Best times to buy boats?

[superbenk]

We've been tossing around the idea of buying a new boat & lookin around semi-seriously. I got to thinking about the season and wondered if there is a big difference in buying a boat now at the beginning of summer vs. In the fall? I would assume demand drops significantly in the fall after the season & there might be some good deals then. But then I worry that pickings might be slim after the season when nobody has their mind on boats anymore. Thoughts? How do dealerships respond to the end of the season? Are there good sales in the fall to unload their remaining inventory from the summer?

 

[marcortez]

Re: Best times to buy boats?

Off season, whenever that is in your neck of the woods.
Late fall, early winter.....before Xmas.

 

[JimKW]

Re: Best times to buy boats?

I think the best time to buy a boat is NOW!

I bought mine the beginning of August last year and wish I would have got it sooner. I just didn't have enough time to enjoy it before I had to have it winterized.

I have heard, but don't know if it's true, that the market for boats and RV's really dies after the 4th of July and dealers know this and want to sell before the 4th and right after the 4th is when you can get a good deal.

I would not wait until Fall just to buy it and put it up for the winter. Just my opinion, but I would even rather pay a little more now and be able to enjoy it for most of this season.

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: Best times to buy boats?

I think the best time to buy a boat is NOW!

I agree with Jim, Its a buyers market !!!.
Theres still alot of low balling going on the prices of what you can get and what it really sells for.

 

[2ndtry]

Re: Best times to buy boats?

Hard to argue with buying now, because you will get plenty of use out of it this year. If price is a major factor in your purchase, however, you'll save about 20% buying in late fall/early winter. Like you mentioned, you will not have as many options and by the time you get it wet it will be last years model.

I saved about 4K on a 20K boat by waiting from the fall boat show (in Sept) until November. I got the last one of the model I wanted the dealer had. It was tan (not my first choice in color), but had all the options I wanted. The dealer wanted it gone, and actually surprised me by advertising the price that was much lower than the price we had negotiated a few months earlier!

 

[wbc1957]

Re: Best times to buy boats?

Buying now and enjoying its use is always good. Plus waiting to buy in the fall, if the one you want is even available, will put you in the mindset of getting a great deal, but you real use comes next year, where the boat is now a one year old model with less value also.

Now for used boats, I believe the best time is in the spring! Any boat being sold then is to be suspected of possible damage due to poor winterizing, in our mid to northern states. These issues found with proper inspection, can lead to price adjustments to factor in a replacement engine. Therefore, if you factor that in, a good deal can be made from someone in the mood to just cut their losses.

 

[superbenk]

Re: Best times to buy boats?

Well I have a boat now, it's just 30 hrs old and somewhat troublesome. I'm fine with enjoying the boat I have for this season and picking up something different to tinker with over the winter & customize if it means getting a better deal. Also, I'm mainly talking used boats here though if a new one had the right deal, I'd be interested. Finally, my bar is set pretty low with the boat I have now, so I'm not necessarily searching for any specific boat, just one that fits some loose features I have in my mind. In other words, I'm flexible & fairly handy, just tired of ALWAYS fixing things & worrying about whether the boat is going to run or not when we get to the ramp.

 

[superbenk]

Re: Best times to buy boats?

When to buy? Anytime the wallet feels fat enough.

That's part of the problem, the wallet is never fat enough!

 

[jdsgrog]

Re: Best times to buy boats?

It really depends on the market and what you are looking for. Right now is a buyer's market. Also, I find that there is more selection now than there is in the fall/winter, though prices are generally better in the late fall to Christmas. Once spring comes, prices rise for most boats. For utility boats and john boats, late summer and fall seems to be the time when prices increase due to hunting season.

Now on a personal note, I'd probably look in the fall if I had a boat already. Not too late that you can't test it. If it needs work, you can make it into a winter project and have it ready by spring.

 

[RickJ6956]

Re: Best times to buy boats?

If you buy at the end of the season you'll pay that payment every month for at least 6 months. A typical $250 payment = $1,500. Add the cost of winter storage = $400. Winterizing = $250. Insurance = $200.

That's $2,350 before you've even put it in the water!

 

[superbenk]

Re: Best times to buy boats?

If you buy at the end of the season you'll pay that payment every month for at least 6 months. A typical $250 payment = $1,500. Add the cost of winter storage = $400. Winterizing = $250. Insurance = $200.

That's $2,350 before you've even put it in the water!

Probably pay cash or have it paid for by Christmas & it gets stored in the yard on the side of the house. But point taken, though it seems to apply more to a new boat purchase where you're more concerned with immediate depreciation.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Best times to buy boats?

keep in mind that even if the price drops 20% in the off season, your selection is going to drop by 50% or more. Doesn't help much if all that is available is cheaper crap.

 

[superbenk]

Re: Best times to buy boats?

keep in mind that even if the price drops 20% in the off season, your selection is going to drop by 50% or more. Doesn't help much if all that is available is cheaper crap.

I wouldn't expect that kind of depreciation on a used boat. Still seems like an argument for a brand new purchase which (as I said) I'm not really planning on.

 

[JimKW]

Re: Best times to buy boats?

When you're talkin used boats you need to be patient and just look for a while and see whats out there and what the prices are on them. I always build an excel spreadsheet so I can look at one single place and compare prices and what you are getting for the money.

Also I find that when I show a seller a spreadsheet with real prices that they can look-up themselves it gives you bartering power. Then when you find the deal and the boat you want you sometimes have to act fast.

The later in the year it gets the more an individual selling a boat gets concerned that it will not sell this year. I watched the boat I bought for about a month then offered him about 15% less than what he was asking and he took it. I went with him to the bank and saw him throw in $2,000+ of his own money to get the title. A dealer is probably better set to keep the boat until next spring if he doesn't get close to what he's looking to get.

 

[26aftcab454]

Re: Best times to buy boats?

new car dealers association said today in the news if you buy a vehicle at the end of the month you can expect to save 10%

 

[RickJ6956]

Re: Best times to buy boats?

I went with him to the bank and saw him throw in $2,000+ of his own money to get the title.

I was the only nibble the seller had in three years. I offered him nearly $10,000 under his asking price and he took it. He cut a check to the bank for $22,500 the day we did the deal.

People get upside down on their boat payments all the time, and it's usually for one of two reasons: Either they don't have a high enough down payment to offset the depreciation, or (as in the case of my seller) they keep trading up and lose money on every deal.

 

[riptide09]

Re: Best times to buy boats?

I bought my '03 Four Winns from the original owner last October. He was tired of making monthly payments at some really bad interest rate of like 14% and he also financed the boat for 10 or 12 years. He had to caught up almost $1000 in addition to what I paid to get the paper on the boat. In retrospect I also paid to much.

Early spring is bad because people get boating fever and want to get on the water. Wait till mid July or August and the deals on used boats are better. Wouldn't know about new boats. I have never owned a spakin' new boat in my life. I am a firm believer in letting the other guy take the initial hit on depreciation.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Best times to buy boats?

December, January, February is the best time.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Best times to buy boats?

I wouldn't expect that kind of depreciation on a used boat. Still seems like an argument for a brand new purchase which (as I said) I'm not really planning on.

not depreciation, just the number of boats for sale... My local online ads currently have a couple hundred, during the winter that drops to 50 or less. So even if the prices are lower, you might not find what you are looking for.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Best times to buy boats?

I wouldn't expect that kind of depreciation on a used boat. Still seems like an argument for a brand new purchase which (as I said) I'm not really planning on.

I bought my 24' Wellcraft boat when it was 3 years old. The original owner paid $42K including taxes. I bought it from him for $20K. They drop a lot and this was when the economy was in pretty good shape.

I still think the winter is the best time. There may be less boats for sale but the ratio of buyers to sellers is way lower.