Is the condition of the motor the biggest consideration when looking at used boats other than the usual things? I am in the market for something with at least a 175. I am leaning towards one of the new Aluminums like a Express because that way I will be getting a new motor w/ warrenty and such. If I do decide on a used fiberglass what should I be concerned with as far as the motor goes? I cant afford to spend 15000 to 20000 on a used boat only to have to spend 5000 more to get the motor back going right after the tourist season really picks up here.

When you are buying a used boat, you are pretty much buying the outboard, for example, say somebody has a 1993 Stratos 201 bass boat for sale with a 225HP outboard, they want $7,000 for the whole package, well you are spending 75% of that 7,000 for that 225HP outboard.  

Things to check, if the boat has an hour gauge see how many it has, make sure it pumps water good, and have a compression test done on the cylinders to make sure the piston rings are in good shape and the cylinders are sound, basically take it to a boat mechanic and have it inspected it might cost you a $100 bill or so, but it would be worth not buying a lemon over.

With any used boat you're buying the old pig-in-a-poke, it may be a great boat, it may be a nightmare. You try to hedge the deal by having it checked out by a professional but there are no guarentee's. I've seen people do everything right and stll have the motor grenade shortly afterwards from a problem know one could have possibly foreseen. With a new boat your paying a whole bunch of extra money got get a warrenty on evertything. It may not be any better than a good used rig, but you don't know that. All you can be sure of, you have a piece of paper that says they will fix the new boat for a certain period of time if anything breaks. Even that's no absolute, company could go belly up right after you buy it. Look what OMC did in 2000.

No the condition of the motor is not the main thing.   The condition of the boat is just as if not more important than the motor (depending on how new you get).  I've seen three year old boats (hulls)  that were junk.  A couple of years back, I came close to buying a three year old 20' Sprint boat that had everything but a motor, and I had three motors) for $7,000.  It looked like new, garage kept, all the best in electronics, TM, Hydraulic jack plate, hydraulic steering, very nice boat but changed my mind simply because it was a Sprint and realy didn't know much about them.  I was telling a guy I know about it and he went down and bought it.  When they hung his 225 HO Johnson on it, he got sick.  Come to find out, they never sealed the bolts when the bolted up the jackplate and the transome was total junk.  Cost him another $3,700 to have the transome replaced.

New boats, besides being extremely expensive, depreciate quickly, as bad or worse than a new car.  Consider that when purchasing especially if you're not putting much money down.  

NEVER buy a used boat/car etc.  My dad has been preaching this for me for a while now.  Things like that depreciate in value faster than functionability.  Did you know, the average millionaire drives a four year old car, that he bought when it was 2 years old.  There is NO reason to buy a new car/boat.  Yet, there will still be people who don't have the brains to buy a slightly used one for half the price.  

Hey FlyPhisher,

I've got an a 1989 Stratos 285 Pro (18'5") that was totally redone a couple of years ago, new carpet, seats redone, new clear gel coat, very nice looking boat.  I've just rebuilt the engine, Evinrude XP 150 and in the process of breaking it in now.  I still need to get a couple of more hours on the motor so it can be run at WOT before I will turn it loose but in a few weeks I can make you a very good deal on it.  

If you're interested, go in the CVS pharmacy there in Oconee and ask for Brenda or BJ (my wife), she can tell you how to get hold of me.  And don't pay any attention to what she says she want's for the boat.