I am looking to purchase a 2000 Catalina 380. Unlike automobile purchases where it is easy for the consumer to understand "dealer cost" and profit margins, I can find no similar information concerning new Catalinas. Does any one have insight to the dealer cost or mark-up for new Catalinas. What percent reduction from base price should I expect? What experience has anyone had in negotiating price for a new Catalina?
- Status
Profit margins
Send me an email and I'll respond with what I've learned (marktm@flash.net). Unfortunately, this board doesn't provide a field for email and nobody ever gives their email address.
Send me an email and I'll respond with what I've learned (marktm@flash.net). Unfortunately, this board doesn't provide a field for email and nobody ever gives their email address.
Dealer Cost
Because of current demand, the question is pretty hard to answer. Catalina and most other builders are working at full capacity and selling all they can get with long backlogs. Knowing dealer cost on a Mazda Miata when it first came out was pretty irrelevant. They were in such demand dealers were getting far above sticker price. Benateau has sold out it's dealer allocation on the new 361 through 2000. A few years ago, with a softer market, it was common for me to see discounts or included options of maybe 10% to 12% from my local dealer with the hint of maybe more. Of course any price is negotiable, but I never wanted to try to beat up my dealer too much on price, because I wanted him to make a little money and stay in business. Car dealers are a different story. <G> Gene
Because of current demand, the question is pretty hard to answer. Catalina and most other builders are working at full capacity and selling all they can get with long backlogs. Knowing dealer cost on a Mazda Miata when it first came out was pretty irrelevant. They were in such demand dealers were getting far above sticker price. Benateau has sold out it's dealer allocation on the new 361 through 2000. A few years ago, with a softer market, it was common for me to see discounts or included options of maybe 10% to 12% from my local dealer with the hint of maybe more. Of course any price is negotiable, but I never wanted to try to beat up my dealer too much on price, because I wanted him to make a little money and stay in business. Car dealers are a different story. <G> Gene
Different in each case
In my experience, new boat prices are quite negotiable - which does not always mean you'll get a great deal! In general terms, you'll have less negotiating power buying a boat which the dealer has to order from the factory (as explained in the last post). There's little risk to the dealer on a specialk order and they'll be pretty firm, in most cases. Your best bet for a 'deal' is to find a new boat that has been at the dealer's dock for a while. They're paying moorage, maintenance, and flooring charges on that boat and will want to unload it asap. In a strong market, though, like this one, you won't find many popular models growing mossy at dealer docks. Still... there's always a chance...
In my experience, new boat prices are quite negotiable - which does not always mean you'll get a great deal! In general terms, you'll have less negotiating power buying a boat which the dealer has to order from the factory (as explained in the last post). There's little risk to the dealer on a specialk order and they'll be pretty firm, in most cases. Your best bet for a 'deal' is to find a new boat that has been at the dealer's dock for a while. They're paying moorage, maintenance, and flooring charges on that boat and will want to unload it asap. In a strong market, though, like this one, you won't find many popular models growing mossy at dealer docks. Still... there's always a chance...
- Status