At Quintrex, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy boating. Whether you are buying a small dinghy or a large cabin boat, the process of buying a boat can be daunting. Here are some handy tips from Quintrex to help make this process hassle-free.
1. Ask your friends:
Take advantage of your friends’ experiences when narrowing down your boating wish-list. If nothing else, it’s a great excuse to go out on the water with your friends!
- What do they have?
- Ask about their experiences with: The brand of boat, the motor brand, the dealership, staff and servicing, warranty issues (if any) and how they were handled.
- What would they change about their current boat?
- What do they love (or hate) about their current boat?
- Spend some time with them on their boat doing similar things that you want to do with your boat.
2. Make a list and make it your boat-bible!
It’s important to take the time to figure out what your boating needs are. You may find that the boat you ‘want’ may not fit your boating needs.
- What activities do you want to do with your boat? E.g. Family cruising, offshore fishing, or both?
- How do you want to use your boat? E.g. Do you want to be able to launch and retrieve the boat yourself?
- Where do you want to go? E.g. Offshore vs. estuaries.
- How many people do you want to go boating with?
- How much can your car tow?
- How much can you afford upfront? How much can you afford on an ongoing/maintenance basis? E.g.: storage and fuel.
3. Research! Research! Research!
Buying a boat is as much a lifestyle choice as it is an investment. Do your research to make sure the brand you buy stacks up.
- Research the Manufacturer: check websites, collect brochures and check online forums.
- Research from Trade Publications: check for resale values, read boat tests, read product reviews and look out for testimonials
4. Things to do at the dealership:
Your relationship with your local dealer doesn’t end when you tow the boat off the yard. It’s important to find a dealership that makes both the buying experience enjoyable as well as the ongoing relationship for servicing and warranty.
- Find a sales person you get along with and get to know them.
- Make a list of questions you want to ask and take it with you.
- Be honest with the sales person with your requirements and budget. It will save time for both you and the dealership staff.
- Get a tour of the facility so you can see the chandlery and service department.
- Find out what other services they offer e.g. boating courses and licensing.
- How wide is their dealer network?
- What are the dealership’s opening hours?
- Test the boat! Test the boat! Test the boat!
- Test the boat you are interested in as if you were going to use it normally. Keep in mind what activities you will be doing most when out on the water.
- Test the boat in non ideal conditions; sadly the weather man is not always right.
- If possible, test the boat in similar conditions to where you would use it. Eg. River vs. ocean.
5. Things NOT to do:
- Not consider your family in your purchase decision.
- Ignore your ‘gut feeling’.
- Exceed your budget.
- Bigger is not always better; buy a boat that suits your size needs.
- If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
- Buy a boat your friend wants but YOU have to pay for
Above all, remember that buying a boat should be a fun experience. Buying a boat means you are making a lifestyle choice to either spend more time with your family, more time with your mates or just simply relax on your own.