New Boat Price Check

[saildutch]

How do I know I''m paying the right price for a new boat. Didn''t find many answers on the web. Most of the time you find base prices and by the time the dealer is done with it it''s 30% higher. Do dealers give realistic pricing or are they like car salesmen?

Thanks!

[Jeff_H]

Depending on the boat and model, how big the demand vs production, and how desperate the dealer is, you can usually negotiate a better price. Also there are often very good deals at boatshows. You mentally need to know exactly what you want, what you expect to pay and be prepared to strike while at the show, and then buy the boat if you can get your deal. I strongly suggest that most people, (and especially people that are pretty new to the sport) absolutely should not buy new boats, but IF YOU MUST buy new, (and in my book there is almost no excuse to buy new unless you are trying to have the latest race boat, cruisers don''t change that much), then do your home work, shop the boat at a number of dealers and then try to buy the boat at a major boatshow. One minor point. There is a slight advantage to buying the boat from a local dealer because they should be more willing to support you during the warrantee.

Jeff

[mxmunger]

Current issue of Practical Sailor has an article on boat buying, pricing, BUC book, NADA guides etc.

[halyardz]

In my situations, I''ve found BUC''s online
price guide very helpful as a rough guide.
Take Jeff''s advice and don''t buy new the first time. Just like with autos, the first
few years of depreciation is tough.

[audbydez]

The advice about not buying new is not all that sound. People buy or lease new cars very year. There are very sound reasons to buy new but you must understand how pricing works.

Every boat can be configured many different ways with many different options. Understanding that there is a base price to start from helps. However, some new boats are sold as a complete "sail-away" packages.

As far as depreciation goes - that is relative to the price you pay for the yacht. Has anyone noticed that the longer you own a yacht the less it has depreciated against it''s original selling price. With the cost of new yachts increasing significantly year after year, older boats are holding their values fairly well.

The last assumption by many who advise buying used is that all buyers have some knowledge of yacht maintenance, the desire to learn or at least competent mechanics to work on them. Sometimes, and I will assume that the new yacht has been purchased by a "reputable dealer", the dealer service and new yacht warrantees make up for any "first year" depreciation one may realize. And there is something to be said for "having it your way".

Next - on used yachts - surveyors are human and don''t always find everything wrong with a yacht. There isn''t much recourse if something does rear its ugly head shortly after the yacht is purchased.

And on a final note. New Yacht dealers are in business to sell yachts and make money. It costs money and eats into profits to floor plan a new yacht. Most dealers will work with sincere buyers to make a good deal on a new yacht, at a fair price and gain a happy customer willing to refer other buyers.

If you want new - find the boat you want and then look for a reputable dealer first and price second.

Captain Ron