When purchasing a boat, you might wonder whether you should go for a new or used one. You may think it is not even safe to buy used, but boats often don’t depreciate the same as cars. Often they are not used very much at all, so you could get an absolute bargain if you buy used.
If you go for a new boat, take no notice of the spiel you find in boating magazines. To boating writers, all boats are fantastic – they have to be to please the boat makers who are paying the magazine to advertise them. Instead, decide ahead of time what kind of boat you need and then go looking for yourself. Deal in facts and figures, not the personal likes of the salesmen and the glamour that is associated with a new boat.
If you don’t have unlimited cash (or credit) then consider buying used. At two years old, a boat is hardly run in and the previous owner will most likely have had the warranty service attended to. They will have fixed any problems they found when they first bought it. A boat generally is not used as much as a car. Unless the boat has been used in a commercial enterprise, the engine may have only done a couple of hundred hours. Buying a used boat is a sensible decision.
Another plus for buying a used boat is that they very often come with the extras such as life-jackets, VHF radio, dock lines and other stuff that the seller won’t be requiring again. And as for condition, well certainly they may have a few dents and scratches, but you are sure to add to the tally and yours won’t be so noticeable amongst the rest, will they?
When buying a used boat, there is a good safeguard. You must have it surveyed and this includes taking it out on the water for a sea-trial to make sure all is well. So if the previous owner was careless and neglected the upkeep, you will know by the survey results.
To find a boat, purchase a copy of the Boat Trader at your local big store or search online. You’ll soon see that comparable boats vary greatly in purchase price – often for no apparent reason. You’ll also see that a new boat of small size in much more expensive than a used boat of over double the size.
Some people who advertise their boat do not genuinely want to sell. Not unless they get an inflated price to purchase something bigger. If you come across a genuine seller who is upgrading, then don’t expect to find many accessories. The best type of seller to buy from is one who must sell due to injury or disability. These boats are mostly well maintained and often come with all accessories.
Thee are many more tips about boat-buying and finance in our free 5-day e-course and our informative book “Boating Basics”, both of which are found at:
http://boatingbasics.howto-you.com
Thank You for reading and listening!
