Back to the main site

Can a new 22' 150hp tritoon be bought for $40k?

mrob said:
This market is crazy. I bought a 2011 22’ GCW Bennington tritoon with a 2012 150hp Yamaha in late 2016 for 26,500. Trailer as well. Motor had 280 hours at the time. This can’t keep up.
Click to expand...
I think the huge price increases now for trailers is somewhat overlooked. Especially aluminum trailers.
 
A few of my friends that are boaters are telling me in 2024, its now a buyers market, can anyone confirm this? I'm trying to find the best deal I can get for cruising our small lake in Michigan. I'm going to the boat show in March, hopefully I will see some deals
 
It probably now is a buyers market but not many dealers seem to be acknowledging that yet. Boat and car dealers are coming off a high that would shock a heroin addict. They are all wearing what I refer to as the "golden blinders." Until they feel "pain," you're not going to see too many great deals on boats. I'm sure by now there's a difference in the buyer's favor but it's probably not enough for someone looking for a true deal. Another factor working against you is that the boatshows are happening now and we're at the beginning of the selling season for them. It varies based on what part of the country you're in but here the strongest selling season is from the February boat show until Memorial Day weekend ends.

I would suggest waiting at least another month or even two. If it's still slow for them, they'll start getting worried because dealer orders were placed a while back and 2024 boats are still on the way to them. I think that is how it's going to go down but who knows ... it could be the complete opposite. The dealers I've been watching in my local market have been a mixed bag. The Bennington store has a LOT of 2023's still across all price points and they're moving pretty slow. The Barletta dealer had a lot too a couple of months ago but now they only have about a dozen 2023s. They managed to sell a bunch of their mid line models. The ones left are mostly the cheaper entry level models and the super expensive ones.

Like the car market, it's going to be strange either way. For instance if you were shopping for a new car (and are paying attention) you will find few if any dealers with market adjustments or forced add-on equipment plus huge discounts and rebates on almost everything, including some formerly hard to find Toyota models. However, used cars below $20k are still getting top dollar (especially now since they prey on tax return time).
 
dolphindolls2 said:
A few of my friends that are boaters are telling me in 2024, its now a buyers market, can anyone confirm this? I'm trying to find the best deal I can get for cruising our small lake in Michigan. I'm going to the boat show in March, hopefully I will see some deals
Click to expand...
You can get the best deal for a boat already on the dealership lot In my experience and from talking to other buyers. I haven’t bought from a show but I recently spoke to a buyer that got a good discount off the display model at a boat show. If a boat has been sitting on the lot for 1-2 years you should be able to get the greatest discount. The prices are not nearly as heavily discounted if you are ordering a new boat. Let us know what your experience is at the boat show.
 
Nautical said:
It probably now is a buyers market but not many dealers seem to be acknowledging that yet. Boat and car dealers are coming off a high that would shock a heroin addict. They are all wearing what I refer to as the "golden blinders." Until they feel "pain," you're not going to see too many great deals on boats. I'm sure by now there's a difference in the buyer's favor but it's probably not enough for someone looking for a true deal. Another factor working against you is that the boatshows are happening now and we're at the beginning of the selling season for them. It varies based on what part of the country you're in but here the strongest selling season is from the February boat show until Memorial Day weekend ends.

I would suggest waiting at least another month or even two. If it's still slow for them, they'll start getting worried because dealer orders were placed a while back and 2024 boats are still on the way to them. I think that is how it's going to go down but who knows ... it could be the complete opposite. The dealers I've been watching in my local market have been a mixed bag. The Bennington store has a LOT of 2023's still across all price points and they're moving pretty slow. The Barletta dealer had a lot too a couple of months ago but now they only have about a dozen 2023s. They managed to sell a bunch of their mid line models. The ones left are mostly the cheaper entry level models and the super expensive ones.

Like the car market, it's going to be strange either way. For instance if you were shopping for a new car (and are paying attention) you will find few if any dealers with market adjustments or forced add-on equipment plus huge discounts and rebates on almost everything, including some formerly hard to find Toyota models. However, used cars below $20k are still getting top dollar (especially now since they prey on tax return time).
Click to expand...
@Nautical - I would love to purchase a Bennington 2023 model but the store near me has none in stock. One big vendor has 5 locations in the Metro Detroit area and then 4 hours up north there are 3 Bennington Dealers.

Do you think it makes since to buy in May, June or July? I'm in no hurry to buy the boat, it would be great to find one for the start of boating season but I can wait another month or two like you suggested....thanks much
 
Bobby Bass said:
You can get the best deal for a boat already on the dealership lot In my experience and from talking to other buyers. I haven’t bought from a show but I recently spoke to a buyer that got a good discount off the display model at a boat show. If a boat has been sitting on the lot for 1-2 years you should be able to get the greatest discount. The prices are not nearly as heavily discounted if you are ordering a new boat. Let us know what your experience is at the boat show.
Click to expand...
@Bobby Bass , as a new boater to the market, how would I know if a boat has been sitting on the lot 1 to 2 years?
 
If it's a 2023, it's been sitting a year. If it's a 2022 it's been sitting two years but I doubt you'll find one of those at this point unless it's north of $140k.

If you want to wait, what happens to our shoppers around here is after Memorial Day weekend, about 1/2 are gone because they were getting desparate and bought something. The rest are a slightly less desparate group that continue to shop until the next "deadline" where they "have to have" a boat by and that is July 4th. After that day, another 1/2 go away. That small group that remains mills about like zombies and it pretty much stays that way until all brains are exhausted by Labor Day weekend. The less shoppers there are, the better the deals could be.
 
Nautical is spot on With the model years. Some dealers will have a tag on the boat with information including when it was first for sale. Check online too since most dealers post boats, again some with more information than is available on the price tag. Usually the longer the boat has been on the lot, the bigger the discount. I usually ask, what’s your best price for this boat? Negotiate down from there.
 
The Hull ID also includes the year .
 
It will be an interesting year for boat sales. The boat yards here are overflowing with new inventory. In the past few years, moving them was no problem. Not so sure about how many people can handle the current pricing and interest rates....?
 
I was looking online at the Bennington dealership near our cottage. They have A LOT of 2023’s still posted for sale. Good number and variety of layouts/models. And all of them have huge “rebates” listed with them. Not sure if they will or can negotiate beyond those points, but the rebates alone looked to be big chunks off MSRP. Big chunks.
 
My local dealer (Sun Country - Irvine) shows 40+, 5 are under $100K, 6 are over $200k, 1 over $300K. No used Benningtons. Most I have ever seen posted (and fewest "incoming" I have ever seen listed - usually this list was much longer). My tax & real estate practice say we have some lean years ahead.....
 
I've been offered $25K in trade in on our 2011 2275 RCW with 140 hours on the 150hp Pro XS from 2 dealers with the twin 32" elip tubes and sealed lifting strakes, full waveshield, all factory LED lighting (underwater, side, cupholder, interior and bimni top), faux teak rear decking, raised helm, rough water package, and a whole bunch of other upgrades. Could I get more selling on my own, probably. But its just not worth the effort for me since my boat is in indoor storage 2 hours away from my home and have to take time off to show it etc.

Sadly, I am thinking of taking these offers and moving to a Yamaha AR240 or AR250 twin engine jet boat because of Mother Nature and our horrid water levels where I boat on Saginaw Bay / Lake Huron in Michigan. 3 years ago water levels were over over our seawalls and now I have less then 12" of water our dock. As an original member of the club (joined in April of 2011), this makes me very sad. Will miss this group. But I can't afford to not be without a boat for this summer.
 
The market down here in TX is clearly not the covid demand and has slowed down. So it's become more of a buyers market, but buyers are still shocked at today's boat prices. Today's prices really reflect the raw material prices.
I personally think we will start to see a flood in the used market of used boats from the covid boater that are not getting used like they were. Already seeing what were new boats in storage places in somewhat sad shape as they have just been sitting there not getting used or cared for and abused by the elements.
 
Water levels have really fluctuated the past few years from as low as I’ve ever seen to the highest ever. Looks like another high water level year unless it’s a really dry summer. Last year was almost a washout especially with rain on the weekends. A lot of rain this winter and so far in March too. Hoping for a hot and dry summer to enjoy the boat with the family.
 
mtudb24 said:
I've been offered $25K in trade in on our 2011 2275 RCW with 140 hours on the 150hp Pro XS from 2 dealers with the twin 32" elip tubes and sealed lifting strakes, full waveshield, all factory LED lighting (underwater, side, cupholder, interior and bimni top), faux teak rear decking, raised helm, rough water package, and a whole bunch of other upgrades. Could I get more selling on my own, probably. But its just not worth the effort for me since my boat is in indoor storage 2 hours away from my home and have to take time off to show it etc.

Sadly, I am thinking of taking these offers and moving to a Yamaha AR240 or AR250 twin engine jet boat because of Mother Nature and our horrid water levels where I boat on Saginaw Bay / Lake Huron in Michigan. 3 years ago water levels were over over our seawalls and now I have less then 12" of water our dock. As an original member of the club (joined in April of 2011), this makes me very sad. Will miss this group. But I can't afford to not be without a boat for this summer.
Click to expand...
Bummer! I have a friend up on Port Austin that’s dealing with the same thing.
 
There is a city / town on the west side of Lake Michigan, that since last October is pulling 8 million gallons a day . They are " supposed " to be replacing it with treated waste water. But from what I have seen and read, any body of water attached to the Great Lakes is low.
Levels are also low due to no ice cover this season.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top