Mariah SX18

El Bee

El Bee

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Joined
29 Jul 2011
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28
Location
Costa Blanca
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After looking for ages, for better or worse I today paid a deposit on a 2006 SX18 with the 3.0 MerCruiser, a little over 60 hours from new and mainy stored out of the water.

Any current/previous owners got any comments on what I should look out for or ask the dealer to check before she goes in the water and I take delivery?

In fact any relevant advice/comment would be appreciated..

Lee B
 
Hi Lee, congrats on the purchase. It sounds like you are buying through a dealer so you some protection if things go wrong, though less than you may think. Assume you have either trialed her or have bought subject to Sea trial and survey?

All in I found the best advice I was given when I started buying boats (had 4 now) was to get a good independant surveyor and engine man (can be two diff peops if needed) to give it a good inspection and test. This way you have "your man" testing it all and another experienced pair of eyes looking for faults/issues. Generally most niggles and small faults (if any) are rectified and can be sorted out, but you never know what could be lurking, particularly with the engine. IMO a decent survey is worth every penny.
 
Ripster said:
Hi Lee, congrats on the purchase. It sounds like you are buying through a dealer so you some protection if things go wrong, though less than you may think. Assume you have either trialed her or have bought subject to Sea trial and survey?
Click to expand...

Thanks :) It's just bad timing that the right boat at the right price has come up just as I'm heading off on holiday. I live on the Costa Blanca and there's no "test drives" here until you pay a 10% deposit, the boat is in the dealer's showroom having been dry stored and maintained by this dealer since they sold her new.
The dealer seems on the ball too, they checked her over and found a couple of minor issues (the CD player sticks) which they will rectify before delivery and they have stated that they will carry out any necessary work at the vendor's expense before delivery.


Ripster said:
All in I found the best advice I was given when I started buying boats (had 4 now) was to get a good independant surveyor and engine man (can be two diff peops if needed) to give it a good inspection and test. This way you have "your man" testing it all and another experienced pair of eyes looking for faults/issues. Generally most niggles and small faults (if any) are rectified and can be sorted out, but you never know what could be lurking, particularly with the engine. IMO a decent survey is worth every penny.
Click to expand...

I'm an (early) retired marine engineer and though more used to heavy oil low speed diesels (such as Sulzers) I was planning a look at the oil in the stern drive and a good look over the engine before she goes back in the water, I'm figuring no metal particles around the drain and clean, emulsion free oil in the drive would indicate it's OK. The boat has clearly been well cared for and the condition suggests the 60 odd hours on the clock is about right. The hull is in good condition and she has not been in the water since she was anti-fouled earlier this year. And those surveyor chaps don't come cheap!

Or should I be more suspicious?

Lee B
 
Check around the exhaust manifold where the exhaust riser is fitted as they tend to leak/rust around here and can be expensive if seawater gets into the manifold and ultimately cylinders.
 
You need to check the bellows on the outdrive are looking fairly new and see if there is any history of them having been changed in the last five years. If there isn't a receipt to prove they have been changed, I for one would certainly want them replacing as part of the deal, as 5 years is pretty much as long as you can expect Mercruiser bellows last (Volvo bellows have a shorter service life).
 
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