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Holy crap used boat prices...


goodmatt78

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So, I started my search for a older generation boat in the under 30K price range back in August.  I figured that I could find something relatively easy, but I was mistaken.  I ended up finding a 05 VLX in January listed for for 30K.  I made a real low ball offer which the dealership countered by only 1K more.  I feel I got a pretty extraordinary deal, but I just browsed through onlyinboards and see that my exact boat or similar is listing for almost 10K more than I paid.

How can a boat that is 10+ years old fetch up to 35K when it was only 50K new?  It is just that the new boat prices are so damn expensive that it props up the used boat market?  Do prices always peak early spring?  I am considering selling mine in the fall and upgrading.

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Shop for a new boat and you'll see how........new prices are keeping the used prices up.   All kinds of new boats now going for 6 figures.   The new 21VLX is considered a steal right now and the intro price is $79,995 (that is what you can buy it for, not MSRP).  

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I got my 2000 VLX last year and it's amazing how much these hold their value (sucks for a buyer in the short term but great for a seller).  Condition is the biggest factor as many have mentioned. It hurts when I read about people picking these up for mid teens over 10 years ago and now most of them are re-listed for over 20k. The depreciation schedule is nothing like a car for the older ones and most of them probably hit their sales price floor as long as they are kept up.

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49 minutes ago, carguy79ta said:

I am going to be selling my 2015 Axis (60hrs) this spring ..sounds good!  my dealer told me that May is the best month.

It all depends on how well you price it, and where you live.  Temps here are already in the upper 80's low 90's, so boats are starting to move.   My dealer took my MXZ on trade last Wednesday, it is being delivered on Monday! It is going to SoCal....

Our boat show is in 2 weeks, when people leave the show with sticker shock, used boats become more desirable.

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In December of 1998 I took delivery of my brand new Sunsetter VLX for which I paid <$30k.  In April of 2016 I sold that same boat for >$20k!  17 years of use cost me less than $10k.  Absolutely nuts....

 

Dave

 

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The #2 reason I bought an inboard was the stable used market. 

My model had hit it's basement and mine in particular needed some gel coat cleanup and minor fixes when I bought it 7 years ago. Right now I could sell it for twice what I have into it, including the repairs and fixes.

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I got a great deal on my 2011 VLX last October ($5,000 less than anything comparable in a 5 state area). I had been looking for about 6 months with cash in hand and the perfect boat finally appeared and I was ready to jump. the down side is that I had to discount my 04 VLX by about $3,000 in order to not have 2 boats over the winter. At 55 this will probably be my last wake boat and I will have it for many years so I am no longer worried about resale.

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6 hours ago, goodmatt78 said:

 It is just that the new boat prices are so damn expensive that it props up the used boat market?

Yes.  This is it exactly.  

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New boat prices are definitely effecting the used market. Was at the boat show last weekend, and I can't remember the exact model (I'm kicking myself for not taking pictures of the boats and spec sheet), but I think it was a Mastercraft XT23 listed for $252K CAD "on sale" for $195K CAD, with analogue gauges and dirt cheap plastic switches. Can't remember if there was even a screen, because I was so distracted by the switches and gauges. 2017 model looked like it was built with 2007 tech. It was a nice boat, but not worth $195K. It sold while at the show, too! Meanwhile the high-tech Malibus and Nautique's were largely untouched. For comparison, I think there was an LSV? ($112K CAD) and a very nice MXZ ($160K CAD). 

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I bought my first boat in April of 2013 for 28k.  Sold it last fall for 26.5k.  Bought a newer one last fall and the comparable boats are going for almost 10k higher than I paid.

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I've been browsing only inboards lately too, just for s***s and giggles, and can't believe the used market prices! It's insane.

i bought my 13 lsv last year, and got an incredible deal on it. It seems prices have even gone up a bit from this time last year during my search. 

Perhaps, new optimism with a new president has folks spending money, idk? 

Im with you tho OP, it's mind blowing the prices. Then again, you can ask whatever you want, doesn't mean you'll get it.

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7 hours ago, goodmatt78 said:

How can a boat that is 10+ years old fetch up to 35K when it was only 50K new?  It is just that the new boat prices are so damn expensive that it props up the used boat market?

Yep! With an annual increase in the 5-7% on new boats, it organically increases the secondary boat market. An equivalent boat to that 10 year old $50K, is now a $80 to $90 OTD today.  

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Yeah its effing nuts. I'm always looking at used direct drives and the prices have spiked up. Just remember that it's march which means the "prices" are the the highest from now til about july. I'm pretty sure we could sell our boat for a profit right now IF we wanted to. As long as people keep buying these boats, the prices will continue to rise at a higher rate than inflation

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1 hour ago, WABOBO said:

New boat prices are definitely effecting the used market. Was at the boat show last weekend, and I can't remember the exact model (I'm kicking myself for not taking pictures of the boats and spec sheet), but I think it was a Mastercraft XT23 listed for $252K CAD "on sale" for $195K CAD, with analogue gauges and dirt cheap plastic switches. Can't remember if there was even a screen, because I was so distracted by the switches and gauges. 2017 model looked like it was built with 2007 tech. It was a nice boat, but not worth $195K. It sold while at the show, too! Meanwhile the high-tech Malibus and Nautique's were largely untouched. For comparison, I think there was an LSV? ($112K CAD) and a very nice MXZ ($160K CAD). 

There's now way there was  2017 lsv for $112k Canadian. Vancouver boat show was $159. 

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The used boat market seems to be doing great right now. A buddy of mine has been shopping around, he's been interested in 4 different boats and everyone has sold within a week.   If anyone finds something nice in western Canada for under 45ish CAD shoot me a message. 

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Yep. Last spring my brother-in-law was boat shopping and he kept saying "there is no way I'm paying $30k+ for a 10 yr old boat! Everything that was decent and with a reasonable price went within the week.

i agree that it's because the new prices are so insane.

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I just paid 23k for my 05 vlx with all available options and 225hrs.   The condition is very good...not excellent and I have about $300 bucks and quite a few hours in getting it setup my way.   It was listed for 30k.   I did drive 9hrs to pick it up, but I'm very happy as long as it doesn't sink in spring. :)

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34 minutes ago, goodmatt78 said:

I just paid 23k for my 05 vlx with all available options and 225hrs.   The condition is very good...not excellent and I have about $300 bucks and quite a few hours in getting it setup my way.   It was listed for 30k.   I did drive 9hrs to pick it up, but I'm very happy as long as it doesn't sink in spring. :)

If it does well in the water you got a great deal! Must have been an impatient seller.

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I bought my SS LXI for $20K april of 2015. If I wanted, I could probably sell it for more than that this year in socal. Not that I would, but that's the whole reason I bought a used malibu. I can use it for a 5+ years and then sell to upgrade and not lose very much!

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I sold my 02 VLX for 29k, bought it for 22k.  I did upgrade everything , new carpet, new vinyl, gps perfect pass, amazing stereo.  There's a 04 wakesetter that has the ugliest wrap and the guy wants 36k, I doubt he'll get 30k for it.  Seems the big names values are going up but it seems brands like supreme, MB either sit for a while or go to cheap.  

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