When Is the Best Time to Buy a New Boat?
Clint
How to Save Money When You Buy Your New Boat
First, we should go ahead and say that we don’t believe that there is ever a bad time to buy a boat. However, there are a couple of opportune times throughout the year where you can save a good bit of money on your new boat purchase if you’re willing to plan accordingly…
Boat Shows: A Great Opportunity to Buy a New Boat
Chances are, there is going to be a boat show near you some time in the next year. Here’s a good boat show calendar where you can check to see.
If you plan to try to buy a new boat at a boat show, make sure to find out:
- When and where the nearest boat show is (use the link above);
- Which dealers and manufacturers are going to be at the boat show;
- Which type of boat (general, ski, fishing, etc) is going to be best for you and which of the dealers/manufacturers have models ideal for you so you can talk to them in person.
Boat dealers and manufacturers are at a boat show for one reason: to meet face-to-face with potential customers to try to earn your business. Go talk to them, tell them what you’re looking for and chances are you can get a great deal right on the spot, especially if you have a couple of them vying for your business at the same time.
New Model Releases: A Great Time to Save On a New Boat
During the late winter and early spring, boat dealers are trying to clear out last year’s inventory to make room for the new models (just like with car dealers). So, if you go to a local dealer during this time of year, you’ve got a good chance to cut a sweet deal on a boat that the dealer has to get off their books.
New boat sales have been good over the past couple of years (up almost 10% in 2012) compared to what they were during the recession, but they’re still not back to what the industry would consider “strong.” So, it’s still more of buyer’s market than a seller’s market when it comes to purchasing your new boat.
Take advantage of this opportunity while it lasts!
Get the Best Match For YOU, Not Necessarily the Best Deal
A lot of first time boat buyers make the mistake of getting a boat that’s not best suited to their specific needs. For instance, if you know you’re going to spend 90% of your time on your boat fishing, don’t buy a ski boat just because you can get a great deal on one.
Sure, saving money on your new boat is great, but more importantly, you need to make sure you’re going to be happy with your investment for many years to come. If you’re going to be using a boat for lots of different activities, get a general purpose boat.
Not quite sure what kind of boat you want? Here’s a great tool from Discover Boating to help you figure it out!
When Is the Best Time to Buy a New Boat Cover?
Yes, there is actually a bad time to buy a boat cover or bimini top: before you’ve bought your boat! Once you own your new baby, we’d be honored to protect her for you, so be sure to contact us asap!
WARNING: Sometimes, boat dealers will try to make a few extra bucks by throwing in a cover and then adding it to the financing so it doesn’t seem like that big of a deal (“Hey, it’s only a few extra bucks per month!”). Unfortunately, what you usually end up with when this happens is a low quality boat cover at a very high price. When it comes to protecting an investment like a boat, it really doesn’t make sense to choose an inferior product that isn’t going to get the job done for you, so don’t settle for less than the best product at the best price with the best service, which just so happens to be what we offer.
That’s why we’ve been in business for over a decade and continue to be America’s most trusted source for high quality boat covers and bimini tops made in the USA!