SouthWales
Member
I am yet to find proper information regarding this - any first hand advice please?
Is it possible to save [15%] on a new hull by buying directly from a builder at a boat show?
- Thread starter SouthWales
- Start date
DavidJ
Well-known member
Do you mean just the hull to fit out yourself?
davidej
Well-known member
Or does the OP mean just cutting out the dealer.
DavidJ
Well-known member
Ah! I think you’re probably right.
Builders need dealers so will tend to not undercut them.
However if there is more than one dealer you can vie them off against each other. I’ve done this very successfully with cars (VW) and sofa (Natuzzi) buying.....best of luck with boats.
Last edited:
SouthWales
Member
Yes
Garold
Well-known member
We bought a display boat at Southampton Boat Show.
At the boat show, many of the boats are owned by dealers. But they often come with extended credit terms for the dealer and extra dealer support. The manufacturer also usually has an offer on the customer finance at the boat show too.
With some advice from another dealer that I knew, I sought out the dealer that owned the display boat. The dealer did not want to transport the boat back to the Medway, and he was keen to do a deal.
We managed to buy the boat for about 10% less than the ‘amazing’ boat show offer that was on the marketing material.
On another boat, we ordered a yacht at SBS, but agreed for it to go in London Boat Show. We took delivery soon after the show. For that, we received an extra 3% (or thereabouts) off the deal that we had already negotiated. However, when we visited LBS, it was a bit discomforting watching so many people crawl all over our new boat. I had to remind myself about the discount (about £4.5k).
I’m not sure if this is what you were asking but from our experience, boat shows do sometimes offer good buying opportunities.
(ps. All the above is to the best of my recollection.)
At the boat show, many of the boats are owned by dealers. But they often come with extended credit terms for the dealer and extra dealer support. The manufacturer also usually has an offer on the customer finance at the boat show too.
With some advice from another dealer that I knew, I sought out the dealer that owned the display boat. The dealer did not want to transport the boat back to the Medway, and he was keen to do a deal.
We managed to buy the boat for about 10% less than the ‘amazing’ boat show offer that was on the marketing material.
On another boat, we ordered a yacht at SBS, but agreed for it to go in London Boat Show. We took delivery soon after the show. For that, we received an extra 3% (or thereabouts) off the deal that we had already negotiated. However, when we visited LBS, it was a bit discomforting watching so many people crawl all over our new boat. I had to remind myself about the discount (about £4.5k).
I’m not sure if this is what you were asking but from our experience, boat shows do sometimes offer good buying opportunities.
(ps. All the above is to the best of my recollection.)
SouthWales
Member
Thanks for that. I thought builders have their own stands at major shows like Dusseldorf. So they sell directly to customers/visitors I wonder?
Ningaloo
Well-known member
You certainly won't find the volume builders selling direct. You buy through a dealer who is responsible for delivery, commissioning and warranty which the builders are not set up to handle themselves.
Possibly different with very low volume or custom builders.
Possibly different with very low volume or custom builders.
MapisM
Well-known member
If as I suppose you are interested in a boat built from a mainstream builder who sells through a dealer network, then you are unlikely to find anyone willing to sell directly a single boat to a final client.
But crucially, if you would find one, you'd better run than walk away from it, because it can only be a desperate one.
And buying a boat from a desperate builder is never a good idea, regardless of price.
In fact, when you fork out the price of a boat upon purchase, you are only starting to waste your money, if you see what I mean.
It's a well built boat at a fair value that you want, not a cheap one.
But crucially, if you would find one, you'd better run than walk away from it, because it can only be a desperate one.
And buying a boat from a desperate builder is never a good idea, regardless of price.
In fact, when you fork out the price of a boat upon purchase, you are only starting to waste your money, if you see what I mean.
It's a well built boat at a fair value that you want, not a cheap one.
SouthWales
Member
I am after a Jeanneau/Beneteau actually
Seejay
Member
These are the same group which has thousands of workers worldwide and an established dealer network which they would never by-pass/cut out.
MapisM
Well-known member
I agree with Seejay. Go for a used boat, if you want to save some some money.
...Though TBH the only reliable way to save money with boats is by not buying them at all!
...Though TBH the only reliable way to save money with boats is by not buying them at all!
SouthWales
Member
Then out of curiosity, why fork out £1,000s and fly to dusseldorf if no incentives are offered by buying directly from manufacturers?
and 2) these guys undercut car dealers by selling the same new cars for less (significantly less in some cases): Coast2Coast Cars | discount new cars, car discounts, new car discount offers
Is the same available in the boating world?
and 2) these guys undercut car dealers by selling the same new cars for less (significantly less in some cases): Coast2Coast Cars | discount new cars, car discounts, new car discount offers
Is the same available in the boating world?
Last edited:
Sticky Fingers
Well-known member
Cutting out the dealer is a non starter for the brands you mention. There are always show offers, many of these are supported by manufacturer rebates or packages, but delivered by the dealer.
In my own experience having bought 2 new boats in the last 5 years, it IS worth attending shows. You have to form a relationship with your supplying dealer, they will be the source of any improved prices, not the manufacturer. If the dealer knows you, knows you are serious (and not all about the lowest price regardless) then you can build from there. I'm very happy with the deals I did. It's about having the right deal for both sides.
In my own experience having bought 2 new boats in the last 5 years, it IS worth attending shows. You have to form a relationship with your supplying dealer, they will be the source of any improved prices, not the manufacturer. If the dealer knows you, knows you are serious (and not all about the lowest price regardless) then you can build from there. I'm very happy with the deals I did. It's about having the right deal for both sides.
ari
Well-known member
1. To see the huge choice of boats on display and be able to compare them directly 'back to back', virtually impossible away from a boat show.
2. Online car brokers are not buying direct from manufacturers, they're buying from dealers.
ontheplane
Well-known member
Online car brokers buy direct from manufacturers on "fleet terms". They don't get the offers such as 0% finance and so on, but they get a substantial discount (on fleet type cars not limited supply cars). They only buy from dealers when they can't get terms on particular model from the manufacturer direct.
rafiki_
Well-known member
You will tend to find boat show stands and displays manned by Dealers. You won’t cut them out at a boat show, unless it is a very small builder who only builds to orders and doesn‘t have dealers. It is also safer to buy through a dealer as your cash will go into an Escrow account so in theory safe if the builder goes bust, unless you have paid the cash over to the builder, in which case the part-built boat should be yours legally.
PlanB
Well-known member
One caveat in buying from a boat show - I know someone who did this, buying the display boat of what was a brand new model - hull no 1. He had no end of hull related problems which would have been fixed by later runs.
Boat2016
Active member
Trying to cut out their dealer network for a direct sale would indicate the dishonesty of the builder you’ve dealing with and make me wonder what other dishonest things they would do.
Perhaps it might be worth a call to Volvo Penta at same time to ask that they supply any parts direct so you can also prevent the dealer from earning a living...I can probably guess what the answer will be.
DavidJ
Well-known member
Haggle on the boat by all means but I notice massive mark ups on extras eg air con, navigation etc it’s stuff which will probably be on the shelves at cost and easy to factory fit so lots of opportunity for a bargain