Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

We bought our pontoon from a dealer who sold it on consignment from a person that the dealer said he did not know very well. We are very happy with the pontoon and motor and I am thinking about contacting the previous owner: 1st to thank them for selling and 2nd to inquire on motor maintenance wondering if they faithfully followed a maintenance schedule of some type or what marina they may have used (I understand it couldn't have been the selling dealer).

I believe the previous owners simply sold everything and did not upgrade. I don't know that for sure, though.

Would you mind if an unknown person contacted you asking questions about a boat you sold? I just want to continue what must have been a very good upkeep schedule.

Thanks...

It's a 1999, right? If so I assume they are likely not the first owner. They sold it on consignment so they didn't have to mess with selling it. I wouldn't call them, personally. Its a used boat and you are happy with it so I'd change whatever fluids/parts you feel necessary and continue using it.

On any used boat, you should immediately change the oil, fuel/oil filters and water pump impeller and have the trailer bearings cleaned and repacked with sticky, heavy, thick old style axle grease. Since spark plugs are cheap, I'd also throw a new set on the motor.

Then go about enjoying your boat knowing you're in good shape on maintenance.

Bamaman wrote:On any used boat, you should immediately change the oil, fuel/oil filters and water pump impeller and have the trailer bearings cleaned and repacked with sticky, heavy, thick old style axle grease. Since spark plugs are cheap, I'd also throw a new set on the motor.

Then go about enjoying your boat knowing you're in good shape on maintenance.

If I was buying used from a dealer, consignment or not, I'd ask them to do all that as a freebie. Since most have little wiggle room on price, I'd ask to throw them that in. Or at least have them do it for me, at cost.

Thanks for the replies. I'm not sure, but I think they were the only other owners of the boat. Not 100% on that as I *think* the selling dealer told me that after asking. I did just get a new set of plugs and fuel filter and will change them out for next season. I do need to get some grease for the motor tilt pivot points and steering shaft. I am behind on that schedule according to the manual. We will store the boat at the dealer that we purchased from this year (that was part of the deal) and will address some items along with winterizing. I would prefer to change the oil myself if nothing else, to see the condition of it, but without a trailer it's not as easy. I thought about asking if they could park it in their lot for a week before storage and I would change it then, but will probably job that out to them.

We are new to boating and were cautioned against buying as old (yes, 1999) as we did. I have heard similar motors around the marina and am amazed at how smooth ours runs compared to some others. It's not as quiet as a 4 stroke, but still, I feel fortunate. So I want to keep it that way. I realize much can be attributed to the maintenance schedule (or lack of) as to how well a motor runs. With the examples of rough running motors around us, I wanted to get first-hand knowledge of how this motor was maintained and from someone who would be more likely to tell me straight as they probably wouldn't expect to be compensated for their answers.

But I can respect that someone may not be very receptive to a call like this and will leave it alone. I will do my best to keep this setup as nice as possible.

Thanks again...

These old Triple 2-Smokes were really good solid motors and so long as they were not abused and received basic upkeep they are long lasting. Change the oil in the foot every year as well as the spark-plugs. Always run quality fuel and 2-smoke oil and in my opinion always treat the fuel with STABIL or other recognized marine fuel stabilizer and you can't go wrong...

As to contacting the old owner well there again my opinion is a mixed bag. I recently sold a motorcycle I'd owned since new and while I like the guy I sold it too he did in fact begin to get aggravating with constant questions as to why did you do this and that... I sold the bike it is no longer mine it is yours....

Thanks for your thoughts.

This past weekend I was reminded again of our seemingly good fortune with the purchase we made. At a restaurant, a boat next to us was ready to leave the same time as us, but they were having trouble starting the 60hp motor. It finally started after what sounded like fuel starvation, but I didn't know them, their habits nor the motor. After we first start ours, I just need to bump the key and it comes to life.

While I think there is a difference in an initial call and repeated contact, I have to admit that I don't know the previous owners and how they feel. I, too, believe in a fuel stabilizer and will look into what I need for this application. I've used Stabil for mower/snow thrower/generator for years and can't say anything bad about using it. I do swap out the generator gas after a few years just to be sure, but start it regularly and have not had any problems... yet. I better test it today now that I've mentioned it.

2 strokes are very tuff motors, and if their is any big problems you would of known quickly, i have never owned a brand new motor, its all ways been used or really well used ones and while i have had a few problems i have only had one out of 10 or so go bad and that was due to real nasty prop strike that bent a rod, so do the maintenance and enjoy the ride

Thanks James - Yep, we're enjoying it. Even more than I imagined. And would like to keep enjoying it, too