I had paid ~$400 w/out motor assessment (where they send oil samples out). My resoning, compression tests are easy enough to DIY (seller or buyer), there are also places where one can send their own oil samopple in ($50 or so) and probably the most important reason - all newer motors need a proprietary computer software & hookup to derive any assessment of use/service life - hence condition to assess a value. However, for my test, we didn't even leave the dock. A surveyor could 'test' the motor out on a trail run, but I wasn't going to pay for that "im my case", as I knew she was a dirty ol' 2-stroke motor.
However, I was VERY impressed w/ how thorough my surveyor was. He stuck his head and meters into everywhere and really put time into the wiring system. What thrilled me the most, was that he said he would have to look far and wide to find a bost in better overall operational condition
! He couldn't remember another boat where EVERY electrical switch worked! The rig surveyed so well that he put a USCG certified vessel placard in the window (I had to pay a processing fee for this), meaning it met all comm 'for hire' regs, even though I wasn't licensed as a comm operator. This would have helped a prospective buyer, who intended on using it for commercial purposes, in
obtaining financing, which is a HUGE benefit to a professional marine survey IMHO!
And yet still ... no one made any offer even worth considering! When I got a real lowball offer of $13K, I literally (OK, figuratively) threw the guy off my boat, haha! Seriously, I ushered him right off, started the motor, cast off the lines, and said
"Here's my answer ... see ya later loser ..."