Used Doughboy on Craigslist....Worth it or no?

[linzjane88]

Howdy! Me again

I was searching on Craigslist and found a 8yr old semi-buried 21' Doughboy with pump, sand filter, cover, solar panel, brush and vacuum for $500. We would have to take it down. It appears to be well maintained though I have no contacted the owner yet. I am 98% sure my husband will nay say the idea (which I haven't brought up to him yet) which is kind of why I am here. I would like to come into this debate strong! This is located about 3 hours from where we live.




1) How much time will it take to take down this pool with two people? It seems like it being partially buried would make it more difficult to remove.
2) Will it fit in the back of a Chevy Silverado in one trip? (we also have a rack if that helps)
3) Does this seem like a good deal assuming there is no major hidden damage?

From a time is money standpoint I don't know if it is worth the sweat, drive time, awkwardness of Craigslist interactions, etc. Would I be able to get a decent new setup (liner/ladder/pump/pool) for <2k? Obviously it wouldn't be a Doughboy for that price but something beyond the blue Intex quality, LOL!

Thanks all!

 

[yostmatt]

Seems like a good price from what a friend of mine paid for a used pool last summer. My only concerns would be with what you cannot see. if there is poor drainage under the ground, it could show signs of rust. Also keep in mind, you will probably have to get a new liner when you try to re-set it up.

Probably would take the better part of the day to get it all loaded up. It should fit as long as you pack it, and load it well. I'd probably rent a trailer just in case. I mean you said it was a 3 hour drive. You can rent one from UHaul for like 20-30 bucks for a day. I have done quite a few craigslist deals. I have had some good ones, I have had some bad ones. I don't know about it being underground and disassembling it.

 

[linzjane88]

Thanks for the quick reply. I am trying to think of how to start this discussion with the Mister. He is more of an armchair man than a DIY'er. Haha! I feel like a little kid asking for a puppy. But I really think this might be a good deal...I already braced him for the idea that our new landscaping/poolscaping plan this summer might just include a new AG pool, ya know....if the ol' blue Intex *somehow* has a hole in it

 

[yostmatt]

lol... well not much I can do to help you there Good luck though!

 

[Casey]

Doughboys are rated for burial so it should be fine. It looks good to my eyes. I'd go with cash in hand, shovels ready to go and dig in to see what the wall looked like. If you don't like it, walk. They can't force you to buy and I'd tell them, you want to look at The walls and bottom rails just to see how they've stood the test of time under ground before money exchanges hands.

 

[Divin Dave]

That could be a good deal. I have serious doubts of being able get it in the bed of a silverado. That filter is much bigger than you probably imagine. No doubt you will need a trailer to get it all in one trip.

setting it back up is not quite so easy because of the work to do on the ground. You have to get the ground level. There are several threads about leveling the ground and how its done. Its a lot of hard work.

Here is one build thread for your reading pleasure. Its an intex, but the ground work is exactly the same for any AGP.
http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/75757-I-need-advice-on-leveling-my-ground

EDIT to ADD: Also, if you do get this, be prepared to empty the sand filter because it will be too heavy to pick up. Three hundred or more pounds I reckon. Best way to empy the sand is use a shop vac and vacuum the sand out. The hole in top is not big enough for a scooper of any sort. And be careful of the laterals which are buried within the sand. They are a bit delicate, but not overly so. They can be replaced if you happen to damage one though.

 

[n240sxguy]

The price sounds good, but the three hour drive would be a deal breaker. Then again, I see used pools all the time for around that price here in KY without the drive. Have you checked the newspapers, eBay, and any other local classified ads to see if there is something closer?


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[Patrick_B]

They would have to be giving me a pool I had to drive 3 hours for AND dig up. I'm lazier than most in that regard, and likely wouldn't do it then. I would keep looking.

Thinking about this, they are looking for a Unicorn. They want that pool gone, and want someone to come take it down and pay to do it. No thanks!

 

[linzjane88]

They would have to be giving me a pool I had to drive 3 hours for AND dig up. I'm lazier than most in that regard, and likely wouldn't do it then. I would keep looking.

Thinking about this, they are looking for a Unicorn. They want that pool gone, and want someone to come take it down and pay to do it. No thanks!

This was my gut feeling.....we are pretty lazy, LOL. Our Craigslist/papers around here don't have a ton of pool activity. In Washington the weather sucks most of the time so for the average person pool (beyond an Intex) are a no-go. Speaking of Intex....The other half crushed my hopes and dreams That stinking Intex is being forced upon me until it dies! He also can't understand why we would need a pool bigger than the 16'. Oye!

I'm positive he will see the light soon <evil laugh>but digging up a pool 3 hours away is probably not going to help my case. I think he will be more open to pool talk once we get the ground leveled out. We have a tractor available once the ground dries out. Stinking Washington rain!

Thanks for the replies everyone.

 

[woodyp]

Lotta difference between just taking one down vs. digging one up. I like Brushpups diagnosis. That buried wall and bottom track are of the utmost concern.

 

[n240sxguy]

This was my gut feeling.....we are pretty lazy, LOL. Our Craigslist/papers around here don't have a ton of pool activity. In Washington the weather sucks most of the time so for the average person pool (beyond an Intex) are a no-go. Speaking of Intex....The other half crushed my hopes and dreams That stinking Intex is being forced upon me until it dies! He also can't understand why we would need a pool bigger than the 16'. Oye!

I'm positive he will see the light soon <evil laugh>but digging up a pool 3 hours away is probably not going to help my case. I think he will be more open to pool talk once we get the ground leveled out. We have a tractor available once the ground dries out. Stinking Washington rain!

Thanks for the replies everyone.

He must like to float instead of swim. I'm sure a weed eater or mower could accidentally bump a pool. Maybe a stray bullet could hit it.


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[Taterfink]

I started out with a 16' blue blob intex. When it died, I started making noise about a larger, metal frame intex. 18' I said, would be great! Then I figured that I wanted room to swim laps without having to swim in circles and getting dizzy. By the time I was through, we had a 26' Intex metal frame, sand filter, Hayward pump, SWG and a 12' x16' wooden deck. Oh, and privacy fence. My husband never knew what hit him!

 

[Casey]

My husband never knew what hit him!

That's how it happened here. I knew what was coming n he was dazed n confused. lol He loves his pool now even though he initially said no. I can not keep him out of it! It gets used every day by him.