Test driving a proposed purchase

[davidR]

Hi

 

Totally new to all this and for the first time we are viewing second hand nb's to puchase next week and I just wondered whether it is normal to ask for it to be taken out so that we can see how it handles or whether we should just expect engine etc to be run on the mooring. Is it something one would do on first viewing or only after making an offer?

 

Thanks

[Liam]

Is it a private sale or via a brokerage? The two are really quite difference and it all depends on this.

 

With a private sale it could actually be used to your advantage, as instead of following you around when you are looking over the boat, with a test drive you can spend half of the time looking around the inside of the boat on your own and the other half of the time up steering. As long as you're honestly interested in the boat then I can not see a problem with requesting a test trip out.

 

Brokers on the other hand may store their boats on hard standing.. and test driving the boat may not be possible for obvious reasons, but I think most do keep boats in the water. Again, as long as you are really interested in the boat then you can request a test drive but I wouldn't do this too often - the Brokerage may class you as a tyre kicker and lose interest in you.

[bargeeboy]

You must

 

Its no good picking up your new purchase to find that you are not comfortable at the helm.

 

I expect all my purchasers to go out on the cut before they commit.

[LEO]

Hi,

 

Definately take it for a test run and for a reasonably trip, Get the engine up to running temperature and check for noises and the charging rate. Someone from the brokerage will probably steer it, but do ask to take the tiller for a short while.

 

Make sure you have a survey before parting up with the 'boodle' and make sure the surveyor (who should be your choice) is competent, issue careful guidlines to the Surveyor as to what you want him to do.

 

Buying a boat (unless you are careful) is a bit like walking through a mine field backwards.

 

Best of luck, it's not as bad as it sounds, I've done it twice and found it's advisable to have some spare cash as inevitably something goes wrong shortly after purchase - a gearbox in my case.

 

Albi

[GSer]

I made an offer for mine subject to survey and a test day (combined the test day in the trip to the dry dock) That worked well even though the boat was sold vvia a broker, it gave the owner one last trip and gave us plenty of test time.

 

She even baked us cakes and buscuits on the move, once we had smelt & tasted them the boat was as good as sold. Top lady she was

 

Paul

[NB Willawaw]

As has been said already, they may be reticient if they think you are a tyre kicker and there are always plenty of those

looking at boats. However, providing you convince them of your sincerity, there is no reason why you shouldn't "road" test

the boat.

 

A few brokerages even give you the keys and let you take the boat out unescorted. I remembering being quite surprised

when Cowroast brokerage did this for a friend of mine.

We took the boat out, couldn't find a place to wind and were gone slightly longer than intended. They got a bit windy, fearing

boat abduction, but he bought the boat, so no harm done.

[richardf]

Whilton told me that I couldn't test the boat until an offer had been accepted, otherwise 'they would spend most of their time giving people free canal trips'

[carlt]

Whilton told me that I couldn't test the boat until an offer had been accepted, otherwise 'they would spend most of their time giving people free canal trips'

At this point I would go to another broker.

 

I would not consider entering into any kind of negotiation, over such a large purchase, without at least a test drive.

 

I wonder if the chaps at Whilton negotiate their car purchases, before they get a chance to see if they like the drive?

[Daftmare]

At Braunston, once we had had our offer accepted, we combined the test drive with the Surveyor's inspection, so took the Surveyor out with us.

 

J.

[carlt]

At Braunston, once we had had our offer accepted, we combined the test drive with the Surveyor's inspection, so took the Surveyor out with us.

 

J.

So, if you didn't like steering the boat, the surveyor becomes a £700 lump of ballast?

[Daftmare]

So, if you didn't like steering the boat, the surveyor becomes a £700 lump of ballast?

 

Clearly, we were first-timers and idiots in a hurry.

 

J.

[NB Willawaw]

I think this is a standard answer to weed out the tyre kickers.

 

I suspect if you point out that your £50,000 will stay YOUR £50,000 unless they let you have a test drive, they

will rethink it. Most tyre kickers will fall at the first hurdle.

[carlt]

Clearly, we were first-timers and idiots in a hurry.

 

J.

Not what I said at all.

 

I would just do things differently.

 

I would not put an offer on a car, without a test drive and certainly wouldn't commission an AA or RAC inspection, before having a go in it.

Edited September 26, 2008 by carlt

[John Orentas]

When my boat was on the market I assumed that everyone who came to view the boat would want a test drive, for the one or two that did not, I insisted anyway.. I was a little surprised when some of them told me that many private owners or brokers were reluctant to go to the trouble, I could only put that attitude down to laziness or a dodgy boat.

 

The bloke that eventually bought Squeers had two test runs before he made his mind up, I even suggested that he should take it for an overnight trip, in the event he didn't even bother with a survey but very sensibly he went to some trouble to verify that I actually had 100% ownership.. Not as simple as it sounds for a self-build boat.

[bag 'o' bones]

you wouldn't buy a 400 quid car without a test drive so why should you be expected spend 40 grand without trying out the boat? What with the mine field of getting warranty work done after you part with your cash at least a test drive would highlight anything obvious like a failing gearbox or an unbalanced propeller.

[paddy r]

Thanks for all the reply's i didn't post this question but its one of the many on my list.

[barge sara]

Whilton told me that I couldn't test the boat until an offer had been accepted, otherwise 'they would spend most of their time giving people free canal trips'

 

We had the same experience at Whilton about five years ago. I thought it was perfectly reasonable - as the offer was less than the asking price, why would you allow a test run until the offer was indicated as acceptable to the seller?

 

As it turned out our offer was accepted, we had a test run and we bought the boat, with Whilton organising the lift out for survey, blacking, and a few repairs that the survey identified.

Would definitely go back to Whilton if we were in the market for another narrowboat.

 

John.

MV Sara.

[johnthebridge]

Hi

 

Totally new to all this and for the first time we are viewing second hand nb's to puchase next week and I just wondered whether it is normal to ask for it to be taken out so that we can see how it handles or whether we should just expect engine etc to be run on the mooring. Is it something one would do on first viewing or only after making an offer?

 

Thanks

Of course you must test any boat prior to purchase. Walk away from anyone who tells you you can't. Only thing I'd add is that if you ARE first timers, and new to it all, do you have the experience and knowledge to be able to do this to your ultimate satisfaction? If you haven't, try and find an experienced, unbiased and friendly face to come with you. If you find something, give me a shout- I might be able to help, or know someone who can.

Happy hunting.

[alan_fincher]

As Whilton seem perfectly prepared to give you the keys for up to half a dozen boats, no questions asked, you could just start up the one you like the look of best, and take it for a test drive anyway. In fact you could just keep going.....

 

Seriously though, I guess we were naive, but when buying were always given the impression that it was very much the exception to get to try the boat before you bought. Curiously that included Cow Roast, just mentioned as offering it to another buyer.

 

In fact before the survey, we had never even seen the engine started.

 

With hindsight, I can see we were mugs. I still think some will resist it heavily, but may be wrong. (Consider for example Virginia Currer, based at High Line Yachting on the Slough Arm. For a boat of any length you would probably need to take it on an 8 mile mud stirring trip, because I think there is a decided dearth of winding holes - mind you, you would find out if it had overheating problems!...)

 

Alan

[Liam]

My parents bought the boat which they've now owned for 4 years this coming April... they bought it, I think, around the time that Alan bought his.

 

As we are in Manchester and Cowroast is in Tring, we were communicating firstly via email and then by telephone. We were looking at alot of boats at the time so didn't want to go all over the place looking at "duds".

 

We eventually arranged a date to visit the boat and turned up at about 10am after a long train ride from Manchester... quite a feat for us on its own! We went in to the office to speak to Phil, the manager at the time and he took us to the boat with the keys and showed us round, but he then left us to check the boat out for ourselves. After about an hour we went back in the office and asked to go for a test drive. He pulled his face a bit, sighed heavily and said that he'd only take us on a test drive if we were really interested. Well, after speaking with him for about a month before, and then with the train journey to see the boat over 200 miles way, to look at a boat costing X amount. of course we were seriously interested.

 

He took us half an hour up the cut, and half an hour back. He took the boat off the moorings and out of the marina and then handed the tiller over. He must of been happy with my handling as he left me take it back in to the marina and moor it in one of the akward brokerage moorings.

 

That 1hr spent on a boat trip secured a sale as our offer just under the asking price was accepted.

[Daftmare]

Not what I said at all.

 

I would just do things differently.

 

I would not put an offer on a car, without a test drive and certainly wouldn't commission an AA or RAC inspection, before having a go in it.

 

 

Yep, I suppose we would do things differently second time around. Its been a steep learning curve.

 

J.

[carlt]

Yep, I suppose we would do things differently second time around. Its been a steep learning curve.

 

J.

I have also, I must confess, bought boats over the phone without seeing them, boats sunk when I went to view them, boats a surveyor would have laughed at and one which had a hole in the bows I could climb through.

[johnthebridge]

I have also, I must confess, bought boats over the phone without seeing them, boats sunk when I went to view them, boats a surveyor would have laughed at and one which had a hole in the bows I could climb through.

I never have had a survey on a boat. I might find something I didn't like.

[Machpoint005]

I never have had a survey on a boat. I might find something I didn't like.

So if you bought it, and then found something you didn't like, I don't understand how you are any better off? Apart from being stuck with the problem...

[Hairy-Neil]

....Consider for example Virginia Currer, based at High Line Yachting on the Slough Arm. For a boat of any length you would probably need to take it on an 8 mile mud stirring trip, because I think there is a decided dearth of winding holes -

 

Alan

 

The Slough Arm is 5 miles long and High Line are approximately half way down it. There's always been a winding hole at St Marys Road, Langley, just beyond the overhanging Bryce White's woodyard warehouses at Deseronto (spl) Wharf, perhaps a mile or so west of Mansions Lane.

Edited September 26, 2008 by Hairy-Neil