a new boat owner SOON

[kilo11]

Just a little bemused at the boating industry. As most of you know im just buying a little tinnie 3.9 with a good 20/25/30 hp motor 2 or 4 stroke boat ,motor trailer are going on the water around 7,500 when i ask the dealers can i have a test drive they almost laugh at me .ok this is my first boat no experience at all so im thinking i wouldnt fork over 7 or 8 grand for a car without test driving it first...would you......so what i usaully get is take my word for it itll go no worries with a 15hp...or no u need a 25hp to get u out the shit quick and on it goes ,so wouldnt a test drive sort this out? Would this happen in the motor industry?
oh well just have too go down to the local boat ramp and wait for something similar and beg for a ride.

thanks to all who helped in all posts to give me some idea.

[griz066]

BOAT = Bring Out Another Thousand welcome to the money pit

[Ocean_Spirit]

I guess it is harder with the tinnies, because they are usually not set-up ready to go. Further, testing a car is a lot easier than testing a boat.

With a boat, it means 1.) having a configuration there that suits your needs 2.) putting a brand new boat, engine, trailer etc. in the water, hence making it a demo if you decide not to buy, and further, as obvious in this case, the fact that the dealer cannot justify the effort and risk etc. of doing this for the margin he or she is making out of the sale.

That is my perceived idea of the situation.

[spuderico]

It would seem to me that they are not working hard enough for their dollar!! > Give em the utimatum. I guess they dont need the sale! With the price of fuel going up and up it wont be long before boats will be like 4 wheel drives. To expensive to run, Aand make ends meet

[Seahorse]

i wonder at what dollar value they will do test runs. i didnt bother in my tinnie, but if i spending $15,20 grand i would definately want a run.

[masterdusky]

My first boat cost me $7500. the salesmen couldnt have been happier taking it for a run, think it let the mechanic out on the water for the morning...

if they dont wanna test drive go somewhere that will.....make em' work for the money.

[JLW]

I spent 65K on mine and couldn't get a run until nearly half way through the build process and had to make a fuss to get that. Stand on ya dig mate, there will always be someone who'll make the effort to sell one. After all there is plenty to choose from.

[seatime]

You can understand casual tyre kickers not getting a demo every time they ask, but any salesman worth his salt should identify a potential sale and meet the client's needs.

I couldn't sell a blood clot to a haemophiliac, but I know how I like to be treated by sales staff.
There appears to be more than a few yards who need to develop a better sales ethos.
regards

[fishn-ads]

Kilo whats your local ramp if it one i use you can have a rap in mine it's 4.2 with a 40, was $7400 boat motor trailer.

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[kilo11]

a mate of mine has 25 2 stroke went for ride in it was impressed....
so i went and bought 25 4 stroke elect start for 4,860 from a salesman that said he would line up a ride for me on saturday he was prepared to do it so i bought from him ended up spending $8,636.90 .... was his lucky day.


and it was a mercury efi cant wait>>>.