Need some help with older Tige purchase

[Ernie]

Ok so here it is. I am looking to buy my first towboat and to upgrade from the old Tahiti jet that I have now. My price range is somewhat modest, around $13000 at the most, but any deal I can get I'll take. I found a 1994 Tige 200 SLM COMP for sale. I haven't looked at it yet but the pictures I got show it to be in really excellent shape. The tranny is in great condition and the upholstery/hull are really clean. The only problem is that it needs some engine work, the extent I don't know untill I take it to a shop to have them look at it. Basically what the owner said is that he was out on the lake making a run, moored it up to have lunch and when he tried to restart he found water in the oil. So possibly as simple as a head gasket or worse a cracked head, who knows. He's only asking $4500 because he said that he can't afford any engine work, Im sure I could give him around $3800 or so. I'm figuring absolute worse case scenario I would have to get a new engine installed. Anybody had to do this? I'm guessing that would run around 6 or 7 g's??? Which would put the total cost around $9500 ish. About what I would pay for the same boat with a bunch of hours on it. What does everyone think, or are my figures way off?


Also I'm planning on looking at the boat in person this weekend, anything that I should specifically look for?

Thanks for all the help with the decision.

[yllw20]

check dougrussell.com for the motor. I think they have news.
I would ook for a reman be it the boat is a 94.- check jasper motors for that. or talk w/a local rebuilder in your area.
Check general condition of the interior tears cracking of seats pick up the seats and filp are they moldy underneath?. chec for a waterline in boat. look under dash any signs of rust? are gauges foggy? check prop for dings.
check carpet. exterior of hull. check steering hard to turn may need a steering cable. check trailer tires for dry rot and beerings for grease. rust on the trailer

[Joeprunc]

I've got a 1995 just like the boat your looking at and love it. But we never take more that 6 adults on it at once otherwise it is way too crowded. These boats have wooded stringers which will be debated till the end of time if its better or worse than composite stringers. My boat is very solid and stable, but I haven't owned a composite, so I cannot compare. Yllw covered most of the check points one I would add would be the flooring for any soft/soggy spots where the floor may need to be replaced. X2 on checking the trailer, I had a mind boggling experience with the trailer my boat came with.

There was a gentleman on the board who purchased a 1994-1996 2000 SLM Comp with a blown motor and dropped a new one in himself. I can't find the thread, but hopefully he chimes in.

Good Luck

[AdaminMN]

Yep, I'm chiming in...

My friend and I replaced my motor w/ a cracked block in about 13 hours. It probably would have taken us less had I not made a couple of mistakes looking up info in the service manual. And putting thing back on out of sequence. I think the total cost was about $2800-$3000 for a new 300HP long block when all was said and done. The place I got mine gave me a 7 year/500 hour warranty.

I would think if the rest of the boat was solid and you did need to put in the new motor, you would have a boat that would still be worth more that you had into it.

FYI In April 2009, I paid $7000, the original engine had 392 hours on it. And I did not know the block was cracked when I bought it. When I was shopping, prices ranged from 7000 to 12000 for the same boat, plus or minus one model year.

[Joeprunc]

Yep, I'm chiming in...

My friend and I replaced my motor w/ a cracked block in about 13 hours. It probably would have taken us less had I not made a couple of mistakes looking up info in the service manual. And putting thing back on out of sequence. I think the total cost was about $2800-$3000 for a new 300HP long block when all was said and done. The place I got mine gave me a 7 year/500 hour warranty.

I would think if the rest of the boat was solid and you did need to put in the new motor, you would have a boat that would still be worth more that you had into it.

FYI In April 2009, I paid $7000, the original engine had 392 hours on it. And I did not know the block was cracked when I bought it. When I was shopping, prices ranged from 7000 to 12000 for the same boat, plus or minus one model year.

Good stuff /\ /\...also to help with prices, I paid $8000 out the door (510 hours) but it was at the end of the season so the seller was a bit more motivated to let it go.