Is there a better time to buy ?

[duckz]

I have been looking for a decent used motor lately and not much is coming up. I don't need it yet so I am willing to wait. But is it generally better to buy now as its kind of a dead time on the water, or wait until the weather is better and everyone has boating on their minds? I am sure it also has to do with how much I am willing to spend, but still I don't see much out there online. Just not sure if I need to jump on something now as its probably a better deal, or wait it out.

[Smilee]

What size motor? It ain’t a dead time on the water right now.

[duckz]

40hp is fine, could be more but doesn't have to be. I've seen some out there but they either look beat up, from some one who doesn't know what it means to take a compression test, or just too far to get the time to go pick up. Im in the under $2k for sure budget. Which I am not looking for perfect, just don't want to waste my money. I see lots of console motor, but not many tillers.

[Buckin Bronco]

$600 conversion for tiller.

[willyworm]

I'm with BB. Any motor can be converted, and it's not hard. I've done dozens of Yamahas. I hope you don't need a short shaft as they're getting increasingly hard to find in decent shape. Plus shorties are harder to find with tilt/trim, and most everyone wants power tilt/trim.

But in my experience, the timeframe from October to February is more of a buyers market. Right before Christmas you might can catch a deal on a boat someone doesn't use much and needs some funds. Or someone is upgrading their duck boat and wants to get rid of their old beater. Or they got introduced to a new style of hunting so their needs have changed. Once tax returns start coming back in the late winter/early spring there seems to be more slush money being thrown around and sellers know that, so they stick a little harder to their asking price because so many rednecks have play money eating a hole in their pocket and the sellers have a line of folks waiting to come look at the rig/ motor. And the smart ones don't "hold" anything for anyone. First person with cash that shows up is the one that takes it.

All that being said, there's always a deal to be had somewhere. There's no real bad or good time to catch those because they're always out there, but in the timeframe I mentioned there just seems to be of them. You gotta constantly be on the hunt and be quick on the trigger because by the time you see it, chances are 50 other people have seen it as well. And if it really is a deal it won't last long.

A later model 40/50hp 2 stroke long shaft with power start, tilt/trim and a tiller in good shape typically fetches ~$3000+.