Fair Pricing for Correct Crafts

Ok, so I have been trying to pull the trigger on a boat of my own for a few years now. Every year I keep putting it off due to my employer's poor performance (= no bonus) or the poor economy. Our dream boat is the SV211, but again I just can't pull together the needed funds (now because the stock market is so down and the boat fund value is severely low). So my wife and I have discussed it and she says we need to lower our expectations and make the jump or we are never going to have a ski boat.

So the good news is I have got the go ahead, so now to find a boat. Obviously, I would like to get a boat with the same feature sets of SV211 for around $12k to $17k. So I missed a 99 Air Nautique in Merton, WI that was loaded up pretty nice - it was listed for $15,750. I have also talked to the guy over in OH, with that 00 Air Nautique on this site listed for $14,500 - he sent me pictures of the interior and it is pretty rough. I have some more questions out to him, so I am waiting to hear what he says about that, but thats an 8 hour drive one way and a lot of work to get it back together.

I found a 98 Sport for sale locally with all the goodies - its the perfect boat for the family (trying to be vague, cause its not well advertised and I don't want someone to buy it out from under me). He has it listed for $19,500 and doesn't seem willing to move on the price. With the exception of a couple of 99 Air's, one in Angola, IN and one in IL that are priced in the low $20k's (which I think are ridiculous prices) it seems most of these boats of that vintage seem to be going in the $15k range.

I'd really like to be boat #52 for GL09! So my questions, whats a fair price?

Its worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it.

You could wait years,
I think its best to make an offer and move on.

or start checking the auction houses, crankyape.com, boatliquidators and so on...a ton of these boats have been repocessed...and are sitting waiting for buyers...if you search the right corners you will find them, this is true if i had an extra 100k i could come up with 10 boats....its knowing where to look for them. my .03

Steve, I just went through the same process and know of others in the throws of indecision. I could write volumes, but I'll try to be brief.

It is a good time to buy a boat. SELL prices are down (20% from last year in my armchair opinion), but many sellers are still partying like its 2007. I've noticed that the boats that have sold, do it at a price that stings, often leaving the previous owners upside down on their loan.

When negotiating in person or via phone or email, I've found time to be the best tool. This flies in the face of you wanting to bring a boat to GL. However, in the beginning, sellers are excited and deaf to reason due to the initial flurry of emails or calls to their CraigsList ads. Time eventually proves most or all of them are tire kickers. A week or two of quiet time opens the seller to reconsider offers from the few buyers who are serious.

I think you are in an even better buying position than I was because you are looking for a direct drive (I bought a v-drive). Like BKH mentioned, probably even fewer buyers.

Lastly, look for the best boat you can find. Don't be afraid to shoot over your budget and see if you can negotiate back down. Never confuse asking price with actual value. SELL price is what reflects actual market value. Work that deal until you get to an agreement or dead end. Then go to the next one. There will always be a next one.

Sorry, not so brief after all...

95 Super Sport with FCT tower $17.9

99 Super Sport $18K

99 Super Air $17K

Also a nice 95 Super Sport on planetnautique for 17.5

I was just looking at Vdrives because you said you're ultimate boat is a 211. Lot of good boats out there at or near your price range.

BKH

Steve,
You could surprise (maybe shock would be a better word?)your dad with a tower on his 64!


Man, I can hardly wait to see that at GL!
Good luck on your search..

Alright, I know this is going to seem really fast but I found one last night and now am (FINALLY) a Nautique owner after spending the better part of 2 years looking for the right boat. I found this (don't know how I missed it) and we struck a deal this AM.



I am very happy with the price I got it at too. I am also weighing a couple of tower options, so that will likely be the first addition.

Thanks for all your help! And of course since the Correct Craft I am most familiar with is a 64 Ski Nautique, I am sure there are going to be TONS of questions...

Steve

LOL! Tuna tower, not exactly what I was thinking, but hey why not set up the Sport for Great Lakes Salmon fishing!!!

I know, I am still a skier at heart, but have your tried out the wakeboarding thing, its a blast! Plus, I have an 11, 9 and 6 year old, undoubtedly one of those is going to want to wakeboard and the whole point of the boat is to keep the family together for fun times on the weekend! So rather have the tower on my boat and then all the kids want to go with us - thats my fuzzy logic anyway

Steve