Hello everyone...I am looking to buy my first boat and I have run across this on craigslist...Guy wants $5000 for it. Say's its garage kept.

He says the speedometer is broken and the seats are good and messed up (as you can see from the pictures) but mechanically the boat is fine. It's a 1996 Stratos 288FS...

What do you think?

Don't know about the value but from the looks of the seats I doubt it's been garage kept all it's life.

Buzz

Check ww/w. iboats.co/m and look in your area for listings.  (sry for butching the spelling, couldnt post it otherwise) I found my boat there.  The condition that boat appears to be in is extrememly used and rarely garage kept.  Good luck on your first purchase.  Its an exciting one!  I bought mine in august and im still on the high. Heck its better than drugs!

With today's economy $5000 will go a lot farther than that. Take your time. Do not jump on the first thing you think is a deal.  Just my 2 cents

From the pictures I don't think that's a 5,000.00 boat. Very rough. Lots better out there.

Keep looking.

Did you look at the boat yet or just online? and Are you looking for a F&S boat?

I buy bass boats just to restore and sell. I buy only F&S for me to tourny fish out of and same boat will seat my family comfortably for family day. Anyway my advice for you is go check it out, make sure the floors aren't soft, also make sure the transom isn't soft as well. Tell him to start it, listen for any pinging or knocking noises, ask him about the maintenance records. Take it to a mechanic if your not sure. I don't know where you live but see if you can go out on the lake with him one day to run it. For me if it was a solid boat, I wouldn't shy away from it just because of the seats, there are good boats out there that just need a little money to be perfect. Also see if he will move on the price, he might be willing to.

You can get a fairly good idea of its value by looking it up in the nada guide book.

You Can find better.

Garage kept ehh??

Doesn't look like it. 

my opionion,   it doesnt look like it has been taken very good care of.... certainly not kept in a garage. I think you can hold off and do better

No way I'd hand over 5 grand for that boat. Probably wouldn't even go 3 grand. Continue your search.

I don't know where you're located, but here in Arizona, with the nations worst economy, you can find FAR better deals than that. See what's available on phoenixcraigslist.

All very good info....I have gone back to the drawing board and will keep looking.  I am a good distance away from Phoenix but i suppose a good deal would be worth it.

That boat wasn't garage kept until the owner decided to sell it. There is no telling how the speedo cover cracked but that indicates neglect or rough treatment all by itself.

I have no experience buying or selling a boat. However, consider it as an investment... He's obviously in need of the money so find out how low he will go. Throw a number out there and let him think about it. Look on CL and see how longs its been on. Or be ultra aggressive and send an e-mail and simply say, "I'll give you $XXX for it, let me know when that looks good." If he says pound sand, what have you lost?

That price seems a little high.