Hi guys new to forum, in the process of possibly purchasing a 2575 RCWCP with 300hp yammi! It appears there is a vast mark up on these boats is this true? What should I expect to pay over dealer invoice? I have done my homework it appears that there is at least 20-24000 difference in dealer invoice and MRSP is that about right? Just wondering what some of you fellas have paid either amount over dealer invoice or amount less than MRSP? Thanks guys appreciate all the info.
2575 RCWCP Purchase price
- Thread starter Off Call
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BulldogsCadillac
Just some guy
I don't think you'll get a lot of responses on this. Your best bet is to call a couple dealers, or do the build a boat and send to a couple dealers for their prices. Then, decide if your comfortable paying that price. I don't know what you want for options, but you have the start of an expensive, although amazing and beautiful, boat. Is telling you what we paid isn't going to tell you what your comfortable paying. I think your MSRP # is a bit off, and I don't know how you can do homework to find out what a dealers cost is, they aren't usually that forthcoming with that kind of info. Not to mention, if you've already done your homework on what cost is, then you already have a good idea what YOU think you should pay. I hope this isn't coming off as mean or rude, that is far from my intent, but the nice thing about nobody saying what they paid versus what someone else paid, is that no one feels ripped off. We were all comfortable in the price we paid at the time, which is why we signed the paper. To find out that someone else got "the same boat" for $5000 less will only cause animosity towards their dealer and a negative feelings towards their boat. Besides, profit isn't a dirty word, if a business didn't make a profit its not a business. Just my thoughts.
Derrick
SEMPERFI8387
Moderator
Also searching on line for prices should get you "close" to an idea of what is a reasonable price.
I'm also guessing the further away from Indiana you are,the price will move up accordingly due to possibly higher shipping cost.
It's like Derrick said, it's what YOU feel comfortable paying. I will say, the build a boat MSRP almost scared me away, till I talked to my dealer, and the price came in so low, I upped the size and added many more options to reach my magic number.
I basically had a budget payment number and I built the boat to get to that number.
Smitty
P.s. I started with almost basic 20SLX and I'm ending up with a fairly loaded 24SLX with extended deck......
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I appreciate the reply. I was going off the seedealercost.com. It looks as if there is plenty of room for wiggle! Thanks again.
Derrick, I used seedealercost.com and was able to build the boat I am interested in. There was a diff. of $24,000 in dealer invoice vs. MSRP. I was just looking for a starting point. I understand the concept of profit!
BulldogsCadillac
Just some guy
Wasn't saying that you didn't, but ask yourself this, how does seedealer get there info? Some super nice dealer says "sure ill show you exactly how much I make on a boat so you can share it with the world!" I don't think that's likely. It actually states that they are estimates. Meaning they are based on whatever that person felt like writing in as a number. Sorry, I just read this and I know it sounds harsh and it isn't meant to be rude, but common sense has to prevail here. Call the dealers, get their selling price and go from there.
Derrick
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Bamaman
Well-Known Member
Off Call: We've been through this subject before, and I'll give you a condensed version of my take on boat dealerships.
. Boat dealerships continue to suffer in difficult economic times, and business generally sucks. Pontoon boats have recently been the only bright spot in the boat business, and Bennington sales appear to be holding up well.
. This is not the car business--where you can buy a boat for $100 over cost. Boat dealers have virtually the same costs as car dealers--occupancy expenses, phone expenses, floorplan expenses, insurance expenses--and most of all employees' salaries. But, they only have from March until August to make profits, as they don't have a 12 month business. Medium size car dealers sell 50 units per month. Large boat dealers sell 50 per year.
. Many, many boat dealerships have gone out of business since 2008, and only well run, properly capitalized boat dealers will be here 2 years from now. Don't you prefer to do business with a dealership that'll be there to service your future needs?
. You should purchase your boat from a dealership that's relatively closeby--if at all possible. Go 100 miles to buy a boat, and any warranty repair will result in 400 miles' towing--very expensive. Sometimes it pays to drive a little, but not always in the long run if you have problems.
. The internet is the best buying tool we've ever had--to compare prices. Many dealerships are sworn by factories to not post prices online--but they'll talk prices by telephone. It's easy to figure out who in your region is willing to use "fair" prices to earn your business.
. January and February boat shows are great places to buy boats, and factories often give incentives to close sales or order boats at the shows. It may be a $1300 in floor storage for $500. Or, a ETEC 150 hp HO motor for the price of a regular 150 engine. Or, 2 years' extra factory warranty. Put a bunch of competitors under the same roof, and prices are bound to come down.
. Set your mind on how much you're prepared to spend--and multiply it by 110%. You'll be doing good if you just spend that much.
. Make buying a pontoon boat an enjoyable process. And, make it a business decision; leave your heart and ego at home. But, don't leave your wife at home, as they'll often make the buying decision for you--especially on a Bennington.
. Boat dealerships continue to suffer in difficult economic times, and business generally sucks. Pontoon boats have recently been the only bright spot in the boat business, and Bennington sales appear to be holding up well.
. This is not the car business--where you can buy a boat for $100 over cost. Boat dealers have virtually the same costs as car dealers--occupancy expenses, phone expenses, floorplan expenses, insurance expenses--and most of all employees' salaries. But, they only have from March until August to make profits, as they don't have a 12 month business. Medium size car dealers sell 50 units per month. Large boat dealers sell 50 per year.
. Many, many boat dealerships have gone out of business since 2008, and only well run, properly capitalized boat dealers will be here 2 years from now. Don't you prefer to do business with a dealership that'll be there to service your future needs?
. You should purchase your boat from a dealership that's relatively closeby--if at all possible. Go 100 miles to buy a boat, and any warranty repair will result in 400 miles' towing--very expensive. Sometimes it pays to drive a little, but not always in the long run if you have problems.
. The internet is the best buying tool we've ever had--to compare prices. Many dealerships are sworn by factories to not post prices online--but they'll talk prices by telephone. It's easy to figure out who in your region is willing to use "fair" prices to earn your business.
. January and February boat shows are great places to buy boats, and factories often give incentives to close sales or order boats at the shows. It may be a $1300 in floor storage for $500. Or, a ETEC 150 hp HO motor for the price of a regular 150 engine. Or, 2 years' extra factory warranty. Put a bunch of competitors under the same roof, and prices are bound to come down.
. Set your mind on how much you're prepared to spend--and multiply it by 110%. You'll be doing good if you just spend that much.
. Make buying a pontoon boat an enjoyable process. And, make it a business decision; leave your heart and ego at home. But, don't leave your wife at home, as they'll often make the buying decision for you--especially on a Bennington.
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kaydano
Well-Known Member
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Bama and Derrick make a lot of excellent points. And I mean a LOT of excellent points.
Two tips that I can add:
1) Always play a couple dealers off each other. Even if they are different manufacturers. Make the dealer EARN your business. It's not what someone else paid, or what you see on seedealercost, it's what you can get that one dealer, in your area of the country, to actually agree to sell you a boat for. It doesn't matter what seedealercost says if the dealer ain't selling a boat for that. Like Bama said, area of the country matters. His volume matters. If you're out in the sticks and he doesn't sell many boats, guess what? For example, early on in my negotiation, I was dealing with just one dealer until he obviously got tired of me (I'm sure you guys can relate to that! Okay Derrick, there's your opening...) and he told me he had given me the BEST price I will ever get on THAT boat ANYWHERE. EVER!!! I still have the email. It makes me laugh every time I see it because I took that as a personal challenge, and promptly went online to find the next closest dealer. And guess what? He was wrong. I got a better price at another dealer. I also got a dealer I like, trust, respect, and will go back to in a heartbeat. HAVE PATIENCE. GET TWO DEALERS.
2) USE EMAIL! Car dealers and boat dealers make deals every day. They are VERY VERY good at it. You (and I) would be that good too if we did it every day, but fact is we don't. That's not a fault, it's a fact. We do it once every few years. That's FAR from every day. In order to overcome your shortfalls, you have to recognize them. I, personally feel like I am at a major disadvantage in a "live" negotiation. I've walked away from many deals because it just felt like I was getting snowed. The other guy (used car dealer) knows all the tricks. I feel like I'm fighting my way out of wet bag. EMAIL slows everything down so you can THINK about what's happening, you can THINK about the message you are sending, and THINK about what you REALLY want to say next. I'm not kidding, email REALLY levels the playing field. Instead of having seconds to respond (as in a face-to-face conversation) you have all day to think about it if you want. Start with an in-person visit to the dealer so they know who you are, but negotiate the deal via email. That's my advice. I'm sure there are others that would disagree, I'm just sharing what worked for me.
I do understand, though, that you want a target price. We all want to use every tool to get the best deal we can. If you trust seedealercost (I don't see any reason not to, but I'm not familiar with it either) then that's your target. Print the thing off and bring it to your dealer. Write out a check for that amount and give it to him. That's a great starting point. Always better to make him negotiate up from that price instead of him making you negotiating down from MSRP.
2 cents. Maybe.
By the way, ever watch Pawn Stars and other similar pawn shop shows on TV? EVERY time they start the negotiation by saying "What are you looking to sell it for?" They ALWAYS make YOU name the first price. They make you bookend yourself right off the bat. Great trick. You can learn a lot from watching those shows if you don't do this every day. They also often simply say "I just can't do that" and they don't say anything else, and they just sit back and see if you take the bait and fight YOURSELF on the price! It happens every show! Watch next time and you'll see. Some idiot keeps lowering his own price, and the pawn shop guy (or girl) just keeps saying "no" until the customer starts to get close to his real target price. Brilliant strategy. Simple too. Those guys are pros. Where else can you witness a "used car" negotiation as a proverbial "fly on the wall"? I'm telling you, watch those shows, and pretend your buying a car or boat...
Two tips that I can add:
1) Always play a couple dealers off each other. Even if they are different manufacturers. Make the dealer EARN your business. It's not what someone else paid, or what you see on seedealercost, it's what you can get that one dealer, in your area of the country, to actually agree to sell you a boat for. It doesn't matter what seedealercost says if the dealer ain't selling a boat for that. Like Bama said, area of the country matters. His volume matters. If you're out in the sticks and he doesn't sell many boats, guess what? For example, early on in my negotiation, I was dealing with just one dealer until he obviously got tired of me (I'm sure you guys can relate to that! Okay Derrick, there's your opening...) and he told me he had given me the BEST price I will ever get on THAT boat ANYWHERE. EVER!!! I still have the email. It makes me laugh every time I see it because I took that as a personal challenge, and promptly went online to find the next closest dealer. And guess what? He was wrong. I got a better price at another dealer. I also got a dealer I like, trust, respect, and will go back to in a heartbeat. HAVE PATIENCE. GET TWO DEALERS.
2) USE EMAIL! Car dealers and boat dealers make deals every day. They are VERY VERY good at it. You (and I) would be that good too if we did it every day, but fact is we don't. That's not a fault, it's a fact. We do it once every few years. That's FAR from every day. In order to overcome your shortfalls, you have to recognize them. I, personally feel like I am at a major disadvantage in a "live" negotiation. I've walked away from many deals because it just felt like I was getting snowed. The other guy (used car dealer) knows all the tricks. I feel like I'm fighting my way out of wet bag. EMAIL slows everything down so you can THINK about what's happening, you can THINK about the message you are sending, and THINK about what you REALLY want to say next. I'm not kidding, email REALLY levels the playing field. Instead of having seconds to respond (as in a face-to-face conversation) you have all day to think about it if you want. Start with an in-person visit to the dealer so they know who you are, but negotiate the deal via email. That's my advice. I'm sure there are others that would disagree, I'm just sharing what worked for me.
I do understand, though, that you want a target price. We all want to use every tool to get the best deal we can. If you trust seedealercost (I don't see any reason not to, but I'm not familiar with it either) then that's your target. Print the thing off and bring it to your dealer. Write out a check for that amount and give it to him. That's a great starting point. Always better to make him negotiate up from that price instead of him making you negotiating down from MSRP.
2 cents. Maybe.
By the way, ever watch Pawn Stars and other similar pawn shop shows on TV? EVERY time they start the negotiation by saying "What are you looking to sell it for?" They ALWAYS make YOU name the first price. They make you bookend yourself right off the bat. Great trick. You can learn a lot from watching those shows if you don't do this every day. They also often simply say "I just can't do that" and they don't say anything else, and they just sit back and see if you take the bait and fight YOURSELF on the price! It happens every show! Watch next time and you'll see. Some idiot keeps lowering his own price, and the pawn shop guy (or girl) just keeps saying "no" until the customer starts to get close to his real target price. Brilliant strategy. Simple too. Those guys are pros. Where else can you witness a "used car" negotiation as a proverbial "fly on the wall"? I'm telling you, watch those shows, and pretend your buying a car or boat...
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BulldogsCadillac
Just some guy
How could ANYONE get tired of you!! Haha you are absolutely right about making the customer tell you their price first. I sold furniture for years and I would tell them the price and they always would say "what's your best price?" I always wanted to say, "OHHH you want our BEST Price, sorry, I was giving you our lousy price, let's see what we can do!" but the Customer Driven Selling course taught me better than that! Not to mention common sense!
Derrick