Boat Sales - Where is the logic

kingzoo2

Cadet
Joined
Sep 3, 2008
Messages
15
ok...we are in a recession, boat manufacturers are low on cash/filing for bk, inflations is near 0% in the US, boat prices are jumping by double digits on inventory that is 1-2 years old. Does the boating industry think we are all iddiots. I have been looking since labor day and made several offers - all have been at NADA and recently within 8-9% of their asking price(on boats that have been sitting for 12+ months) and the dealers say no - a car dealership could make something happen- these guys will not budge. This blows my mind, especially when I see that the manufacturers are going bankrupt due to low sales and no cash flow. At some point they have to realize that inventory turnover means something and the easy money pricing of the past is gone.

Having said that, does anyone know where the bacnks are unloading their repo inventory?
 

marine4003

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
Messages
1,119
Re: Boat Sales - Where is the logic

the dealer profit on a floorplaned boat is about 10%, if its a bank owned inventory, then its costing the dealer money to store/clean there inventory, so in some cases its actually better for the dealer to wait out the sale than take a hit that wont cover the bank note on the boat, plus..just like car dealers alot of dealers make there money after the sale ,maintenance and upgrades, but all in all its a very screwed up industry.
 

rrhodes

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 24, 2008
Messages
636
Re: Boat Sales - Where is the logic

Car dealerships sell a lot more units than Boat dealers so smaller profits per unit will kill the boat dealers. When I bought mine last July I really didn't haggle, I asked for a few extras which they threw in without batting an eye. My reason for this is simple, I want them to be around when I need them in the future. Not that my boat purchase made a huge difference by any means and the price was in line with the market.
 
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