Caveat emptor...or something like that.

He didn't say how the engine failed. He could have tried to start it in gear, left the lanyard disconnected, run out of gas, run the batteries down, who knows. I'll bet 10 cents he didn't have a mechanic check anything over. around here it takes weeks for a decent mechanic to get to your boat they are so swamped with business. He probably was itching to get out on the water.
I sold a project boat to a guy that I told needed a transom. I even showed him how it would flex by rocking on the engine. He came back *****ing that his buddy said the back of the boat was weak and needed to be fixed before hanging his motor on it. I said yeah man that's what needing a transom means. His reply was that he didn't think it was that big of a deal.

Most people shouldn't own boats.

all I know is that's its a good thing its hard to get a pilots license

LMAO..:you:

I'm with the other guys, you told him he needed it to be checked out and ran it for him. Thats all you can do! It was probably something he did in the first place. Don' feel bad, most sellers wouldn't have told him anything. When I bought my V, I paid $1000.00 for it and the owner said it sat up for two years, found out it sat for five years and the transom was all rotted out. After I rebuilt it all, motor, gimble, outdrive, transom and stringers, I posted pics in the gallery and called him so he could see the work I had done. He called back and was glad it had turned out so nice. We're both happy!