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Fear I bought the wrong model!

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Slainte

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We just bought a 2017 Bennington 20 SLXP at a boat show; beautiful boat.  There are five hours on the motor. Third pontoon boat.  Absolutely love everything about the boat except for the size of the seating area (not the seating capacity) in relation to the entire boat platform.  Our other boats had no front/rear platforms and this boat, although also 20 feet in length, looks to me like a small box on top of a dock when it's in the water.  When in the Convention Center at the boat show it really did not stand out to me.  I am obsessing about this. It is bothering me so much that I have considered calling the dealer to see if I can "trade it in" for a lower grade model that looks more proportional.  Will someone please talk me off the ledge!
 
Well,you've been infected with PADS. If your really not happy with the boat layout,call the sales person right away. They might work with you. Hopefully they want you as a customer for life! Good luck. And welcome to the forum.
 
Pull Another Derrick Syndrome. Search around the site, another person who couldn't decide which boat he preferred either, all in a relatively short amount of time. I don't know the specifics, just the general issue!!


if you don't like it, change it now!!! Who wants to go out on a boat that you don't like, we all talk about wanting a bigger boat or motor doesn't  mean we don't like what we already have. If you thought at the show it would fit but is not fitting now and the complete opposite I'd head back to the dealer. Most dealers would want you to be happy and work with you in that process. May cost you some now but you can't put a number on discontent every time you look at it!! 
 
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Any chance you could post a picture so we can understand what you're concerns are? As adkboater stated, get rid of it if you can't stand how it looks because being on your boat should be a happy place! Then again, you'll usually see your boat from the inside out, so if you're happy with that perspective, perhaps there really isn't a problem at all.


I have a similar situation. I'm very particular about my "stuff" and always want it to look the best it can. However, my new boat didn't come with sharkskin and at the end of the year, my toons looked ten years old to me at least. Had them acid washed so at least they would be uniformly dingy. As much as it will kill me that my boat will look old when viewed from outside, I'm trying hard to remember that when I'm on the boat it will look great to me from what I can see.


I hope that one way or the other you can get to a place where you enjoy going out on a Benny. While it is an important means to an end, it is not the end itself.  Welcome aboard...
 
I would call the dealor, "nothing ventured nothing gained."  
 
As others have said, call them first thing on Monday.  Explain that you want a Bennington, just not this model after you have had time to consider it.   Most should be willing to work with you, as this is not an uncommon experience after a boat show.   Some states have laws where you can cancel the contract after a minimum number of days (especially if it purchased at an off-site sale), but it may not be applicable in your state or your situation.


Get the boat you want.  Life is short.
 
I hate losing money, but I am the type that wouldn't care if I lost 2k by trading it as long as I was happy.  Eventually you forget about the money, but your boat will always be right there in sight as a reminder, and if you are happy then that is all that matters :)
 
Slainte, 


What  was the overall length of your other boats. The extended bow and stern of these boats could change the overall length. Is the usable interior of the SLXP actually 20' or is it shorter? It would also make a difference how you use your boat. If you mostly use your boat for fishing then extended decks might not be so good. If you swim from the boat the extended deck becomes an asset. Our first pontoon did not have extended decks  so I understand your feeling of how different the boat looks with the extensions. Just some observations from experience.  How you use it and feel about it is all important. Good luck.
 
It's Life 


Life is short 


You Have to be Happy 


Otherwise you are Miserable


Do what you need to do to Be Happy :)


Settling doesn't = Happy 


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Warm Weather Is Here


Which Means ........


 
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Yup call the dealer. If you are going to take a substantial hit.............Sell it yourself! 


Just bought my wife a new car. Trading in her old car they wanted to give us $5078. Nope not enough. We put it on Autotrader, Craigslist and various local sites and sold it to a girl in SC for $7750 down from $8000. Took a couple weeks w/multiple test drives but it was worth it........


So don't think you have to lose money on this deal........
 
Agree with Big Kahuna, should be able to get pretty close to what you bought it for.  Don't wait as the $ will drop the longer you wait.  Then buy the one you want.


Michiman, I would think that no matter what the toons look like the right person could polish them to shinier than new.  My friend had the dealer do it and if I remember right it cost $600.  His toons are like a mirror
 
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Michiman said:
Any chance you could post a picture so we can understand what you're concerns are? As adkboater stated, get rid of it if you can't stand how it looks because being on your boat should be a happy place! Then again, you'll usually see your boat from the inside out, so if you're happy with that perspective, perhaps there really isn't a problem at all.


I have a similar situation. I'm very particular about my "stuff" and always want it to look the best it can. However, my new boat didn't come with sharkskin and at the end of the year, my toons looked ten years old to me at least. Had them acid washed so at least they would be uniformly dingy. As much as it will kill me that my boat will look old when viewed from outside, I'm trying hard to remember that when I'm on the boat it will look great to me from what I can see.


I hope that one way or the other you can get to a place where you enjoy going out on a Benny. While it is an important means to an end, it is not the end itself.  Welcome aboard...
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When I had my first Bennington acid cleaned a few time the toons always looked great there was no uniformly dingy look to them. Always looked like brand new.
 
Thanks all.  I contacted the dealer this morning and we are heading over there shortly to review their inventory and see what, if anything, we can work out.  Even if it ends up that it can't be worked out, the way the dealer has handled this so far has been absolutely amazing.  I was very impressed by their professionalism and the fact that they said several times that they want to be sure I'm happy.  I probably would not have contacted the dealer if not for this forum and your suggestion to do so; I would have though it fruitless/silly....but you are right; the dealer wants us to be happy.  Will let you know what happens.
 
Michiman said:
Any chance you could post a picture so we can understand what you're concerns are? As adkboater stated, get rid of it if you can't stand how it looks because being on your boat should be a happy place! Then again, you'll usually see your boat from the inside out, so if you're happy with that perspective, perhaps there really isn't a problem at all.


I have a similar situation. I'm very particular about my "stuff" and always want it to look the best it can. However, my new boat didn't come with sharkskin and at the end of the year, my toons looked ten years old to me at least. Had them acid washed so at least they would be uniformly dingy. As much as it will kill me that my boat will look old when viewed from outside, I'm trying hard to remember that when I'm on the boat it will look great to me from what I can see.


I hope that one way or the other you can get to a place where you enjoy going out on a Benny. While it is an important means to an end, it is not the end itself.  Welcome aboard...
Click to expand...

There is a guy in Pinckney (not to far from you) that polishes them for $500.00.  My buddy had his done and my god it's like looking at yourself in a glass mirror.  
 
I paid 100.00 to have both toons cleaned they look like new :)  


I hope you can find The Perfect Benny in his inventory.


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                            80's This Week


                       
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Just to follow up, we spent several hours with the sales rep at the marina reviewing their inventory.  Although there is much more inventory to be reviewed, we found a leftover 2016 that had a large seating area and we would seriously consider it.  When we learned that the purchase price, including our trade in, would be $47,000 MORE than we paid for our boat, we took a pass.  Granted it was a larger model, etc.  Since having only 4 hours on the engine does not seem to make a difference in terms of the value of our boat (they depreciate 20% once they leave the showroom), we are going to use the boat (nice weather here finally!) and enjoy it.  Will see how I feel at the end of this season.  The salesman is going to do a full review of their inventory and let me know if he has something that would be a seating area we would like and more financially realistic for us.  Let me close by saying that we have a beautiful boat with everything we wanted:  tritoon, 115 HP engine, GPS diamond shaped upholstery, recessed speakers/cup holders, etc. If I could have this boat 2 feet longer I'd be in heaven!  But, I am liking it more each day!


As a new member to the forum, I want to thank you all for listening!
 
Wishing you a summer full of laughter , fun and excitement on your new Benny 


I am sure you will make a million memories 


Be sure to post some pics when you get the opportunity 


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Not only is this forum inclined to help you spend your money but we are also good listeners.  I think you are going to have a great Summer on your Bennie.
 
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