Buying boats is just like buying anything else expensive; there’s a strategy to it. Whether it’s market research, brand comparison, or just a quick click around on the internet, the end result is always the same: find the best value. Sometimes finding the best value is easy, and sometimes it can become impossible. One of the important research points in boat buying is timing. There are good times to buy boats and there are great times to buy boats, you just have to figure out the difference. You may think that summertime is prime time for boat buying, and it is; but the best prices and the juiciest deals roll around at the end of the year.

Spring and Summer may seem like the most opportune time to buy a boat, and it is. Buying a boat when the weather is nice benefits the immediate use of it. There isn’t a better feeling than taking your new boat out on the water for the first time after you just received the keys. However, smart boat buying is not about opportunity, its about saving money. Saving money is important to everyone, and you aren’t going to be saving too much money buying during prime time boating season. Boat show prices are substantially lower, but if you order a new boat you could end up not running it until late into the season. Ironically enough the end of the year is the absolute best time to purchase a boat and save money.

The end of the year is usually associated with cold weather, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and food; not boat sales. Nobody wants to go to the store and buy a brand new toy and then wait three months to play with it, but getting past this idea can really open up an opportunity to save money on your next boat. Malibu and Axis offer an end of the year discount that saves over two thousand dollars. The money you save at the end of the year can go towards so many other additions to your boat, or your pocketbook. Another great benefit from the end of the year savings is the spring deliveries. Ordering a new boat over the winter allows the factory the time to build your boat for YOU (by hand) and have it delivered to your dealership before the lake thaws out in the spring. It may not seem like much, but any amount of money saved is still MONEY SAVED.

Buying smart and saving money is not rocket science. If you do a little bit of research and check with your local dealers about their end of the year saving opportunities you could substantially improve the quality of your next purchase. It feels good to save money, and it feels good to drive away with a new boat. If you find yourself in the market for a new boat and can’t quite pull the trigger go learn about your end of the year saving options from your local boat center and get ready to blow your nose with all of the money you’re going to save.