After owning 4 boats, new and used, agree with you totally Pox.
They say the second happiest day of a boat owner's life is the day he gets his boat. The happiest day is.....when he sells it.
A boat is like a car - a depreciating asset. IMO, if you're under 60 and an experienced boat owner, you know it will NOT be your last boat. You're liable to want to own a boat for at least another 20 years and you will change your mind on what you need and want. Therefore, like cars, you will want to trade it in or sell it - and usually in a hurry.
Therefore, buy used and be patient - the deals are out there. I like to buy from dealers and I like to buy good, popular in demand names. Like someone said, the other good option is to buy from someone you know very well.
I bought new - once. A Cape Horn. Bought it in the Fla panhandle and LouRagu's #1 fan will tell you, back in the 90's a Cape Horn was the thing to have in Pensacola. I brought it back to LA, no one had ever heard it before... had many guys that told me "let me know when you sell it.. I'll buy it". Paid $20k for it new w/o electronics and much of anything else. Two years and another $5000 later, I moved and had to sell. I was desperate and had a note to float. I finally had to haul it to Fla and dump it for $16k. That was the happiest day in my life with that boat.
I bought a 2008 Ranger last year from a dealer with 50 hours on the motor. He had the bumper to bumper warranty transferred to my name (Ranger limits it to the second owner only). I brought it to the Beaumont dealer in January and they had it for three weeks fixing everything I found in the previous 6 months, including loose taillights. Didn't cost me a penny. I got a great deal on the boat and I know I didn't pay for the first year's depreciation. No Buyer's Regret. When I'm ready, I'll be happy to buy that next boat - probably Ranger again - and probably used.
|