When to buy? Any strategists amongst us :-)

[pbolden]

Hello Everyone,

I pretty much know what I want at this point but I'm unsure when to buy. My brother who owns a boat and goes to the boat shows each year says that I will get my best deal by far at the boat show in January.

On the other hand, Boattest.com said this today:

"December is the best time to buy a new boat and get a great deal. In fact, if you’re looking for a bargain, between December 14 and the end of the year is the best time of all."

http://www.boattest.com/Resources/vi...px?NewsID=3927

I had planned on going to the boat show in Cleveland next month. Anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks,
Paul

 

[jc2009]

:agree: makes sense. demand for boats are at their lowest during winter. Im not sure if boat dealers are the same as every other retailer but most company's try to keep their inventory down before the year ends.

 

[jswope]

As I've said before, winter boat shows are a great time to get deals. Dealers want to reduce inventories before they have to declare for taxes. Plus, if you're willing and able to take it home from the show, it saves them the trouble and expense of having to move it back after the show. The down side is for the duration of the show you have little kids and big "kids" climbing on and playing with all the buttons, steering, thottle, taking the seats off, etc. I've seen it happen too often that rude people still play with and climb on boats in spite of the "sold" sign. Almost always, though, dealers will fix any show damage before you take delivery. Just make sure you get that provision included in the deal.

 

[seadoosnipe]

Boat shows?...

Hello Everyone,

I pretty much know what I want at this point but I'm unsure when to buy. My brother who owns a boat and goes to the boat shows each year says that I will get my best deal by far at the boat show in January.

On the other hand, Boattest.com said this today:

"December is the best time to buy a new boat and get a great deal. In fact, if you’re looking for a bargain, between December 14 and the end of the year is the best time of all."

http://www.boattest.com/Resources/vi...px?NewsID=3927

I had planned on going to the boat show in Cleveland next month. Anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks,
Paul

I'm not a super fan of these "boat shows" or even the gun shows. It seems, in the past, I've gone out to these shows, taken notes and then, after a show is over, find these same boats (or guns) on the lot for a lesser price. Yeah, I agree that this is the slow time of the year and that most dealers are looking to dump their inventory. But, price is usually always dictated by what the dealer or seller (owner looking to sell) has done or will have to do before the sale.

For instance, if there is a boat in a lot that came from the dealer and sat there, with nothing but someone to clean it from time to time, would be a cheaper and better buy than one that was tagged along to a boat show. When a dealer takes boats to a show, he has to pay fees. Those fees are usually passed down to the buyer.

I'm very much a pessimist in my day to day living in that, we get nothing for free. Everytime our government (be it city, state or federal) increases some sort of fee on a business, who pays for it? We do! All the business owner will do is pass that expense down. We usually pay for all costs incurred by a business.

So, if there is a gun show and this gun dealer has that gun sitting for sale in a show room glass somewhere for $100 bucks. He can't sale it at the show for that. He had to spend his time (hourly wages) to get all this stuff packed up, transported, booths rented, unpacked and someone to sit their and haggle with a prospective buyer. There would be money lost if he sold that gun now for $100 bucks or less. It just doesn't add up........

 

[dlowings]

I'm with snipe on this one, I've looked at the SAME boats on the lot after the boat show.. It just seems to me 1. it is always marked down more after the show, and or 2. you can talk them down below what it was at the show.. I always go to the show to get ideas but past that, I shop around with ball park numbers in my head.

 

[mudpie]

now is the time to buy!!
i know my shop has left over '09 models new in the box
and '10 models on there way, so they want old stock out of here
alot of dealers will not make it thru the winter, due to the economy
we already bought out one dealers inventory that folded
got crazy deals on honda atv's and street bikes
if ya got the loot, now is the time
mud
p.s
any ski or atv, take the savings and buy a extended warranty

 

[pbolden]

Thanks for all the great advice, you guys are great!

Paul