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Old 04-09-2019, 09:23 AM   #1
witchboat
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Default Buying a used boat

I am looking to purchase a 20' preowned boat, from a local marina.
I have an online quote including a trade-in.

My question is do how much price negotiation is there
will dealers come down from thier listed prices
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Old 04-09-2019, 09:47 AM   #2
burgerunh
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Everything depends on how bad you want the boat.

It is spring and prime buying/selling season. You can always try to make an offer for 75%-85% of their asking price and see what happens.

In my opinion you would be in a much better negotiating position if it was September or October or the middle of winter. They probably aren't looking to give anything away right now.
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Old 04-09-2019, 10:41 AM   #3
Descant
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Default Not much room here

Is this a place you plan to do business for several years? Be straightforward. "I really like this boat, but it's a little outside my planned budget, and I'm concerned if something major needs repair. Is there anything you can do to help me?" If he says "Not at this time of year", "This is a popular model; It won't last long", etc, you've gotten an indication and you didn't make an insulting low-ball offer. If he offers a limited warranty of some sort, winter storage or some such, you can say "I don't need winter storage, can you take $$ ?
Don't delay too much. I was looking at two boats in VA this March, both sold before I could get there to see them in person. I found a similar boat on the Chesapeake Bay and we flew to MD to see it. HAH! Seeing it in person, the wife didn't like it, and we'd been searching in several states for a particular model. Good thing we didn't sell boat #1. Found a second choice model locally and called to schedule an appointment. "Sorry the boat sold and it's still on the web site until the survey is done, tomorrow."
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Old 04-09-2019, 11:18 AM   #4
Woodsy
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GET. A. SURVEY.

It will save you headache in the long run..... I don't care how reputable the marina you are buying from is.

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Old 04-09-2019, 11:56 AM   #5
thinkxingu
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When in the "buying" season, I look to intangibles for value: storage, service freebies, accessory credits, etc. Those things may not cost the dealer much to throw in, but they can save the buyer a lot. That applies to things they may be including that you don't need--crappy anchors, PFDs, etc.

Good luck!

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Old 04-09-2019, 05:23 PM   #6
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Default Make any offer you want

IMHO boats depreciate 20% year one and then 10% each year after that until they reach 50% If a boat is brokered then the client makes the final call on what they will or will not take. Some people are more anxious to sell the boat and some stubbornly stick to what they want versus what the market is bearing for their boat.

Go online and look at boat trader and yacht world and see what the asking price is for boats that you want to buy. It will help you get a feel for the market. If you are buying through a marina that have access to closed sales and should be willing to show you those sales. If not go someplace else.

No matter what you do before you buy any used boat and some say even a new boat you must have it surveyed.

Good luck and happy hunting.
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Old 04-09-2019, 05:30 PM   #7
Cal Coon
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Quote:
Originally Posted by burgerunh View Post
Everything depends on how bad you want the boat.

It is spring and prime buying/selling season. You can always try to make an offer for 75%-85% of their asking price and see what happens.

In my opinion you would be in a much better negotiating position if it was September or October or the middle of winter. They probably aren't looking to give anything away right now.
I agree 100% with depending on how bad you want this boat. It is a sellers market this time of year, and it could go quick. If you have certain criteria you want in a boat, and this boat meets it, I would buy it, (as long as it's not ridiculously overpriced). If it doesn't meet all your criteria, but you would buy it for the "right" price, then you can be a little more flexible, make an offer, and continue to look if it doesn't work out. Many, many factors to consider when buying a boat. One of the thing's you need to ask yourself is, "is the type of boat I'm looking for a common type of boat, readily available to purchase somewhere, or is it a unique, and "hard to find" style of a boat I don't want to be to picky about", or somewhere in-between!! Decisions, decisions, decisions... Good Luck.
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Old 04-09-2019, 06:20 PM   #8
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Many times the used boat at a dealer is a brokered boat and not owned by the dealer. Although that usually happens in larger boats, it can be the case in almost any size. People may sign with a dealer to broker their boat but they still use it. Sometimes it is a situation where they want a new boat and they tell the dealer if their current boat sells they will buy a new one.

I bought a 34 foot boat in Alexandria Bay NY and had it trucked to the lake. After a test ride/drive I made an offer and the salesman had to go call the owner to see if they would accept the offer, and they did.

It has never bothered me to search a large area to find the right boat or used car. I have tried to stick with fresh water only boats and that has worked so far.

If you search a lot of places from Craigslist on Lake of the Ozarks to Boat Trader, Boats.com and other boating sites there are a lot of boats and good deals out there. In the search criteria I sometimes put the Chicago zip code (60606) and search within 500 miles to stay with fresh water boats.

If you find the ideal boat for you and get a great deal, the cost of transportation can become insignificant.
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Old 04-09-2019, 09:08 PM   #9
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The used boat market is pretty good. I traded in my boat last year and the dealer sold it in less than a week. New boat pricing keeps going up and that is helping the used market. Combine that with the timing that we are coming into the boating season and your leverage won't be great. With all that said, it can't hurt to ask.
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