Questions about purchasing a new boat

[Chad Luebker]

I am looking at purchasing a new boat within the next year or 2. However, I really want to make the right decisions and have this be the boat that I love and will like it for many, many years. From what I have read one the main decisions is make sure the dealer sets it up right and has good customer service. So, without asking the dealership and them obviously saying they have great customer service what are some other ways to find out? I live in Dassel, MN which is 60 miles west of Minneaplis so I do have lots of dealers within an hour drive. I am strictly looking at Alumacraft, Lund, and Crestliner. So any info on dealers, what to watch for, etc would be great. In my mind I would rather spend an extra $500 if the boat is setup to perfection and customer service is top notch. Please respond with any advice or information on dealers that you have used and would definately recommend.

Thanks in advance!

Chad

[pulleye16]

One would never have guessed but I got mine from the big "c" and got the best deal, many extra and the freebies never stopped.

On top of the great deal, I got the free trolling motor and sonar (which if you buy a boat you'd better get this included) two batteries (they ran out of the standard so they gave me a free AGM top quality battery), free ski towing package, and he asked if I need life vest and just through in a whole package of vest, throwables, extinguisher, paddle, rope lines, bouyees. It was totally water ready. Also got over $500 cash to spend on the rewards program. Great Great customer service, broke some panneling and idle need adjusting and the were all over it. One thing I didn't like were the hours amd location.

[Pat K]

To get the right set up and floor plan on the boat, when you have it down to 2 or 3 possible boats, bring you fishing gear to the dealers and put it in the boats. The last boat I bought I loaded my tackle boxes four rods and a cooler in the boat to see how I could arrange them and how easy it was to move around the boat with my stuff in the way, and how easy or difficult it would be to get access to things when the boat was set up for fishing. My wife was embarrassed to be seen with me but I finally got a boat with the best layout for my fishing.

I didn't buy my boat from the big C store, but when my dealer refused to fix a few things that I knew should be covered under warranty, I took it to the big C and they fixed everything under warranty and even adjusted some compartment door so they fit better when closed that I hadn't said anything about. I'd definitely give them a look.

[Down Deep]

I'm not going to make a recommendation about a dealership because there isn't one out their that someone hasn't an issue with, but there are some very good one's out there. The best thing to do is go to the Northwest Sports Show this year and shop all the dealers. That way you will get some experience with the dealers and learn a lot about the boat you will eventually buy. Then ask questions about specific models and equipment here as you will get responses from people who own the equipment.

Make sure that you do your research on any dealer furnished equipment so that you know what you are getting. While buying a package with the trolling motors, sonars, batteries, etc are part of the deal is a good way to save some $$$'s, the furnished equipment are often non-current models and sometimes 2 or 3 years off the current model year. Also make sure that any engine you buy will push the boat adequately. Sometimes the packaged price will include a smaller HP motor than the boat with gear, people and fuel actually needs. This is done by every dealer that I've ever come across. Same for trailers. Not that they are trying to slide something by the buyer, but they do it to get the price down.

One more thing is to check the factory websites for incentives being offered so you will know what they are when you are ready to buy. Don't rely on the salesman or dealer to provide this information as they might not know themselves.

[gregg52]

all of the above and if you are going to wait a year or 2 get on the water with someone that has a model that you are thinking about

not sure how much you fish but if you are buying a new boat i would

think quite a bit

get on the water that you think you will be fishing the most

go on a windy day if you can and see whats the best ride and dryest

and for sure go to the boat shows and look at the floor plans

some one above said he took his gear to see if he could move it around and if it fit thats good idea

my boat has enuff storage i never have nothing on the flooring rolling around thats one reason i bought it thats not only good for on the water but if you stop while traveling for lunch nobody can see anything in your boat and reach over and grab it

and when you do get ready to buy think non current you somethimes can get a good deal that way..i did probably saved 5-10k

[SkunkedAgain]

When you are talking about the metro, there are several dealers selling each brand of boat. Never be afraid to shop around for the best price. Let them know that you are looking. After doing your research and testing things out, let them know what boat/motor you specifically want to buy. Walk into each dealer with the other guy's brochure and prices. Let them duke it out of price and "extras."

A funny story: I was coming off of Minnetonka one morning at the same time as another guy (shocking eh). The guy in the boat next to me notices that I bought my boat at a shop on the "south side." He curses everything about them and says, "I should know - I'm a professional guide." Well there was nothing professional about this guy except for his gear. In any case, I've had nothing but positive interactions with my dealer. So just like cell phone carriers, boat dealers are great to one guy and terrible to another. Shop around and find out which one rubs you the right way.

[MnWilly]

Congrats! Looks like you are doing your homework which is really important.

My two pieces of advice.

1. MAX OUT HP. For practicle purpose you can't do it later and it will be well worth the few extra dollars NOW.

2. Trailer. Once you get it down to the boat and motor you want, really start to pay attention to the trailer. It is a very critical part of your package. It can ruin a trip faster than anything IMO. For my money nothing beats an Eagle. They are "custom" fit to each boat and have perfect customer service.

GOOD LUCK

[mww24]

MAX OUT HP. Could not agree with that any more. You will never regret having to much motor. I would put money you would regret not having enough though. Even if you're not a speed demon it helps getting on plane and you can cruise at lower RPM which will save gas. Also good of you pull tubers or skiers. Good luck.

[kdawg]

Agree with max HP, or at least, very close to it. Also, the features on one boat may differ significantly from another. I've owned 3 fish and ski boats, but used the boats far more for fishing than skiing. A couple features that I really like, and wouldn't do without, are the in-floor rod locker storage and a separate baitwell. Also, you can't underestimate the value of storage. Good luck on your decision.

[SkunkedAgain]

Yup, keep getting suggestions about what other people consider must-haves. These may not necessarily be must-haves for you but they'll get you thinking. For example:

I agree about having lots of storage space, not just for rods and live wells but also bumpers, throwables, fire extinguisher, boat/motor maintenance equipment, life jackets, etc..... My buddy changed from a Alumacraft Navigator (with decent storage) to a stripped down Lund with less storage. He really likes that better. To each their own.

[bassNspear]

chad, check out st cloud. alot of dealers there as well

[Musky_Madness]

Boat show was ok today in St Cloud. 70% of it was pontoons. Couple mid size lunds, crestliners, tracker line up, some skeeters, rangers, smokercrafts, and starcrafts. Most models were smaller and I'm guessing to meet the needs of a cash strapped economy. The show was nothing like the days when Crystal Pierz and others put it on with new & used boats. But then again, the boat market has changed drastically as well too.

[bucketmouth64]

Have you decided how much you want to spend? That will help your decision process. It's really easy to be tempted to go higher than what you really wanted to spend. Also, do you have to have brand new? Take a look at used boats during your search. I've seen some really nice deals on FM on rigs that aren't very old. Look online for new/used if you are willing to travel further or out of state. With the state of the economy and high gas prices you can talk down the price whether new/used. Good luck in you search.