first time boat purchase

F

fatalbert

Cadet
Joined
Jan 18, 2003
Messages
7
Slowly narrowing down to boat for first purchase. 1978 SleekCraft Ambassador, 26', 350, Volvo 280, very good condition, just ugly 1978 brown/tan paint. Any advise on how boat broakers mark up prices on consignments and how much you can expectedly pull the price down?<br /><br />thanks for any thoughts.<br /><br />srs
 
magster65

magster65

Commander
Joined
Sep 1, 2002
Messages
2,573
Re: first time boat purchase

Howdy. I'm not sure about California but here in BC the standard comission on a boat sale is 10%. Brokers will often adjust (lower) their 'cut' to close a deal though. How little you pay will be up to the owner. Good luck :)
 
S

Solittle

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Apr 28, 2002
Messages
7,518
Re: first time boat purchase

fatalbert - I would hope that you are going to have a mechanical survey or at minimum a marine engine/stern drive mechanic go over that rig carefully. You could be looking a big bucks with a 78 powerplant & outdrive in repair/replacement.
 
J

jmoerner

Cadet
Joined
Feb 24, 2003
Messages
14
Re: first time boat purchase

We are first time buyers as well, and bought several books to get prepared. Most of the books tell you not to buy at the show, they are trying to sell you the boat they tow around to the shows. I think it depends on the dealer, not the show. We saw several good 'deals' that were at a few shows. We ended up picking out a Crownline 242 and had what we thought was a good deal from a local dealer, only to find a dealer for the same line in another state give us about $5m off what we were going to pay at a show out of town.<br /><br />Car dealers have a profit margin built into the invoice on the window, if you give them 4%, that's on top of what they have built. The boat dealer we bought from said the main reson the have MSRP is to give a inflated number if you are trading a boat in. They said, and this might only be them, but you can get about 5% better deal at the shows than at the showroom. <br /><br />Time will tell,<br />John :) :confused:
 
S

Solittle

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Apr 28, 2002
Messages
7,518
Re: first time boat purchase

J&L - Got to disagree with you on boat show boats. Many of the manufacturers will designate the boats they plan to drag to the shows before they are built. They are given extra care in their construction so as to show off their "best."
 
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