Tips for Buying a Boat

There are a lot of questions that will go into your first boat purchase. One of the biggest is whether to go with a brand new boat or to buy a used boat at a cheaper cost. There definitely ups and downs of each, especially for first time buyers. One of the biggest problems with first time boat buyers is that they do not know what to look for in a boat so there is always a chance there is some damage that you aren't picking up on. The biggest problem with buying used is that boat repairs are ridiculously expensive. If you are thinking of buying used then make sure to have an experienced boater come with you to look at the boat. If you can afford to buy new, that would be a wise decision as you will have a warranty to fall back on in case anything goes wrong.

You should try to take a test run before purchasing a boat. Try to test at least three different boats before making a decision. Getting a test run at a dealership is easy enough however convincing a private owner to let you take his boat on the water without a big deposit can be very tricky.

The best time to buy a boat is during the winter. In the winter months boat prices naturally fall as the demands vanquishes. If you can pick a boat up in the winter you will be saving hundred over what you would pay for it in the summer. Dealers will also be more open to negotiate on sticker price during the winter because they do not want to be stuck with a boat all winter long either.

In the boating world there are three recognized price guides. BUC, NADA marine appraisal guide, and the ABOS Marine Blue Book. If you are able to figure out which price guide your dealer is using you will be able to use that information as leverage when you are negotiating. These guides cost around $100 a piece, which is a lot considering how many boats you will buy. It is better to make a visit to your local marine insurance agent and use their copy. NADA has also put up a free online version of its catalogue at www.nadaguides.com

Buying a boat is a big investment. It takes experience to know that the boat you are picking out will not depreciate in value however a little research can go along way when choosing a boat.

Source
:http://www.discoverboating.com/ , Discover Boating