Which manufacturer typically has the lowest depreciation/best bang for the buck?

[Fastaction2853]

I am curious which runabouts/cruisers, like a bow rider or cuddy, manufacturers have the lowest depreciation, best bang for the buck etc.

As a guy looking for my first boat and attending some boat shows very soon too look at whats available, possibly get a great deal, and just drool over some Gel Coat I am wondering what the years of experience here can offer me in terms of input. If it matters I am looking in the 19-23 foot range.

Thanks!!

 

[ryanr623]

Re: Which manufacturer typically has the lowest depreciation/best bang for the buck?

I am curious which runabouts/cruisers, like a bow rider or cuddy, manufacturers have the lowest depreciation, best bang for the buck etc.

As a guy looking for my first boat and attending some boat shows very soon too look at whats available, possibly get a great deal, and just drool over some Gel Coat I am wondering what the years of experience here can offer me in terms of input. If it matters I am looking in the 19-23 foot range.

Thanks!!

Decided against the cobalt eh? Probably a wise decision.

Sea Ray, Regal, Cobalt, Four Winns, Wellcraft and Chris Craft all make top Tier runabouts. Depends on what style you like. First 3 are always in JDpower top tiers in excellence.

 

[Fastaction2853]

Re: Which manufacturer typically has the lowest depreciation/best bang for the buck?

Have not had a chance to look at their pre-owed inventory yet (weather has been nasty here)

But in my online shopping I have grown curious about this topic. Planning on visiting a boat show this weekend and next too!

 

[jonesg]

Re: Which manufacturer typically has the lowest depreciation/best bang for the buck?

The fully composite boats would be the only ones where value retained relates to reality.
The rest of them are just as liable to be rendered near worthless if not cared for properly, preferably by experienced boaters, not the guy who thinks its a sports car on water. Its nothing like buying a car where a mercedes actually IS a superior engineered vehicle.
With boats its a one by one process.
Take your time and learn how to inspect a boat, what to look out for, how to spot the warning signs.

A couple of labels that always seem to retain their value are Jones Bros and Boston Whaler but you'll pay dearly.

But for newcomers to boating, alum wins hands down, they retain value too.

 

[Robbabob]

Re: Which manufacturer typically has the lowest depreciation/best bang for the buck?

+2

The best boat is one that is properly maintained. Never buy new until you are experienced and know exactly what you want and plan on keeping it "forever"; that is, unless you have a lot of extra money

If you shop around, the best deal is probbaly from a private owner (rather than from a marina). However, you have to know what to ask and listen to the answers to pick up on what is truth. Then still, you must take it out on the water for a test ride, testing everything. THEN, have the engine checked out by a professional boat mechanic. This final test will run about $150 or so. Well worth the price than buying a piece of junk that made it through a test ride.

Best thing about this iBoats forum, do you shopping around and post questions about the specific boats you find. It'll be a wonderful learning experience before you purchase, too.

Good luck!

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: Which manufacturer typically has the lowest depreciation/best bang for the buck?

Sea Ray.

 

[bradtw191]

Re: Which manufacturer typically has the lowest depreciation/best bang for the buck?

Sea Ray.

i gots me a little one

 

[DaNinja]

Re: Which manufacturer typically has the lowest depreciation/best bang for the buck?

+2

The best boat is one that is properly maintained. Never buy new until you are experienced and know exactly what you want and plan on keeping it "forever"; that is, unless you have a lot of extra money

If you shop around, the best deal is probbaly from a private owner (rather than from a marina). However, you have to know what to ask and listen to the answers to pick up on what is truth. Then still, you must take it out on the water for a test ride, testing everything. THEN, have the engine checked out by a professional boat mechanic. This final test will run about $150 or so. Well worth the price than buying a piece of junk that made it through a test ride.

Best thing about this iBoats forum, do you shopping around and post questions about the specific boats you find. It'll be a wonderful learning experience before you purchase, too.

Good luck!

Yep. It's not the brand, but the owners.
I'm sure there are ninja level actuaries that can tell your what brands are better maintained by their owners.
That is probably reflected in book values.

I am partial to SeaRay's as well.

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Which manufacturer typically has the lowest depreciation/best bang for the buck?

And Bryant. Limited production manufacturer but really good stuff from what I've seen. If I were in the market for a runabout they'd be on my list.

 

[sickwilly]

Re: Which manufacturer typically has the lowest depreciation/best bang for the buck?

I think you are kind of asking to different questions, as the boats that I believe are the best bang for the buck in the lengths you specify are not the boats that depreciate the least in the same.

But I agree, find a 2-3 year old boat some guy bought new with 14 hours on it, and steel it for half what he paid. I found my stingray in brand new condition with 14.3 hours on it and negotiated the guy throwing in all the boating stuff he financed when he bought the boat brand new. Its now going on its 7th summer and you would think it is still brand new.

 

[jonesg]

Re: Which manufacturer typically has the lowest depreciation/best bang for the buck?

There are deals where the owner financed it , what a foolish thing to do, then got cut at work and is desperate to unload it to save the house.
Sometimes you can just take over the payments , an unwise thing to do financially , or get it cheap for cash.
But I would not want a boat that requires financing, never for a first boat.

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: Which manufacturer typically has the lowest depreciation/best bang for the buck?

This is just a guess based on what I have seen for sale and assuming they are well cared for. All boats seem to drop about 40-50% of what you paid within the first 4-5 years. Next 4-5 years they drop by about 1/2 again. After that really well cared for boats seem to stabilize as long as the type is still in style. As far as brands the ones mentioned above are quality boats with recognizable names, that makes a big difference in marketing a used boat. Whether justified or not there are some brands out there that have had quality issues in the past and that mark takes a long time to overcome. Those will sell for a lot less. So here is my take on boat buying: I love boat shows. You are able to look at a lot of brands in a short amount of time and find the one that fits your needs as far as set up goes. With that information you can narrow it down and go search for a used boat that someone else has already taken the biggest hit on depreciation.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Which manufacturer typically has the lowest depreciation/best bang for the buck?

Boat brand popularity varies a lot by region. What are the most popular brands in your area? I think that will have a lot to do with guesstimating future resale value.

Around here (Long Island) used Searays seem to command higher prices than most. By the same logic, you can't swing a cat by the tail without hitting one. They seem to be all over the place.

I also agree with buying used for the first boat. If you come to really like boating, you'll be looking for something different or bigger in a couple years. If you don't like it, you'll be trying to unload the boat. Either way, you'll take the worst of the depreciation hit.

My .02

 

[jkust]

Re: Which manufacturer typically has the lowest depreciation/best bang for the buck?

I would wholeheartedly disagree with the Sea Ray premise especially the mid to almost recent 2000's. I am actually suprised they were brought up at all. The under 20 footer are substandard in appointments and even cockpit design compared to some other similarly priced brands. They have gotten better the last few years but it's like they haven't visited a competitor's showroom to see where they are lacking. The larger Sea Ray's are a different story. Some manufacturers build and appoint their small boats like their biggest cruisers, Sea Ray didn't seem to be one of them. We have a Sea Ray dealer just up the street from us and is where I get winterized. Even the Sea Ray salespeople recognize this. In this economy, I've seen some of the supposed better brands sold for low prices I couldn't believe. The larger the boat, the fewer buyers and the more desperate people become. The key is to find someone not underwater assuming they have a loan. When I shopped newer boats, everyone had a loan and couldn't deal like you'd have hoped. The boat was worth less than they owed so if they sell they take a loss and write a check to the bank.

 

[etracer68]

Re: Which manufacturer typically has the lowest depreciation/best bang for the buck?

I have had boats for over 30 years, and have to agree with jkust, on the Sea Rays. I would think a Whaler, or Grady White, would hold value pretty good.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Which manufacturer typically has the lowest depreciation/best bang for the buck?

Based on the prices I see, a well taken care of Whaler is a good investment...

 

[infideltarget]

Re: Which manufacturer typically has the lowest depreciation/best bang for the buck?

I have had boats for over 30 years, and have to agree with jkust, on the Sea Rays. I would think a Whaler, or Grady White, would hold value pretty good.

I may be wrong here, but I guessed he was looking for an inland lake type boat...he said bowrider or cuddy, which leads me to think more of a sport-boat or ski boat type rather than anything that says Boston Whaler or Grady White on it. Those may well hold excellent value in comparison, but I think he is looking more to the sporty-boat area.

I am a Craigslist junkie, and have shopped for (used) boats pretty much continuously for the past four years. What I have noticed, using both regional (South East TN, and 250 mile radius) and some national searches (Ebay, Craigslist, BoatTrader, Facebook Marketplace) is that different boats hold value better in different regions. This has been stated before I know. Fishing boats like the Whaler and Grady do well near coastal or large inland lakes where 19-23' sport boats are a dime a dozen. In my area, (again, the SE USA) a Whaler or Grady would be all but useless, and make better fish restaurant road side signage than anything else. In shopping for a used 20-23' bowrider, this is what I found: Sea Ray, Four Winns, Donzi, Cobalt, Chris Craft, Bryant, Mariah, and Wellcraft all seem to bring higher prices and hold that price longer (when maintained or restored properly) and seem to be very popular. The lesser ones seem to be Bayliner, Maxum, Tahoe, Regal, Chapparal, and Larson. Some of these may still be popular (there are Bayliners EVERYWHERE) and may even be good boats, but when equally appointed and powered and in equal condition, they will not bring the same money as the "top tier" boats. In purpose built boats in that size, Mastercraft is the runaway favorite, and holds its value far better than Malibu, Supra, Tige, Centurion, or even Nautique. All of which may be great boats, and are all VERY expensive, but nothing can bring the resale of a Mastercraft.

Hope this helps. Not meaning to offend anyone if you own a Bayliner or such, just listing my personal observations from for sale listings over the past few years.

 

[jkust]

Re: Which manufacturer typically has the lowest depreciation/best bang for the buck?

I may be wrong here, but I guessed he was looking for an inland lake type boat...he said bowrider or cuddy, which leads me to think more of a sport-boat or ski boat type rather than anything that says Boston Whaler or Grady White on it. Those may well hold excellent value in comparison, but I think he is looking more to the sporty-boat area.

I am a Craigslist junkie, and have shopped for (used) boats pretty much continuously for the past four years. What I have noticed, using both regional (South East TN, and 250 mile radius) and some national searches (Ebay, Craigslist, BoatTrader, Facebook Marketplace) is that different boats hold value better in different regions. This has been stated before I know. Fishing boats like the Whaler and Grady do well near coastal or large inland lakes where 19-23' sport boats are a dime a dozen. In my area, (again, the SE USA) a Whaler or Grady would be all but useless, and make better fish restaurant road side signage than anything else. In shopping for a used 20-23' bowrider, this is what I found: Sea Ray, Four Winns, Donzi, Cobalt, Chris Craft, Bryant, Mariah, and Wellcraft all seem to bring higher prices and hold that price longer (when maintained or restored properly) and seem to be very popular. The lesser ones seem to be Bayliner, Maxum, Tahoe, Regal, Chapparal, and Larson. Some of these may still be popular (there are Bayliners EVERYWHERE) and may even be good boats, but when equally appointed and powered and in equal condition, they will not bring the same money as the "top tier" boats. In purpose built boats in that size, Mastercraft is the runaway favorite, and holds its value far better than Malibu, Supra, Tige, Centurion, or even Nautique. All of which may be great boats, and are all VERY expensive, but nothing can bring the resale of a Mastercraft.

Hope this helps. Not meaning to offend anyone if you own a Bayliner or such, just listing my personal observations from for sale listings over the past few years.

I agree that it seemed he was looking for an inland lake boat as well. Here in MN where everyone has a boat and maybe even a lake home, In my 30+ years of boating, I've never seen a Donzi, maybe 2 Bryants, almost never a Chris Craft, and a Mariah is a rare animal too. We never would see a Whaler or a Grady on anything but the top end lakes. Suprisingly, expensive ski boats including all the brands above are everywhere and mostly people are just cruising with them which I can't quite figure out. Regal tends to be a respected brand for good reason, Chaparral generally only on the top tier of lakes where a heavy hull is needed along with Cobalt. Maxum was ok but no longer in production and I always felt they were a bit overpriced, Larson again ho hum but made in MN so there are a lot and Tahoe is Tahoe. Bayliner gets unfairly bashed these days but there are a lot of them and they do a good job of filling a certain space in the industry. What happens here in MN is that there are so many boats, the majority of what you see on the water are older, poorly maintained, beat up boats. At the ramp its maybe 7 beaters to 1 newer boat (but 7 nice trucks). On the higher end and larger lakes where the money is and people want to be seen, the heavier hull boats are all over and you see far fewer beaters. Until I started going to the nicer lakes, I had never seen a single Chaparral. On those lakes I have been in a line of them going through channels. Without even looking at a boat, checking the dry weight compared to its peers on NADA tells me a lot. A heavier hull simply takes chop and rides better. It is generally not heavier because they fill it with cement but higher end material, and more robust construction given the same engine.

 

[bradtw191]

Re: Which manufacturer typically has the lowest depreciation/best bang for the buck?

I looked forever for a small runabout. At first I was pretty set on just getting a cheap mid to late 90s bayliner. Then i found a 1990 Sea Ray that looked nice and was described to be in perfect condition. When i went to look at it i was stunned at the condition, the 20 year old interior looked like it just rolled off the lot brand new. I thought it had been redone but it was original. The hull seems to be 10x as solid as a comparable bayliner or even newer Sea Ray. So I bought it. Basically i could have gotten a slightly newer bayliner for the same price but i love the solid feel of my boat and i think it will ride much better than others i looked at. To me its worth it. I have actually seen boats just like mine for up to 10k and ones for 5k that were ragged out. i paid 4500 and she looks brand new. my advice os to shop long and shop hard and you will find a gem

 

[macsfriended]

Re: Which manufacturer typically has the lowest depreciation/best bang for the buck?

The Boston Whaler is among the top brands in low depreciation for the right reasons.

A 17 to 21 ft BW is a great lake boat and their low maint. and easy to live with designs and materials is a plus, plus.

While you will see many fishing offshore and the fact that they can safely handle taller water is another plus, plus for them.

I don't just like BW center console hulls - I love them. Lots of room to easily move around. All the fun of boating with very little fuss. Easy care (i.e. quick brushing and hose them out), and very little fragile and labor intensive upholstery, light enough for easy trailering, and on and on.

Lastly, the real test is that BW owners rarely move out of that brand. We move up or often keep them even when a different boat is acquired (I did.)