Everyone who has chosen Bennington, and has a great Bennington dealer near them, needs to be thankful. I think that's the moral of the story of a couple of threads that are puttering through the system at the moment. Not all boat dealers are good dealers. This is true for the Bennington brand as it is for anything else. Some boat stores (not boat dealers) are obviously going to be bad to work with after-the-sale...and that should be obvious to any reasonable person up front without having to check the interwebs for reviews.
Those aside, it is very worth getting recommendations from other owners before settling on a dealer. I always cringe when I read reviews from others that this dealer or that dealer didn't respond to my most aloof attempt to remotely contact them and get them to offer a firm lowest-price that I could then take to the next dealer to get beat down after which I would take it to the 3rd dealer I could find to get it beat down farther. I hate to say it, but there are some customers not worth having. The ones that are most price-sensitive on the front end tend to be the same ones who are the most price-sensitive on the back end. The get mad that Yamaha OEM filters cost $20 when the Fram for their car is only $3 at WalMart. They pitch a fit that it is busy in spring, and that winterization costs $300 if you want it done at the dealer with a guarantee that it was done correctly. At some point, it's a great business decision to decide to walk that business to another dealer and let them enjoy the headaches. There is no such thing as a smart business person that will operate at a loss.
That makes me cringe. What makes me angry is the buyer who drilled the price into the ground, who then expects to be treated by the dealer, the same as the buyer who gave the dealer a fair margin with which to operate his business and feed his family. It's a paradox - I am happy to build a partnership deal with a great dealer and pay more than the next person who drilled the price into the ground for sport. And I get treated very well because I have a great dealership. I almost don't like to share my experiences in public because the "driller" shouldn't be allowed have the same expectations after-the-sale as I do.
Also paradoxical - the best dealers tend to be the ones that sell their customer-experience and service-after-the-sale. They have the most invested in the people that work there. They tend to have the seasoned veterans who have seen it all, done it all. They have the best equipment and best stock of parts. Those are the dealers that, in my opinion are least likely to post prices on the internet. The value proposition isn't price. It's service and the ability to provide an awesome ownership experience. So, the paradox - the best dealers are the ones most likely to be passed over by the lowest price shoppers. Maybe, just maybe...that's on purpose? Generalities expressed are the opinion of the poster and no reference to any actual person living or dead is intended. Statements assume that all Bennington Dealers are the same, which they are not, and that the costs of doing business in all parts of the Bennington trade area are constant, which they are not. Your mileage may vary. Consult website for full terms and conditions. No admission to anyone under the age of 21. Parental guidance required. Anyone named Bob is ineligible to play because let's face it - you spell your name backwards. Warranties against screen-burn-in will be prorated. Drive carefully. Risk of suffocation if children left unattended. Not intended to be used as a hedge trimmer.
