Do Over
Member
All I know is I'm not sellin my boat....the house? sure....the boat?
NEVER:smt018
NEVER:smt018
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I would love to hear others give some idea to whether the loss of younger boat owners is just unique to our area.
This has been an interesting topic to read through. First of all I'd like to thank Sea Ray Corporate for popping in here and explaining some real world facts. Whether or not a person chooses to believe those facts is an individual decision. I do believe them and now have a better understanding of how the real world works.
One thing that has not been mentioned directly in here is what is happening to our disposable personal income. If you can believe the gubmint (now THAT takes a real stretch of one's imagination!) the rich keep getting richer and the middle- and lower-income folks just keep falling further and further behind. I believe The Messiah refers to that upper echelon of income earners as the 1%.
I also believe those 1%'ers are the ones buying the new boats. When your family income is a million bucks a year, and there's a heck of a lot out there that are much higher than that, you get to have the new toys. That's just the way the world works. For the rest of us, we get to buy their used toys that have been kept in good condition.
IMHO there's nothing wrong with that picture.
If SR had a secrete recipe to make a 47DA for 75K it would be priced right up near the competition and all the salesmen and execs would be high fivin', partying on Barbados drinking rum and bangin' hookers.:smt043What is STUPID is this thread. Anyone who thinks SR and other manufacturers are out to gouge them and jack up prices beyond where some on this board seem to feel is right need to take some economics refresher courses.
If SR could build a 470DA for $75K and make a few bucks at it they would, they also would have a waiting list a mile long, opening new plants, and hiring like crazy. Their competition would be going mad to figure out how to do it too.
Some folks need to watch fewer Oliver Stone movies... LOL
MM
I am an ex business owner (by choice), but never, ever did a customer have an issue with my craftsmanship or quality, that I wouldn't take care of. Even if it cost me money, to make it right!
For those who think that SR is gouging people and that SR quality has gone down the head, let me suggest that you watch a few minutes of this video on an Azimut yacht that this guy bought. He very carefully details in his video some of the problems he had with the boat. Now I don't know what the price is on a new 47' Azimut, but I can pretty much figure that's it's going to be well above what SR charges for the new L650.
http://www.yachtforums.com/index.php?threads/a-yacht-owners-24-month-new-boat-experience-azimut.24258/
This is not to point fingers at Azimut or Marine Max, but just to say that maybe some of you should take a step back and re-evaluate your thoughts on SR.
Just Sayin........
What is STUPID is this thread. Anyone who thinks SR and other manufacturers are out to gouge them and jack up prices beyond where some on this board seem to feel is right need to take some economics refresher courses.
If SR could build a 470DA for $75K and make a few bucks at it they would, they also would have a waiting list a mile long, opening new plants, and hiring like crazy. Their competition would be going mad to figure out how to do it too.
Some folks need to watch fewer Oliver Stone movies... LOL
MM
For those who think that SR is gouging people and that SR quality has gone down the head, let me suggest that you watch a few minutes of this video on an Azimut yacht that this guy bought. He very carefully details in his video some of the problems he had with the boat. Now I don't know what the price is on a new 47' Azimut, but I can pretty much figure that's it's going to be well above what SR charges for the new L650.
http://www.yachtforums.com/index.ph...rs-24-month-new-boat-experience-azimut.24258/
This is not to point fingers at Azimut or Marine Max, but just to say that maybe some of you should take a step back and re-evaluate your thoughts on SR.
Just Sayin........
We obviously don't care for the title of this thread when what the OP objects to is the price of new boats, but I understand the power of hyperbole.
Excess removed
We don't have the luxury of simply jacking up prices without regard for market forces. Second, unlike nearly all other boat manufacturers, Sea Ray's profitability (at least a proxy on it) is a matter of public record. Brunswick reports on profitability by segment on a quarterly basis. You don't have to read deeply to see that Sea Ray is hardly reaping massive profits at the consumers' expense. No one likes to feel taken advantage of for someone else's gain -- at that certainly isn't happening here.
I wish new boats cost less. The traditional model of just accepting 4-5% price increases every year is killing affordability. On the current trajectory, fewer and fewer people will be able to participate in this pastime we all love. And we're working hard to do something about it. In the mean time, we try to offer convenience (5 year bow to stern warranties on day boats), technology (QuietRide, joystick control) and innovation (Venture, SkyFlow) to help differentiate new boats from older models.
Thanks for listening.
I don't think anyone is saying that Sea Ray is gouging people (well, maybe Wayne suggested it in the beginning). I think the debate at hand is whether or not buyers (especially new and younger) are being priced out of the market because of the current economics of the boating industry and whether or not the prices are a good value for what you get. Nobody said Sea Ray's are cheap but it is a fact that if prices go up in one area you need to cut in another to keep prices competitive. Sea Ray doesn't build a cheap quality boats but they're not up to the same standards of just 3 years ago...in my opinion.
I don't have any complaints with the other statements that were made, I've heard the same arguments in the industry I work in and seen corroboration. I do find the sentence I highlighted a little disingenuous. It is my understanding (and please correct me if I am wrong) that Brunswick sells the bulk of their boats to their dealers. The dealers are independent businesses. Wouldn't Brunswick's profit be a result of the transaction between it and its dealers, and not with the final consumer? The profit on the final sale going to the dealer, and as an independent business that profit would not be consolidated on Brunswick's books. On that basis, to hold up corporate profitability as evidence the MSRP structure isn't out of whack is a little misleading.
I think the elephant in the room no one wants to mention is the possibility that Sea Ray pricing is in part influenced by a marketing strategy to maintain the brand as an exclusive top shelf product. Woody makes a point that if SR sold large cruisers for a fraction of what they sell for now they would be swamped with orders. I'm not so sure. While there are plenty of folks who buy Sea Rays because they know they are well made boats, I'll be there are just as many who buy them because its more expensive. If that mentality was not present in our society there would be a heck of a lot fewer country clubs with $ 100 k buy ins, and $15k annual dues.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not slamming Brunswick lots of companies do it. Look at the VW Tourag and Porsche Cayenne, or a Chevy sedan and a Cadillac, vehicles made with common parts but very divergent MSRPs.
Henry
His inventory is now complete. He's just been too busy enjoying the break in the weather.Everyone's opinion is important and has value. Even the guy without a boat and who is obviously working on building up his inventory of beer cans.