A seed has been planted

I suspect the same is true over here, no idea why that is.

This boy will drive back to MI and buy one if I have to when the time comes.
 
This boy will drive back to MI and buy one if I have to when the time comes.
Yes, I would do the same. It's just disappointing to have to do that when your post sale service depends so much on local dealerships. Bennington dealerships are usually more than competitive with each other in a local area. Florida just seems less so for whatever reason.
 
The center console floor plan is on the boat builder site now. Not even completely optioned out the msrp came to $84K.......That is the end of my looking!!. Even with the historical discounts I've received on past orders the prices are now completely out of hand. Seems Polaris is trying to recoop their investment. I can get a new, bigger, more hp, trolling motor and a true bay boat for less than this would be. Swing and a miss in my opinion.
 
I'm with you LL! It seems to me that pricing has gone through the roof since we bought our's in 2016. As such, we won't be in the market any time soon.
 
There pricing model in y opinion has not changed with the Polaris acquisition. This was the Bennington pricing model before the Polaris purchase. Pontoons are the best selling boats in America. It is just an arms race now with all the different manufacturer.
 
Sounds like $84k is the cure for PADS..
 
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There pricing model in y opinion has not changed with the Polaris acquisition. This was the Bennington pricing model before the Polaris purchase. Pontoons are the best selling boats in America. It is just an arms race now with all the different manufacturer.

Pontoons are probably the best selling boats in non coastal areas but not here in coastal south Florida. For them to bring a center console pontoon to market in an area where pontoons make up a very small percentage of the market share, and price them more than traditional center consoles that offer better inshore and offshore capabilities, it is going to be tough to crack into that market. Just my opinion and I could be wrong so we'll see what happens as I'm sure some will sell, but for me I'd switch to a bay boat before going the Bennington CC route for the money.
 
I'm with you LL! It seems to me that pricing has gone through the roof since we bought our's in 2016. As such, we won't be in the market any time soon.
I agree about not being in the market with current pricing. Of course we did buy our “last boat first” in 2013. Even with slightly stained tubes and a 50 hp motor, it is perfect for our uses and being on a 400 acre lake. We love it still!
 
Pontoons are probably the best selling boats in non coastal areas but not here in coastal south Florida. For them to bring a center console pontoon to market in an area where pontoons make up a very small percentage of the market share, and price them more than traditional center consoles that offer better inshore and offshore capabilities, it is going to be tough to crack into that market. Just my opinion and I could be wrong so we'll see what happens as I'm sure some will sell, but for me I'd switch to a bay boat before going the Bennington CC route for the money.
Sad to say, but a good friend of mine from Lake Mary and I have been shopping for him on new ~23' CC boats of decent quality with a 200-250 on the back, plus aluminum trailer. Other than those of questionable quality nearly all were $75-95k and even more just for mid-tier. These were more offshore hulls not bay boats, but the top line Pursuit 235 was $115k+, Blackfin 240 and Grady 235 higher yet. That's what it's gonna take to approach Bennington quality imho. Unfortunately, new (and even resale) prices are out of control in general, not just pontoons. People around here resell 5 year old CC's for what they paid new. Crazy
 
I hear you Tom. My buddy just picked up a key west 230 bay reef which I would say is mid tier with a Yamaha 250 sho, hard t top, trolling motor and a bunch of other goodies, aluminum trailer etc and he was in the 60’s brand new. I haven’t looked at the higher tier glass fishing boats but they would have to be some substantial betterment’s your justify another 50 grand. Hopefully your buddy finds something that works for him. In the meantime I’ll wait and see if the bubble will pop and steal one if it does!
 
Pontoons are probably the best selling boats in non coastal areas but not here in coastal south Florida. For them to bring a center console pontoon to market in an area where pontoons make up a very small percentage of the market share, and price them more than traditional center consoles that offer better inshore and offshore capabilities, it is going to be tough to crack into that market. Just my opinion and I could be wrong so we'll see what happens as I'm sure some will sell, but for me I'd switch to a bay boat before going the Bennington CC route for the money.


I would agree with your sentiments on this. I built a center console and it priced out about $86,000. If you can get 30% off it you're at about $62k and then what ever you can get for your boat.
 
I would agree with your sentiments on this. I built a center console and it priced out about $86,000. If you can get 30% off it you're at about $62k and then what ever you can get for your boat.
I built a 24ft. SPDX. It's an entertainment/dinette model. Didn't go crazy on the build. 200hp, SPS, In floor storage, double Bimini, power assist steering, ski bar, etc...... MSRP came to $72000+. I figured I would get 20-25% off that which would have brought it into the low to mid $50's. Well I met with our local Benny dealer and the best they could/would do was 13% off. Final build price $62000+. Not enough off.......
 
I built a 24ft. SPDX. It's an entertainment/dinette model. Didn't go crazy on the build. 200hp, SPS, In floor storage, double Bimini, power assist steering, ski bar, etc...... MSRP came to $72000+. I figured I would get 20-25% off that which would have brought it into the low to mid $50's. Well I met with our local Benny dealer and the best they could/would do was 13% off. Final build price $62000+. Not enough off.......
That is amazing how little they mark down. You should price that model with a dealer near me.
 
Our local dealer is pretty bad when it comes to pricing. I've purchased two new Benningtons so far and neither was from them nor were we even in the same universe when it came to the price. However, when they're hurting they'll get generous. Polaris forced several hundred tons of Axis and Malibus on them a year or so ago and I ended up with a post card saying they were taking 30% off Benningtons. I was excited to see that though not in the market at the time. I thought it would last but evidentially they're back in GREED mode. I'm sure that will swing back our way soon enough.
 
Our local dealer is pretty bad when it comes to pricing. I've purchased two new Benningtons so far and neither was from them nor were we even in the same universe when it came to the price. However, when they're hurting they'll get generous. Polaris forced several hundred tons of Axis and Malibus on them a year or so ago and I ended up with a post card saying they were taking 30% off Benningtons. I was excited to see that though not in the market at the time. I thought it would last but evidentially they're back in GREED mode. I'm sure that will swing back our way soon enough.
I too tried to work with your [assumed] dealer. While he had a better selection, I could almost double the discount a couple hours away. I ended up ordering from the dealer on my lake (for service considerations) with a respectable discount.
 
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