Boat Show Season

[Skiingstrongman]

I like the Robalo no haggle model. They offer a price and that's it. No wiggle room. If your dealer installs electronics you can work on that but the boat is take it or leave it. Their prices are very fair I feel so it's nice to not have to walk out wondering if you got a good deal or not.

[Tuscany]

When a dealer tells me that the price is solid, and there is no wiggle room, I leave it, and I'm sure I'm not alone in my thinking.
There is always wiggle room..like 30% to 35% off MSRP depending on the builder.
A less profit sale is profoundly better than a zero profit non sale.

[Big Block Power]

Yes but the dealer probably has a contract with them that they can't. They could lose the franchise. They can make deals on other things that go with the boat.like trailer,maint, toys and so on.

[Skiingstrongman]

Their pricing is very competitive for a mid tier CC company and as BB said electronics and trailer and add one that come from the dealer are for negotiation.

This practice is not uncommon. Plenty of brands do it. Under Armour and Dyson are a couple that come to mind. Granted you're not paying $60K for a vacuum cleaner but the practice exists. It's beneficial for pricing integrity. If it becomes too common place it can devalue the brand.

[Tuscany]

A few years ago. JC Penny decided to forgo the usual tried and true sales/coupon marketing strategy of their competitors because they felt they were smarter. Their "former" CEO decided to go with a "low price" structure where no sales or coupons were needed.
As we all know, sales dropped into the toilet, the CEO was fired and the company almost tanked. Needless to say, sale prices returned.

Point is that customers and their buying habits are not about to change.
If a large ticket dealer told me that the price is non negotiable, I'll walk.
I'll decide what price and dealer profit is fair using the old supply and demand theory, along with knowing full well that I hold 100% of the leverage.

[jhnmdahl]

Johnson overlooked that JCP shoppers were already largely bargain hunters and wouldn't change behavior. But Johnson made no effort to understand or cater to the typical JCP customer - he simply decided that what worked for Apple (a high-tech innovator that didn't need to discount and can't find places to put all its money) should work just as well for the very different JCP.

Some places like Macy's have an interesting price structure where you can almost always get any item on sale during a given month, or if you're indifferent to sales you can pay full price. In short, they are able to offer low prices to bargain hunters while getting full price from people who are relatively price indifferent.

Anyway, I wouldn't be turned off that I couldn't haggle for a Saturn, or a Robalo, or other item sold on a no-haggle retail arrangement, but I'd certainly shop around at a few vendors if looking at something expensive like a new boat to make sure my dealer was competitive with others.

[Big Block Power]

I know Nike,Bose,Apple,I even think Levi's are one set price and look who buys their products. Saturn was good for while till 2008. So you never know. Yes we love to barder. We all want to feel like we got a deal.

[Tuscany]

I look at it through business eyes, and it's always always about the buy.
I look at the cost of owning the vehicle after resale. If I can buy right and sell right, the cost of ownership can be relatively cheap.
To know what a good deal is, we have to know the cost to the dealer, and his profit. I think there is nothing wrong to negotiate profit instead of price.
I'm not going to buy anything without gaining the proper dealer cost facts, and agreeing to a reasonable dealer profit.

Growing up, my best friends father was in the car business, and dear god, the stories...... he taught, and I learned.
So the no haggle thing will not work for me unless I know the cost and profit margin first.


In a side note, we finally placed our order for our navy on navy R7. I'm very happy with the deal. We bought right, and our dealer will make a reasonable profit. I'll follow that up with service loyalty and hopefully many years of further business.
Everyone is happy, and that is what makes a good deal.

[Big Block Power]

Congrats. Can't wait to see it. How many weeks? Did you decide on a trailer? Do you have Any pictures of one in that color scheme?

[liquid]

Congratulations Tuscany - Where are you going to keep her?

[Tuscany]

Thanks guys.
It took me a long time to actually pull the trigger. The thing MSRPS at 153,500, and I'm still having a problem spending that kind of change on a toy. But hey, were debt free and were coming into it with most of it paid. We're discounted in the mid 30's which is more than fair. Still, dear god....
I guess when a person is spending this much, you might as well equip it right. The R5 can save a person about 13K, but the bow is much smaller/shorter for long legged people and the rear portion is not set up to be comfortable stitting around a dinette.

I found this boat, which is the exact same color scheme, equipped similar inside and out, except for the sports arch (EZ fold Bimini) and the windlass. Same helm with wood, dock lights, SS foot tread, dinette, electric toilet. Our sink isn't in the head, but rather in the cockpit. Premium stereo, dual batts and charger port. Trim tabs, filler cushion in the bow, LED interior and platform lights with remote, sea grass and a few more goodies.
VP 380 power.
Trailer is coming from Loadmaster of Ohio.

http://www.strongsmarine.com/siteconten ... facturer=6

Liquid, I keep it on the trailer. I'm too anal to leave it in a slip banging away. We use our boat as a day boat. Take it with, and bring it back home.

[Skiingstrongman]

Congratulations man. Beautiful boat. You will be thrilled. For a bowrider under 30 feet there isn't another brand that comes close in terms of fit and finish and quality.

We will expect lots of pictures once you get it running this summer.

[Tuscany]

We are pretty excited.
I can't think of a more perfect sized boat. Lots of room in the bow, and comfortable room for 6 around the dinette in the rear. The quality of the interior and the digital dash... pretty pumped here....

After walking on just about every brand at the Toronto boat show, nothing is styled better. The interior of a SeaRay, Regal and even Formula just looks totally second class, and far behind Cobalt. And really, knocking that kind of percentage off makes the coming depreciation less hard to take.
Why people buy late model used is beyond me..