"rbstern" wrote in message
oups.com...


To the original poster: If it's a buyers market and the dealer has
been sitting on the boat for a long time, you might offer 5 or 10%
over their cost, and they'll be happy to have it. If it's a sellers
market and the boat is either just in, or you are going to order it,
expect to be closer to the MSRP. But there should still be room to
negotiate down from there. Since this is a "want" item, rather than a
need item, be prepared to have a couple of alternatives, if you are
interested in getting more value for your dollar. Being able to say
no is the best negotiating tool in your arsenal.

Another bit of "IMO" advise. Wipe the drool produced by the boat away for a
moment and
focus on the dealer's credentials and reputation and those of the boat
manufacturer. Some boat dealers are very good and are structured to back up
their promises regarding warranty, after sale service and timely
installation of dealer installed options. Unfortunately, many are not and
soon forget you were a customer after the sale commitment.

The dealer isn't warranting anything .... he is simply passing through the
warranty of the various manufacturers of the components used to build the
boat. Make sure you register all the various warranty cards and be prepared
to deal with the manufacturers directly for warranty issues. Negotiate a
significant final payment hold-back to insure timely installation of any
dealer options or add-ons like electronics, etc.

Most dealers finance their inventory. As "rbstern" points out, an in-stock
boat that meets your requirements that has been in inventory for a while is
likely to be a better deal than one that just arrived or is ordered. My
first new boat was a 1999 model that I purchased in 2000. It had been in
the dealer's inventory for 6 months or more. I also purchased it in the
middle of the winter (January) and was able to get it at a significantly
lower price than the "MSRP". Even though it was new, I had it surveyed
but postponed the sea trial until spring, with a final payment holdback due
after the sea trial and installation of various options.
It still took the better part of the following season to get them all
installed. In my case the dealer meant well but didn't have the service
infrastructure to perform the work in a timely manner.

Eisboch