Price Negotiating on New Boat

[Tilzbow]

Brand new member to this forum and I'm looking at buying my first boat. I plan to order either a Lund or Crestliner fish/ski combo so I get exactly what I want. I researched the Crestliner line quite a lot and I'm starting to research the Lund line. There's separate dealers for each make in my town.

My question is how much negotiating room is there on boats. Let's say the dealer is showing an MSRP, plus dealer prep and freight totaling $45,000. I've read there's generally about 15% to 20% negotiating room against this price. Does that seem about right on a new 2015 model?

 

[Bob_VT]

Welcome to iboats!

Well...... almost like car buying. I would also suggest you look into some of the other aluminum hulls I have seen the Lund's and Crestliners suffer the same rate of deterioration as any other brand.

Look for a leftover model in dealer inventory, be willing to travel to find one, water test is you can (LOL the water around here is covered in over 24" of ice!) and probably one of the most important is find one with a motor that can be serviced local to you.

Yes, I have seen deep discounts on new but deeper discounts on leftover models. It's a crap shoot!

I will tell you now is a better time to buy then 2 - 3 months from now because the season will be in full swing across the USA and prices climb and firm up.

 

[Teamster]

Are there any boast shows in your area?

Often there are boat show specials and incentives,...

 

[oldjeep]

Are there any boast shows in your area?

Often there are boat show specials and incentives,...

Boat show pricing is rarely the best deal you can get on a new boat

 

[TexMonty]

Buy used - boats take a large hit as soon as they leave the yard just as cars do.

 

[oldjeep]

Buy used - boats take a large hit as soon as they leave the yard just as cars do.

Imagine if everyone followed that advise

 

[TexMonty]

It is amazing to me - I have not bought a new car/boat for myself since about 1995 - and I buy another car about every 3-4 years due to mileage on them (I put 50K a year on a car). I can usually buy a 1 year old car with 10-15K miles on it for 25-30% less than new - and I am not talking KIA's - I am talking pretty high dollar cars so there is a lot of savings. I found the same thing when I got back into the boat deal and went boat shopping - BIG SAVINGS as soon as they left the yard.

 

[oldjeep]

To some extent it depends on how long you keep things and your tolerance for what the previous owner does to them. My current boat I bought used, because I was able to find what is a pretty rare boat configured the way I wanted it and the previous owner was almost as meticulous as I am in caring for it. Used boats are some of the worst things to buy, especially newer ones. So many owners are clueless and you'll never know what they might have done to the boat until it is too late. The previous boat was bought new, kept for 9 years and sold for about 3 grand less than I originally bought it for. With cars/trucks - no way. I keep them for 200K + miles and I don't want something with a reduced 2nd owner warranty or one owned by someone who treated it like they were only going to have it for 12,000 miles.

 

[Silvertip]

The only way you know what the margin is will be to leave your checkbook stick out of your pocket so the dealer knows you are serious and then make an offer. Refusal will be a hint that you are too low. Countering by a large margin tells the dealer he has you on the ropes so don't hesitate to walk away. Again, the visible check book may have him calling you back so you know you can't be too far off. Remember, this is all about the "Art of the Deal." You need to have done some research as to on-line and locale radio/tv ads for similar makes and models. Here is a technique I've seen work quite well. I once attended a boat show with a neighbor who was a heavy equipment purchaser for a municipality. He was well versed on the "low bid" process. He was looking for a 16 foot utility boat, 15 HP Johnson/Evinrude/Merc/Yamaha. He prepared a bid sheet with everything he wanted including a trailer, anchor, etc. We went to the boat show, and handed out the bid sheets that clearly stated he had the right to refuse any and all bids. Informing each recipient that he would be back in three hours to collect the bids. About 2/3 of the dealers were amazed when we showed up and admitted they didn't think he was serious. After a scolding, indicating he didn't spend the time preparing the bid sheets, pay to attend the show, and distribute the sheets just because he had nothing else to do. Having researched the products he was most interested in it was relatively easy to determine what an acceptable deal was. Remember, you will never ever know exactly what the margin is with any one dealer because of the turnover at his dealership which tends to give high volume dealers a distinct advantage. Only you can determine what an acceptable price is and once you buy -- stop looking. Sooner or later you may stumble on a better deal. As a result of this exercise, a Lund dealer provided the information, an acceptable price and the deal was consumated then and there. This is only one technique but you cannot know what is even close to reasonable unless you do reasonable research. Visit dealers in the surrounding area and actually try to act serious. Nothing happens until you write the check so you are free to walk away anytime.

 

[tpenfield]

Lower priced/smaller boats do not have as much 'play' as expensive/larger boats. But 'generally' there is more play in boat pricing than cars.

I just came back from my local boats show . . . an example of pricing . . . on a 27 foot boat.

MSRP = $182,190

Boat show price = $127,200 . . . That's about 30% off MSRP, and I would imagine the dealer is still making money on the sale.

 

[Bob_VT]

I have also heard the very last day of the boat show is best........ dealers want to make that "one more deal" and if you offer to take delivery from the show it is one less they have to drag around.

I have also heard that new outboard deals are the best at a show

 

[shrew]

I'd also note that if you're going to 'order' the boat with exactly what you want on it, you're not going to have the kind of room for negotiation as a boat the dealer purchased to fill the showroom, that he now has to replace with a newer model. They need to make room for the 2015's and doesn't want shiny new 2014 and 2013 models on the floor and in the yard. They took a chance and bought a few models with a combination of features to show the options. Now they have to get rid of it because the cost of money is expensive. That is really where you get the deep discounts. In order to really find a great deal, there is going to be some compromise on the buyers side as well.

 

[airdvr1227]

Remember... sometimes when you draw a line in the sand and dare somebody to cross it all you end up with is a sandy stick. I don't know your location but this time of year you ought to be able to get a nice deal if you are reasonable. Dealers have business plans and the plan says they need to make X on a boat to stay in business. If they let you walk it's because they have to. Bottom line is this summer you won't remember whether you felt you paid too much.

 

[SMGScott]

Profit is not a dirty word. Boat dealers sell 1/100th of units that car dealers do and don't have the backing of multi-billion dollar companies that car dealers do with respect to back end and rebate money. A good deal is one that neither the buyer or seller walks away ecstatic from.

Finding the right boat and finding the right dealership to purchase from that will take care of you after the sale is the two most important things.

If you buy the right boat, you wont ever think about how much you paid for it. If you buy the wrong boat, you'll never forget it.

 

[ssobol]

Offer what you are comfortable paying, if the dealer takes your money fine, otherwise find another dealer/boat. Don't overthink it. Wondering if you could have got another $5 off the price or who'll blink first is just not worth it (IMO).

On the other hand, some people treat negotiating the price on a purchase as sport.

 

[ssobol]

P.S. IMO buying a boat where after sale support by the dealer is a consideration in the purchase means that you are buying the wrong boat. In my world, once I buy the thing and drive it off the lot, I shouldn't have a need to talk to the dealer again until it is time to buy my next boat.

 

[airdvr1227]

I think what is meant by 'after the sale service' can be summed up in this example. July1st....the long weekend for the 4 th is coming and the dealer has 2 boats to repair. He can only get one fixed by the weekend. One was purchased at his dealership. The other was purchased someplace else. Which one do you think will get fixed first?

 

[ssobol]

I think what is meant by 'after the sale service' can be summed up in this example. July1st....the long weekend for the 4 th is coming and the dealer has 2 boats to repair. He can only get one fixed by the weekend. One was purchased at his dealership. The other was purchased someplace else. Which one do you think will get fixed first?

Why does it need to be repaired at all?