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Buy now?


h2ojunkie

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Found a VTX I like and the price is decent but a 31hr round trip to get it. Have been getting alot of advice to wait awhile and see if trade-ins, other private sellers ect.. decide to upgrade, get rid of ect... their boats and maybe find one closer or a "better deal". If I buy the one I am looking at I am satisfied with color,options ect... but hate to go get it and then just park it in my barn till next late April. Looking for experience and advise from others who have run into this and decisions and factors that made you pull the trigger or wait it out and see what esle may come available. With the economy I'm just not sure how many of these will come up and at the price I can afford. Just not sure how many trade-ins ect.. may come up in next 6mo, hate to be stuck without a boat as mine is up for sale and have a few seriously intersted. Decisions, decisions.... Appreciate any feedback

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We bought ours the day after Thanksgiving two years ago. Actually broke through the minimal shoreline ice to get to open water for the test drive. Looked all summer and couldn't find one, so I gave up. Couple days later I was bored at work so I looked one last time and found an ad with very little info, but enough if you knew what to look for.

Right deal, doesn't matter when. Gives you all winter to customize and get it ready for how you want it in spring.

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And I bought my lovely Echelon LX in mid-december. Then helped a buddy with a 26 hour round trip drive to go get his a couple of days later. Michigan roads were closed due to blowing snow and accidents. Didn't stop us, just gave us detours. We both found what we were looking for, done deal.

Don't wait 'till last call at the bar either...you're better off getting a good pick early on and having to wait a little longer to use it.:lol:

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If the deal fits your requirements then pull the trigger and do it. Then stop looking. As time goes on you may find a better deal, but if you are a slave to the idea that the best deal is around the corner, you will spend next summer indoors. You mention that you have a barn, that is great, get the VTX and you can take your time going over it and checking it out, and spend the winter months ordering from Bakes, Skidim, Evolution Covers, Box anchors, and trolling the gear for sale forum on this site. My only mental health suggestion is that once you purchase the boat, stop watching the boats for sale posts. Good Luck.

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It's definitely a balancing act..... looking for the best deal at a reasonable distance for the ideal boat. I think it's a bit early to pull the trigger myself.

When I was looking at boats 4 yrs ago, it was all the restraint I could find to keep from pulling the trigger too early. I test drove boats for a major part of the summer. The more boats I test drove the more narrow my idea of the "perfect boat" was. The boat I did finally buy was for sale for quite a while during that time. And the price dropped considerably in that time. Eventually the seller traded in that boat & the price dropped even more. I finally made the 5 hr trip to buy the boat it in October & saved a ton on it. We used it for about 6 or 8 weeks till we put it in storage.

In hind sight the boat was initially way overpriced. We got it for a fair price, and got a lot of bang for the buck as it's pretty loaded. Had we waited more, similar boats went for $5k - $7k less due to the economy..... although most of those wouldn't have as many of the extras.

A buddy of mine has been looking at boats for a few weeks this summer..... $15k budget. I gave him a few suggestions.... 205s, Sunsetters, Sport Nautiques, etc. The latest suggestion I gave him was a 96 Hydrodyne that a good friend of mine is selling... a boat I know the history of. Last weekend he bought a 2000 Tige 20i for $13k. I'm sure he bought it based on the 4 yr difference. I tried to explain to him the quality differences in the two boats & he went with the Tige anyway.

Good luck in your search. Have a little fun with it. Test drive some boats. Go ride behind them. Fill up the ballast, drive them hard. You just might find some boats &/or options that you really do or don't like. Keep watching the ads in CL, Onlyinboards & Boat Trader. And feel free to use your TMC buddies to help check one out that might be closer to us than yourself. Your boat will show up soon.

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I've found that you find the best deals on boats this time of year. If you find the boat you're looking for at the right price, then I'd go for it. The distance question is up to you. You'll find the selection much slimmer and more expensive come spring.

Good luck!

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