Just picked up a 2007 SX230; How did I do?

[Zarrella]

Raped Ape.....Lol

 

[Glassman]

Took it out for the maiden voyage and she ran like a raped ape. Just need to clean her up, change oil & plugs, work on trailer, upgrade stereo... well you get the picture.

Congrats - you did well! Just a thought, you mentioned tires - typically on a low mileage trailer the tread will look great giving the impression that the tires are nearly new. Just to make sure you know the age of the tire, read the code on the sidewall:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=11&s_kwcid=AL!3756!3!35154704533!p!!g!!tire age&ef_id=U2OpWwAABV77YwhT:20140502141907:s

Check the overall appearance, look for excessive cracking: Sean Kane, president of Safety Research & Strategies, Inc., compares an aging tire to an old rubber band. "If you take a rubber band that's been sitting around a long time and stretch it, you will start to see cracks in the rubber"

It's usually the sidewall that blows or the tread that separates on older trailer tires due to age, U.V. exposure and sitting under inflated. Assuming they are original equipment, you probably have 7 or 8 year old tires. The jury is still out on just how long tires last:

" Carmakers such as Nissan and Mercedes-Benz tell consumers to replace tires six years after their production date, regardless of tread life. Tire manufacturers such as Continental and Michelin say a tire can last up to 10 years, provided you get annual tire inspections after the fifth year. The Rubber Manufacturers Association says there is no way to put a date on when a tire "expires," because such factors as heat, storage and conditions of use can dramatically reduce the life of a tire."

Obviously we don't put that much mileage on our trailers. I'm at the point where I'm about to pop for 4 new ones. I presently tow my boat about 2.5 miles to the ramp, then back. I don't go much over 40 mph, but if my launch ramp is closed for some reason and I had to jump on the freeway, I'd be as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs!

Best of luck to you with your new obsession!

 

[rkluck]

Sounds like a great deal and with only 50 hours! The boat must have sat around most of the time. I agree with Glassman on the trailer tires. My trailer sits except for twice a year when I pull the boat home to do some serious maintenance and cleaning. The tires have almost no miles but there are small cracks on sidewalls. This was also the first year I had one tire that was flat. I always fill them up twice a year so I was surprised. They did fine once I put air in the them but I would worry if I was taking a trip. Enjoy that boat!

 

[Zarrella]

• 
  
• You just saved a gazillon bucks on the boat purchase....i would spring for some new rubber.

 

[itsdgm]

Congrats on a great first outing. Sounds like you scored a great deal.

 

[rcpd34]

You're right on the trailer. Boat is awesome; trailer, not so much. So far, I've bought 4 new tires, 2 submersable LED stop/tail/turn lights and 2 brake calipers. Now the brake fluid lis leaking. I guess that's what happens when it just sits around for years...