Best time to buy a 2008 Sea Ray

[fiemiller]

I am looking into getting a new Sea Ray and was wondering what is traditionally the best time to purchase a 2008 model? I

I've been looking at a 270 bowrider at the local marine max dealer. Of course they are saying I can get the best price right now ($30K off MSRP), but I don't really need the boat until spring. Would I be better off waiting and getting one this winter? :smt100

 

[thomas]

Being a Marine dealer/Broker, I will tell you this is the best time to purchase a new boat.
Reason being is that all the boats on the dealers showroom floor, unless the dealer paid for them, which I doubt, are floor planed through a finance company and the dealer is paying interest during the non selling season, and we hate doing that. Dealers have X amount of floor plan dollars they can work with.

With the boat manufactures having, or in the process of having there 2009 boat buying shows, we have to clear our floor plan to purchase new boats for next year.

That being said, now is the time to buy a boat.

 

[mike472]

What about a used boat? I am looking at boats in the $150k to 180k range, a 2000 370EC to be exact. I would love to make a deal now, but I cant until spring due to financial limitations that will disappear in the spring. I was wondering if the market will still be soft for boats in this price range by spring. I wouldnt be concerned except that there isnt an awful lot of these boats around with a hardtop and diesels, which are on my must have list.

 

[fwebster]

Sea Ray dealers must pay for their new boats, either before they leave the factory or by certified check before the truck driver will unload at the dealer.

But, that doesn't change Thomas's argument that this is a good time to buy, it only changes the timing slightly. Everyone works on borrowed capital and passes the floor plan debt service cost on to the customer. Most Sea Ray dealers commit for new product in advance to schedule or even get delivery on some models. Astute dealers will commit for boats scheduled out of production in the Jan-April time frame because Sea Ray makes it interesting for dealers to take production slots when the northern dealers don't want to take new product. Beginning about now, but maybe a little later, the dealers with boats due in the winter will be very interested in moving left-over '08's.

Additionally, Sea Ray usually gives dealers various incentives later in the year for the left-overs.

You didn't give us your location so I have no idea if the new boat timing thing will help or hurt you and demand for a particular model has everything to do with factory incentives. Since you are working with MM. the dynamics are somewhat altered in their favor since they can sell boats anywhere with just the cost of transportation by a MM employee in a pickup truck.

Don't know if that help or hurts, but the one thing I can tell you is that you will save more money by being a good negotiator and convincing MM that you are a buyer right now than by timing your purchase.

 

[Converse48]

As far as buying an '08 model (which was your specific question), the bottom line is: the later the better. The more time goes on the more the dealer will want/need to move the boat. That, however, raises the risk for you that the boat you want may be gone when you've decided the time is right. So as others have said, there is a time window that you want to hit. I agree with Frank that that time window may be a bit later than now, but it depends on your location and the status of the specific model and dealer.

When I bought my boat, I waited until after Thanksgiving... the boat shows were over and they had pretty much sold what they were going to sell for the year. I thought I was going to buy an '06 leftover (it was December '06), but the ones the two dealers had I was working with had some options that I didn't want/need so they both gave me prices on a new '07, for March delivery, with the options I wanted that was significantly less than there last/best offers on the '06s. This makes sense, I guess, since they weren't going to have to floorplan the boat at all. I closed on it the day it came off the truck.

Of course, every deal is going to be a little different... which is to say: Individual Results May Vary.

 

[Pseudomind]

What about a used boat? I am looking at boats in the $150k to 180k range, a 2000 370EC to be exact. I would love to make a deal now, but I cant until spring due to financial limitations that will disappear in the spring. I was wondering if the market will still be soft for boats in this price range by spring. I wouldnt be concerned except that there isnt an awful lot of these boats around with a hardtop and diesels, which are on my must have list.

I do not know what part of the country you are in, but I will say I think your figures are a bit high for a 2000 370EC. But that is just my opinion, good luck which ever way anything turns out.

:thumbsup:

 

[Sundancer123]

I am looking into getting a new Sea Ray and was wondering what is traditionally the best time to purchase a 2008 model? I

I've been looking at a 270 bowrider at the local marine max dealer. Of course they are saying I can get the best price right now ($30K off MSRP), but I don't really need the boat until spring. Would I be better off waiting and getting one this winter? :smt100

Best time... 2016! when its 75% off