Buying a Sea Ray 250 Sundancer

[Marco1]

I need some advise from US "locals"

Where would you go to buy a second hand Sea Ray 250 Sundancer of aprox 1998 vintage if you only had one week time and don't want to criss cross the country in the search.
Where do I find a bigger concentration of boats for sale? Miami? The great lakes?
All suggestions welcomed. If you want to go further and suggest an honest dealer even better.

Thankyou in advance
Marc

[J3]

You'll find lower prices and a lot of great buys on the coast, but I think you'll find a lot of solid boats around the great lakes because of the combination of fresh water and short season. Everyone says it, but it's true - salt water really ages not only the raw water passages but also the transom assembly where bare metal tends to go unnoticed. And any other metal items like horn compressors, swtich contacts, etc. seem to age a lot more in the salt air. Plus if you find a great lakes boat that has been stored inside, it's like getting a boat that is only 1/3 as old in years as the use is so much less from the short season. (not that I'd get an ancient boat, because storage can be hard too unheated.)

Maybe the Florida and east coast guys will chime in differently. I'm always tempted by the great deals and boats I see advertised there, but overwhelmed by so many that are used hard and put up wet where the season is so much longer. Plus salt. I'm not used to seeing trailers that are rusted out here until they're 20 years old for example, and those are the cheap ones.

[Bglad]

Originally Posted by Marco1

I need some advise from US "locals"

Where would you go to buy a second hand Sea Ray 250 Sundancer of aprox 1998 vintage if you only had one week time and don't want to criss cross the country in the search.
Where do I find a bigger concentration of boats for sale? Miami? The great lakes?
All suggestions welcomed. If you want to go further and suggest an honest dealer even better.

Thankyou in advance
Marc

Great lakes or from inland Texas (also freshwater lakes). I would search yachtworld and others to see where there are a few boats. Most adds will have a broker/dealer name associated with them. Find one you like and let them do the leg work for you in advance so when you come the boats are "prequalified". It costs a little commission but you would almost certainly spend it running around otherwise.

I don't know a dealer in the great lakes region but I know an exporter in the Dallas, Texas area who sends many Sea Rays to Sweden and other points in Europe. He buys all over the country at auctions and from private owners. Let me know if you would like his contact info.

[elwood]

Check out the Knoxville Tn Craiglist, there is 3 or 4 posted around that year. There could be more around Knoxville being that they were built there.

[Marco1]

Originally Posted by Bglad

Great lakes or from inland Texas (also freshwater lakes). I would search yachtworld and others to see where there are a few boats. Most adds will have a broker/dealer name associated with them. Find one you like and let them do the leg work for you in advance so when you come the boats are "prequalified". It costs a little commission but you would almost certainly spend it running around otherwise.

I don't know a dealer in the great lakes region but I know an exporter in the Dallas, Texas area who sends many Sea Rays to Sweden and other points in Europe. He buys all over the country at auctions and from private owners. Let me know if you would like his contact info.

Thank you yes please.
Marc