"Pat Goff @yahoo.com" pmgoffjrbot wrote in message
...
I'd like to do a quicky survey on what has/will motivate you in your
current/future boat decisions..

A lot of you all know me, those that don't just want you to know I'll
always
help as much as possible any boat rigging/driving issues you might have.

I've been put in charge of fishing boats now at Rick Carter Marine in
Marble
Falls TX. I'm getting ready for boat shows, and would like to have as
much
input as possible.

***Congratulations on the position Pat. I'll certainly try to help.


Our fishing boat lines are Bass Cat, Champion, Lowe, Alumicraft, and
Shallow
Sport. Mercury and Yamaha.

***Bass Cat makes a good boat, as does Alumicraft. Never saw a Shallow
Sport.


Now the questions are....
How much research did/will you do before you make your decision?

***Quite a bit. I'll study hull design, construction, compare warranties,
features, benefits, storage, layout, standard features, from websites,
brochures, trying to talk to current owners and actually looking at the
boats themselves. At least that's the way I bought my last two boats.

What is the final reason you will/did choose your particular boat?
Price?

***It's a definite factor, but not the only one. Lowest price isn't always
the cheapest, just as most expensive isn't always the best.

Reputation?

***This means a lot to me. But reputation is more than just who sells the
most boats. I want to hear things that mean I'm going to have a trouble
free, enjoyable experience with the boat.

Service?

***Good service is important. It doesn't matter who makes what, something
is going to go wrong and when it does, the problem needs to be remedied
promptly. It doesn't matter if you have the best boat in the world, if the
dealer won't stand behind it and take care of you, if it's sitting in the
driveway, or the dealer's back-lot, it isn't worth much. There's a dealer
here in Wisconsin that sells a lot of boats based on price. But, he usually
only sells a boat to a person once!

Looks?

***A boat is like a woman. Everyone has a different idea of what "good
looking" is. Me? I like sleek and sexy, you should have seen Janet when I
met her..... ahem, never mind that..... But yeah, I'm not going to shell
out major coin if I don't like how the boat looks. But some people are more
utilitarian than I am. But, by the same token, I wouldn't buy a boat
strictly on looks. It has to have function too.

Would you make the same decision now if you know everything you do? If
not,
what would you have rather done different?

***I probably would have bought the same boat that I did. I really like it
and find that it is a good balance between good looks and functionality.
The thing that I would have done differently is I would have bought it from
a different dealer, knowing now what I do.

Did/will you take a test ride before you bought/buy? How important is
that?

***Kind of. I rode/drove in the 20'1" version of the 21'6" boat that I
have. I liked the way it performed and fished. To me, it's very important.
When I bought my boat, I had a deal with the marina that I could get my
money back without hassle if I returned it in the first week. I tried to
get 30 day return privileges, but he wouldn't go for that.

How much do you think that dealer made/will make on your boat? What do
you
consider "fair"?

***I would guess that a dealer typically gets somewhere around 20% on a boat
package sale. I'm probably way off base on that. I don't have a problem
with a dealer marking up a boat, they won't be in business long without a
profitable sale.

Is/was a particular pro influential in your decision?

***Not in the least. I know some pros that are driving the boat they are
only because they could get on the "Pro-Staff" and get a new boat at minimal
markup. Many of them have told me, "Yeah, I'm running this now, but I
really want to be on Brand X's team."

If any, what was unpleasant about your boat buying experience?

***The bald faced lies told to me to get me to buy the boat, the lack of
dealer support after the sale and the total disregard for anything remotely
resembling business ethics.


Any and all responses would be appreciated, anyone who'd like to have a
conversation with me direct, please contact me a


Looking forward to seeing what the responses are!

***Was this ok? If you'd like clarification on any of my responses, feel
free to contact me directly.
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com