Purchasing Discounts

[smashboat]

The dealer I worked with took 25% off without question. That was on my 220, but he was willing to make the same deal on any model.

Thank you! The more confirmation I get the more confident I am in asking for more off

[BobRae99]

The dealer I worked with took 25% off without question. That was on my 220, but he was willing to make the same deal on any model.

It’s easy for the dealer to offer 25% off on a 10 series boat. Cobalt has net pricing on its website most of the year that reflects a 26% discount. That pricing doesn’t apply to the R series, you have to negotiate a discount with a dealer in a protected territory model. No dealer in Canada was prepared to sell out of their territory to me. In addition I had a trade that was only a year old, which complicated the deal.

[Tuscany]

The dealer I worked with took 25% off without question. That was on my 220, but he was willing to make the same deal on any model.

Thank you! The more confirmation I get the more confident I am in asking for more off

Maybe because I've been in business my entire life and make buys every day, but I go by the golden rule.
He who holdeth the gold, maketh the rules.. IMHO, 30% is bottom. 35% is the number to shoot for.

The season is closing fast...You are holding the check book, you can buy any boat you want. Want to make it easy? Ask for 35% off and sign a check with the dealerships name at the top, and ask them if they would like to make a sale today, and a customer for years. Settle somewhere between 35 and 30.

[smashboat]

The dealer I worked with took 25% off without question. That was on my 220, but he was willing to make the same deal on any model.

Thank you! The more confirmation I get the more confident I am in asking for more off

Maybe because I've been in business my entire life and make buys every day, but I go by the golden rule.
He who holdeth the gold, maketh the rules.. IMHO, 30% is bottom. 35% is the number to shoot for.

The season is closing fast...You are holding the check book, you can buy any boat you want. Want to make it easy? Ask for 35% off and sign a check with the dealerships name at the top, and ask them if they would like to make a sale today, and a customer for years. Settle somewhere between 35 and 30.

He emailed be back saying - " Cobalt has never had any discount structure in that range even on heavy carryover models. I believe we are in the 16% discount mark plus the color graphic option was fully credited.

I want to get you into a Cobalt. Let me speak with the manager to see if there is anything at all he can do. "

The graphics was under $200 not anything for him to brag about -

[tgrace98]

it all comes down to your region. I can tell you 30-35% cannot be had in the region I am in on an R series.

[BobRae99]

My dealer stalled at 21% at the start of the season. I think I’d be able to get a few more points off at the end of the season. I don’t know if I’d get to 29% off on a deal but others here say you can. Are you in a hurry? I’m told new R series models will be introduced in October

Are they changing the model?

Yes. The R5 will be replaced by the R6 and the R7 will be replaced by the R8. Timing for introduction of these models is October 2019 with production beginning in Q1 2020. Both replacement models will sell at the same time as the old models sell through and production on the new models ramps up. The R3 will be replaced by the R4 which will be introduced about a year after the above models and sell in the 2021 model year.

[tgrace98]

Also I noticed you put bottom paint and drive paint in there. Have you considered the SC models? They have outboards and are a lot better for salt water applications.

[Tuscany]

it all comes down to your region. I can tell you 30-35% cannot be had in the region I am in on an R series.

IMO, Timing is everything, and never say never.
Although I can not say for sure because I do not know your area..., but when the cold wind blows, and the foot traffic stalls, and people are spending their money on the holidays...a smaller profit vs. zero profit may look very good to the owners. Cobalt also employs sales target breaks for volume.
Add in the fact that the R3-5-7 are about to become stale bread....

Economic confidence is a funny thing. Right now, it’s all smoke and mirrors, and riding the razors edge with a crazy man at the wheel.
Chicken little lives or dies on CNBC at market close. And with that, dictates the RV market.

[greenhut]

My dealer stalled at 21% at the start of the season. I think I’d be able to get a few more points off at the end of the season. I don’t know if I’d get to 29% off on a deal but others here say you can. Are you in a hurry? I’m told new R series models will be introduced in October

Are they changing the model?

Yes. The R5 will be replaced by the R6 and the R7 will be replaced by the R8. Timing for introduction of these models is October 2019 with production beginning in Q1 2020. Both replacement models will sell at the same time as the old models sell through and production on the new models ramps up. The R3 will be replaced by the R4 which will be introduced about a year after the above models and sell in the 2021 model year.

I just recently heard (which may or may not be correct of course), that there will be an R9 and have a cabin, and that the R8 is delayed. Still sounds like we'll see the R6 at the Miami Boat show.

[BobRae99]

Are they changing the model?

Yes. The R5 will be replaced by the R6 and the R7 will be replaced by the R8. Timing for introduction of these models is October 2019 with production beginning in Q1 2020. Both replacement models will sell at the same time as the old models sell through and production on the new models ramps up. The R3 will be replaced by the R4 which will be introduced about a year after the above models and sell in the 2021 model year.

I just recently heard (which may or may not be correct of course), that there will be an R9 and have a cabin, and that the R8 is delayed. Still sounds like we'll see the R6 at the Miami Boat show.

I first read about the changes on this forum. Apparently someone at Cobalt had posted something about new molds being produced to the company facebook page which was quickly removed (you can search for the thread on the forum). As I had a new R3 on order, I was interested to know what the model update timeline was.

I reached out directly to Cobalt and was told what I posted above. I have had no reason to call Cobalt again as I don't plan on buying another boat for a while (2 boats in as many years was enough for my wife). If you have heard the above information from someone at Cobalt, I think the information is reliable. If not, I'd be suspicious of it. Cobalt might choose to not release information for competitive reasons, but I doubt they would tell me something that wasn't true when asked a direct question.

In any event, the R3 has exceeded my expectations and I'm sure anyone who owns an R5 feels the same way. Cobalt makes great boats and I'm happy to be able to own any of them.

[smashboat]

Also I noticed you put bottom paint and drive paint in there. Have you considered the SC models? They have outboards and are a lot better for salt water applications.

I keep hearing that the R5 is not as good as an outboard for the ocean. WHy?

[BobRae99]

it all comes down to your region. I can tell you 30-35% cannot be had in the region I am in on an R series.

The "see dealer cost" website shows a deaelr margin of about 29%. I tried working on my dealer by showing the cost numbers. He acknowledged the margin but wasn't prepared to go anywhere near it. I appreciate that some dealers may be more agressive with discounts.

Maybe there are people who have gotten 30% off MSRP. Not seeing anything like that anywhere in Canada except on a leftover 2018 R3/VP 380 that sold a few weeks ago. That boat was offered at around 22% off MSRP plus freight & PDI. It was an odd duck though - white hull, black edge stripe, folding bimini (instead of tower) and not too much else - except the 380 VP. I tried teh dealer at invoice in februdary and they wouldn't bite. I tried again in June, same thing. they kind of have you if you cant buy a new Cobalt out of your own market. I mean, you can, but you'd need a local address and I'm not sure what your servicing dealer would say when you bring the boat in for service.

[Tuscany]

it all comes down to your region. I can tell you 30-35% cannot be had in the region I am in on an R series.

The "see dealer cost" website shows a deaelr margin of about 29%. I tried working on my dealer by showing the cost numbers. He acknowledged the margin but wasn't prepared to go anywhere near it. I appreciate that some dealers may be more agressive with discounts.

Maybe there are people who have gotten 30% off MSRP. Not seeing anything like that anywhere in Canada except on a leftover 2018 R3/VP 380 that sold a few weeks ago. That boat was offered at around 22% off MSRP plus freight & PDI. It was an odd duck though - white hull, black edge stripe, folding bimini (instead of tower) and not too much else - except the 380 VP. I tried teh dealer at invoice in februdary and they wouldn't bite. I tried again in June, same thing. they kind of have you if you cant buy a new Cobalt out of your own market. I mean, you can, but you'd need a local address and I'm not sure what your servicing dealer would say when you bring the boat in for service.

I can tell you that “See Dealer Cost: is a dealer’s best negotiating friend, because it’s not even CLOSE to the accurate cost of the boat.

[BobRae99]

it all comes down to your region. I can tell you 30-35% cannot be had in the region I am in on an R series.

The "see dealer cost" website shows a deaelr margin of about 29%. I tried working on my dealer by showing the cost numbers. He acknowledged the margin but wasn't prepared to go anywhere near it. I appreciate that some dealers may be more agressive with discounts.

Maybe there are people who have gotten 30% off MSRP. Not seeing anything like that anywhere in Canada except on a leftover 2018 R3/VP 380 that sold a few weeks ago. That boat was offered at around 22% off MSRP plus freight & PDI. It was an odd duck though - white hull, black edge stripe, folding bimini (instead of tower) and not too much else - except the 380 VP. I tried teh dealer at invoice in februdary and they wouldn't bite. I tried again in June, same thing. they kind of have you if you cant buy a new Cobalt out of your own market. I mean, you can, but you'd need a local address and I'm not sure what your servicing dealer would say when you bring the boat in for service.

I can tell you that “See Dealer Cost: is a dealer’s best negotiating friend, because it’s not even CLOSE to the accurate cost of the boat.

I appreciate that like in the car industry, there is a fair bit of added dealer incentive beyond the dealer's "invoice" costing to retail margin. But, we don't have access to those numbers. If someone wants to help out others on the forum, the best thing to do is post your sales contract showing the 35% discount with the dealer and purchaser's name blacked out. That will give the rest of us the ammunition to get a better deal than "See Dealer Cost" provides. Otherwise, who really knows what a buyers discount really was?

[BobRae99]

The "see dealer cost" website shows a deaelr margin of about 29%. I tried working on my dealer by showing the cost numbers. He acknowledged the margin but wasn't prepared to go anywhere near it. I appreciate that some dealers may be more agressive with discounts.

Maybe there are people who have gotten 30% off MSRP. Not seeing anything like that anywhere in Canada except on a leftover 2018 R3/VP 380 that sold a few weeks ago. That boat was offered at around 22% off MSRP plus freight & PDI. It was an odd duck though - white hull, black edge stripe, folding bimini (instead of tower) and not too much else - except the 380 VP. I tried teh dealer at invoice in februdary and they wouldn't bite. I tried again in June, same thing. they kind of have you if you cant buy a new Cobalt out of your own market. I mean, you can, but you'd need a local address and I'm not sure what your servicing dealer would say when you bring the boat in for service.

I can tell you that “See Dealer Cost: is a dealer’s best negotiating friend, because it’s not even CLOSE to the accurate cost of the boat.

I appreciate that like in the car industry, there is a fair bit of added dealer incentive beyond the dealer's "invoice" costing to retail margin. But, we don't have access to those numbers. If someone wants to help out others on the forum, the best thing to do is post your sales contract showing the 35% discount with the dealer and purchaser's name blacked out. That will give the rest of us the ammunition to get a better deal than using "See Dealer Cost" provides. Otherwise, who really knows what a buyers discount really was?