Why is this not selling ?

bpikeuk · 22 October 2011, 15:00

Still looking for my first boat and, if you'll oblige, have another couple of questions to ask,

This Avon has been on ebay 3 or 4 times now and doesn't seem to get much over £1000 which is less than reserve. It seems fairly good value to me, is there any reason why it's not ?

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

On another tack, I've been offered a Bontitco With 400 FC with a Suzuki 55 outboard with gearbox issues by a friend's brother. I know that this is really the wrong forum, but wondered if anyone has and experience of these and how useful they are during a typical british winter. This is not really what I'm looking for, but the price could be very attractive and might serve as a good starter with the chance of making a bit of profit.

Thanks for you patience,

Barry

willk · 22 October 2011, 15:12

The Auction:

The reserve is over £1000. Do we know how much over? What did it reach in previous auctions? They may have a silly figure on it...

The Boat:

It's fairly manky. The engine is it's worst point as it is 40hp (ok but 50 is better), pull start (so a PITA and no electrics OB for equipment), no Power Trim and Tilt, another PITA). I see two patches in the tubes. The boat looks to have been left in the water with no antifoul, I think the hull and tubes look overgrown? The trailer sounds like a dog.

All in all a fairly unattractive package (at an unknown figure over £1k). There are better boats around

Admiral_Panda · 22 October 2011, 19:45

I wouldn't touch this with a barge pole. A better plan might be to save up a little more cash and see what you can get for around the £3k mark, you will be pretty surprised at the difference between a £1k RIB and something that is up for closer to £3/4k.

willk · 22 October 2011, 20:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Admiral_Panda

I wouldn't touch this with a barge pole.

That's what I meant

Mollers · 22 October 2011, 21:05

Forward the link to Bedajim on a Fri eve after the electric Sprite has kicked in. He'd give £1500 for that and tell the guy to keep the OB and trailer.

chewy · 22 October 2011, 21:07

I just sold mine for £1500 and was in better nick than that, you want a 50 on a SR4!

The reason that one won't sell is because its simply not worth the money!

bedajim · 22 October 2011, 21:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollers

Forward the link to Bedajim on a Fri eve after the electric Sprite has kicked in. He'd give £1500 for that and tell the guy to keep the OB and trailer.

I've got it on my watch list hic

Seabay · 22 October 2011, 21:44

[QUOTE=bpikeuk;426626]
On another tack, I've been offered a Bontitco With 400 FC with a Suzuki 55 outboard with gearbox issues by a friend's brother. I know that this is really the wrong forum, but wondered if anyone has and experience of these and how useful they are during a typical british winter. This is not really what I'm looking for, but the price could be very attractive and might serve as a good starter with the chance of making a bit of profit.

The 400c is a cracking little boat. 55 suzuki is a lot bigger than the makers recommend,
The little cuddy offers good protection to most elements,
I have had mine for 2 years and it attracts attention every where it's seen. Could have sold it and doubled my money several times.

Ribochet · 22 October 2011, 22:30

Whats wrong with a 40 on a SR4

I have a 40 Yam on my training SR4 and its a veritible flying machine and you need a lot of bottle to WOT it one up.

Stippolyte · 23 October 2011, 00:21

>>On another tack, I've been offered a Bontitco With 400 FC with a Suzuki 55 outboard with gearbox issues by a friend's brother. I know that this is really the wrong forum, but wondered if anyone has and experience of these and how useful they are during a typical british winter. <<

Not quite the 400 but i've had an ex Welsh Water 480 for 11/12 years. Think they're originally of Norwegian design/origin which speaks volumes for seaworthiness -and being fully foamed are unsinkable. Can roll a bit in a swell but never given me a moments worry. The 55 is too big, think 35-40 is max.
Karl

chewy · 23 October 2011, 05:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ribochet

Whats wrong with a 40 on a SR4

I have a 40 Yam on my training SR4 and its a veritible flying machine and you need a lot of bottle to WOT it one up.

I had a 60hp on mine and was happy to run that at WOT throttle, it did shift mind, I replaced the poorly 60 with a Yam 55 and that went well too.

Nos4r2 · 23 October 2011, 05:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by bpikeuk

Still looking for my first boat and, if you'll oblige, have another couple of questions to ask,

This Avon has been on ebay 3 or 4 times now and doesn't seem to get much over £1000 which is less than reserve. It seems fairly good value to me, is there any reason why it's not ?

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

I'd be interested to know why the 2 serial numbers shown on the boat are different.

chewy · 23 October 2011, 05:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

I'd be interested to know why the 2 serial numbers shown on the boat are different.

One of them looks like I've done it after a night out on the lash and tried to hold the stamps between my toes whilst my terrier wielded a hammer!

Poly · 23 October 2011, 07:05

Ribochet,

There is nothing wrong with a 40 on a SR4. The perceived wisdom on Ribnet is that the perfect partner is a 2 stroke 50HP with Power Trim. However there are plenty of folks who have used a 40 quite happily. Obviously if you are trying to move a lot of fat divers, or obsessed with going as fast as possible a 50 might be better. However even a 30 will still give reasonable performance and a lot of fun when lightly loaded, and some sailing club boats use 25HP's when they want to keep fuel bills and over enthusiastic drivers under control but still get on the plane easily.

Quite simply the reserve is too high. Whats more if the ebayer took the reserve off he'd probably see ebay craziness pump up the price to more than its worth anyway! Reserves say to the buyer "I know what this is worth, you won't get a bargain" but buyers only go on ebay because they "think" they will get a bargain. As always a bit of TLC and some carefully shot pictures could also add a few hundred to the price!

thomas · 23 October 2011, 09:17

I never understand why the reserve is a secret, it's not in regular auctions, I asked a guy once what the reserve was and he refused to tell me.

Nothing wrong with a 40 on an SR4 unless you want to ski behind it then it could be a struggle - I speak from my wealth of a couple of months experience, but was out with a couple of them last week, one with a 40 and the other a 50, the 50 was clearly quicker but the 40 still ran rings round me.

Boats&Outboards · 23 October 2011, 11:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomas

I never understand why the reserve is a secret, it's not in regular auctions, I asked a guy once what the reserve was and he refused to tell me.

Nothing wrong with a 40 on an SR4 unless you want to ski behind it then it could be a struggle - I speak from my wealth of a couple of months experience, but was out with a couple of them last week, one with a 40 and the other a 50, the 50 was clearly quicker but the 40 still ran rings round me.

Simple.

The way the eBy system works is the bid will automatically jump to the reserve once it's been met regardless of the current bid.

Therefore if a buyer has £5000 for a boat and asks the reserve to be told it's £4,500 that's what he will bid. If he does not know the reserve he will bid his £5,000, the reserve will be met at £4,500 and if anybody else decides to bid the price will increase over and above the reserve. If they wanted you to know the reserve they would use a buy-it-now option. If they do not have a value for it they would use no reserve auction

I never understand why a buyer wants to know the reserve. Just bid what you value it at and if it's enough you will know on the spot. If not bid again or keep looking.

Peter ~ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ askboatsandoutboards4sale@sky.com ~ 07930 421007

willk · 23 October 2011, 11:52

My take on Reserves, is that they generally mean one of two things from the sellers perspective.

1. The item is worth less than the Reserve, they know it and they hope you don't.

2. The item has a very limited market and if no-one is shopping, it could sell for rubbish money - the Reserve keeps scavengers away.

I've bought a couple of low/no reserve items for a few quid that were worth hundreds as no-one else was in the market for them that week on eBay. A Reserve would have put manners on me - their loss, my gain

Boats&Outboards · 23 October 2011, 12:10

To be honest I rarely use them and don't like them when I'm bidding on things.

I normally put things on a buy it now. When I do use the auction I start at a penny at let it run with no reserve.

Peter ~ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ askboatsandoutboards4sale@sky.com ~ 07930 421007

bpikeuk · 23 October 2011, 12:49

Thanks for the replies guys,

I'll discount the SR4 for now, I've never seriously researched buying a RIB before and this is all good education.

The Bonwitco is likely to be offered at about £750, is that a reasonable price and what kind of money would I be likely to get for the Suzuki 55 with gearbox issues ?

Thanks again,

Barry

Dino89 · 23 October 2011, 14:25

i have the same boat and any motor less than 50 is just not worth it