What was Your Boat Buying Strategy?
 

I'm curious to hear stories about how folks knocked down the price on
their new boat, particularly anything creative or innovative (buying
used or stripping off options doesn't count). Anyone find any good
sources of information or do anything clever? Thanks.

What was Your Boat Buying Strategy?
 

"Mainshipman" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm curious to hear stories about how folks knocked down the price on
their new boat, particularly anything creative or innovative (buying
used or stripping off options doesn't count). Anyone find any good
sources of information or do anything clever? Thanks.


First, let the dealer know you are a serious buyer and not window shopping.
Let him know that if you and he can come to terms, you will buy.

Next, let him know your budget and stick to it. Don't buy a boat just
because it fits your budget. Focus on the one you want, but stick to the
budget. If you are within 20 percent, he is likely to try to accommodate
you.

Allow him to make a reasonable profit. That's why he's in business and you
will be a welcome customer when you need service or parts.

RCE

What was Your Boat Buying Strategy?
 

On 3 Feb 2006 14:04:01 -0800, "Mainshipman"
wrote:

I'm curious to hear stories about how folks knocked down the price on
their new boat, particularly anything creative or innovative (buying
used or stripping off options doesn't count). Anyone find any good
sources of information or do anything clever? Thanks.

I usually pay full list, and a sizeable tip, but that's just me.

bb

What was Your Boat Buying Strategy?
 

Mainshipman wrote:
I'm curious to hear stories about how folks knocked down the price on
their new boat, particularly anything creative or innovative (buying
used or stripping off options doesn't count). Anyone find any good
sources of information or do anything clever? Thanks.


There's some room to deal built into most new boat prices, but don't
expect to make a
"$100 over invoice, split the holdback" deal on a boat like you would
on a Chevy. The volume in boats is so small, and the carrying costs
high enough, that a dealer needs a pretty decent margin on the sale
before he begins subtracting expenses to see if there's actually a net
profit on the bottom line. In most markets, there is only one dealer
for most of the major brand names, so the auto game of running back and
forth a few times between two nearby dealers doesn't apply. If you buy
your boat out of town, don't expect to get any sort of priority service
when you need warranty repairs, etc from the local dealer. Whether you
realize it or not, you'll typically be going to the very end of the
line behind all of the local customers who bought boats from the sales
dept out front. The sales dept customers will be out boating each
spring while you wait, and wait, and maybe wait some more to get your
boat serviced and launched.

My advice would be to set a well considered total monthly budget that
includes all of the peripheral expenses (moorage, fuel, insurance,
maintenance etc). If you're a cash buyer,
figure 1/2 of 1 percent per month "cost" on the purchase price as the
opportunity loss for tying up your money in a boat. If you're a payment
buyer, the monthly payment will be pretty obvious. Total budget, minus
peripheral expenses, leaves the amount to write-off
as lost opportunity or monthly payment each month, and that will pretty
well point you into a price range that will be affordable.

I would shop for boats within that price range, and up to about 20%
above that price range.
Naturally, you're going to find that most of the boats 20% above your
ideal range are nicer than the boats that list at your top number- so
pick your favorite and make an offer just a bit *below* your ceiling.
Leave room for the dealer to bump you once, or even twice, before you
top out at your max. If your offer is really low, the dealer will want
to think that he squeezed every last dime out of you before saying OK
to a skinny deal. Start low enough to let him "win" a little, and try
to stay level headed enough that you don't commit to something that
will turn out in the end to be difficult to afford. You're going to
lose your butt buying any sort of boat, anyway, so it's best not to get
into a position where the expense forces you into a quick resale.

Oh. Very important. Cash talks and bull crud walks. When you make that
agressively low offer, do so in writing and be willing to write a
substantial deposit check. Take a $200,000 boat for example.......the
guy who is headed to his car, has the door 3/4 of the way closed behind
him and a kid wailing about being late to soccer practice who sticks
his face back in the showroom and says "Not that I'm ready to buy
today, or anything, but WULDJATAKE $150,000 if I were?" is going to get
a less responsive answer than a guy who says, "I really like this boat
and I'm ready to buy it right now if you can meet my price. I'll write
you a check for 20 percent down and I'm willing to make a written offer
of $150,000."

Finally, keep in mind that nobody ever made the "right deal" on the
wrong boat. It doesn't make sense to accept your 3, 4, or 5th choice
simply because the dealer was willing to come off the price just a
little bit more than dealer for the boat you really wanted. They're all
expensive to buy and to own, so getting the boat you really want is at
least as important as finding the cheapest deal in town.

What was Your Boat Buying Strategy?
 

Read magazines, talk to boat owners. Ask the ones who own the kind of boat
you're thinking of if they'd buy it again. Make up your own mind about how
much you are willing to spend, what kind of boating you'll be doing. Go to a
big boat show for last minute comparison, if necessary between two or three
boats, and take advantage of the lower sales prices available without
haggling. If you're still comparing more than three boats, you haven't
decided what you want and you're likely to have buyer's remorse, or want
something else in a year or two.

"Mainshipman" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm curious to hear stories about how folks knocked down the price on
their new boat, particularly anything creative or innovative (buying
used or stripping off options doesn't count). Anyone find any good
sources of information or do anything clever? Thanks.

What was Your Boat Buying Strategy?
 

I bought my Maxum 2500SCR New as a dog show veteran. Knocked 5k off the
bottom line. The carpet was a little worn from the dreaming looky-loos.
JR

Mainshipman wrote:


I'm curious to hear stories about how folks knocked down the price on
their new boat, particularly anything creative or innovative (buying
used or stripping off options doesn't count). Anyone find any good
sources of information or do anything clever? Thanks.



--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth

What was Your Boat Buying Strategy?
 

I've heard (TV boating show) that dealers may reduce prices at a boat
show ... maybe it's the pressure to beat the guy in the next booth.

What was Your Boat Buying Strategy?
 

Mainshipman wrote:
I'm curious to hear stories about how folks knocked down the price on
their new boat, particularly anything creative or innovative (buying
used or stripping off options doesn't count). Anyone find any good
sources of information or do anything clever? Thanks.

I had my choices narrowed down to 3, with two being basically neck and
neck. I am referring to the quality, functionality and what was included
at that price. We bought while at a local boat show. The dealer was in
the mood to make sales, I had my price range in mind, and when they came
back and said 'yes' on the trade-in, I signed and gave a deposit, with a
caveat being a sea-trial.

When I made the offer, I had taken out the check book and pen and laid
down so they could see it. I was letting them know I was serious.

What was Your Boat Buying Strategy?
 

Mainshipman wrote:
I'm curious to hear stories about how folks knocked down the price on
their new boat, particularly anything creative or innovative (buying
used or stripping off options doesn't count). Anyone find any good
sources of information or do anything clever? Thanks.

Oh. One more good strategy I forgot to mention.

Should you be in the somewhat unusual position to actually do some
comparison shopping between competing dealers for the same boat, shop
"backwards."

So many people will start with the closest dealer, try to get some
commitment from the dealer about a selling price, and then run to the
second closest dealer and say "Madhouse Marine will sell me the 30-foot
Reef Thumper for $XXX,XXX, including the
entertainment and fishing prep packages. How much lower will you go?"

If Madhouse Marine left any ham on the bone, the out of town dealer
will miraculously be a bit cheaper, and others even farther from where
you live and boat could prove to be even a bit cheaper yet as you
discuss the last, lowest price in each successive showroom.

There's a reason that so many people believe, regardless where they
live, that out-of-town dealers are always cheaper than the local
guy------ they took the local guy's price (which might have been a
pretty decent deal), and hauled it around so that all of his
competitor's could use it as a pinata.

If you are in the unusual position of being realistically able to play
various dealers off against one another, start with the *least*
conveniently located, tell him you're from out of town so he better
give you his best shot first, and then drag that price through another
dealer or two on your way back to where you really want to buy if you
can (the local dealer). Amazing just how much the local guy really does
want your business in most cases, and will often be willing to meet or
beat an out-of-town price *plus* offer you the convenience of an
established customer relationship at your source for local service.

What was Your Boat Buying Strategy?
 

Around 2/3/2006 2:04 PM, Mainshipman wrote:

I'm curious to hear stories about how folks knocked down the price on
their new boat, particularly anything creative or innovative (buying
used or stripping off options doesn't count). Anyone find any good
sources of information or do anything clever? Thanks.

My strategery: Inherit. :)


--
~/Garth - 1966 Glastron V-142 Skiflite: "Blue-Boat"
"There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing about in boats." -- Kenneth Grahame
~~ Ventis secundis, tene cursum ~~