I'm buying a new boat and am I confused about $$

[Chumley]

I posted recently regarding sterndrive or outboard and I have that issue worked out now thanks you y'all (I'm not from the south, but I like that expression).
I am getting the boat kind of as an early inheritance for my kids and their kids to enjoy and my wife and I along with them and the four grand kids are 4,3,2 and 1 month, the kids are in their early 30s and we're in our early 60's, so I am trying to rig a boat that will fill all of our needs for more than a couple of years. Its probably a pipedream, but I'll give it a try anyway. They have plans to go camping and wakeboarding with it this summer already. Anyway, I just got my first real price quote on the boat I picked out 3 weeks ago and I am in sticker shock. Boat is 22 ft Alumaweld Intruder I/O 5.0 l MPI 270 hp w/ 9.9 Merc kicker and tandem axle Rogue trailer (all new) along with Minn Kota Power Drive 70 elec troller, Lowrance 337c and 125x, wakeboard tower and a few other things and its at 47K! This is all new. Yikes. I was figuring maybe 42K.
So, my question is: how are boats sold? Are they like cars and RVs, negotiable or are you, as I was given, a list of prices and just add up what you want and that's what you pay. I am working through a friend of a friend and I may have lost my bargaining chip since the dealer tells me I'm family and they will take care of me and it seems like they are. Seems to me, I'm getting the shaft, but since I have never bought a boat before, I don't know how they do it. I don't think that is the way it's done, but how is it? I appreciate y'all's time. Thank you very much. :whazzup:

[Draggin' Bait]

Certainly you can negotiate! Larry

[Flatfish]

Buy used. Save 20K.

Mark and the dog.

[foxer]

Check you PM's

[Duckwheat]

I never buy new. There are so many people who buy this stuff and it is not for them. It cost them a lot of money to figure it out.

There is a pretty fair gross mark up on boats etc.... Everyone (dealer) is going to take care of you. The truth of the matter is you are probably not going to need much taking care of. Unless you get unlucky, newer marine equipment is pretty trouble free. They are not going to extend the warranty for nothing. Unless that is what you do in your family.

Why don't you buy used and leave the kids an asset that does not depreciate like a boat. Cash really says I love you better than a boat that needs a tune up.

Shop the thing on the internet. It will give you a pretty good idea what things are going for. There is a dealer here in Idaho, Western Marine. I'd call several and see what they are willing to do. Do they have a used one? Look for something used locally then on boattrader.

I would not show my face if I paid a dealer what he was asking for the boat.

Duckwheat

[fish_on]

Sounds like the right price based on the shopping I have been doing. You might get them down 3-4K, the accessories are where the $$ reall add up.

[WaterDog]

I’m not sold on the “buy used” theory. :shrug: I’ve done both and while I “saved” money buying used, I more than made up for it later. :rolleyes: Used maybe a good option if your looking for a more off the shelf boat and aren’t too particular about the options it has. Sounds to me what your looking at isn’t off the shelf and you’ve spec’d out what you want or need. There is always room to negotiate in the price depending on how bad they want to sell one. There are also other brands out there that may fit the need so I wouldn’t limit myself. Look around and don’t be in a hurry. Your looking at investing a good chunk of change for your recreation, the worst thing you can do is rush into it. :twocents:

[jimh]

42K even seems high to me, but what do I know. :smile: You have to be willing to tell your friend that although you like him as a friend, he's not the one that will be paying for it. 47K is alot of money for that boat. 47K will go a very long way used.

Besides playing one dealer off the other and asking around, I don't think you can do much to find out what you should pay for a particular brand. You should also consider other brands and use them for bargaining on the price even if you really want the North River.

[snit]

There's always some wiggle room, but not nearly as much if you're pre-ordering a boat. Find a similar boat "on the lot" and then you can start negoitating! I'll send you a pm.

[boater]

Are they like cars and RVs, negotiable or are you, as I was given, a list of prices and just add up what you want and that's what you pay.




if thats the case you are getting no deal at all, i`d offer them 10 percent less than what they want and if they dont take it go look around at other boats

[Chrome Bumper]

Should be some good new and used ones before tax time and good weather. Put on some walking shoes and let your money talk.

When you are in your 70's a new boat now will be 10 and a boat that is 2 years old now will be 12, not much difference. Grandpa and the baby might like something with a cabin.

[Tacklebuster]

I'm not sold on the "used" boat thing as well. Unless you really know the person selling the boat and what kind of real hours are on her, there is usually a reason why someone is selling something :rolleyes: You will come out spending less money from the start, but could soon more than make up for it when there is no warrenty and your hull is leaking due to cracks, or someone was pumping grease in a zert with a air gun and you have to pull your motor and replace something spendy, etc.

Warrenty and peace of mind far out weighs saving some money up front in my book :twocents:

And yes, negotiate your arse off. The worse they can do is say no and you buy it for what the sticker says.

[WaterDog]

or someone was pumping grease in a zert with a air gun and you have to pull your motor and replace something spendy.....



Thanks for that not so subtle reminder. :wink: And there is when the manucfacture mistakenly installs the wrong part and you get to foot the bill to fix it. If you buy used you better set aside some boatbucks and I don't mean just a few either.

Of course the guy that came after me got a heck of deal since I was the one that fixed everything before I sold it. It depends on where in the chain of ownership you end up. :twocents:

[backlash442]

I've bought new and used. New breaks down too. Yes still under warranty but a pain to deal with if the builder is 3 hours a way. Used boat only had 26 hours on it and was in excellent condition. Really a great deal imo. When comparing it to new boats with much less in options and what it was going to cost it was a no brainer. You can find good deals out there.

[duckboy]

everything is negotiable.

[foxer]

Waterdog, did you get your new ride ?

[WaterDog]

Foxer - New tub is under construction. See signature line . :grin:

[NorthRiverRick]

Everything is negotiable. It's not like cars though, you can't go shop different dealers for the same make/model boat in most cases. You have to get prices on comparable boats from different manufacturers to see if the pricing you're quoted is correct or at least in the ballpark. All the sales people will tell you why their boat is so much different than everyone elses boat, they're not all that much different. It's a lot of cash, do your homework, you might come away with some better ideas in the end.

The last person you should believe without any pricing facts is a friend of a friend, that just means someone already has two fingers in your wallet. I'm in sales, you can trust me on this.

Good luck and have fun, boat shopping is one of my favorite things in life :cheers:

[Tacklebuster]

I'm in sales, you can trust me on this.




I trusted him and look what I ended up with.... :hoboy:
Oh wait, I love my boat :yay:

[hilaker]

I would agree with all that recommended buying used. There are some good buys out there. I have bought several used boats and have yet to have a problem. Maybe I have just been lucky. You must watch the ads every day and if there is a really good buy be there first.

[rv10pilot]

Seems like a lot of money for an Alumaweld. I could see paying that much for something from one of the custom boat builders, but I don't see Alumaweld as a custom builder at all. I think you could do better.

[Redbull]

"I'm buying a new boat and am I confused about $$"


Actually, I think you get it perfectly!

[Reelentless]

Another buy used vote. But buy quality used. Without mentioning brands to offend someone, Id rather have certain used boats than some of the new ones. Have it surveyed and you can save thousands of $ and still have peace of mind.

Let someone else eat the depreciation. :cheers:

[Norski]

My first boat was less than 1 year old, the owner who bought it at a boat dealership, traded it in with another tow truck for a new Jeep, to make this short, I bought his new boat he paid 5700.00 for I bought it for 2 grand, with all the bells and wessels. I sold it a year later for 3500.00
If you go new, get your bargen hat on, just like buying a car, truck, ect. Good luck. :twocents:

[fish_on]

used is great but the life time hull warranty usually only is to the origin owner.

[Warndude]

Chumley,
Being satisfied with your purchase is the most important thing. If you go cheap, you'll wish you didn't. Find the boat you want, add all the accessories, finance it and have a ball.

Quote from WARNDUDE, "it's only money... you'll make some more tomorrow".