out of business

[pine island fred]

This weekend a friend told me that BAJA, MONARCH and some other builder went out of business. Missed the whole thing. True story? Thing are getting tough out there! At least in florida. FRED

 

[pine island fred]

Re: out of business

Same friends lady friend has a house in TAMPA. Few years ago she owed 78K on it, now after refinancing a few time, the mortage is 287K and she has filed for bankrupsy. She is also planning a 3 day cruise out of TAMPA and a trip to CONN. Wanted to know what my neighbors GRADY-WHITE is selling for. What am I missing here??? Sorry to get off topic. FRED

 

[pine island fred]

Re: out of business

Should have done a search first. Looks like this is old news.

 

[OldePharte]

Re: out of business

Baja was sold to Reggie Fountain who will produce some selected models.

Can't find anything about Monarch.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: out of business

Fred, Brunswick, which owns Merc, and about 30 brands of boats, is even closing many of it's plants. seems like it was 11 plants.

 

[wca_tim]

Re: out of business

Fountain hasn't been pumping a lot of boats out... used to see them testing running shakedowns, etc... pretty quiet over there. Grady white has recently laid off a lot of people - including some people I know. I hear that Overton's (also in town) isn't doing a stellar business this year, and haven't heard anything specific about Parker and some of the others here, but there are a lot of new boats sitting in sales lots everywhere I drive by and a number of really nice used ones that the price keeps dropping. A guy I know ythat sells a lot of parts says that people just aren't buying very much. The river is a LOT lighter on boat traffic than in pervious years - even on labor day! Sone days it's a lot more peaceful, I can especially the guys running the FAST tunnel hulls up where the river is flat apreciate the lack of more traffic... heck, even the hs kids wakeboarding are stacking more in one boat than taking several.

economy down

work getting scarcer

gas is up and staying there

food is going up

It's not good times, and I think we all have a sense it's gonna get (maybe a lot) worse before getting better.

what are you gonna buy? Gas and boat stuff or food for your kids?



Yea, me too on gas and boat stuff, but I don't think we can keep the boating industry afloat on our own...

 

[bomar76]

Re: out of business

Baja was sold to Reggie Fountain who will produce some selected models.

Can't find anything about Monarch.

Actually.....
Brunswick GAVE the molds and the Baja name to Reggie. If you read through the "sale" it says that the debt is forgiven as long a s Reggie continues to buy Merc engines and drives. Reggie assumed no obligations from the former Baja Marine Corporation.
Reggie's financials are so bad he couldn't finance a pancake dinner at IHOP if his life depended upon it. His company is in serious default on notes and he owes Brunswick a freight train load os $$$ for engines and drives. Fountain stock is about to be delisted.

 

[5150abf]

Re: out of business

I have been in the boat business for 21 years and have talked to people that have been in it since the 60's and we all agree this is by far the worst we have ever seen it.

Alot of companies have just given up and I hear all the time about dealers going under.

We(Bennington) just had 8 days off but we are planning on running 12 boats a day 5 days a week from here on out, these are all sold units as we don't run any "stock" boats.

It is ugly and will stay that way for at least 6 months to a year.

 

[modernrocketry]

Re: out of business

Needed some work done on my Novurania to get it ready for winter cruising.

The shop in Long Beach California that works on my dink couldn't take it.
Not because he was so busy with other work -- no room in the yard for a 14' boat. He said many people were EXTREMELY slow to pay and thus he doesn't release the boat, but can't fit any new ones either.
Bad times

 

[erikgreen]

Re: out of business

Crystal Pierz, one of the larger dealers in the MN Metro area, has downscaled and closed many of its shops, I think about half.

Things are tough all over... but I can't help think there are other contributing factors....

 

[pine island fred]

Re: out of business

Realized things were slow out there but these stories are things that dont seem to make it to the news. Is the party over???
Short story, IKE is out in the gulf bringing rain. Figured it would be a good time to buy the last pickup I will ever own and also do a bit for the economy, not that I can make a difference. Go to the FORD dealer in FT. MYERS, tell them I want a stripped down truck, only needs an A/C and an 8 ft. bed ( dont make to many like that anymore) , tell them what I will pay, 10K , cash as a starting barganing point. Lots of trucks on the lot with the price on the window around 14K plus for an F-150. They refuse to move on the prices so I wont move my offer. I was the only customer there.
Coming back to the island I stop at the CHEVY dealer in CAPE CORAL. Employee pricing! Price on the window! Trucks were at least 2K over a similar FORDS. OK, lets start with what you can sell me for 10K. Price is on the window and they refuse to budge. Well so do I. Again I was the only buyer at the dealership. Can only figure they plan to make up for their lost volume buy making those who buy pay more.
Dont really need a new truck but my MERC 50 will probably give up the ghost soon, think that is where my money will go. Thanks for listening FRED

 

[cmcpherson]

Re: out of business

Realized things were slow out there but these stories are things that dont seem to make it to the news. Is the party over???
Short story, IKE is out in the gulf bringing rain. Figured it would be a good time to buy the last pickup I will ever own and also do a bit for the economy, not that I can make a difference. Go to the FORD dealer in FT. MYERS, tell them I want a stripped down truck, only needs an A/C and an 8 ft. bed ( dont make to many like that anymore) , tell them what I will pay, 10K , cash as a starting barganing point. Lots of trucks on the lot with the price on the window around 14K plus for an F-150. They refuse to move on the prices so I wont move my offer. I was the only customer there.
Coming back to the island I stop at the CHEVY dealer in CAPE CORAL. Employee pricing! Price on the window! Trucks were at least 2K over a similar FORDS. OK, lets start with what you can sell me for 10K. Price is on the window and they refuse to budge. Well so do I. Again I was the only buyer at the dealership. Can only figure they plan to make on up for their lost volume buy making those who buy pay more.
Dont really need a new truck but my MERC 50 will probably give up the ghost soon, think that is where my money will go. Thanks for listening FRED

So what is the dealership supposed to do, take a loss just to make you happy? They rely on incentives from the mfg to make these deals work and I am sure it is cheaper to sit on the inventory than to take a huge loss selling to you.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: out of business

For once I have to agree with cmcpherson. I don't see how you expected to buy a brand new full size truck for $10k. And I definitely don't see how them not selling you one for that price is an indicator of the poor econony. I would think it would indicate the opposite.

 

[cmcpherson]

Re: out of business

For once I have to agree with cmcpherson. I don't see how you expected to buy a brand new full size truck for $10k. And I definitely don't see how them not selling you one for that price is an indicator of the poor econony. I would think it would indicate the opposite.

Aside from the negative comment about me of which I sure hope the moderators take note, I don't think it is a necessarily a sign of the economy at all, more like a sign of good business. If you wanted to insult them why did you not start at $5K?

 

[tmh]

Re: out of business

When you mention you offered $10K for a new truck, you lose credibility here AND at the dealership. There's no "negotiating" sillyness. You might as well have been a 12 year old offering his bicycle as a trade and expecting $5k for it!

Just silly and a waste of folks' time.

 

[cmcpherson]

Re: out of business

The other thing is, cash does not mean squat to them, they make money when they finance. This is not 1955!

 

[pine island fred]

Re: out of business

Gee, I guess I gave the wrong impression. I never expected to buy a new truck for 10K. But unless prices have gone up, 11 plus will or could get you a new ranger. Past vehical purchases, my experience has been that I find the unit I want and pay the price that they want. This time was different, if they were willing to move on there price, they could have made a sale. The F-150s for 14 plus were nice well equiped trucks, more than I wanted with useless bells and whistles. I was in the mood to buy one but I guess the price on the window is the price SOMEBODY will pay. As I mentioned, the CHEVYS were at least 2K more than a similar FORD, and thats employee pricing???
I wanted and told them I was interested in a stripped down truck, the kind that there commercial unit sells to the county and utilities. 12 1/2 to 13k would have been a sale for that unit. Goes right over there head and CHEVY want to put me in a 44K avalanch with 6 yr financing. Clearly we are not on the same page. If I was insulting there intelligence, they overlooked it by insisting I drive one of the trucks.
A side note, the FORD dealer also owned COLONIAL SUZIKI. Last time I had my oil changed the lot was overflowing with new cars. Today it is out of business. If I need work done on my VERONA ( as popular as 55 KAISERS ) I have to go over 60 miles for warrenty work. So if people dont pay there price, the vehicals will sit until all of us taxpayers pony up the 50 billion that they want to bail them out. regards FRED

 

[cmcpherson]

Re: out of business

Guess this goes over my head too(roll eyes), everyone thinks just because the economy is bad that everyone else should just rollover and play dead. I am still trying to figure our your ramblings, so you think they sell you 1 pickup for the same price that they sell fleets for? No wonder they would not give you the time of day...

 

[wca_tim]

Re: out of business

wassup with that? I thought this thread was about boat companies struggling???

 

[marine4003]

Re: out of business

Pay attention Man.....were moving fast here.....now its the economic meltdown of car manufacturers and dealers.....next up is the possible extinction of the Yellow Bellied Sapsucker.