Re: New boat purchase
I will now put in my 2 cents, and to give myself some credibility I was the sales manager at a major dealer here in Kentucky for 6 years. The only reason I resigned my position was because I finished my Masters in Wildlife Biology, and am now in that field.
I have no reason not to tell you the truth since I don't work in the boat sales field any longer.
If you are holding out for a 'discount' on a boat then you will probably never get out on the water. Say what you may, and only believe half of what you hear about boat discounts. Boats
are not comparable to cars or trucks, and are in two totally different classes. Boats are considered a luxury item, and they do not go down on price very often.
Most of the time when someone tell you they got a
Huge discount on a boat they aren't telling you the entire truth. I don't know what it is, but people feel an inept need try and convince people they got a huge discount on a major purchase to make themselves feel better about paying the price they did. I've seen it a dozen times. "You gave John a 20 % discount on a Crownline ... why can't you give me the same thing?". When actually it simply wasn't true. 'John' paid a little less than MSRP on a boat, and acted happy with his purchase when he pulled out of the lot.
The only time you will get a 'great deal' is if the boat is past the time for boat shows and they need to make more room for new inventory. Even at that point, I have known dealers to hold on to a few if they have the room, and use them for a dealer trade later on for ATVs or Motorcycles. Boat dealers
seldom go below 15% on any discounts, and they will more than likely just throw in a pair of Bass Pro fishing rods, or $300 gift certificates for gas.
There just isn't the margin to be handing out discounts on boats that there are on cars and trucks. Most of the time the dealer has them priced well below MSRP, and are only making about $500 to $1500 on the deal to begin with no matter what anyone else tells you.
Take it from me. Unless the dealer absolutely has to get rid of a boat, or is selling out his inventory for bankruptcy you won't get an incredible deal like you get on cars and trucks. If you notice. Most of the car and truck industry's discounts are handed down at the company level, and not the dealers themselves. The only way you get a discount on a boat that is comparable is if you have someone who works for the boat company themselves, you know the owner and he is willing to 'give' you the boat without a profit, or you get an '07 model in the middle of '08. By then you've already wasted all of your summer holding out for a 'Great Deal' and what was it really worth.
So, to sum it up ... don't hold your chips or breath thinking that boat dealers have some 'miracle' price reduction ability. You will only find yourself without a boat, and frustrated in the end.
Keep in mind that there is a $500 to $800 price above cost in there that dealers won't touch for 'their own momma'.
That is what pays the salesmen and staff when they only sell 5 boats a month, and keeps the lights on. A dealer won't touch that margin for anyone, because he knows he has to pay the bills too. He'd just as soon let you pass on the deal, and go somewhere else to hassle someone else over the discount you think you deserve.
Again, I'm not trying to be harsh or hard hearted. I'm simply telling you the truth. You've heard the term 'Business is Business'. Well, this is the business end of the boating industry as I know it. If you are looking for a big substantial discount then buy used. Most dealers buy used boats at about 3/4 of what they're worth, and then jack them up to Blue book. You'd be better off looking for a discount there.
