How do you reach many boat dealers with a single e-mail message?

[Bill F]

I live in Washington State and am trying to mass e-mail many dealerships without having to e-mail each dealership individually.

My problem is that I have an older boat that I tricked out for fishing/skiing and the motor blew up on me. The price to rebuild the motor or replace it with a newer one is probably not cost effective and am looking at new or used boats with a possible trade on my boat.

Any ideas on how to accomplish getting the word out to the masses via e-mail would be greatly appreciated, or even other options as well.

Thanks, Bill

 

[PiratePast40]

Re: How do you reach many boat dealers with a single e-mail message?

Outlook is really easy to use and has a help function. To find sellers, google is your friend. You could also use Craigs List for every city and town within several hundred miles. Just show your home phone number and check the box that says commercial responses are welcome. Your idea of asking every boat dealer around to contact you to sell their product is a rather novel idea.

 

[superpop]

Re: How do you reach many boat dealers with a single e-mail message?

Good luck getting anybody to give you anything for the boat. Why do you think a dealer is going to have more luck selling a boat with a blown motor than you. I would just put the boat on Craigslist as is and see if you get any takers. You need to find a mechanic that is looking for a project. Any dealer you trade it in at will simply take whatever they are giving you for the boat and tack it onto the new boat price. If you go into a dealership with the cash you got out of your old boat and some credit, then you will have a lot more bargaining power on the new boat. What you are suggesting is kind of like towing your blown up car into the dealership and asking for a trade. Sure, they will do it but you will pay dearly.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: How do you reach many boat dealers with a single e-mail message?

a used hull with out power, has very little value. put it on craiglist, and ebay.

 

[5150abf]

Re: How do you reach many boat dealers with a single e-mail message?

Just curious, if you put in the time to trick out your current boat, why not just repower, has to be much less than new or even used boat.

With things as they are I would be REALlY REALLY suprised if you could find any dealer that would even take a non running boat, they can't move the running boats they have.

I would weigh what you will lose selling the boat against what it will cost to fix the one you have, I would almost bet you will be money ahead to fix the motor.

 

[Expidia]

Re: How do you reach many boat dealers with a single e-mail message?

Most dealers will never email you back even if you say you are ready to buy a boat! They want to speak to you so they can hit you with the sales pitch.

Nothing wrong with that, they have a job to do. I wouldn't waste my time with email and would do what the other posters suggested. Good Luck!

 

[Silvertip]

Re: How do you reach many boat dealers with a single e-mail message?

A separate e-mail to a single dealer may work for you but you would likely have to e-mail many dealers before one would respond. If you do a mass e-mail not one of them would respond with a reasonable offer since they know they are competing against others -- and since this boat is not worth much with a blown engine, why bother. I'm with the others on this issue -- put it on Craigs list. Or remove the engine, part it out and put the parts on E-bay. Buy a new/different engine if you want to keep the boat.

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: How do you reach many boat dealers with a single e-mail message?

Any ideas on how to accomplish getting the word out to the masses via e-mail would be greatly appreciated, or even other options as well.

Thanks, Bill

I can tell you from experience that dealers WILL respond to your mass email. I've used that tactic three times in the last 10 years to purchase new vehicles. It works like a charm. Usually you can go to a manufacturer's website and get the email addresses of dealers near you. If not (which would be unusual), then just use Yahoo or Google local search and find the local dealers - say in a three hour radius - and visit their own websites and then pull their email address.

Once you have the addresses simply provide as much detail as you can re: what you want, what amount of cash you'll put down, how you plan on securing financing, etc. and then send the email. Tell them upfront what you want from them - particularly if you're looking for their best offer, because you will get the folks that tell you they'll only give you a price if you come in. Personally I think you're better off sending one email to one recipient, instead of bulk emailing them or BCC'ing everybody. You can still be honest with the dealer that you're seeking "several" internet price quotes.

Frankly I was shocked at how many responded. Using this tactic I purchased a '99 Grand Prix brand new, a 2005 Acura TL brand new and a 2008 Honda Pilot brand new. I'd say in all cases roughly 50% of the dealers responded to me with prices. The last two in particular were super simple. I purchased the Acura 200 miles away because they were willing to shave 10% off the local prices. I just walked in, signed the paperwork, they gave me a 15 minute rundown on the vehicle and then I drove home (wife drove me there). And with the Pilot it was even better. It was pretty much the same process as the Acura, but on a lark I asked the internet sales lady what she'd give me for our minivan (thinking they'd try and shaft me and I'd have to sell it on CL or Ebay). She surprised the heck out of me by giving me about 20% more than I ever hoped to get selling it privately (and I do my homework).

So, don't listen to those folks that say it can't be done. The days of driving around to visit a bunch of dealers and try and strike deals w/the "Sales Manager" are fast coming to an end. Email away my friend - you'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

[superpop]

Re: How do you reach many boat dealers with a single e-mail message?

So Stroke, did any of the vehicles you traded in have a blown motor. I think you are doing this guy a disservice by telling him that a dealer will give him more for his boat than he could get from a private party. Boat dealers are desperate but are not going to do something stupid or lose money on a trade in. Trade ins are a hassle for most dealers and some of them use the trade in as a way to make more money. The only time I did good on a trade was when my wife caved in a front fender on here Honda CRV, I banged it out and took it in on a tuesday night for a trade in, they didn't notice it and I did not say anything and they gleefully took it in on a trade. Called a few days later to ask about the fender, I reminded them that they checked the car over before we made the deal. Ya it was probably wrong but it felt good to stick it to the dealer for once.

 

[kyle f]

Re: How do you reach many boat dealers with a single e-mail message?

So Stroke, did any of the vehicles you traded in have a blown motor. I think you are doing this guy a disservice by telling him that a dealer will give him more for his boat than he could get from a private party. Boat dealers are desperate but are not going to do something stupid or lose money on a trade in. Trade ins are a hassle for most dealers and some of them use the trade in as a way to make more money. The only time I did good on a trade was when my wife caved in a front fender on here Honda CRV, I banged it out and took it in on a tuesday night for a trade in, they didn't notice it and I did not say anything and they gleefully took it in on a trade. Called a few days later to ask about the fender, I reminded them that they checked the car over before we made the deal. Ya it was probably wrong but it felt good to stick it to the dealer for once.

I don;t think he was saying he will get more than he thiks its worth just that, he has had good luck doing this in the past and one time he got mor eout of it than expected. However, the worse thign they can say is no, or make you a deal you don;t want to take.

For instancel, I took my used boat around to all the dealers in my area that sell wakeboard boats this spring after I talked to them at the boatshow. Well ok the ones I was interested in. talked deals with all of them and took what was best. I got exactly what I wanted out of the trade in, and paid just a few thousand over NADA used value for the New boat. So in essence I only lost about 5% of the value the day I took it off the lot and only took $1000 under NADA Retail value in on my boat.

Did they make some on the new boat, yep... will the make some on the trade in... yep. Did I get the deal I wanted... yep. Took a lot of haggling and talkign though.

I also got a free wakesurf board and rope, Free Bow Fatsac and Pump, and got the dealer to split dealer cost on a tower speaker set up. So, all I am saying is you never know until you try. The worse thing they can say is no, and I am sure they will not lose money.

Now to the original poster. Look on google or manufacturer websites for dealers in your locar area. You may heve to go to the particular dealers website and use the contact us link to find the email address, but once you got them all, create a folder, or list in your email file containig all the contacts, then send it to the list. Or, an easier way, send the email to yourself in the TO: section, and BCC all of them.

I say, never hurts to try.

 

[5150abf]

Re: How do you reach many boat dealers with a single e-mail message?

I think comparing car dealers to marinas is really apples and oranges, marinas don't have nearly the volume that car dealers do and when you throw in what is going on now that changes everything.

 

[kyle f]

Re: How do you reach many boat dealers with a single e-mail message?

I think comparing car dealers to marinas is really apples and oranges, marinas don't have nearly the volume that car dealers do and when you throw in what is going on now that changes everything.

We don't have Marinas around here. We have outright off the water boat dealers.

With the way things are right now, people who are qulified purchasers have an extra bargaining chip. They just can't finance any old stiff walking through the door anymore. They will really be competeting for people who can buy.

I know, I just did this withing the last 2 months.

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: How do you reach many boat dealers with a single e-mail message?

So Stroke, did any of the vehicles you traded in have a blown motor. I think you are doing this guy a disservice by telling him that a dealer will give him more for his boat than he could get from a private party.

I should have clarified. The point of my story was to confirm for this gentleman that a mass shopping strategy (if you will) can work. I don't know enough about boat values to know if someone is going to give him much for his trade-in, though I'd be inclined to agree with the group that it's probably a long shot.

And to the gentleman who said comparing car dealers to marinas is like apples and oranges, you may very well be correct. I've never shopped for a boat at a marina - I bought mine privately. But considering that boats are more of a luxury item than a car, I would think they'd be pretty eager to talk with anyone that was considering a purchase...whether they inquired via email, phone or morse code. Again, what's to lose but 30 minutes of time seeking out email addresses, creating the email and hitting the "Send" button?