Boat price negotiation

[3geese4me]

Hey guys! Wife and I are in talks with a Minot dealership on a 16' boat with a 75hp outboard. I can go onto the website and configure the boat (boat, trailer, and motor only) and get an MSRP amount. My question is how much wiggle room is there in price negotiation? I've had fairly good luck with 12% off MSRP on automobiles. But, I know that is apples to oranges in this case.

 

[Ericb]

Look into what similar set ups are going on walleye central for. I'd expect 10- 15% off should be pretty easy.

 

[ndfinfan]

Also check out other dealerships out of state for the same boat...same set up...just for comparison.

 

[Bfishn]

Just know that using a website like nada or kbb on boats is notoriously unreliable. Boats are such a regional thing as far as what types of boats sell better and hold value better. I’d try and find similar boats in the region on Bisman,Craigslist, walleye central etc. to try and get a enter idea of value.

 

[NDwalleyes]

I know Vallely is pretty firm on their prices. Unfortunately in ND the boat sales are strong and they know if you don't want to pay their price someone else will. I will say I have been impressed with their customer service and, at least in my world, that has some value.

 

[3geese4me]

I haven't ruled out going out of state, either. We just happened to get done with lunch and stopped in to see what they had and next thing you know we're talking about ordering one. He hasn't gotten back to me yet. I may also wait until the boat show in March to pull the trigger, as well. It's between the new 1675 Lund Adventure and the 1650 fish hawk from Crestliner.

 

[Feildhunter701]

Check out the dealer ship in garrison. North county marine. You won't get better service anywhere.

 

[Allen]

I haven't ruled out going out of state, either. We just happened to get done with lunch and stopped in to see what they had and next thing you know we're talking about ordering one. He hasn't gotten back to me yet. I may also wait until the boat show in March to pull the trigger, as well. It's between the new 1675 Lund Adventure and the 1650 fish hawk from Crestliner.

I'd wait until the sports shows. I think the motor manufacturers tend to give extended warranties as incentive to buy about that time every year. A couple extra years of warranty can be the difference between getting a new powerhead for free, or $9500.

 

[ndfinfan]

I haven't ruled out going out of state, either. We just happened to get done with lunch and stopped in to see what they had and next thing you know we're talking about ordering one. He hasn't gotten back to me yet. I may also wait until the boat show in March to pull the trigger, as well. It's between the new 1675 Lund Adventure and the 1650 fish hawk from Crestliner.

3geese...I am upgrading next year as well...decided to get the Lund Impact 1875...really like the way they are set up - anyway when I really started researching them this summer noticed most of the Lund dealers in ND and MN got the 2019s on their lots in late July...then the 2018s started dropping in price - my plan is to wait next summer till the 2020s start hitting the dealerships then pick up a 2019.

 

[AaronJ]

Check out the dealer ship in garrison. North county marine. You won't get better service anywhere.

Couldn't agree more. They carry G3, which will definitely have a model you would be interested in. They also carry Larson, which will get you into glass for a fraction of the price of high end glass. A few really nice non-current boats in their inventory as well in many of their boat lines.

Worth a call or drop in. Tell Jason or Laurie Aaron sent you...

 

[1804]

G3 boats suck go get a warrior you will never regret it best fishing boat built, and you are supporting a great family run business.

 

[Vollmer]

Look through the Minneapolis ads. Huge difference between here and there in my opinion.

 

[KDM]

In any negotiation, your trump card is the ability to walk away from any deal. Good Luck!!!

 

[Wild and Free]

Find the boat then find a dealer in Minnesota and save yourself many thousands versus any dealership in ND. Made this mistake twice, never again will I buy a new boat here in ND.

 

[Migrator Man]

All new boats are a rip off. Buy a used one

 

[shorthairsrus]

https://seedealercost.com/

use this ---- and then use a percentage below invoice--what that percentage is idk without doing some more research. Shop it towards east and south. West the price raises.

I know somebody always brings up the dealer relationship --- if you want the lowest price you forget about the possibility that your new motor will take a Sht. If it does well then you got ripped off anyway because its inferior in the first place. What place do you get in line.

IMO new boat motor -- you shouldnt have a day off the water during the first 5 years due to the price being so high on the motors. You squeak to the manufacture you will get dealt with regardless where you bought the motor. With social media now days

- - - Updated - - -

All new boats are a rip off. Buy a used one

i hear this all the time - new trucks new boats - r a rippoff ---- i have ran the numbers --- if you buy smart --- THAT IS THE KEY--- especially if you buy in the east and then sell used in the west.

 

[SLE]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. One guy thinks a new boat is a waste and to buy used; while the next says "for what they want for a 1-2 year old unit, I might as well buy new". Buy local is one mans thought while the next is go buy in the next state over to save a buck.......I'm not going to say one is wrong and one isn't, I've done it all. I've bought used instead of new, I've bought new, I've bought out of state, and again locally. With that said, here's my opinion FWIW;

Find the boat you want, check a couple of dealerships, find one you want to work with and think you can be happy with and move forward with your new rig. I like to support my local business when appropriate however I won't buy local if the only choice is poor service or getting completely fleeced. Spending a little more to have a local dealer in my corner, convenient service (assuming its decent) and to keep my money at home, I have absolutely no problem with. the cost of doing business is different in different places.

Is there room to negotiate on a boat, well this is a bit of a loaded question. It's like asking the same about a car and it comes down to the dealership and how they have there prices structured. Are they a best price place where it is what it is, do they inflate the prices a little so they have some room to negotiate or do they simply advertise msrp and work down from there? Again, not a right or wrong way, the only thing you can do is check the pricing at a few places (make sure it's apples to apples right down to options and accessories), weigh the pricing with services and convince and select your dealership based on your how you value those things. Two different people are going to have two different ways of looking at what some of those factors are worth to them.

 

[Allen]

The problem with buying boats is that you will have a difficult time comparing apples to apples. Boats come setup with different motors, electronics, seats, trailers, covers, etc. It all depends on what that dealership orders in the bells and whistles dept. There are an awful lot of those bells and whistles that people like me don't use, so I see no reason to pay for them. In that case you are on the right track with the ordering part so that should make it easier to compare apples to apples. Use the manufacturer's website to outfit your boat and then toss that specific order at a few different dealers to see who gets your business.

I'm one of those that may be willing to spend a few hundred to a grand extra to buy a $40-60k boat locally, but if we are talking $2k, I can justify the drive.

 

[Bfishn]

Whenever i buy a new vehicle or toy I always shop around, I then give the local Bismarck stealerships a chance to match it, they are never willing to budge. It doesn't seem to matter whether its Boats, Atv's, Motorcycles, Vehicles etc. I haven't bought a big ticket item in Bismarck for over a decade, I've bought everything in other ND cities or MN, I've also steered many people to those out of town dealerships. I sometimes wonder how the Bismarck stealerships stay in business, i guess there are a lot of stupid people here.

 

[Twitch]

Whenever i buy a new vehicle or toy I always shop around, I then give the local Bismarck stealerships a chance to match it, they are never willing to budge. It doesn't seem to matter whether its Boats, Atv's, Motorcycles, Vehicles etc. I haven't bought a big ticket item in Bismarck for over a decade, I've bought everything in other ND cities or MN, I've also steered many people to those out of town dealerships. I sometimes wonder how the Bismarck stealerships stay in business, i guess there are a lot of stupid people here.

I can see both sides of the coin here for sure but when you need warranty work do you drive all the way back to mn or do you go to the “stealerships” as you call them and go to the bottom of the line. Not being a smartass. I’m honestly curious