Back to the main site

G model vs S model....

You have been given great advice. The quote, "Buy your last boat first" is absolute. Hence, spend time on both an S and G. If possible take them out for a test drive--even if that means a winter vacation to the south. Decide what your specific requirements are and what specific items are mandatory and what are options. As an example, I knew I wanted at least a 25FT with quad seating. It had to have the ESP package with the largest merc verado offered. (300HP)The wife was adamant that she wanted a co-captain's chair-not a co-captain's lounge. Therefore, for me and my specific requirements, it came down to the RSR or the GSR. The deck lay out on the GSR gave me more deck room and better fit my needs. Then it was decided that we would build our boat to our specs with the options that we desired. I probably could have saved a few bucks buying a boat in stock, but the wife and I agreed to get exactly what we wanted. When we go out on the boat or talk about it, we never say, "We could have saved some money." What we do say is, "We sure love that boat. It is exactly what we wanted."

Cheer, Steve
 
ssc said:
The quote, "Buy your last boat first" is absolute.
Click to expand...
This. Yeah, you can save a bit of money and decide to upgrade later, but that whole process just cost you a bunch you could have spent just getting your last boat first. This coming from the guy who bought a 22 SSX and had it for about 6 months before trading up to a 2275 GCW. 
 
I bought my last boat 7th. It's cheaper to buy your last boat first. I learn slow.
 
Buying your last boat first is hard to do, as evidenced by all the folks on here that have changed boats.  As people new to boating, my wife and I did a lot of studying and talking and are happy that we did a good job getting what we thought we NEEDED at a good price.  But boating is a lifestyle, and despite all the thinking and fantasizing, people new to boating may not always know exactly how they are going to wind up using the boat.

As we settle into the lifestyle I'm sure over time we'll make adjustments to how we use the boat and we'll come up with some other things that we WANT or WISH we had.  And when the pull of those wants and wishes gets strong enough we'll trade in our current boat.  Thanks goodness Bennies hold their value well.  

I agree that people should learn a lot and really think about how they're going to use the boat before purchasing.  It makes good economic sense to buy your last boat first.  But if we just did things that made good economic sense many of us wouldn't own a boat in the first place.  I love being a boat owner, and many people do keep their original boats for a long time.  But despite doing your best at the time of initial purchase, experience shows that a great number of us are likely change what we have.          
 
Not everyone can afford to buy their last boat first, but this forum is a GREAT way to get your first boat dialed in pretty close though.

A lot of people have boats and never use them.  So, either they didn't get the boat they really needed, or they just don't have the time.  If that's the case, probably a good idea they didn't spend a mint on it.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
kaydano said:
Not everyone can afford to buy their last boat first.

This forum is a GREAT way to get your first boat dialed in pretty close though.

A lot of people have boats and never use them.  So, either they didn't get the boat they really needed, or they just don't have the time.  If that's the case, probably a good idea they didn't spend a mint on it.
Click to expand...
Continuous Improvement from the designers & engineers does not help.Too much time to look this time of year . 
 
As far as price you've been quoted, I cannot comment.  Your Canadian dollar is just not the same as the U.S. dollar.

I would suggest you figure out what boat you want and contact 2-3 dealers--let'em compete for your business with pricing.

I bought the 24SSLX, with the F150 Yamaha, and it is as nice of a boat as my family needs.  The 24" cross bracing on the front half of the boat is no problem. I've never experienced any hull flexing on.any wave I've hit, so it's really a non-issue.
 
S is lighter... which is faster, all other things being equal.
 
Thanks all for your valuable input........

Point #1....yes the Canadian $ is taking a dive at the moment, sales guy just emailed today to finalize deal before price goes up....sales pitch or reality?? 

Point #2....I think its very difficult to be buying your last boat.  Understood the fact that its more expensive to upgrade later such as extra or better toons or engine upgrade.  Its like a car though, doesn't it?  We're likely going to go through a few cars in our life time.  Boating is probably no exception, as we get tired of existing upholstery or layout or when the boat just look old and out of date.  With yearly boat show showcasing the latest, I think upgrade or purchasing new boat is inevitable, considering one still like the boating world.  I really like Q series I/O model.....but I will save that for later :p

Question for bcpnick.....why did you upgrade from SSX to GCW in 6 months?  any particular reason?
 
Check with another dealer in regards to  a price increase .

I plan on seeing my dealer Friday or Saturday . I will ask him .
 
job511 said:
Question for bcpnick.....why did you upgrade from SSX to GCW in 6 months?  any particular reason?
Click to expand...
A couple reasons. First, the SSX was our first boat and we didn't really know how much we'd be into it. The idea of buying something as nice as the G at the time was completely out of the realm of possibility. Hell, just getting a Bennington was more than we were originally thinking, but we understand the value of a quality product. Once we got it, we decided we really liked it, especially how we use it which is usually on 5+ day camping trips on Lake Powell. The SSX was a twin 25" with a 90 and it just wasn't enough for that. The loads of gear alone were becoming a bit of a problem and you need to be able to cover miles pretty quick out there sometimes.

I first tried to add on an express tube but couldn't get one for a year without paying a ton for shipping so I scrapped that plan. Then I thought about just ordering a better equipped S with a 150+ and SPS. But then I found out my dealer had been sitting on a really nice G for over a year and he was desperate to get rid of it. They are terrible at selling pontoons and they are convinced that there isn't a market here for anything better than an S. I ended up getting our G for about 40% off MSRP - pretty close to what I would have paid for a nicely equipped S. I couldn't pass it up. 
 
Last edited by a moderator:
:eek:  at 40% I think I would make the switch to f200 + ESP.

I am pretty much in the same situation as you.  Never thought I would be looking at owning a boat till recently.   Bennington was recommended because neighbor is a distributor.  Whether we will use it a lot is questionable.  We're going to use it for basic cruising and tubing with kids and entertaining guests.  SSX likely and hopefully will suite our needs.  :)
 
Job, what do you mean neighbor is a distributor?  Never really thought about it much but never thought a distributor was involved.  I thought Bennington manufactured and shipped to dealers via contract haulers
 
Link, maybe rep is a better choice of word. He rep Bennington for eastern Canada I believe, but does not involve in direct sales to individual customers. That's what he told me. He also represents few other lines of boats
 
Which boat did you order?
 
Two of the best options on my 22ssx that I did not see on your list are the extended bow and center tube storage. Best of luck with your purchase! cheers!
 
One of the reasons I like my carpeted base on my R model is if I happen to hit it with my water shoes, it doesn't let a black mark like it does if I hit my vinyl or helm. I do think they are still nice looking and don't detract from the value of that model.
 
Navy said:
Two of the best options on my 22ssx that I did not see on your list are the extended bow and center tube storage. Best of luck with your purchase! cheers!
Click to expand...
My favorite option on my fully equipped 24SSLX is the extended aft deck (rear end.)  

It makes getting on and off the boat so much easier, and it's great for recovering swimmers and tubers.  And it's so easy to quickly walk around when we're docking the boat. 
 
Couldn't agree more with Bamaman.  The extended aft deck is pretty critical on our 24SSL since we tie up on the port side all the time.  Gives you a place to land when you jump over from the dock.  It's huge having the extra deck space for tubers getting in and out, and for me managing the tube itself.  Its a must have.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top