In the recurring debate of buying a boat from a dealer vs. buying from an owner, a lot of regular boat buyers feel that the best boat buying deals are found at boat shows and auctions. The belief behind this reasoning is that the boats at shows are heavily reduced in price, so a good bargain can be had.

However, the counter argument here is that this is quite the opposite as dealers pay a lot of money to rent space for showcasing their vehicles. On top of that, you have cost of transporting the boats too, all of the expenditure is most likely attempted to be recouped from those buying the boats.

If you are patient and not overly choosy, then waiting for the last day of a boat show could work out well. Near the end of the day is a good time to make the owner an offer, which may well be worth their while, as they would rather sell than haul the vehicle back to base with them.

One other method that could be advantageous, is to make a note of the prices displayed by owners at the event, and then visit the dealer later on. This is often favourable as dealers like to have their customers visit their dealership in order to attempt to forge a relationship and provide them with their boating needs on a regular basis.

Some useful advice for boat buyers in particular is to get to know a good dealer before buying your boat. A lot of first timers buy a boat from an owner, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it doesn’t come with the kind of safety or guarantee with the purchase that you would get from a good dealer. If you are a boat expert, then that is of course a different story. This is an important consideration to make when considering buying a boat from a dealer versus buying from an owner.

It is very important that you speak to various people, dealers and basically shop around until you’ve satisfied your question of which is preferable in your circumstance, buying a boat from a dealer vs. buying from an owner. A good dealer will live by his reputation and will assist you in getting the boat that is suitable for you rather than an expensive sale. Good dealers tend to want to establish a good long term relationship, so look out for that attribute when you speak to dealers. Any queries on equipment and maintenance ought to be clarified at this stage also.