I'm thinking about buying a new Catalina 310...but I've never purchased a new boat before, so I have some questions. 1) Is the price negotiable to some extent (as with new cars or buying a house) or is it typically fixed? If negotiable, what tends to be the range? 2) Are there separate charges for freight/delivery? Commissioning charges? Other things beyond the base price and optional gear costs? Also, any general advice/comments would be appreciated.
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A few thoughts
When I purchased my C320, I did do some shopping, negotiation & did get a bottom-line price about 11% lower than list. Bottom-line includes the price FOB the factory plus delivery & dealer prep/commissioning charges. Step #1. Go to a boat show and get someone to show the boat & demo features/options available. Get the brochures & vendor lists, etc. Crawl through the enclosed spaces to inspect finish quality, etc. Read through the manuals regarding wiring, rigging, plumbing, etc. Discuss them thoroughly so you can make a post-show decision regarding factory installation & integration vs local/self installation & integration. (It's the "integration" part that can kill you with high-tech electronics.) Try not to get suckered into a "boat show special." My dealer asked me to hold off signing a contract until the Newport RI show so he could see if the "special offerings" from the factory could reduce our negotiated price; it didn't, but I signed the sales contract at the show so he could get a "boat show" credit. Step #2. Canvas the local-area dealers. They are critical, as they will provide the dealer support through the warranty period & beyond. If you don't feel comfortable with their reputation, personality, integrity -- go somewhere else. Check out the local boatyard they are associated with, too. Local boat owners can often give very candid appraisals of these dealers/yards. I had very good experiences with my dealer & still maintain a friendship with the salesman. And I still use the yard associated with them. Step #3. Be specific about what features/options you want & don't want. Go to each dealer you pre-surveyed and ask for a best deal quote and work from there. Make sure you compare what is covered by "dealer prep" -- things like delivery charges, bottom paint, commissioning, etc. can vary and are often negotiable in price, whereas anything off of what the factory delivers comes out of their dealer markup (expenses & profit). Don't be hesitant to tell them you expect more. Or to go elsewhere. You can mention that you are negotiating the same overall package with their competitors, but try not to make it into a bidding war. Step #4. Outfitting a new boat with all the stuff you'll need can be a big expense, too, unless you previously owned one and had much of it. Can be upwards of another $3,000 or so with a dinghy, outboard, etc. Don't buy the Catalina safety & equipment package (or whatever they call it these days); it wasn't the best quality and not always well-suited for the kind of sailing you will do. I shopped around & bought stuff at West Marine, Defender, etc. With West Marine, my dealer gave me a 10% new boat buyer one-time discount card AND I shopped around the stores to see if a dealer would give me a further discount on a full-package; one did. Good luck! --RonD
When I purchased my C320, I did do some shopping, negotiation & did get a bottom-line price about 11% lower than list. Bottom-line includes the price FOB the factory plus delivery & dealer prep/commissioning charges. Step #1. Go to a boat show and get someone to show the boat & demo features/options available. Get the brochures & vendor lists, etc. Crawl through the enclosed spaces to inspect finish quality, etc. Read through the manuals regarding wiring, rigging, plumbing, etc. Discuss them thoroughly so you can make a post-show decision regarding factory installation & integration vs local/self installation & integration. (It's the "integration" part that can kill you with high-tech electronics.) Try not to get suckered into a "boat show special." My dealer asked me to hold off signing a contract until the Newport RI show so he could see if the "special offerings" from the factory could reduce our negotiated price; it didn't, but I signed the sales contract at the show so he could get a "boat show" credit. Step #2. Canvas the local-area dealers. They are critical, as they will provide the dealer support through the warranty period & beyond. If you don't feel comfortable with their reputation, personality, integrity -- go somewhere else. Check out the local boatyard they are associated with, too. Local boat owners can often give very candid appraisals of these dealers/yards. I had very good experiences with my dealer & still maintain a friendship with the salesman. And I still use the yard associated with them. Step #3. Be specific about what features/options you want & don't want. Go to each dealer you pre-surveyed and ask for a best deal quote and work from there. Make sure you compare what is covered by "dealer prep" -- things like delivery charges, bottom paint, commissioning, etc. can vary and are often negotiable in price, whereas anything off of what the factory delivers comes out of their dealer markup (expenses & profit). Don't be hesitant to tell them you expect more. Or to go elsewhere. You can mention that you are negotiating the same overall package with their competitors, but try not to make it into a bidding war. Step #4. Outfitting a new boat with all the stuff you'll need can be a big expense, too, unless you previously owned one and had much of it. Can be upwards of another $3,000 or so with a dinghy, outboard, etc. Don't buy the Catalina safety & equipment package (or whatever they call it these days); it wasn't the best quality and not always well-suited for the kind of sailing you will do. I shopped around & bought stuff at West Marine, Defender, etc. With West Marine, my dealer gave me a 10% new boat buyer one-time discount card AND I shopped around the stores to see if a dealer would give me a further discount on a full-package; one did. Good luck! --RonD
Buying new
Hi Mike - Ron had some excellent points. To answer your questions directly: 1) The price can be negotiable to some extent. Dealers typically get flooring assistance from builders for a certain time, usually 6 months to a year. If you can find a boat that has been sitting for some time, dealers will usually be more anxious to sell before the flooring assitance ends. Also, they want to clear their docks for the new models coming out. If the boat you want just landed, you might get some kind of credit by offering the dealer use of the boat after you've bought it for a boat show (if you can handle all those people on your new baby!). Many dealers will consider trades, usually in the form of another boat they can sell, but I've seen cars and kayaks too! If you structure the sale as a trade, you only pay sales tax on the difference (if applicable). 2) Reputable dealers list the price FOB dealer (meaning including shipping), including commissioning. Some tend to load boats with gear you may need or want, such as anchor packages, heat or A/C, canvas, etc. As Ron said, pay close attention to what is actually included in the listed price. Much of the gear included in the price may not be installed yet (cash flow for dealer), so if you don't want a component, you should be able to negotiate. Heck, ask them to throw in a chart plotter if you want one - remember, they pay wholesale and give you the retail value. Consider the dealer's reputation and make sure you are comfortable with the operation. You deserve to get good service and feel good about the purchase. Most builders offer a 1 year warranty, so you'll want to have clear communication with the dealer who executes that warranty. Best of luck! Trevor
Hi Mike - Ron had some excellent points. To answer your questions directly: 1) The price can be negotiable to some extent. Dealers typically get flooring assistance from builders for a certain time, usually 6 months to a year. If you can find a boat that has been sitting for some time, dealers will usually be more anxious to sell before the flooring assitance ends. Also, they want to clear their docks for the new models coming out. If the boat you want just landed, you might get some kind of credit by offering the dealer use of the boat after you've bought it for a boat show (if you can handle all those people on your new baby!). Many dealers will consider trades, usually in the form of another boat they can sell, but I've seen cars and kayaks too! If you structure the sale as a trade, you only pay sales tax on the difference (if applicable). 2) Reputable dealers list the price FOB dealer (meaning including shipping), including commissioning. Some tend to load boats with gear you may need or want, such as anchor packages, heat or A/C, canvas, etc. As Ron said, pay close attention to what is actually included in the listed price. Much of the gear included in the price may not be installed yet (cash flow for dealer), so if you don't want a component, you should be able to negotiate. Heck, ask them to throw in a chart plotter if you want one - remember, they pay wholesale and give you the retail value. Consider the dealer's reputation and make sure you are comfortable with the operation. You deserve to get good service and feel good about the purchase. Most builders offer a 1 year warranty, so you'll want to have clear communication with the dealer who executes that warranty. Best of luck! Trevor
Yes, everything is negoitable!
I purchased a new 2001 C320 and had a blast pitting 2 dealers against each other via email. Once I decided what equipment and options I wanted on the boat, I asked both for their best offer. When they replied I basically lowballed the offer and said if it was accepted, I would send them the deposit check today. I made the acceptance of my offer easy because I knew what I wanted and how much the options cost so it was an easy sale for the dealer. Bottom line was I saved $14K off of MSRP without ever having to meet the dealer face to face. I live in Baltimore and there are 3 dealers within "sailing" distance. They all will perform warranty work so buying from one dealer based on service is not necesarily a good thing. I ended up buying from Deltaville, Virginia and sailing the brand new, made to order boat from the delaer over a nice weekend. It also helped that the boat was purchased in November for a April delivery. The dealer told me "it was the easilest sale he has ever done". Know what you want, and how much things cost and you have the power to negotiate. BTW - I suggest spending a little more for a 320 vs. the 310 - greater resale value and demand due to a superior layout. Good luck, Grant # 851 "Isle of Wight"
I purchased a new 2001 C320 and had a blast pitting 2 dealers against each other via email. Once I decided what equipment and options I wanted on the boat, I asked both for their best offer. When they replied I basically lowballed the offer and said if it was accepted, I would send them the deposit check today. I made the acceptance of my offer easy because I knew what I wanted and how much the options cost so it was an easy sale for the dealer. Bottom line was I saved $14K off of MSRP without ever having to meet the dealer face to face. I live in Baltimore and there are 3 dealers within "sailing" distance. They all will perform warranty work so buying from one dealer based on service is not necesarily a good thing. I ended up buying from Deltaville, Virginia and sailing the brand new, made to order boat from the delaer over a nice weekend. It also helped that the boat was purchased in November for a April delivery. The dealer told me "it was the easilest sale he has ever done". Know what you want, and how much things cost and you have the power to negotiate. BTW - I suggest spending a little more for a 320 vs. the 310 - greater resale value and demand due to a superior layout. Good luck, Grant # 851 "Isle of Wight"
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