out of business

[pine island fred]

Re: out of business

Yes, I sure got off topic with my ramblings. Sort of like a conversation at the bar, next thing you know you are on all sorts of subjects. I apologize.
Back to boats! This spring and summer I did notice new FOUR WINNS, HURRICANE and PATHFINDERS, so I have to assume the market is moving. Big season will pick up around NOV.1, will be interesting to see how boats move off the lots then. Problem I see coming is that the new boat sales will be competing with a big supply of nice newer used equipment with motivated sellers. Have one friend willing to take a big loss on a year old GLASTRON just to get out of the rest of the payments. There are a few boats hanging around just sitting. Talking with the owners, some freely admit that the motors are trashed and they cant quite afford a new unit right now. Might not be good for the builders. I went thru pay cuts and loss of vacation and holidays. Hate to see others face things like that. I think the uncertainty of the future hurts the most.
Dealer down the road has a big stock of CAROLINA SKIFFS, stacked like a deck of cards. Will be interesting to see how they move as they look like big sellers. Always thought that was a good concept. Buy the basic hull and only add the things you want. Had a thought today. Stay with me. Just finished rebuilding my lift. Required the use of 1-1/4 in sced. 80 galvanised pipe, heavy stuff. Picked it up and found that it was made in CHINA not MEXICO. So it is made half way around the world, put on a boat then a flat car and distributed all over this continent. Whats to stop the chinese from building carolina skiffs, neatly stacking them and shipping them around the world?
Going to fall O/T again. Net says today that GM want to sell their medium truck business to ISUZU. Looks like it is not just the boat building cottage industery that we should be concerned about. Think I will buy myself a beer. FRED

 

[DaveHawkins]

Re: out of business

Think I will buy myself a beer. FRED

Don't make it a Budweiser...they were bought out by a Belgian company .

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: out of business

Whats to stop the chinese from building carolina skiffs, neatly stacking them and shipping them around the world?

Nothing.

The Chinese are already doing it, in Europe anyway. Their problem is that the economy is so bad here, that even the Chinese boats are too expensive for people now and are not selling.

Their used to be a ten year waiting list for the place where we keep our boat, now it is 75% empty. We paid half the normal years price for our storage, and they are happy to have us. Add to that that summer is over, and 75% of the boats that are still there, didn't go out once this year, and you get a feeling for how bad, bad is.

I found out last weekend that 10 of the boats there, are from long time renters, who haven't paid this year, can't be found at their former longterm addresses, and their old bank accounts are no-longer active.

It's a food, gas, rent economy here. There is not much left over for “Johnny Average” to have a hobby, and boating is for Germans, a very expensive Hobby.

With “Black Monday” hitting them hard once again, even the Bankers in town are starting to slip out quietly.

One of our neighbors (Big Banker, penthouse apartment) spent all Monday night loading a large rental trailer, Tuesday morning it was gone. Hasn't been home since. The owner of the building asked me this week had I seen him lately. That is, or will be, the third person in this small building, in the last two months to skip out owing months of back rent.

Funny thing is, it is always those with the expensive German cars & extravagant lifestyles that do these, dark, foggy, disappearing acts.

Reminds me of the Real Estate, Telecommunication, Technology, Internet bubble explosions, of the past here, just worse this time around.

Last night was a piece on the finance channel about the textile industry in India and Pakistan. They were crying they were going broke. All are running in the red. Their customers, the Europeans, and America were cutting back, putting them on hold, or stopping their orders altogether.

It is only a matter of time before it hits China now. The worlds economy is built like a house of cards.

Pessimist, no, everything is running just as I expected.

All bills are payed, I don't owe anybody, anything. Not even favors.

If I can't pay cash, I don't need it.

Will we recover, sure, were a resilient sort.

 

[pine island fred]

Re: out of business

Just a note. Got back from the KEYS, things look good down there. LITTLE TOARCH, RAMROD, BAHA HONDA. Slow time of the year but still lots of activitiy. Looks like a lot of new boats running around but thats the area for sales. As a side note, water is as clear as glass. If you can, head on down there, bring some money and tow a real nice used boat home, bargains are everywhere. OR, come to PINE ISLAND, lots of give away boats, may need some work but worth towing home. Wish I could justify another boat but the wife frowns when I stop and look. FRED

 

[BigB9000]

Re: out of business

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...

hahahahahhaahhahahahhahahahahhahahah!!!!!

 

[pine island fred]

Re: out of business

Appoligize that I got O/T on the truck but will post an update. You guys seen the business news lately? Does look like the sky is falling and the sap suckers might go extinct! Might have lost my creditability to some but recommend if you are looking for a new full size WORK TRUCK, now is the time to hit the CHEVY or FORD dealer. FORD has window price on left over full size 8 ft. bed, 6 cyl. stick for under 12K. Suprisingly was offered another $500 off if I financed it! For those that dont want to shift and need an automatic, bottom line is now 13K. Short beds might be cheaper, did not see any. And no, they never blew me off, they keep calling. Just trying to talk myself into a new truck when I dont really need one. Got a case of pre buyers remorse. regards FRED

 

[MTribe08]

Re: out of business

gas is up and staying there

$1.97 at a station here in phoenix, az today.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: out of business

Appoligize that I got O/T on the truck but will post an update. You guys seen the business news lately? Does look like the sky is falling and the sap suckers might go extinct! Might have lost my creditability to some but recommend if you are looking for a new full size WORK TRUCK, now is the time to hit the CHEVY or FORD dealer. FORD has window price on left over full size 8 ft. bed, 6 cyl. stick for under 12K. Suprisingly was offered another $500 off if I financed it! For those that dont want to shift and need an automatic, bottom line is now 13K. Short beds might be cheaper, did not see any. And no, they never blew me off, they keep calling. Just trying to talk myself into a new truck when I dont really need one. Got a case of pre buyers remorse. regards FRED

I tried the local Ford dealer here, they won't budge off of sticker price. Not a deal to be had unless you want some little front wheel drive.
They are doing better on the bigger trucks but no real deals here on the F150 or Rangers.

 

[jacknbella]

Re: out of business

$1.67/gallon here in central IL. Local Chevy dealer just quoted us a $54K MSRP 2008 Tahoe for $37K. They won't stop calling either.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: out of business

Boat dealers and manufacturers are in the same boat (no pun intended) that the car dealers are in. I have a 2002 S10 Crew Cab that I tow my boats with and out of curiosity I've been driving through lots to see if there is a possibility of an even trade for a 2002 - 2003 Tahoe. It appears it is highly possible to pull that off and since the truck is no longer needed for commuting, the additional fuel cost is not an issue. The dealers I've driven through have a huge quantity of full size trucks and SUVs at bargain basement prices. If you need a truck or a boat and can part with the cash, now is the time to jump.

 

[mphy98]

Re: out of business

WOW, guess I am living in a bubble. Gas here is $1.89 a gallon. oil is predicted to stay under $60.00 a barrell well into next year. I am in the car business, a dreaded finance mgr by the way small local dealership and we have had a record year here, and it is still going strong. I know some things are not as good as they should be but they are not as bad as the media makes them out to be. thanks for my rant, bob

 

[mphy98]

Re: out of business

OK now if you guys want to get a ford or a dodge dropp shipped to your local dealership, i can do that for you for invoice, plus the drop ship fees at your local dealer. less rebates of course. hope i am not violating the rules here, just thought i could save people a few bucks and get the dealership i work for a few extra sales. ps drop ship fees usually run a couple of hundred at the most.

 

[pine island fred]

Re: out of business

Trucks I am refering to are stripped/ basic by todays standards, work trucks. 6 cyl, manual windows, rubber floor, manual door locks, regular cab, 5 speed stick. Do have air, PS&PB. Left over 08s. Maby they were built for some contractor who went out of business???
MPHY98, 2 weeks ago I was visiting my son in the BURLINGTON/ MT LORAL area. Did not look like there was much traffic at the dealers along rt. 130. Have patience! Net said today, GM is slowing down a truck production line and still running 3 shifts. Guess its cheaper to slow down the line than lay people off. Back in JULY, son bought a chevy AVALANCH, zero% for 6 yrs for 32K. What a waste, not a truck and not a suburban. Needs it like a hole in the head.
While I dont have your attention, almost bought the FORD but the sales people dragged their feet and gave me time to think. Sister-in law, 69yrs, is close to doing one of these reverse mortgages on her house at CLATOR LAKE VA. Minute she takes a dime from the mtg co. she is in debt for 11K plus monthly admin. fees, mortgage insu.( she owns the house, whats the mtg. insu. for? ) and other monthly charges all compounding with interest until she sells the property. Once I saw all the up front and monthly charges, wife and I offered to do the same for her at money mkt. rates. Might sound dumb but she is family and we or our children might wind up with a nice lake front property.
Yea, got way off topic again! Just thought I would share some of the facts I learned about those TV commercials. Will try to stick to boats and motors from now on. Temp just dropped below 70 degs. , getting cold, think the wife and I will hole up at the tavern tonight. Might even put on some shoes. Feel for you guys up there, SIL on clator lake says she has 2 ins. of snow. regards FRED