Negotiating the price for a new boat

RichNJ

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Sep 21, 2014
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I am a first time new boat buyer or least I hope to be. My local dealer does not seem to be willing to negotiate off of list price. Is this normal? If not, where can I go to find out a good price for a new boat? There are lots of sites for new cars but I can't find any for new boats comparing MSRP to invoice to 'prices being paid'. Do you get better deals at different times of the year in the northeast? I am looking at purchasing a 175 Bayliner.
 

redneck joe

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not sure as never bought a new boat but Bayliner is a price point boat so they may be less inclined to deal on the price.
 

Campylobacter

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Bayliner is an "entry" level brand, and aggressively market the low cost on the web. You can get a price right (build your boat) on their website, and its way lower than pretty much every other boat out there, except maybe Tahoe. I'm guessing they have a pretty slim profit margin so negotiation is not really an option, at least in the boating season. Wait a few months and see if this changes, the dealer will have to come down on the price of the 2014's once it heist 2015. I saved about 5K on a boat by waiting from the "lowest price" in September and buying in November.
 

UncleWillie

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Oct 18, 2011
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Bayliner is currently have the Fall Sale going on.

In the North, the Boat Shows happen around February.
Winter is slow for boat sales, especially in the north.
Show up in a snow storm and you may be their only customer all day.

Never forget the first Rule of Money, "He who has the Money, Makes the Rules."

You can often get the winter sale price and a boat show discount.
Maybe $1000-1200 off the 175.
Bayliner can deliver an ordered boat in about 6 weeks.
You are not going to be able to use the boat until May in the NorthEast. No rush!

A 2014 model will look exactly like a 2015 model except for a few cosmetic changes, if any.
They only upgrade the model for real once every 5 years or so, and not always for the better.
Buy a 2014 at a boat show after the 2015 models are announced and save a few more hundred.
 

MH Hawker

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Make them a offer on it and walk out after leaving a number to call. Boat buying at full price is over.
 

oldjeep

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Don't know about now days, but they definitely used to negotiate on new bayliners. On a 175 I would just look around and find a 1 or 2 year old one for a great deal. Super entry level, lots of folks buy and immediately realize they are too small or that they don't use it as much as they thought.
 

tpenfield

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I am a first time new boat buyer or least I hope to be. My local dealer does not seem to be willing to negotiate off of list price. Is this normal? If not, where can I go to find out a good price for a new boat? There are lots of sites for new cars but I can't find any for new boats comparing MSRP to invoice to 'prices being paid'. Do you get better deals at different times of the year in the northeast? I am looking at purchasing a 175 Bayliner.



http://www.seedealercost.com/boats

There you go, (link above)

Most folks are buying boats at about 65-75% of MSRP. The lower end boats might be a bit tighter to MSRP.

Dealer cost is around $14K for the Bayliner 175.
 
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JimS123

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I never personally bought a Bayliner, but I've bought several SeaDoos from my local dealer who carries Bayliners as well. His selling technique is the same for both.

I pick the model I want with the options I want and then do some research on what the lowest selling price might be. With that in mind i make an offer, contingent upon getting 2 PFDs, a cover and a few other dealer installed options that I want. Make the offer in cash and then plop down five hundred dollar bills on the table as down payment. If they don't accept, pick them up and walk out, being sure they have your name and number.

If you don't want to pay in cash, get pre-approved at a credit union. As far as the dealer knows its a cash payment to them. Worked for me every time.
 

oldjeep

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I never personally bought a Bayliner, but I've bought several SeaDoos from my local dealer who carries Bayliners as well. His selling technique is the same for both.

I pick the model I want with the options I want and then do some research on what the lowest selling price might be. With that in mind i make an offer, contingent upon getting 2 PFDs, a cover and a few other dealer installed options that I want. Make the offer in cash and then plop down five hundred dollar bills on the table as down payment. If they don't accept, pick them up and walk out, being sure they have your name and number.

If you don't want to pay in cash, get pre-approved at a credit union. As far as the dealer knows its a cash payment to them. Worked for me every time.

Dealers are not as impressed by cash any more since most of them get kickbacks from the financing end of the deal. Other than that I agree with your offer strategy.
 

midcarolina

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If you are deadset on a Bayliner you have two options................Pay the local dealer what he wants, or call other dealers within a reasonable drive and see what the same boat with same options goes for..........
 

ssobol

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Offer the price you are comfortable with. If they take it, fine. If they don't, tell them how to contact you if they change their mind and walk out. You should be able to find the boat you want at a price you are satisfied with.

I would also be looking at late model used boats vs. new.

This is how I also buy cars.
 

JimS123

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Dealers are not as impressed by cash any more since most of them get kickbacks from the financing end of the deal. Other than that I agree with your offer strategy.

Last month we bought a brand new RV. We knew ahead of time what we wanted. The first dealer came up with 2 prices. A finance price (thru them) was $1000 lower than the cash price. I didn't negotiate with them - just took the quote and left. The second dealer (where we bought it) came up with a price (with no mention of cash or finance) that was yet another $500 lower than the first dealer's finance price. My negotiation was to take that price for cash if they added jacks and a few other add-ons that came to about $400. Did the plop down move and they accepted it with no hesitation.

Mus be who you deal with.
 

RichNJ

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Sep 21, 2014
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Thanks to all my iBoats friends out there. I am now the proud owner of a 2015 Bayliner 175. I got everything I wanted and got the dealer to knock off $1000 off his best price. We had to order the boat but effectively I got the current "$1000 off in stock rebate" too. http://www.seedealercost.com/boats is a great site. While I am a novice at this I will contribute what very little knowledge I have (or will gain) with my new found iBoats friends. Thanks again everyone.
 

redneck joe

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Mar 18, 2009
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Thanks to all my iBoats friends out there. I am now the proud owner of a 2015 Bayliner 175. I got everything I wanted and got the dealer to knock off $1000 off his best price. We had to order the boat but effectively I got the current "$1000 off in stock rebate" too. http://www.seedealercost.com/boats is a great site. While I am a novice at this I will contribute what very little knowledge I have (or will gain) with my new found iBoats friends. Thanks again everyone.



good deal; i've had a few Bay over the years.


Don't run away now that you have the boat; asl all sorts of questions. Good folks here that will help you keep the boat in top shape
 

Silvertip

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Sep 22, 2003
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Buying anything puts you in the "drivers seat" when it comes to what price is normal. There is no normal price. Whatever the person/dealer is asking is rarely the "final" price. A dealer that buys hundreds of boats from the manufacturer is going to have more freedom to negotiate than one that buys just a few boats. High volume nets better prices to the dealer. You make an offer that you are willing to pay period. If they accept -- great. If not -- walk away. They will call in a few days with a counter offer (provided yours was at least in the ballpark). Can you pay too much using this technique? Certainly. But you made an offer that was acceptable to you or you wouldn't have made it. There will always be someone that got a better deal than you so once you write the check, be happy and go boating. Keep inquiring and you will make yourself unhappy.
 

airdvr1227

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Jul 15, 2009
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ne·go·ti·a·tion
nəˌɡōSHēˈāSH(ə)n/
noun
[COLOR=#878787 !important]

  • discussion aimed at reaching an agreement.
    [COLOR=#878787 !important]"a worldwide ban is currently under negotiation"[/COLOR]
    synonyms:discussion(s), talks, deliberations; More









    • the action or process of negotiating.
      [COLOR=#878787 !important]"negotiation of the deals"[/COLOR]
    • the action or process of transferring ownership of a document.
[/COLOR]
Just remember that what some of you are describing is not negotiation. If you draw a line in the sand and refuse to move sometimes all you end up with is a sandy stick.
 
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