Stop buying NEW boats!!
 

Stop buying NEW boats to boycott those stupid high prices then dealers and makers will bring prices down to reason.

A new 16' stripped-down aluminum boat, as from Crestliner or Lowe, with a steering wheel, trailer and 25 HP outboard should cost the consumer no more than half of the cheapest new car on the American market.

That stripped-down aluminum boat lacks: power windows, power steering, air conditioner and a stereo.

Worth about $6,500, not $13,000.


Aluminum boats were originally meant for blue-collar weekend sportsmen. The Queen Mary was meant for the rich.

Also, pay cash for a boat only. Don't ever finance recreational items.
I am so sick of America living in a debt economy.

LOL...

Debt is dumb; cash is king ...and the paid off home mortgage has taken the place of the BMW as the status symbol of choice.

My personal financial philosophy is NEVER finance ANYTHING that depreciates, if you can't pay cash for that item then you can't afford it.

BUT if America bought based on what it can afford instead of what it wants our economy would be about the same size that it was back in the Great Depression and NONE of the boat builders we know today would've EVER even been in business in the first place! ;)

I agree Hatchie

Got me a used one in the boat trader, about 30% below market value price. I agree, boat dealers, new car dealers, etc. they rip you off.

I did buy a new jon boat (-; and new trailor...paid cash...it's a G3

Avoiding prices
 

Settled for my "boat" year's ago- a float tube.

Of course I haven't looked at the price of boats in years. The prices of the new ATV's did get my attention at a big box store, recently . I exercise my "shanks ponies" several times a week. They're my feet. Avoids those ATV prices too.

You guys want to see the prices we have to pay in Australia!

The average 400cc 4x4 auto ATV would set you back around $12,000.

You wouldn't get into a 14" aluminium forward control boat for under $25,000

And a 4x4 diesel utility dual cab, smaller than your F150 would be around $45,000+, The one in my avatar was $60,000!

Problem is the insane prices used boats go for. You say a new aluminum bass rig is only worth $6500, but I've been lookin through the sale papers lately and the best I can do for that budget is a 1994 model. If I wanna go cheaper, it's usually an 80s model full of dry rot and bad wiring. At what point is it best to just get a new model that doesn't need work and comes with a warranty?

My used Lowe is fine. It needs carpet and it's good. It's probably the only boat I'll ever have.