Please bear with me as I preface my question with some background info. I'm a Dave Ramsey kind of guy. I don't finance stuff and I prioritize maxing out my 401k, Roth and HSA. I'm plugging away on my yearly 401k "catch up" amount as I am over 50.
I don't like losing / wasting money... especially spending on something that has a depreciating value. All my vehicles and power toys I keep for the long haul and don't swap up hardly ever at all. I currently have a nice bowrider pleasure boat... but the Bass Fishing / Boating bug has bitten me again and likely this coming spring I'll get that boat shined up and put up for sale.
I realize that what I'm about to ask is a bit of an oxymoron... and I realize that; A boat isn't an investment.. it's a liability that loses value even faster than most other toys although RV's and camping trailers might be close.
I'm going to be looking for a good looking 18+ ft bass boat with at least 150 hp. I'm not especially loyal to any one boat brand although I would prefer a reputable Yamaha or Mercury engine. I want one that's in good shape and ready to go and ALREADY lost a good bit of the value it's going to lose. ( provided it's maintained well from here on.
Do you investment minded folks have an opinion of "Where the Sweet Spot is" in being able to get the most for my $ and while minimizing the depreciation over the coming years in case I want to sell or upgrade later? What brand, ( boat or engine ) length, age? 3 or 4 years old? 10? Find a 20 year old Ranger stored and babied by an older gentleman?
Thanks for your thoughts.