are any holes.

Pull the boat forward a few feet while on the trailer and slam on the brakes.  Listen for water sloshing in the pontoons.  Be aware that gas in the tank sloshes too.  If you can't tell if it's the gas tank or water in a pontoon sloshing around, fill the tank full of gas and try again.  A full gas tank doesn't slosh.
 
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Grab each cleat and push/pull as hard as you can.  Make sure they are tight and secure.

I would grab each trailer wheel at the top and pull/push as hard as you can.  If there is any play, a bearing is likely to fail.

Make sure all the lights work!  Including the trailer lights (brakes, turn signals).
 
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Thanks for the tips - heading out tomorrow on a four hour trek to check the toon.   My other half who lives mostly in Oregon is planning on meeting me tomorrow afternoon to check out what may be our new purchase.  Wish us luck - thanks Jim.
 
Good luck!
 
Would be easier to just buy it rather than go through the hassle of changing your name
 
Good luck!
 
Benny Jim said:
Thanks for the tips - heading out tomorrow on a four hour trek to check the toon.   My other half who lives mostly in Oregon is planning on meeting me tomorrow afternoon to check out what may be our new purchase.  Wish us luck - thanks Jim.
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A four hour trek is okay regarding a boat, but stay away from the 3 hour tours!
 
Link said:
Having a few last night kaydano?
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Ha ha.  It was still on my phone this morning looking like I never hit "post" so I hit it again.
 
Spoiledrotten said:
A four hour trek is okay regarding a boat, but stay away from the 3 hour tours!
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Too funny!  My 12 year old has been watching all the old Gilligan reruns.  I think we had about 100 episodes on the DVR.
 
Well, I done done it.  Bought the toon yesterday, My DW came down form Oregon and I meant her at 'bout 27 miles north of Paso and made thge deal.  About a 10 hour drive for her and 4 hours for me.  To explain this we bought our "retirement" home in Oregon 'bout 1 1/2 years ago and she lives there while I still work here in central CA to pay for "our"  toys.  Got home bout four this afternoon and pretty much killed any concerns I had about making this purchase.  I am very happy, paid $15K for the toon with 161 hours on it from the original owner..  I would post pics but need to figure how to do that.  Anyways, very happy (adult bev has nothing to do with this since I arrived home) and can't wait for the maiden voyage, hopefully this coming weekend,  Thanks again for all your advice on a new purchase. My last and only boat I ever bought was a 16' Hobie Cat that I had much fun on back in the '80s - 90s.
 
Congratulations BennyJim, it's going to be a great summer
 
Woo hoo!
 
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