whats with the secret sqirrel boat and outboard pricing??

[levi_tsk]

everything else marine can be shopped for via the couch or coffee shop why not boats and outboards???
They dont want you to know how bad you getting screwed or ????????/
just a rant not sure if anyone noticed this or not .... cant even get an msrp on most new boats i thought capitolism was all about competion ???

 

[roscoe]

Re: whats with the secret sqirrel boat and outboard pricing??

I've found plenty of boats and motors online. Shipping can be tough, but it can be done.

Also, new boats generally require a signature, but that can be done electronically in some states.

 

[5150abf]

Re: whats with the secret sqirrel boat and outboard pricing??

I know we have abuild a boat section at Bennington where you can pick your boat and all the options you want and see what the msrp is, don't know how many other companies have it but it is out there.

Alot of dealers are mom and pop operations and probably don't have the staff to run a web site.

 

[CaptainMcSorley]

Re: whats with the secret sqirrel boat and outboard pricing??

i thought capitolism was all about competion ???

Capitalisim is about competition and choices . Chose to buy your new boat and motor that have open page pricing policies and send an email to companies that don't telling them why they're not getting your business .

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: whats with the secret sqirrel boat and outboard pricing??

I used to live close to the Bass Tracker plant in MO. Regardless if you were a neighbor or not you still had to pay shipping to a dealer. It is a business practice to protect the dealer.

Even ALL new cars have a destination fee.

I am not quite sure what your real complaint is?

MSRP on boats does NOT fall under the same as a car. A boat is a luxury item where a car/truck is a necessity and the availability of boats is rare when you step back and look at the whole picture.

 

[Philster]

Re: whats with the secret sqirrel boat and outboard pricing??

Common complaint going around some boards is 'call for price' on newer boats (new, left overs, etc). Or, build one on-line and wind up with someone needing to call you.

OP: Boat markets are volatile. The price is dictated by monthly demand, regional demand, factory utilization and many companies operate on thin margins; quoting prices and selling over the net blind doesn't work with their business model.

It's not like buying a car. High volume smooths out a lot of variables. Boats are low volume, even from the relatively high-volume builders like Sea Ray and Bayliner (and you are more likely to get a flat price on them).

I've seen many explanations like this and offered many, but the OP usually refuses to accept that a company that builds boats (or engines, such as outboards) can't offer a price that is static. They have too many variables to address.

Disclaimer: This is not intended to address everything that affects boat/outboard pricing.

 

[levi_tsk]

Re: whats with the secret sqirrel boat and outboard pricing??

Common complaint going around some boards is 'call for price' on newer boats (new, left overs, etc). Or, build one on-line and wind up with someone needing to call you.

OP: Boat markets are volatile. The price is dictated by monthly demand, regional demand, factory utilization and many companies operate on thin margins; quoting prices and selling over the net blind doesn't work with their business model.

It's not like buying a car. High volume smooths out a lot of variables. Boats are low volume, even from the relatively high-volume builders like Sea Ray and Bayliner (and you are more likely to get a flat price on them).

I've seen many explanations like this and offered many, but the OP usually refuses to accept that a company that builds boats (or engines, such as outboards) can't offer a price that is static. They have too many variables to address.

Disclaimer: This is not intended to address everything that affects boat/outboard pricing.

but y not just post a MSRP at least???

 

[5150abf]

Re: whats with the secret sqirrel boat and outboard pricing??

Because once you post a price that is the price, Philster got it, I am with Bennington, we are the largest producer of pontoons in the world and we make @6000-7000 boat a year and that is across 50 some models so the per model numbers are very low compared to almost any other product, cars, coffee pots, computers ect ect are all made in the tens of thousands of unit per year and have huge stores that sell them, you have Wal-Mart ordering 100,000 units ect, there are no options so you can price them and be sure you are going to make money.
,
Boats now days are almost custom built with all the options that are offered, there really is no "standard" boat and the price can, with options, almost double the price of the boat, years ago most companies made 6 models and that was what you could chose from but the market didn't like the cookie cutter boat.

Alot of boat companies offer the "build a boat" and it will give you a general idea of what the price is but you have go to a dealer to get the boat either way, that is just how it works in the boat market

 

[dingbat]

Re: whats with the secret sqirrel boat and outboard pricing??

Boats are luxuary items, you have to pay to play.

Actually, it's a plot by the rich to keep the middle class off the water.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: whats with the secret sqirrel boat and outboard pricing??

Right

A 20' boat only looks like a bouy or short chanell marker when screaming along at + 135 mph in a $ 1,000,000 boat.

How dare you drift in my way !! MOVE.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: whats with the secret sqirrel boat and outboard pricing??

As far as outboards, I don't believe you can purchase a new one from a major mfg online, at least not if you want to maintain warranty coverage. They are generally very particular about internet sales, and cutting into their dealer network.

 

[oregoncruiser]

Re: whats with the secret sqirrel boat and outboard pricing??

Just jump onto NADA.com and you can get a general idea, and that's all an MSRP is, isn't it? Sometimes you just have to get a little creative.

 

[Philster]

Re: whats with the secret sqirrel boat and outboard pricing??

MSRP is almost worthless. In one area, the MSRP could be off as much as 20-30%. In another area, different dealer, different season, it could be within 5%.

MSRP's can scare people off. After all, if you see an MSRP of 78k, and your budget is 48k, you run. It doesn't even make its way into your search results. <<<That is a big issue. Sooo....

...they leave it off. Boats with $78k MSRPs can sell for under 50k with discounts, slow seasons, incentives from engine builders, and what type of trailer package comes with it, etc.

Again... see the volatile conditions and issues at hand? The market can change in a month, and from dealer to dealer and model to model and with the engine suppliers and trailer builder mucking it up, calling for a price is sometimes the only viable option.

Disclaimer (jeesh, I learned this because OP's of this type of thread call out everything said): Nothing is absolute or 100% in all cases for all manufacturers, so the information provided about the pricing is to help get the OP's brain around the factors that make it difficult to list the MSRP.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: whats with the secret sqirrel boat and outboard pricing??

Many Americans were brainwashed into believing that the posted price is ALWAYS the ONLY price.

They should never offer any lower price. ON ANYTHING. Even used items.

The biggest stores are haggling now on anything. We match ......

Why do you think Americans pay the same prices, VERY OFTEN in poorer countries ???

 

[CC245]

Re: whats with the secret sqirrel boat and outboard pricing??

It's a filter system!! The filter works like this. If a potential boat buyer can't get their lazy butt off of the couch/computer to buy a boat. Then it is obvious that person will not be able to own/maintain a boat. Unfortunately the filter does not always work.

 

[Philster]

Re: whats with the secret sqirrel boat and outboard pricing??

Many Americans were brainwashed into believing that the posted price is ALWAYS the ONLY price.

They should never offer any lower price. ON ANYTHING. Even used items.

The biggest stores are haggling now on anything. We match ......

Why do you think Americans pay the same prices, VERY OFTEN in poorer countries ???

What's your point here? Obfuscation?

 

[Philster]

Re: whats with the secret sqirrel boat and outboard pricing??

It's a filter system!! The filter works like this. If a potential boat buyer can't get their lazy butt off of the couch/computer to buy a boat. Then it is obvious that person will not be able to own/maintain a boat. Unfortunately the filter does not always work.

I don't think boat manufacturers care about this. So, I will consider this tongue-in-cheek and give it a LOL.

 

[CC245]

Re: whats with the secret sqirrel boat and outboard pricing??

I don't think boat manufacturers care about this. So, I will consider this tongue-in-cheek and give it a LOL.

Definitely toungue-in-cheek, just trying to have fun with this obscure post. I think I will go back to looking at the cool pics of your boat being built!

 

[Philster]

Re: whats with the secret sqirrel boat and outboard pricing??

I never saw the MSRP on my boat. How dare they!?