Would you allow a water test?

[BM]

Hi BM,

Thanks for being upfront mate and yeah, trusting the agent is an issue as they can only be in so many places and with pools, acerage etc. they can't see where people/kids are and liability issue come into play.

I guess from the boating industry point of view with the pastime being classed as "luxury" is probably old school to some extent considering the increase in boat sales due to increases in income per household etc. Maybe attitudes will change over all (and of course we are talking about the industry as a whole, not individuals within) to the better but while money is being spent, why would they? Catch-22 as always.

Cheers,
Chris

Regardless of where the money comes from, marine is still classified as a luxury market. And is it really increase in household income? or probably more likely an increase in household willingness to go further into debt in a low interest rate climate.

Sure, in this day and age of "I want it and I want it now" things are a bit different but peoples "must have" desires dont alter the classification of an industry, they in large proportions just become statistics of the "overhocked" market..... And what I mean there is those who decide on their own or are convinced by their bank to "hell yeah, go buy a new boat and whack it on the mortgage". All is great in a low interest rate market but when the rates climb (as they are) people start to feel the squeeze and the first thing to go is the toys.

I feel sorry for any person who owns a boat on finance. I believe that if you cannot buy it with cash moolah, then you cannot afford it. Simple as that. No doubt many will disagree, but they cannot disagree that the boat I own with my cash is safe and mine by comparison to the boat they "quasi" own, when they default and its siezed by the lender...

Cheers

[Chris Ryan]

Very true BM - couldn't agree with your sentiments more. Thanks for the open discussion on this mate and hearing things from a dealership perspective is very refreshing and really helps get a balanced view. I appreciate it!

Chris

[Angla]

I remember buying my first boat.

I looked at it from over a fence at first, then went back and met the owner at a mutually convenient time. I inspected the boat inside and out and said I would get back to him.
I then asked the wife to look at it over the fence and she was happy for me to put it in our front yard.
I spoke with the owner one more time to tee up a test run the following time that would suit him. He said I could take it for a spin after he had been fishing with the kids for maybe the last time, I took it for a cruise out of the harbour and took it to about 4000 rpm and did a left U turn and a right U turn. Then back to the ramp and gave him the cash and took the boat home.

The test proved the motor operated at idle and full power and that the boat was stable at speed turns. The steering appeared tight and the boat rode over the wake easily. Trim and tilt also appeared to work properly.

Chris

I would do the same for others

[Ryan.S]

As long as they are genuine, sure. Id be in the boat with him but.

[whichway]

Hi

Then there was the time that I had a very interested buyer, took him for a water test. He thought the boat motor package was great, so great that he went and bought a new one, and my price was already a fair market price. I don't think the dealer would do a test drive, so he used me.

From now on, I want a deposit before any water test

Whichway

[Angla]

Whichway, I think you could ask the dealer for a spotters commission for the sale.

Chris

[PinHead]

I had my boat listed on Boatpoint for a month or so...maybe more...I refused to pay a dealer the 8% + GST commission they wanted. I had an enquiry from Victoria..The gentleman concerned and his wife flew up last weekend...looked over the boat and bought it..no water test at all.

[BM]

Thats entirely up to you Pinhead.

Some people don't want to deal with the tyre kickers or genuine lookers. They aren't interested. They'd rather have someone else field all the BS and then hand them a cheque when its over.

But of course, to each his own and well done on a short turnaround. I guess Boatpoint probably has a lower tyre kicker perspective than the Trading Post. Not sure why but it seems to be that way. Particularly if you have an interstate buyer then the BS factor is likely to be quite low and the prospects high.

Cheers

[PinHead]

BM..no dealer could answer the questions about the boat as well as I could..I have had it since new and can recite the entire history and know exactly where every item is located on the boat.

[BM]

Very true, but a dealer who cared would take that on board and harness it and either take on everything the owner said or in the case of a genuine buyer, put the seller in touch with the buyer.

Well..... thats how I would approach it with a really passionate seller, since it makes it a winning scenario all round.

Cheers

[finga]

There wasn't a point in a water test for my first two boats.
When I got them they were rowboats
The motors came later

Greg if I was after a boat like your old one and saw yours and seen how new, how clean and well looked after it was I honestly don't think I would worry about a water test either.
I'd offer one just to go for a run.
A lot about the general condition of boat or car or tractor or house can found out just by looking at the smaller details like the suncover on your old boat or the cleanliness of the prop.
Someone who doesn't give a toss isn't going to put a suncover over the boat and jump into the water every two weeks to clean the prop are they??

[Shagga]

I would agree to a water test only if the buyer is serious. By serious I mean the buyer would have to agree to buy the boat subject to the water test.

[TheRealAndy]

From the other side of the fence, I am off to mackay on the weekend to buy a boat. Its the right price and I will most likely buy it. However because I am driving so far to get it, I told them on the phone that I would like a water test just to make sure everything is good. The chances of my not buying it are slim, however if they had refused to put it on the water I would become suspicious and would have probably bailed out, so to speak.

[PinHead]

I ended up selling mine...buyer saw it on Boatpoint..contacted me..I picked them up at the airport..took them to see the boat..went to lunch and did the deal..no test..all they wanted me to do was supervise the loading onto the semi trailer for it to go to Melbourne.

[muzzytt]

after buying my first boat without water testing it and being assured by the seller engine was ok wich turned out not to be the case now an extra $3300 down the track after buying a secondhand engine there is no way I would even entertain the idea of buying without testing.