There are so many differences between boats as well as Boat Dealers.
Boat Shows provide an excellent opportunity to not only compare boats; but also, to compare Boat Dealers. With so many boats to choose from, it is difficult to find the right boat for you; likewise, it is difficult to find the right Boat Dealer for you.
You may be dealing with the owner of a boat dealership who sells new and used boats, or a salesman who works for the owner. Your salesman may work for a marina that sells, services and stores boats. You may be dealing with a broker who sells boats for boat owners whose boats are scattered over a huge area. For the purpose of this article, we will call them all Boat Dealers.
Some Boat Dealers sell boats, while others help you purchase the right boat. Some Boat Dealers believe they know the right boat for you without listening to what exactly how you want to use your boat, and on what body of water. Sometimes, the Boat Dealer is more interested in selling the boat he has in inventory. Knowing the answers to key pieces of information about you and your family, can help your Boat Dealer narrow down your choice; so that you aren’t wasting your time looking at boats, that wouldn’t be right for you.
So; if all Boat Dealers aren’t created equal, how do you find one who is going to be right for you?
Go to the Show prepared. Search out a Dealer who is not only knowledgeable, but also asks questions and is genuinely interested in helping you find the right boat. Do you want to deal with a person who is pushy or a “hard sell”? Would you relate better to a Dealer who is friendly and takes the time to find out all the details about you, your family and your lifestyle?
Do you want a Dealer who shows you boats beyond your price range? When you know your budget, you don’t want to find out that there is nothing left for the extras after you pay for the boat—like extended warranty, accessories, licensing, taxes, delivery, etc. etc. Search for a Dealer, who will find you a boat within your budget with everything included.
Do you want a Boat Dealer who is going to handle all the paperwork for financing, transporting, licensing, taxes, insurance, electronic installations, dockage etc. etc. What about docking and handling instructions? Will he/she be able to give you the instruction you need to drive your new or new-to-you boat?
You want to find a Boat Dealer, who takes the time to learn about you and your family and what type of boating you plan to do; so that he can recommend not just the boat type and power, but also the right equipment and accessories to consider for your more complete boating enjoyment.
You want a Boat Dealer who will build a relationship with you, a dealer who you will feel comfortable with in future when calling with any follow-up questions or problems and one you know that will be there for you.
You want a Boat Dealer, who will be your contact to co-ordinate with the service department for installations of new equipment or repairs down the road.
Tip – Find a Boat Dealer who you feel comfortable with
and who is genuinely interested in helping you
purchase the right boat for you and your family.
Thanks for this advice for picking a boat dealer. I’m glad you mentioned that you should pick a dealer that will ask questions to help you find the right boat. This also sounds really important if you may want certain features on a boat.
I appreciate the tips you shared about picking a boat dealer. I would like to purchase a boat. It might be a good idea for me to have someone inspect a boat before I purchase it.
Thomas,
Yes, it is a good idea to hire a qualified marine surveyor to inspect a boat before you buy it. You can contact your boat insurance provider to find a marine surveyor whose survey they will accept. As with all professions, there are good ones and bad ones. The insurance companies know both and should be able to provide you with a list to choose from. All things being equal, you may want to select one that is relatively close to the boat so that the mileage charge is minimal rather than staggering.
Before you hire a surveyor, there are some things you can do yourself to save paying for multiple surveys on boats that you are looking at on your short list. “Inspect It Yourself and When to Hire a Surveyor” book will show you how to look at the boat knowledgeably and objectively rather than emotionally. This book is on our website as a pdf download. Alternatively, if you buy the book “How to Buy a Boat With Confidence” as an e-book, it comes as a free bonus along with 3 other bonus books. See http://www.BuyTheRightBoat.com for more information. Any other questions, feel free to email me.