How to convince your divorce attorney wife that.........you need....

[Malibuzer]

A guy bought my B&W 800 speakers on the notion that his wife would not notice that he replaced his 802's. He was wrong. Papers served three days later. No lie.

But did he keep the speakers?

Lots of great reasons to upgrade on here. Have you tried to throw a tantrum yet?

[Michigan boarder]

Have you tried to throw a tantrum yet?

Ha! There you go! We call it "go floppy".

[JustinOSU]

Ask permission vs beg for forgiveness. One guarantees a new boat, one does not. If you were single we would not be having this discussion. There is a win/ win here, you just have to look for it.

Unless his wife doesn't forgive him yet still takes the new boat in the divorce.

[Slayer]

Well then, there's your solution! It's purely logical, and she must have a very logical brain to be in her career...I bet she's praying that you don't play that card because she will have no defense against it.

Well, as much as I don't care for the thing, I do take it out from time to time just to open it up because it never gets ridden. What do you do??

Howdy neighbor! My wife wanted the new boat due to lack of size and shade on the supra so I was lucky!!! What lake are you on? Good luck with your plight.

Hey there! I'm on Ore Lake. You? Hit me up sometime. Would be good to meet a local crew member. The boat I was after has had a deposit put on it by another family. It's not entirely sold yet, but I hold little hope. They did tell me what they would offer on a trade for my rig though and that makes the deal a little sweeter.

[RTS]

I told my wife I would never ask her for anything else if she let me buy a boat.

you misspelled Mom....

[Steve B.]

Tell her chicks dig guys in cool boats !

Steve B.

[Dave K]

It's not a matter of popping the surprise all of a sudden. You need to train her over the course of yr marriage so when a very serious and important need of a new boat arises she has come to expect the impulse purchase. Just remember though as this song says....

IT'S CHEAPER......TO KEEP HER.........AROUND.

[Dave K]

Actually just had a thought if you trade your boat against your wife's wishes, can you trade the wife in too for a newer model, with less hours and more options?

It's all a matter of presenting the "great family life style"

[SunriseH2OSkier]

So this topic has been quiet for a couple days now, wondering if there has been any movement on the topic?

I faced this same quandary 10 years ago this fall. We had a 2001 SSLX that we bought new (same dealer your dream boat is at), when on the original version of this site, someone posted a 2003 Response LXi - my dream boat - for sale in Connecticut. Price was much lower than I expected, and the boat only had 22 hours on it. I was wringing my hands big time, much as you are now. How in the world to approach the CFO about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

I finally got the nerve to ask my wife what she thought. She was much more open to the idea than I had built up in my mind. I gave her all the objective rationale, but I also owned up to the fact that this was something I really, really wanted. Her response? "I don't have a problem with it, but I don't want to own 2 boats."

You want to talk about a motivated seller... This was October/November time frame in Michigan - not exactly the best time to sell a boat. Turns out I was very fortunate to have had a co-worker that had expressed casual interest in a boat like mine some time previously. I approached him to see if he might really be interested, and he was.

Bottom line, don't talk yourself out of pursuing this without at least having the dialog with your wife first. And don't be afraid to own up to the real reason you want it. All the other stuff is perfectly rational, objective argument. But boat ownership is not so much a rational decision as it is an emotional one. Not to say the finances aren't important and all that - clearly those are minimum conditions for entry. Hopefully your wife is as understanding as mine was. We were able to make it happen, and haven't looked back since. Still love my boat, own it outright, and have no desire for a new one.

Best of luck - they truly don't make em like that one anymore. If the RLXi was never made, I would certainly have eventually traded up from the SSLX for an opportunity like you have here. That looks like a beautiful boat!

[jeepurz]

So this topic has been quiet for a couple days now, wondering if there has been any movement on the topic?

I was wondering what happened to the thread as well. I'm in the exact position now with the slight benefit that my wife is in IT and not a divorce attorney. Unlike SunriseH2OSkier though, my wife took the opposite path. Not only was she more against it than I thought, she we vehemently against the idea. I thought I prepped really well with good logical reasoning, waited for just the right moment, finally got the cajones to say something.... ...And then got those same cajones kicked so hard I thought they hit my kidneys on the way up.

It was brutal. A complete failure to launch. Like an old video of a V2 rocket in Germany getting off the ground, tumbling in the sky, and crashing back to earth in a massive explosion of toxic chemicals.

Now I'm in recovery mode. Going back over the whole situation in my head, reliving every painful moment to attempt to determine what went wrong and why. At one point, I got the "FINE.... just go get you're f'ing boat! I don't care what you do...." But if I'm not mistaken, that wasn't permission to really go do it, that was more like a threat. i.e: just go do it and SEE what happens....

I'm soooooo not happy right now.

TJ

[LS-One]

The he said she said song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arhyBWucu-s

[Slayer]

So this topic has been quiet for a couple days now, wondering if there has been any movement on the topic?

I faced this same quandary 10 years ago this fall. We had a 2001 SSLX that we bought new (same dealer your dream boat is at), when on the original version of this site, someone posted a 2003 Response LXi - my dream boat - for sale in Connecticut. Price was much lower than I expected, and the boat only had 22 hours on it. I was wringing my hands big time, much as you are now. How in the world to approach the CFO about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

I finally got the nerve to ask my wife what she thought. She was much more open to the idea than I had built up in my mind. I gave her all the objective rationale, but I also owned up to the fact that this was something I really, really wanted. Her response? "I don't have a problem with it, but I don't want to own 2 boats."

You want to talk about a motivated seller... This was October/November time frame in Michigan - not exactly the best time to sell a boat. Turns out I was very fortunate to have had a co-worker that had expressed casual interest in a boat like mine some time previously. I approached him to see if he might really be interested, and he was.

Bottom line, don't talk yourself out of pursuing this without at least having the dialog with your wife first. And don't be afraid to own up to the real reason you want it. All the other stuff is perfectly rational, objective argument. But boat ownership is not so much a rational decision as it is an emotional one. Not to say the finances aren't important and all that - clearly those are minimum conditions for entry. Hopefully your wife is as understanding as mine was. We were able to make it happen, and haven't looked back since. Still love my boat, own it outright, and have no desire for a new one.

Best of luck - they truly don't make em like that one anymore. If the RLXi was never made, I would certainly have eventually traded up from the SSLX for an opportunity like you have here. That looks like a beautiful boat!

Great points here and I appreciate them. I've been in contact with the dealer a couple of times. There's a standing deposit on that boat right now. Simply love the SSLXI. It's a great boat that does most things very, very well. That said, I'd be completely happy with the RLXI as you have as well. Would be thrilled to own one and much like you, would likely have no interest in an upgrade.

When we got the SSLX, the CFO was pretty supportive but didn't understand the value of these boats. At the time, our budget was a compromise between what I thought was required to get the boat I wanted that would fit the family needs (SSLXI) and her desire to spend $10k. Our SSLX was the compromise and it's been and continues to be a great boat. It does what we need it to well.

As I continue to develop my skills in the slalom course, I can't help but think that a different boat would be better for us (me). She's not nearly as interested as I but that may change when the kids get a little older and can spend more time out there with us. That, thank God, is slowly starting to happen. While I'm not seriously actively looking, it's awfully hard not to take a serious look at this SSLXI for the price, hours, and location, it's one of those chances that don't come about that often because it's seemingly rare to see an SSLXI on the market.

Now that I know what the dealer will give me for mine, I feel nearly obligated to sell it and step up....the wife.....eh....well.....I have not really engaged her fully in serious discussions about it because I have yet to get that call from the dealer saying that the deposit has been returned and the boat needs a new owner.

[NorCaliBu]

Currently, my HDS is leak free.

No, it's not.

[jetskipro550]

Not sure why all the plotting and secrecy is needed to talk to ones spouse about a purchase....? Can't you just tell her that you really want the boat and then have a discussion about it? We have a rule on large purchases, both of us have to be in agreement or it doesn't happen.

[jk13]

Not sure why all the plotting and secrecy is needed to talk to ones spouse about a purchase....? Can't you just tell her that you really want the boat and then have a discussion about it? We have a rule on large purchases, both of us have to be in agreement or it doesn't happen.

This was in our wedding vows. But we never set a dollar amount defining "major purchase". She says $300. I say it depends on the product.

No but really we just talk about it. Not a big deal.

Years ago we had a car audio customer pay with a personal check and it had "two signatures required if over $100,000." I've always wanted to get those.

[Slayer]

There isn't really an issue of secrecy here. She simply doesn't understand the value of a boat in the manner in which I do because she doesn't use it like I do, therefore, it's not worth what I think it to be worth in her mind. We don't need a new boat, it's just a desire to have a better ski wake for me.

The thread was partially intended to get opinions from others on how they'd approach and partially intended to inspire some funny responses and both have been achieved. As jk13 suggested, we too discuss major purchases together, but her opinion of major is a few hundred and mine's just a little different.

[JB-FOOT]

ok...here is another approach.....Upgrade her car....put it in the driveway....than put the new boat on the lift.....In THAT order.....

When she gets the upgraded car in the driveway and she says "You shouldn't have, we didn't need a new car"

You say, "I know, but you Deserve it"

When she sees the upgraded boat on the lift....You will know JUST WHAT TO SAY....

[Slayer]

This thread is a bit old now, but the issue is not. I've looked at a few boats, had some other crew members check some boats out, and I think I may have found something. There are a couple decent deals on TXI's here in the area, but if I'm going to make this work, the pricing range is likely working against me.

I did find a local guy with a beautiful 2005 RLXI with 175 hours on it. It's very attractive.

So, what's the going rate on a 2005 RLXI with such low hours? The boat is in fantastic condition.

I'm taking the wife to a pontoon boat open house because she want's a new(er) pontoon this season. I plan to discuss this with her this weekend. This dealer also happens to be a Malibu / Axis dealer, so there's some motivation there for her to see and touch a newer Bu so she can attempt to understand the value. Any advise?

[wakesetter8796]

Don't tell her the price till you are signing papers to buy it, or on the way home. LOL

[ahopkins22LSV]

Call ahead to the dealer... Have them tell her crazy inflated prices for pontoons... then have them talk up how useful and family orientated Malibus are

[Slayer]

Call ahead to the dealer... Have them tell her crazy inflated prices for pontoons... then have them talk up how useful and family orientated Malibus are

Good thought....she is blonde.....however......I'm thinking she's not going to buy any of that, lol!

[Michigan boarder]

Find a buyer for the wave runner, and have that almost sold. Play that card at the right moment when you need to tip the scale. Then you'll get the right "response".

[ahopkins22LSV]

Good thought....she is blonde.....however......I'm thinking she's not going to buy any of that, lol!

I was not implying anything about your wife! Hahaha.

[Slayer]

Find a buyer for the wave runner, and have that almost sold. Play that card at the right moment when you need to tip the scale. Then you'll get the right "response".

Darn fine idea.....I appreciate the pun, too.

[ahopkins22LSV]

Have them pull a TXI into one of the back bays and have them take you and your wife through it. Not exactly like a response but pretty similar.