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When is it ok to 'cheat'


RedOwl

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on your dealer...

At this time of year, is it taboo or ok to look at '16s @ an out-of-territory dealer?

I know this is a sensitive topic for many - and I'm certainly not looking to step on dealer toes. I'm just curious when people decide it's ok to shop outside Malibu's designated territories.

 

 

 

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Hold over 16 is fare game once 17's hit the floor in my eyes. Been checking one out the last couple days.

Edited by shadetreefab
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I talked directly to the Malibu dealer in Vancouver about wizards left overs and they were all perfectly fine. He said they have great prices, a Malibu's a Malibu, no matter where from and that's what we warranty.

Personally I think unless it's an amazing deal stick to your local dealer. They will just treat you better in the long run. 

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Before I purchased my Axis, my dealer offered to try and get a boat from another dealer if I found what I wanted. They have great relationships with the other dealers around us. The next closest dealer is 5 hours from me. Have you asked your dealer if they can get the boat you want from another dealer?

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I know Nautique and most higher end companies require a boat be two model years old before it can be sold new out of territory. I don't know Malibu's policy but suspect it is the same. Leftover 16's would be fair game when the 2018's hit the dealer floors. If a dealer does not have a boat that someone wants and another dealer does it's normally expected that the out of territory dealer pay a commission to the local dealer. Used boats regardless of age can be sold anywhere. The warranty is valid at any dealer but don't expect to get the fastest service if the local dealers maintenance department is maxed out in the busy summer months. They are going to take care of their customers first and I don't blame them for that.

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1 hour ago, Sailvi767 said:

The warranty is valid at any dealer but don't expect to get the fastest service if the local dealers maintenance department is maxed out in the busy summer months. They are going to take care of their customers first and I don't blame them for that.

This is exactly why I decided to go with the custom order 17 out of my local dealer.     If something needs service, I want the fastest turn time possible, having a six figure boat out of commission over a precious weekend in a short season is a BIG deal to me.

  • Like 3
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If everyone would buy last year's model out of territory, this territory sales BS would soon go away. It saddens me that so much of this discussion sounds like bowing down and sucking up. You can call it playing within the rules to your best advantage, but it is still bowing down and sucking up. Better to break the monopoly.   

  • Like 2
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On 3/2/2017 at 2:56 PM, RedOwl said:

on your dealer...

At this time of year, is it taboo or ok to look at '16s @ an out-of-territory dealer?

I know this is a sensitive topic for many - and I'm certainly not looking to step on dealer toes. I'm just curious when people decide it's ok to shop outside Malibu's designated territories.

 

 

 

It'd supposed to be about ordered boats, inventory is inventory and if your dealer doesn't have it or won't deal, fair game 

  • Like 2
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3 hours ago, skyskier said:

If everyone would buy last year's model out of territory, this territory sales BS would soon go away. It saddens me that so much of this discussion sounds like bowing down and sucking up. You can call it playing within the rules to your best advantage, but it is still bowing down and sucking up. Better to break the monopoly.   

Pretty sure you are talking to me... Label it anything you want.   If it is sucking up to give the dealer dealer who did the work, and who I will depend on to service my boat, fine,  I'm sucking up to them.  

Not sure what you do for a living, but I have run into that attitude plenty in my career.   Many times I have done the homework to bid work that the client turns around and hands to one of my competitors and asks them to beat my price.   It is pretty easy to undercut costs when someone else does all the requirements research work for you - many times hundreds of hours in my business.   You might call it not sucking up and breaking up the monopoly, I call it not negotiating in good faith.   Sure there is a limit...   and I was close to it when I ordered t this boat.   Trust me, it isn't all altruistic either.   I expect an exceptional level of service going forward.    I am certain I will get plenty of value out of my decision.    

I'm not suggesting that you, the OP, or anyone else make the decision I did, just sharing my thought processes.   An my label isn't sucking up, it is "ethical".

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I am a bargain hunter who is generally willing to travel large distances for the right price on the right big ticket item.  And I believe in the free market.  That said, I am somewhat sympathetic to dealers needing to protect territory in this industry, at least on the new boats.  My dad has been in the boat business for close to 50 years; it is cut throat and you need to hit certain margins to stay open; and you only get allotted so many boats.  With the internet now and the free flow of national-price information, the margins get crushed even lower.  Everyone wants a great bargain, but the dealer still has to pay rent and make payroll and hopefully turn a profit if you want a place to get your boat serviced.  

Edited by jjackkrash
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Here's an example of a GA dealer advertising 2016 'Malibu leftovers in NC and sounds they will be aggressive with pricing to move these.

When I shopped for a G in the fall of 2015 I was offered new '15 leftovers by a couple dealers out of territory. Another dealer offered me a '16 "demo" with less than 10 hours. I ended up buying used, but initially looked outside of territory for the engine choice I wanted. 

https://charlotte.craigslist.org/bod/6014687751.html 

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Jeffc........no, my comment was not aimed at you. Not at all. I am sorry that my comment made you uneasy. Territory selling is offensive to me. I have zero respect for the practice. It bothers me that so many buyers seem willing to play by the rules rather than challenge them and change them.

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I have never bought a new 'BU, but in general here is my approach.  I'm willing to pay a premium for local, but almost never the premium that the local person wants. I try to be fair and place a cost for the travel, inconvenience, and my time. I quantify that and show that to the seller. I've almost never had them turn me down. It gives some for the local convenience and relationship but also saves some $$$.

i do this mostly when buying cars, but I've also done with appliances and other large purchases.

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IMO, cars, appliances, and the like are quite a bit different than a boat or an RV.  Just so many more options to buy and service.

When I bought my boat, I was mostly looking used as I didn't think I could afford (or was willing to pay) new boat prices.  I literally was ready to drive from Denver to Vegas to buy a "demo" boat.  I don't think Tommy's thought I was serious, because as soon as they found out that I was driving out that weekend to purchase, they really sharpened their pencil and made it worth my while to buy local.  And I am glad I did, because they have been outstanding to work with, and really take care of me for service.

I did once buy a new RV from an out of state dealer.  I want to say he was about $6000 less on the purchase (where total price was like $25k or $30k, so a big %).  That RV turned out to be a giant POS, needing a ton of service.  And the local dealer was terrible to work with.  Not sure if that was because I didn't buy from them, or they were just bad at service, but either way, it was miserable.

I am with @JeffC, in that if the price is close, I would always be willing to pay more to buy local.  And I hope the dealer appreciates that fact, and treats me well for service.  As I said, that is the way it has worked with Tommy's.

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I tried to buy a holdover boat 350 miles away because I think my local dealership is overpriced. I was told from the distant dealership that if I was sure that the boat I was asking about was the one I wanted to buy, they would sell it to my local dealer, and I could make a deal directly with them.  I said no thanks, and bought a boat from a different dealer all together.  I was also told by 2 other dealers that they couldn't take my 2012 Malibu in on a trade, but if I wanted to trade in I would have to do it through my local dealer.  

I wonder if there is some policies at the corporate office about these practices.......my first Malibu ever purchased was about 1000 miles away.  My local dealer did a lot of warranty work on it, and about a year later the dealer that I purchased from was no longer a Malibu dealer.  They sold another brand for about a year I believe, and now they are no longer a dealer at all.  Interesting.....

 

EDIT: I also agree, if my local dealer was close on price and had the boat I wanted I would definitely go with my local dealer.  Problem was that they were a long ways apart on price, and I don't know if the local guys didn't think I was serious or they didn't care, but they didn't budge much.

Edited by Sixer
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Lot's of great comments in here! Obviously one of our first thoughts go to pricing (higher local price vs. lower price elsewhere) - but there is also the issue of your local dealer not having what you want (color, model, options, etc). I think the majority of us are picky when it comes to an $80,000+ purchase so it can't be uncommon to have wandering eyes.

If you were a dealer, would you be upset if a buyer didn't like the green and blue boat on your lot and went out and bought the blue & white boat from a dealer in a different time zone?

 

Edited by RedOwl
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In the end it's really simple. A dealer will either sell a boat out of territory or won't. There are no issues on the consumer side if they sell you the boat. The selling dealer will face the consequences if the transaction is outside their dealership agreement. A good dealer will call the local dealer to get the deal approved and perhaps throw them some money. That insures no problems. 

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On 3/3/2017 at 5:58 PM, JeffC said:

Pretty sure you are talking to me... Label it anything you want.   If it is sucking up to give the dealer dealer who did the work, and who I will depend on to service my boat, fine,  I'm sucking up to them.  

Not sure what you do for a living, but I have run into that attitude plenty in my career.   Many times I have done the homework to bid work that the client turns around and hands to one of my competitors and asks them to beat my price.   It is pretty easy to undercut costs when someone else does all the requirements research work for you - many times hundreds of hours in my business.   You might call it not sucking up and breaking up the monopoly, I call it not negotiating in good faith.   Sure there is a limit...   and I was close to it when I ordered t this boat.   Trust me, it isn't all altruistic either.   I expect an exceptional level of service going forward.    I am certain I will get plenty of value out of my decision.    

I'm not suggesting that you, the OP, or anyone else make the decision I did, just sharing my thought processes.   An my label isn't sucking up, it is "ethical".

My dealer and I have come to a parting of the ways and they were getting me solid fir $800 services that I "technically" needed to have.  Paid the dealer price and it did no good as they never found the corner of the valve cover gasket folded into the valve area, kept saying it was me not running the boat and allways surfing at low rpm causing rings to not seat.  The leak was by no means the oil consumption totality, but it was a small part, but completely part of the oil mess in boat I  discovered the day I picked it up after 3 red such service where they got stupid with the marine lubricant spray (they say part of service) so much do it massively drained down into the leaking oil mess in bilge from the leak and I thought it was them who made the mess, they did but the black part was from the undiscovered leak.  Took another indmar cert mech/owner of a Supra shop to fix it after I found it after many wipe downs with paper  towels after I discovered the path of oil down to bulge and worked my way up to the valve cover. I'm loyal as all get out but this was one of several(3 or more) ridiculous nasty messes they left for me when in possession of my boat as well as their incompetence on the leak they attributed to usage( I get  that indmars 330hp  burn oil). 

If by your standard I now have to change brands if I ever want a new boat, luckily I probably won't for quite some time, hope the Supra dealer still likes me so I can get my indmar serviced!

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2 hours ago, Sailvi767 said:

In the end it's really simple. A dealer will either sell a boat out of territory or won't. There are no issues on the consumer side if they sell you the boat. The selling dealer will face the consequences if the transaction is outside their dealership agreement. A good dealer will call the local dealer to get the deal approved and perhaps throw them some money. That insures no problems. 

No they just referred me back to the folks I dealt with locally SHO had 0 inventory except 2012 new A22 and a used non surfgate Malibu (fall 2013 so no Axis gate yet and who had sold their 2013 surfgate Malibu) yetgot a great price, but they were lousy on service ( not necessarily all technical issues many ), and the messes they would leave me with.  For those of us without much MAlibu axis presence, it's a problem, it would be one thing if they had competing axis within 75-100 miles but we don't, 250+ Maybe more to Florida and  at least Houston or Dallas or Austin to the west, that's a bullsh** system, I'm trapped and will have to change brands 

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