I bought a new boat. Here is why I did it.
1) Dealer warranty
2) Got it at a price lower than 5 year old used boats (dealership needed it off floorplan)
3) Modern equipment like electronics & windlass without having do major surgery to install on a boat not designed for those things
4) Modern construction techniques...poly/plastic water tanks and fuel tanks....I can hold city water without tanks getting eaten up from the inside from chlorine and hold fuel without having to worry about additive damage. Electrical system that wont dim or spark because it needs upgrading to modern standards.
5) Modern engine that can run for years and years without having to worry about whether it will work when I need it most.
6) foot for foot, much more interior room and much more utility...makes it more comfortable than even coastal cruisers from the past.
7) Modern conveniences like in-mast furler
8) I have features (skylights and larger ports) that make the interior bright and air flow easy...not like living in a cave. I understand the compromises that go along with said features.
9) I have a swim platform...many older designs down. This is a great feature at anchor, and I'd say a safetfy feature when offloading/onboarding.
10) Construction techniques that save weight have opened up many more days that I can sail rather than bob around in the hot sun and light air days of the florida summer. Try doing that in a full-keel 35 footer from the 70s that weighs 18,000 lbs rather than my 12,000 lbs
BTW, I have plenty of teak on my boat (I'd say too much, I'd rather have less) and my stainless is just as shiny as any vintage old shoe.
I bought our boat because its perfect for the sailing I intend to do right now...and for the next 10-12 years. I can sail in Florida and go anywhere up and down the US Coast. I can go over to the Bahamas and basically anchor almost anywhere with my sub-5 foot draft. I could even take sabbattical and go down island if I wanted.
Would I go across the Atlantic or take her to Hawaii...likely not. But I'm not in a position to do that right now anyway....I'll get my PSC 40 in due time! Would I ever buy the PSC 40 new...heck no, couldn't afford it! I'll have to live with the compromises of a used boat at that time, but thats another day. For now...I sail