On Tue, 28 Aug 2007 17:42:00 -0700, Go Bucks wrote:

On Aug 28, 7:24 pm, Chuck Gould wrote:
On Aug 28, 4:50?pm, Go Bucks wrote:

I am pretty new to the boating scene. I just bought my first boat
this year, really liked it and am buying a 358 Vista by Four Winns
after looking at Regul, Sea Ray and a few others. My question is
this, what should have I paid for this boat? It has the 6.2 Mercs
with Nav. 2 package. I shot the dealer an offer and got a call back 24
hours later saying they would take it. It seemed too easy so I think
I may have done a poor job. Pricing is so out there with all these
boat companies. Marinemax wanted $227,000 for the 2007 Sundancer 340
I was looking at. They wouldn't budge past that.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

There's a new 2008 offered on a popular website for $221,000. Twin
gas.
How did you do compared to that?

If it took them 24 hours to decide to take your offer, it's likely you
weren't a total laydown. Normally it's a bad sign if they don't go for
a bump......but hey, it's almost Labor Day and the thought of you
owning the boat this winter instead of them probably has some
appeal. :-)

Don't worry too much about the price. What we do in this pastime makes
no economic sense- at all, so why worry about the details?
You'll suffer some depreciation on the boat in the next few years- but
everybody does and no brand is exempt. Keep the boat long enough
(that's the trick) and it will average out to a workable amount per
year.
You don't realize the loss from depreciation until you're ready to
sell.

Guys who buy fully depreciated, 20 year old boats like to think they
don't lose much to depreciation. A lot of times they don't- but they
make up for it in repairs and maintenance. "Depreciation" has ruined a
lot fewer vacation cruises than deferred maintenance coming home to
roost. :-)

I gave $190,000 the way I figured. I had a 2004 Four Winns Vista that
I bought in Miami. It was a hurricane damaged boat. My brother and I
fixed it up (with a lot of help). I valued it at $75,000 as it sits.
Bottom line, I gave $115,000 and my boat. I wish there was a place I
could look up actual selling prices (like you can on houses) for these
boats. I think brokers can do it but average customers can't.

I'd say you did fine.