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Considering buying a 1986 pristine Wellcraft, Cuddy Cabin, brand new trailer, reconditioned 2003 Merc. 200hp. Seller has had boat for sale 1.5 years. First price $14,500 with reconditioned 175 2003 merc. Has now sold 175 merc. separate from boat but will install the 200HP. Also sold first trailer (now has new trailer). Now wants $12,500 and this guy will not come down on price.
This boat is in like new condition. The seller is a dealer but is local and has an excellent reputation. He reconditions boats during slack periods in his business and sells them. The hull has no tell tale signs that the dealer made repairs - just a good cleaning. I can't find a use Wellcraft that compares with the excellent condition of this boat but I can't find one as expensive either. I think the $12,000 is just too much.
It is very hard to put a value on a boat of that age, you can pretty much throw book values out the window. I know it doesn't help much but it is worth whatever somebody will pay for it.
If $12,500 is within your budget my advice would be to spend a couple weeks looking at what you can get for $12,500. If after your search you can't find anything that you like better than it is probably a fair price on the Wellcraft.
You say the boat is in like new condition and that you can't find any comparables in terms of condition, but you don't want to pay a premium for the boat.
You say the boat, motor, trailer have been reconditioned by a local reputable dealer but it sounds like you don't want to pay for the work he put into reconditioning and preparing the boat for sale. Do you think there is any value in the work he put in?
In my experience you get what you pay for. Sure there are some people (maybe lots of people) looking to rip someone off, but this sounds to me like a pretty fair deal. And you said this guy is known locally to be a good dealer.
Once you hit a certain age the only thing that matters is condition, the number (age) means nothing. I've seen 30-year old boats that look much better than 5 year old boats.
I'll take you at your word that it is in like new condition and the dealer is a good guy. I assume since it is a cuddy w/ 200 HP it is in the 20-23 foot range.
If you can get on the water in a B/M/T package in the low 20 foot range and all three components of the package have been professionally reconditioned for $12K, I think you're in pretty good shape.
Consider the alternative - go buy a similar package from some schmuck for $8-9K and then see how much you pour into it ($$ plus blood, sweat & tears) to get it into the shape this one's in.
The responses have helped a lot. I have looked at 3 other V20 Wellcrafts. Prices range from $4k to $6.5k. Neither comes close to the $12,5k boat. I think the 200hp is probably too much weight and power so I might get the dealer to suggest a 150hp. Also, the trailer is actually brand new and not recoditioned.
I am hoping that the soft market and the end of season might bring the price down some. My other option is a a 21ft Trophy and I will be looking at that boat sometime the end of this week.
My fishing buddy Jeff bought a pristine V20 a couple of years ago for $5K. I think it's a 1984 and was stored in the garage by the original owner since it was new. Never been bottom painted, never sat in the water, purchased from the original owner. This boat has a V4- 120HP and is very under powered. For those that don't know anything about boats would swear it's only a couple of years old.
I think $12,500 is WAY to high, no way I would pay that. I am not saying that the current owner is out of line based on the new stuff the boat has, but these V20's are pretty common and I would rather buy one for 1/2 the price and put a brand new engine in it and upgrade the electronics.
Ok, I JUST bought a v20 in june. Mine however is NOT a Cuddy, it is their Center Console version. It has a yamaha 150 2-stroke, goes 40 WOT, 32 at cruise right around 4k rpm.
It is a 1984. It is in OVERALL good condition. The hatch under the console, over the gas tank, is de-laminating. There are NO soft spots in the deck, stringers, or transom, just this seperate hatch cover. The fit and finish isn't the best. It has 2 different brand sets of rod-holders. 2 midships one brand, 2 rear another brand. Both sets are in very rough shape. The fiberglass around the rodholders is cracking pretty good. The gas tank is newer(believe done in 99/2000, with re-power), along with newer electronics, however, old "holes" from the old electronics are not covered/fixed well. Needed new batteries. Had new bilge pump, new GPS, FF, VHF. The rear swim platform got taken out, and the holes were patched with marine-tex, not cleaned up to well, etc. All hatches are in great shape, wiring is a little hoakey, but you can figure that ANY boat that old will have hoakey wiring. I am in the process of re-wiring the whole boat, along with replacing a sticky steering cable. It came with a t-top, and a 1999 C150 Yamaha 2-stroke, and 2008 trailer. I paid $6k. Everything I plan to do(rebuild carbs, re-finish cracking fiberglass near rod-holders, make a leaning post instead of 2 captains chairs, build new tank hatch cover, properly repair swin ladder holes, replace all the wiring) I will spend roughly $1500. Motor has 118-117-119-118-118-115 compression and runs like a dream. For $7500, I will have a boat that should be in perfect running condition for a good 10 years, rides fantastic, and is exactly what I want.
I think that unless it has new transom, deck, stringers, PERFECT gel-coat, brand new electronics, and great motor, 12k is very high.
Being a dealer, I guarantee that he is not selling this boat to break even. Making a profit on work done on an older boat is very tough. VERY tough.
As to your boat, Immaculate hull, $2k. 2003 200hp motor, $4k. Brand new 20' trailer (dual w/ brakes)$2k, (single W/O brakes)$1500. I think an 8-9k price is where the boat should be. As stated, V20's are everywhere, especialy the cuddy versions.
$12,500 for a 86 V-20 cuddy is RIDICULOUS, plain and simple. You can buy a V-21 for that that will be 10 years or more newer. I would keep looking as I know somebody on the V-20 site just sold his 92 in excellent shape for a WHOLE lot less than $12,500.
Buying Wellcraft. Need Help 
