Price for new Beta 25

You will end up spending between £5.5 and 6k which will get you a new engine (Beta, Nanni, Vetus. Yanmar - all roughly the same price) including all the essential parts such as new prop, mounts, coupling, water system, possibly exhaust - all of which will likely need replacing, less what you can get for your old engine. Professional fitting up to £1k depending on how much you do yourself.

Now is a good time to go shopping as dealers are lining up work for the winter. Most will offer "packages" with discounts to fit your specific requirements.
 
You will end up spending between £5.5 and 6k which will get you a new engine (Beta, Nanni, Vetus. Yanmar - all roughly the same price) including all the essential parts such as new prop, mounts, coupling, water system, possibly exhaust - all of which will likely need replacing, less what you can get for your old engine. Professional fitting up to £1k depending on how much you do yourself.

Now is a good time to go shopping as dealers are lining up work for the winter. Most will offer "packages" with discounts to fit your specific requirements.

Incredible you can buy a new car for that money.
 
Incredible you can buy a new car for that money.

Just the result of having a minority interest. There are half a dozen serious mnufacturers competing for the business, so either they have the cartel to beat all cartels or the price represents the cost of production plus a return on capital. The industry is littered with failed companies trying to make headway in the market, but the only ones that have siurvived are those who take a high volume industrial base and marinise it, or as in the case of Yanmar small engines use the same base for high volume industrial applications as well as marine.

Remember the whole boat that takes a 25hp engine costs typically £100k which puts it into perspective. The engine only looks expensive when compared to the value of a 30 year old boat, which is the kind of boat that usually needs an engine. Then it can equate to 30%+ of the value compared with 6% of a new boat!
 
...The engine only looks expensive when compared to the value of a 30 year old boat, which is the kind of boat that usually needs an engine. Then it can equate to 30%+ of the value compared with 6% of a new boat!

So buyers of older boats should look for one that's already been reengined. With my 40 year old boat, if you add up the cost of the newish engine, sails, folding prop, self-tailing winches, etc. the basic boat came almost "free"...
 
Exactly. If you look at Centaurs for sale - there are usually about 40 listed on Yachtworld - you will find the majority have been re-engined. Given the cost, the trick is to find one that has been done (hopefully properly) or be prepared to see it as a long term investement such as keeping the boat for 10 years if you are going to spend the money yourself.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies. I too have 'winced' a little at the price but hey ho, it's a choice thing.

I have been (still am) looking for a boat for a long time now and I am still surprised by the price of older boats with old engines and rigging etc yet the owner still wants a price that does not reflect the value.

It strikes me that for an 'average' 27 to 30 footer about 25 years old that the upgrade cost could well be in the region of £10000 or so and that would just be for engine, rigging, and a few electronics.

Ah well, a few more miles to go I s'pose :(
 
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