Anyone going to the Lauderdale Show?

[mike carrigan]

Originally Posted by Flot

The Pro-Line guys and the guys from Davey Marine were straight-shooters when I bought my boat. Sure - you can always find an idiot salesman you'd like to strangle anywhere, but if you're a buyer it is easy enough to spot and avoid those, or get routed to the person who will make you happy. You really think any of the vendors at the show this year wouldn't bend over backwards to make a sale?

As for the comments on prices - they didn't loook much different than they were 3 years ago. Just because buyers don't have the disposable cash to spend anymore doesn't mean the boats got cheaper to make... in most cases they probably got notably more expensive to produce - although I agree, 3 years ago I was shocked at new prices too. But have you priced out other major purchases lately? Nothing is getting cheaper except houses.

Mike - let me know which boats are going for $20k under cost, I'll start saving up!

Hopefully that's almost over.

[FishnDive]

Originally Posted by oceanluvr30

Forgot to mention something that really piss*d me off...Everyone in my car had to show a photo ID just to park at the convention center then we had to show a photo ID AGAIN to get into the show at Bahia Mar!! Are we now living in the soviet union where you have to show ID simply to get into a boat show? I could only imagine the hassle i would have had IF my wife didn't bring her ID which she was not going to do....I don't know about the other guys but i found this to be extremely offensive. the real joke was IF someone wanted to blow up the boat show they simply could have kayaked up to one of the floating docks....this is getting out of hand as far as I am concerned...just had to sound off on this...

I parked at the War Memorial, took the shuttle bus through the gate, bought my ticket at the window and walked right in. Typical, just for show, security. I never showed an ID

I work for a company that has ID cards, they're pretty cheesy, laminated paper photo and information. I went online and made one up, nice plastic card, magnetic strip on the back for $9. I just show it when asked for a company ID, looks much more official than the "real" one. The rent a cop is happy because he saw my company ID.

[mike carrigan]

Originally Posted by flnative629

Not sure what you are talking about BIG. You think that was angry and guns blazing? I wasn't angry, I was disappointed. I was disappointed that Pro-line would raise prices to an unealistic level and refuse to ask fair market value for their boats. And what do you mean by "you delete that post and begin a new angle of attack"? Look at page 3 - my post is still there. Also, my comments were no "attack". In both of my posts, I expressed my disappointment that Pro-line is trying to raise prices in a down market and were unwilling to be realistic. Who in the world would want to deal with a customer like me? I was a customer with $9000.00 in my pocket and credit scores of 799, 839 and 841. Anyone trying to "bend over backwards to make a sale" would want a customer like me. Any dealer trying to maintain high profits in a down market - not so much. My negotiating skills are just fine. There was simply no negotiating with Pro-line. They wanted full asking price (high and unreasonable). Just curious - are you affiliated with Pro-line or any other dealer or manufacturer? Thats the only reason I can figure you were so bothered by my post.

Who exactly were you negotiating with from PRO-LINE?
Lanie remembered you and his conversation with you.
As he remembers it you wanted to buy at a price we couldn't any longer sell the boat for.
He, we, are perfectly prepared to negotiate and do all the time.
The fact that we could no longer meet your prce point, regretable as that might be, is the world we're living in. Why did you not buy at the price that I (I guess?) gave you a few months ago.?
According to Lanie, that's your beef with us.
Well, no, we are no longer building "08" product that we'll sell for less than dealer net. No, we will not build you a "2010" and lose money. Yes, I have some non current models left in our inventory that I will sell at less than dealer net, substantially less. No, I no longer have any 23 SPORTS left as non currents. We did, I guess, give you a hell of a price on one, you passed, others didn't, I dont have any left at the price.
As I understand the conversaion you had with Lanie, he attemted to explain that to you. No way would he not negotiate with you on a "2010" model, but he/we, do not agree with what you feel we must be doing because of the economy.
Life goe's on, Ok?
If we've lost you as a customer that is very regretable, but if we did, sadly, we did.

[Glen E]

It was a very strong show for us. It seems since people can't sell their boats, they are fixing them up.... moving to the new Furuno NN3d's, Ray Wides and Garmin 4/5 series. Good action on the NSE Simrad unit too. I wrote 40 proposals last week after the show. Lots of "backyard" quotes -i.e. "my boat is on a lift in my backyard and I want new stuff" - the 26- 40 footers were the most prevalent in this category. Lots of S-Rays. Very popular - the Furuno 585 and a 4/5 Garmin unit package

Not too many - "getting a new boat so what do you recommend?"

The most fun quote is the guy who "steals" a 26 CC thru repo or theft recovery and then wants electronics . He ALWAYS wants what I call the "hallelujah package" - you know - two 12 inch screens, AP, open array, 2 kw ducer, etc - until I tell him the package installed will be more than he paid for the boat. He slowly walks away muttering to himself....

Glen
Elec-Unlimited

[1white tail]

Glen you are right. A lot of people are fixing up their boats. As a matter of fact, their was an article in a local Keys newspaper that commented on how much work the local marine mechanics had. Good to hear that the boat show treated you good.

[arctic_f250]

It looks like SeaVee started painting thier motors like Intrepid (they looked great). I do have to say thier boats looked great as well. My favorite boats were the Intrepids, SeaVees, Yellowfin and Invicible.