Boat Buying Decisions, What is your Motivator?

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.

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

Now the questions are....
How much research did/will you do before you make your decision?
What is the final reason you will/did choose your particular boat?
Price?
Reputation?
Service?
Looks?
Would you make the same decision now if you know everything you do? If not,
what would you have rather done different?
Did/will you take a test ride before you bought/buy? How important is that?
How much do you think that dealer made/will make on your boat? What do you
consider "fair"?
Is/was a particular pro influential in your decision?
If any, what was unpleasant about your boat buying experience?

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!

"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

"Pat Goff @yahoo.com" pmgoffjrbot wrote in message
...

How much research did/will you do before you make your decision?

A lot. Several months of boat shows, trips to dealers, and online research
happened before I bought my boat. Let's put it this way, I decided in the
early summer of 2002 that I wanted my own little bassin rig, and I didn't
buy it until February 2003. I "considered" and researched everything from
inflatables to 21+' glitter rockets. Ended up with a G3 Pro 175 aluminum
mod-v hull.

What is the final reason you will/did choose your particular boat?
Price? Major reason, I ain't even a Pro in my dreams, so I wanted
something I could pay cash for.
Reputation? Minor reason, but was considered. Friends of mine highly
recommended the brand.
Service? Major reason (also ties into servicing dealer's reputation
though)
Looks? No concern really.

The only other thing I could add here would be warranty. The warranties
included with the various parts of my boat appeared to be in-line with
industry norms, and would've been a red flag had they not.

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

I would've gone ahead with the largest HP OB the hull was rated for.
Otherwise, very happy with the boat my research led me to. But to get that
extra HP would've meant a mandatory move to 4-stroke tech and added way too
much to the cost IMO, and there was a wait for a model with the bigger OB on
it. (My hull is rated for 75HP, I got a 60HP, and Yamaha's only 75HP I could
find at the time was a much more expensive 4 stroker).

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

No test drive. Wasn't important to me as my boat is a little aluminum mod-v
hull. Had I been eyeing $30k-$40k boats though, I would have liked at least
a ride in one if not being able to drive it myself first. Anything over
$40k, and I am going to demand a test drive or I will not buy it (I would
have had to finance such a boat, and if I am to pay for it over years of
time with interest tripling the amount the boat eventually costs me, I will
drive it first or not buy it...)

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

I don't know how much the dealer made. Fair? Boats are worse than cars in
this area IMO, so I can't comment intelligently I'm sure. Given that a
typical markup for retail products is 100%, I can't imagine that my boat's
"cost" to the dealer was only half of what I paid for it, so I guess it was
"fair" in the end. I did go with a lower end, shorter, aluminum boat thought
as IMO, these fiberglass glitter rockets are more overpriced than Corvettes
and Hummers, even with sub-250HP 2 strokes out back.

Is/was a particular pro influential in your decision?

Nope. I do not aspire to be a pro, so I took recommendations from other
weekend warriors such as myself. These are the people that don't get out
much, and can comment on their experiences with such lightly used boats, how
they age, and how well they tolerate winter storage in my area. Pros, IMO,
can only recommend stuff for like people, people that will fish 35-40-50
times a year or more, and look for different qualities in their gear than us
casual fishermen. They'd recommend a Cadillac, and all I "really" need is a
good dependable econobox. I mean when you boil it all down, bass boats are
simply floating docks/piers to fish from. The quesiton then becomes, how
nice of a dock do you really need to get the job done? Thusly, several of my
friends liked their Yamaha OBs, and won't use anything else. The Yamaha
brand lead me to the G3 brand, and the rest is history as they say. Plus,
other locals and friends didn't care for the Tracker brand of boat that is
very similar to the one I ended up with from G3.

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

Distance to the closest dealer (1 hour). The wait that was anticipated to ge
t one with the larger OB I mentioned (6-8 weeks), and the result was buying
one "off the lot" that was otherwise perfect outside the engine size. Even
then, the upgrade was only an extra 15 HP, so I am not "really" that
disappointed.

Pleasant things: Dealer had a fair number of boats in my price range
($10k-$20k). Went in on a Saturday, spent only about 2 hours on-site, and
was done and towing my boat home THAT DAY. Had I needed to finance it, it
could've also been done during that one day, which surprised me. Dealer knew
more than "what was in the brochure", and threw in a free spare, OB engine
cover, and gave me a price break on an upgraded LCD finder and installed it
while he cleared my check with my bank. Also threw in the necessary trailor
light adapter for my tow vehicle (I thought it came with it, but we couldn't
find it. Drove my small SUV up there as I was "just looking" and ended up
"buying" before I realized that Chevy uses an adapter for trailor lights
now....)

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!



Best of luck with your survey Pat.

For me, I had already been fishing tournaments for several years when I
went to buy my new boat. I was really only interested in Champion and
Ranger. In the Rangers, I would not own a 300 series hull, and the 400
series had been out a couple years had a better ride. It came down to
dealer reputation and the ability to get good service. The decision was
actually made when the Champion dealer closed. Both dealers were 2 1/3
to 3 hour drive and I was passing by several local dealers in both
brands for the service. My Ranger dealer offered me a good trade on my
old Champion and I signed on the line. I wouldn't do anything
different except change out some of the stuff on the boat. I should
have grabbed a straight 24v trolling motor or better when they first
came available in the Johnrude's instead of staying with the 12/24v
system. I would liked to have gotten the hydraulic steering instead of
the No-Feedback, but that was the next year. I got a SuperStars boat
and it's been great. I shouldn't have bothered with the Ranger Deluxe
cover either. Otto's Canvas Shop, an Amish business here in Illinois
makes a much better cover, ideal for traveling.

But really, nice friendly people and fair pricing, great service
department on a quality brand, is what sold me. And when I needed the
service, they were there and got her back going in a short time. Never
missed a tournament because of the boat.

I bought a 2002 Lund Fisherman 1800 with a 2003 Honda 115hp at the end of
the 2002 season. I've used it 2 full seasons now (2003 + 2004) and am now
thinking of selling it to get more of a bassboat style boat, maybe a fish n'
ski from one of the major bassboat companies. So, since I've recently been
through all that and I might be about to go through it again, I think I can
answer most of questions !


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

Now the questions are....

How much research did/will you do before you make your decision?

TONS. I have the tendancy to research things to death before parting with
my money, whether it's a $70 humidifier or a $20,000 boat. I look at a
dozen companies and 3 or 4 models/sizes in each company, lay all the specs
out side by side and go through them one by one, including
available/included options, accessories etc etc.


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

I wanted a well-rounded fishing boat that could double as a pleasure boat to
take friends and family out on the water for the day as well for skiing and
tubing. Primarily I wanted a boat that allowed me to fish in most waters
for most species (ie. bass fishing, jigging perch, trolling trout/walleye),
but also one that was comfortable and had plenty of seating for recreational
boating. I settled on the Lund 1800 because of 1) Lund's reputation, 2)
seats 8, 3) is plenty "fishable". After having it for 2 seasons now though
I realize that I don't do the 50% trolling that I thought I'd do. It's more
like 5% trolling and 95% bass fishing. Plus, I want more power ! The 115hp
just doesn't cut it for me anymore ! I need a 200hp e-tech or 4 stroke !!


Price?

Obviously very important. I'm not loaded. I'm in the lower middle income
bracket. I can't afford to throw away money so I need the best value in a
boat for my dollars


Reputation?

Again, very important for me. Which is why I went with a Lund. Now I'm
looking for a fiberglass fish n' ski and I'm only looking at established
companies with good reps like Triton, Stratos, ProCraft, Champion, Ranger
etc. But, there's a breaking point in there as well. The companies with
good reps seem to feel they can jack their price up because of name
recognition. You've heard the saying "You're paying for the name and that's
it". I just had to back out of a 4-boat Triton deal some other bass club
members were swinging with a marina in Virginia (I'm in Vermont) because for
the length, horsepower, and options I wanted in a boat, the Triton was still
way too much, even with the deep discount for the bulk order. I felt I was
going to be just paying for the name Triton, and that I could likely find an
equal boat with a better price from another manufacturer.


Service?

Not as important to me. The biggest service issue to me on a new boat/motor
is warranty service. I didn't buy my Lund and Honda locally, but my local
Honda Marine dealer does all my service work on it without question.


Looks?

Hate to admit it, but it IS important to me. I like a hot looking bass boat
with cool color schemes as much as the next guy. I'm also finicky with
keeping it clean. I wipe it down and vacuum the carpet after nearly every
trip out. I don't want weeds, fish blood and scales, my bread and chip
crumbs from lunch getting ground into my carpet. I've seen some guys fairly
new bass boats look just disgusting after a single season. It sure beats
the hell out of your resale value. My boat is immaculate after 2 seasons.


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

Like I said before, I've already decided to sell my aluminum Lund and go for
a fiberglass fish n' ski, so the answer to that is NO, I wouldn't make the
same decision. But, that's only because the Lund was my first boat ever,
and I guess I really didn't know which way I would end up drifting once I
had my own boat I could take out anytime I wanted to fish. As it turned
out, trolling didn't really "float my boat !!" so to speak, and I found
myself far more interested in the intricicies of bass fishing. But, having
said that, I still want a boat I can spend time on the water with family and
friends and not fish. Hence - a fish n' ski rather than a bass boat.


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

It is important and it's something I struggled with before and I still
struggle with now. Vermont isn't a large state. It's mainly mountain with
some lakes dotted around. Even with Lake Champlain as our western border,
there aren't a whole lot of boat dealers in the state, and few of those that
do exist are bassboat dealers. Finally, the ones that DO sell bassboats
NEVER have fish n' skis in stock. I don't feel comfortable buying a boat I
haven't been able to at least sit in in a showroom and see the layout of
storage, seating, feel, comfortable, legroom etc etc etc. I've never been
in a fish n' ski. They room great in the brochures, but I need to sit in
one before I can commit. I don't know anyone who has one. I'm not sure
what I'm going to do.

Finally, a test ride is imperative to me. I know someone in my bass club
who drove all the way to Virginia to buy a Triton, got it back here to
Vermont, and found out it had never been water tested by the marina. The
trolling motor wiring was all screwed up, the pumps didn't work properly,
the interior lighting was intermittant, the outboard didn't trim right
....... it was a nightmare. He's still having problems, and the marina won't
help him out.


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

I'm not a saleman. I have no idea what mark up prices are on boats or what
a marina expects to make on a boat. Maybe it's the same as auto dealers,
where they get kickbacks from the manufacturer and so they can afford to
sell a vehicle $100 over their cost. All I know is that I want the absolute
best price I can get.


Is/was a particular pro influential in your decision?

Not one single bit. Makes absolutely no difference to me what some "pro" is
driving. The pros aren't driving those boats/motors because they've done
the research and love the boat. Their driving it because some company threw
a wad of cash and a free boat at them and said "here you go, make sure you
tell everyone how great XXX" is.


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

Nothing. The experience I had with my Lund dealer out of state was great.


Now ...... can you sell me a new fish n' ski with a 175hp to 200hp four
stroke for a rock bottom price !!?????????

Shawn




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!

I'll buy only on features and construction quality. I keep my outdoor gear
a long time and need it to fit my uses and hold up forever. The price will
be fine when I have the dough, until then it's too damn much! I've been
looking at replacements for my current ride for about 5 years...Today it
would probably be a Skeeter, but the new Champs and the Bass Cats would get
a look as they are repped around here. I got a nice low pressure look at
the Skeeter at a recent show - that pro would get the first call.


"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.

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

Now the questions are....
How much research did/will you do before you make your decision?
What is the final reason you will/did choose your particular boat?
Price?
Reputation?
Service?
Looks?
Would you make the same decision now if you know everything you do? If
not,
what would you have rather done different?
Did/will you take a test ride before you bought/buy? How important is
that?
How much do you think that dealer made/will make on your boat? What do
you
consider "fair"?
Is/was a particular pro influential in your decision?
If any, what was unpleasant about your boat buying experience?

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!

I bought a 2001 Gambler 20'1" Intimidator this spring Pat, it's got a 2004
225 HO on it. I had an absolute blast running it this year....

How much research did/will you do before you make your decision?

Quite a bit. I was running a Stratos/200 & getting my doors blown-off in
the B.A.S.S. tourneys I was fishing.

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

You can't be concerned with price with boats like Gambler. They are very
expensive rigs.

Reputation?

I was concerned with Gambler's *old* reputation for not handling big water
well. A test drive of a newer model proved that to be old news.

Service?

Key - I have a local Gambler rep that works on my boat personally.

Looks?

IMHO there isn't a better looking bass boat than a Gambler.

Would you make the same decision now if you know everything you do?

Absolutely.


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

Many test drives for me. One definately has to learn to drive a Gambler.

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

Fair? Only he knows what's fair. I'm more concerned with my after-purchase
treatment than getting the best deal. With boats, service is everything.

Is/was a particular pro influential in your decision?

I bought my boat from Ed Hargraves, a good friend & fellow BASS Open Pro.

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

Parting with the cash ;-)

--
Warren

http://www.warrenwolk.com
Http://www.tri-statebassmasters.com
2004 NJ B.A.S.S. Federation State Champions

"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.

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

Now the questions are....
How much research did/will you do before you make your decision?
What is the final reason you will/did choose your particular boat?
Price?
Reputation?
Service?
Looks?
Would you make the same decision now if you know everything you do? If
not,
what would you have rather done different?
Did/will you take a test ride before you bought/buy? How important is
that?
How much do you think that dealer made/will make on your boat? What do
you
consider "fair"?
Is/was a particular pro influential in your decision?
If any, what was unpleasant about your boat buying experience?

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!

Thanks for all the great answers guys!

I'm in the process right now of organizing the internet marketing, and of
course the boat show.

Everything is a dice roll, what boats to take, how to present them, etc.

Your input goes a long way in assisting in the process, thanks again.

"go-bassn" wrote in message
...
I bought a 2001 Gambler 20'1" Intimidator this spring Pat, it's got a 2004
225 HO on it. I had an absolute blast running it this year....

How much research did/will you do before you make your decision?

Quite a bit. I was running a Stratos/200 & getting my doors blown-off in
the B.A.S.S. tourneys I was fishing.

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

You can't be concerned with price with boats like Gambler. They are very
expensive rigs.

Reputation?

I was concerned with Gambler's *old* reputation for not handling big water
well. A test drive of a newer model proved that to be old news.

Service?

Key - I have a local Gambler rep that works on my boat personally.

Looks?

IMHO there isn't a better looking bass boat than a Gambler.

Would you make the same decision now if you know everything you do?

Absolutely.


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

Many test drives for me. One definately has to learn to drive a Gambler.

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

Fair? Only he knows what's fair. I'm more concerned with my
after-purchase
treatment than getting the best deal. With boats, service is everything.

Is/was a particular pro influential in your decision?

I bought my boat from Ed Hargraves, a good friend & fellow BASS Open Pro.

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

Parting with the cash ;-)

--
Warren

http://www.warrenwolk.com
Http://www.tri-statebassmasters.com
2004 NJ B.A.S.S. Federation State Champions

"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.

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

Now the questions are....
How much research did/will you do before you make your decision?
What is the final reason you will/did choose your particular boat?
Price?
Reputation?
Service?
Looks?
Would you make the same decision now if you know everything you do? If
not,
what would you have rather done different?
Did/will you take a test ride before you bought/buy? How important is
that?
How much do you think that dealer made/will make on your boat? What do
you
consider "fair"?
Is/was a particular pro influential in your decision?
If any, what was unpleasant about your boat buying experience?

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!

SimRacer wrote:
"Pat Goff @yahoo.com" pmgoffjrbot wrote in message
...


How much research did/will you do before you make your decision?


A lot. Several months of boat shows, trips to dealers, and online research
happened before I bought my boat. Let's put it this way, I decided in the
early summer of 2002 that I wanted my own little bassin rig, and I didn't
buy it until February 2003. I "considered" and researched everything from
inflatables to 21+' glitter rockets. Ended up with a G3 Pro 175 aluminum
mod-v hull.


What is the final reason you will/did choose your particular boat?
Price? Major reason, I ain't even a Pro in my dreams, so I wanted

something I could pay cash for.

Reputation? Minor reason, but was considered. Friends of mine highly

recommended the brand.

Service? Major reason (also ties into servicing dealer's reputation

though)

Looks? No concern really.


The only other thing I could add here would be warranty. The warranties
included with the various parts of my boat appeared to be in-line with
industry norms, and would've been a red flag had they not.


Would you make the same decision now if you know everything you do? If

not,

what would you have rather done different?


I would've gone ahead with the largest HP OB the hull was rated for.
Otherwise, very happy with the boat my research led me to. But to get that
extra HP would've meant a mandatory move to 4-stroke tech and added way too
much to the cost IMO, and there was a wait for a model with the bigger OB on
it. (My hull is rated for 75HP, I got a 60HP, and Yamaha's only 75HP I could
find at the time was a much more expensive 4 stroker).


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

that?

No test drive. Wasn't important to me as my boat is a little aluminum mod-v
hull. Had I been eyeing $30k-$40k boats though, I would have liked at least
a ride in one if not being able to drive it myself first. Anything over
$40k, and I am going to demand a test drive or I will not buy it (I would
have had to finance such a boat, and if I am to pay for it over years of
time with interest tripling the amount the boat eventually costs me, I will
drive it first or not buy it...)


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

you

consider "fair"?


I don't know how much the dealer made. Fair? Boats are worse than cars in
this area IMO, so I can't comment intelligently I'm sure. Given that a
typical markup for retail products is 100%, I can't imagine that my boat's
"cost" to the dealer was only half of what I paid for it, so I guess it was
"fair" in the end. I did go with a lower end, shorter, aluminum boat thought
as IMO, these fiberglass glitter rockets are more overpriced than Corvettes
and Hummers, even with sub-250HP 2 strokes out back.


Is/was a particular pro influential in your decision?


Nope. I do not aspire to be a pro, so I took recommendations from other
weekend warriors such as myself. These are the people that don't get out
much, and can comment on their experiences with such lightly used boats, how
they age, and how well they tolerate winter storage in my area. Pros, IMO,
can only recommend stuff for like people, people that will fish 35-40-50
times a year or more, and look for different qualities in their gear than us
casual fishermen. They'd recommend a Cadillac, and all I "really" need is a
good dependable econobox. I mean when you boil it all down, bass boats are
simply floating docks/piers to fish from. The quesiton then becomes, how
nice of a dock do you really need to get the job done? Thusly, several of my
friends liked their Yamaha OBs, and won't use anything else. The Yamaha
brand lead me to the G3 brand, and the rest is history as they say. Plus,
other locals and friends didn't care for the Tracker brand of boat that is
very similar to the one I ended up with from G3.


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


Distance to the closest dealer (1 hour). The wait that was anticipated to ge
t one with the larger OB I mentioned (6-8 weeks), and the result was buying
one "off the lot" that was otherwise perfect outside the engine size. Even
then, the upgrade was only an extra 15 HP, so I am not "really" that
disappointed.

Pleasant things: Dealer had a fair number of boats in my price range
($10k-$20k). Went in on a Saturday, spent only about 2 hours on-site, and
was done and towing my boat home THAT DAY. Had I needed to finance it, it
could've also been done during that one day, which surprised me. Dealer knew
more than "what was in the brochure", and threw in a free spare, OB engine
cover, and gave me a price break on an upgraded LCD finder and installed it
while he cleared my check with my bank. Also threw in the necessary trailor
light adapter for my tow vehicle (I thought it came with it, but we couldn't
find it. Drove my small SUV up there as I was "just looking" and ended up
"buying" before I realized that Chevy uses an adapter for trailor lights
now....)


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!




Best of luck with your survey Pat.


GREAT post SimRacer! Very informative. Thank you.

SimRacer wrote:
"Pat Goff @yahoo.com" pmgoffjrbot wrote in message
...


How much research did/will you do before you make your decision?


A lot. Several months of boat shows, trips to dealers, and online research
happened before I bought my boat. Let's put it this way, I decided in the
early summer of 2002 that I wanted my own little bassin rig, and I didn't
buy it until February 2003. I "considered" and researched everything from
inflatables to 21+' glitter rockets. Ended up with a G3 Pro 175 aluminum
mod-v hull.


What is the final reason you will/did choose your particular boat?
Price? Major reason, I ain't even a Pro in my dreams, so I wanted

something I could pay cash for.

Reputation? Minor reason, but was considered. Friends of mine highly

recommended the brand.

Service? Major reason (also ties into servicing dealer's reputation

though)

Looks? No concern really.


The only other thing I could add here would be warranty. The warranties
included with the various parts of my boat appeared to be in-line with
industry norms, and would've been a red flag had they not.


Would you make the same decision now if you know everything you do? If

not,

what would you have rather done different?


I would've gone ahead with the largest HP OB the hull was rated for.
Otherwise, very happy with the boat my research led me to. But to get that
extra HP would've meant a mandatory move to 4-stroke tech and added way too
much to the cost IMO, and there was a wait for a model with the bigger OB on
it. (My hull is rated for 75HP, I got a 60HP, and Yamaha's only 75HP I could
find at the time was a much more expensive 4 stroker).


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

that?

No test drive. Wasn't important to me as my boat is a little aluminum mod-v
hull. Had I been eyeing $30k-$40k boats though, I would have liked at least
a ride in one if not being able to drive it myself first. Anything over
$40k, and I am going to demand a test drive or I will not buy it (I would
have had to finance such a boat, and if I am to pay for it over years of
time with interest tripling the amount the boat eventually costs me, I will
drive it first or not buy it...)


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

you

consider "fair"?


I don't know how much the dealer made. Fair? Boats are worse than cars in
this area IMO, so I can't comment intelligently I'm sure. Given that a
typical markup for retail products is 100%, I can't imagine that my boat's
"cost" to the dealer was only half of what I paid for it, so I guess it was
"fair" in the end. I did go with a lower end, shorter, aluminum boat thought
as IMO, these fiberglass glitter rockets are more overpriced than Corvettes
and Hummers, even with sub-250HP 2 strokes out back.


Is/was a particular pro influential in your decision?


Nope. I do not aspire to be a pro, so I took recommendations from other
weekend warriors such as myself. These are the people that don't get out
much, and can comment on their experiences with such lightly used boats, how
they age, and how well they tolerate winter storage in my area. Pros, IMO,
can only recommend stuff for like people, people that will fish 35-40-50
times a year or more, and look for different qualities in their gear than us
casual fishermen. They'd recommend a Cadillac, and all I "really" need is a
good dependable econobox. I mean when you boil it all down, bass boats are
simply floating docks/piers to fish from. The quesiton then becomes, how
nice of a dock do you really need to get the job done? Thusly, several of my
friends liked their Yamaha OBs, and won't use anything else. The Yamaha
brand lead me to the G3 brand, and the rest is history as they say. Plus,
other locals and friends didn't care for the Tracker brand of boat that is
very similar to the one I ended up with from G3.


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


Distance to the closest dealer (1 hour). The wait that was anticipated to ge
t one with the larger OB I mentioned (6-8 weeks), and the result was buying
one "off the lot" that was otherwise perfect outside the engine size. Even
then, the upgrade was only an extra 15 HP, so I am not "really" that
disappointed.

Pleasant things: Dealer had a fair number of boats in my price range
($10k-$20k). Went in on a Saturday, spent only about 2 hours on-site, and
was done and towing my boat home THAT DAY. Had I needed to finance it, it
could've also been done during that one day, which surprised me. Dealer knew
more than "what was in the brochure", and threw in a free spare, OB engine
cover, and gave me a price break on an upgraded LCD finder and installed it
while he cleared my check with my bank. Also threw in the necessary trailor
light adapter for my tow vehicle (I thought it came with it, but we couldn't
find it. Drove my small SUV up there as I was "just looking" and ended up
"buying" before I realized that Chevy uses an adapter for trailor lights
now....)


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!




Best of luck with your survey Pat.


GREAT post SimRacer! Very informative. Thank you.