Are NEW boat prices getting out of hand?

[VanDeano]

I myself would never buy a new boat again. I have been looking at used boats lately and have seen the same boats for sale for over six months now. These are boats that are two years old with low hours that owners are trying to sell for half of what they paid new. I was looking at a 2004 33’ Eliminator Daytona with twin 525’S. The guy paid almost 300,000.00 before TTL and is asking 159,000.00 OBO. I have looked at the boat and it is mint with 92 hours on it, I would buy it right now but I need to sell mine before I can do so. After buying two new boats in the last five years I can say I will never buy new again.
Then I'll buy it from you in a couple years for $25,000

[Not So Fast]

That was what I responded to NSF, there is no way I would pay those prices just because it says merc on it or teague. I priced apples to apples(as close as possible) before I got my new motor, The 2 mentioned above and 1 other west coast motor builder and I ended up at LARRYS ENGINE AND MARINE. I feel I got much more bang for my buck and less then 1/2 the cost, and If his motors are good enough for predator, they are surely good enough for my junk...and my boat is running awesome... not to say they wont break any time but I can do it twice for the dollars the others wanted..
Exactly my point, thank you! NSF

[JMC]

Some of you are missing the point when it comes to the motor/drive package such as the Merc 600 at $83,210. This is a marinized motor, drive package, gimble package with steering, electronics, power steering and much more. From that list price of $83,210 there is a discount to the distributor and a discount to the OEM. On top of that is a 1 year warranty, thats not cheap either. Another example is the 1075 Merc package at approximately $150,000 each (and who buys just one?). These are not just hopped up motors that you buy from a speed shop, these are MARINE motors. On top of that, all materials are up including glass resins (which is a petroleum product). I could go into R & D, engineering, labor, insurance, overhead and much more, that would get real boring. Just remember, you have expensive toys, shut up and go play with them...
Anyone that would cough up 83k for a 600sc a XR drive and the assembly needs their head examined. Merc has been ganking people for years.

[Fast Freddy]

Anyone that would cough up 83k for a 600sc a XR drive and the assembly needs their head examined. Merc has been ganking people for years.
man that is a major rip off. bend over and take it up the butt with no lube. seriously i think for this kind of $$$ you could get both of predators engines

[dirty old man]

Then, there are tens of thousands of us who buy this stuff. Do you think Brunswick is going broke or something? Do you think your new pick up truck should cost 40k plus? A gallon of milk for $2.50, 16 oz of water for $1.29. Wake up, theres no free lunch any more

[2Driver]

I could be mistaken but, over time it has always seemed like a very nice desirable boat costs about the same as a nice respectable one year salary.

[3 daytona`s]

Some of you are missing the point when it comes to the motor/drive package such as the Merc 600 at $83,210. This is a marinized motor, drive package, gimble package with steering, electronics, power steering and much more. From that list price of $83,210 there is a discount to the distributor and a discount to the OEM. On top of that is a 1 year warranty, thats not cheap either. Another example is the 1075 Merc package at approximately $150,000 each (and who buys just one?). These are not just hopped up motors that you buy from a speed shop, these are MARINE motors. On top of that, all materials are up including glass resins (which is a petroleum product). I could go into R & D, engineering, labor, insurance, overhead and much more, that would get real boring. Just remember, you have expensive toys, shut up and go play with them...
Marinized Motor well that explains it all!! I`ve had my laugh for the day

[JMC]

Then, there are tens of thousands of us who buy this stuff. Do you think Brunswick is going broke or something? Do you think your new pick up truck should cost 40k plus? A gallon of milk for $2.50, 16 oz of water for $1.29. Wake up, theres no free lunch any more
Dirtyoldman, you may enjoy burning money but I refuse to. When you can buy 650 horse N/A engines with 2 year warranties for 13k all day long, why would you go for the Merc? That would leave you an aweful lot of money towards a slightly used #6 that can be had in the 25-30k range. For 80k you can get 1200 horses on pump gas and a #6. Now who needs to wake up?
Like I said, Merc has been ganking people for years. The prices on all the parts are silly. Price a basic plastic outdrive reservoir and tell me "thats a deal" or even, "thats reasonable". Merc was losing skegs on their performance outboard sportmasters left and right and facing lawsuits. They actually had to spend some more money and time to correct the castings and almost tripled the price for the consumer now. Im glad to see the mom and pop engine builders out their not to mention the bigger companies like Ilmor offering other alternatives for us.

[dirty old man]

JMC, when I said "us" I was referring to the boat buying public in general. When you look at the size of Merc, they must be doing something right. I'm a hard nosed capitalist and I believe there is nothing wrong with a distribution system and making a profit (within reason). And I have yet to see a 650 hp motor with a two year warrantee for $13,000 that will run as hard as I use them. I know various motor builder such as Teague, Pfaff, Larry, GT, KE and others, but have not seen any deal like you indicate. Even a crate motor converted to true marine use would exceed that