With so many boats on the market, finding the perfect fishing boat for you and your lifestyle might be tough. We talked to J.T. Garrison, sales manager at Aim Marine in Lakeside, CA, for some tips on finding the perfect boat for you.
1. Look at the strength of your boat brand. Some brands carry better warranties, have better resale values and better reputations. Boat manufacturers with good reputations have them for a reason.
2. When buying a new boat, look at the same models built three years ago. Look for depreciation value, design flaws and maintenance issues.
3. Make sure you have room to store your boat. Sounds like a no-brainer, but bigger isn't always better, especially if you lack storage space for your boat.
4. Check for special promotions from manufacturers. Most boat manufacturers will have seasonal sales. Some companies have year-round specials. You may even see special promotions when the economy slows and boat sales are down.
5. Buy from a dealer with a good service department. A good dealer will hold your hand through the boat-buying process and be able to take care of you and your boat while you own it.
6. Make your boat purchase worthy of the investment. If you plan on using your boat fives times a week, go hog-wild on your purchase. But if you're going to take the boat out once a month, you may want to invest in a
smaller boat with less bells and whistles.
7. When you purchase a boat, make a down payment to cover sales tax and registration fees. This will avoid you being "upside down" in a loan. In a zero down payment situation, buyers are only paying for sales tax and registration fees during the first 3 to 4 years in a 12- to 15-year finance plan – all while the boat loses value due to depreciation.