Free Credit Report

Just Bought a Four Winns Vista 358, Did I pay too much?

I am pretty new to the boating scene. I just bought my first boat this year, really liked it and am buying a 358 Vista by Four Winns after looking at Regul, Sea Ray and a few others. My question is this, what should have I paid for this boat? It has the 6.2 Mercs with Nav. 2 package. I shot the dealer an offer and got a call back 24 hours later saying they would take it. It seemed too easy so I think I may have done a poor job. Pricing is so out there with all these boat companies. Marinemax wanted $227,000 for the 2007 Sundancer 340 I was looking at. They wouldn't budge past that.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Aug 28
That's about the only option that wasn't on ours. Can't say it'd make much of a difference.

If they want $221k for the SeaRay, what're they asking for the FW? Around $200k, out the door?

Bill
Aug 30
They're $9995.00 at Sears. Did you do better than that? Dan
Aug 28
New or used? Short
Aug 29
There's a new 2008 offered on a popular website for $221,000. Twin gas. How did you do compared to that?

If it took them 24 hours to decide to take your offer, it's likely you weren't a total laydown. Normally it's a bad sign if they don't go for a bump......but hey, it's almost Labor Day and the thought of you owning the boat this winter instead of them probably has some appeal. :-)

Don't worry too much about the price. What we do in this pastime makes no economic sense- at all, so why worry about the details? You'll suffer some depreciation on the boat in the next few years- but everybody does and no brand is exempt. Keep the boat long enough (that's the trick) and it will average out to a workable amount per year. You don't realize the loss from depreciation until you're ready to sell.

Guys who buy fully depreciated, 20 year old boats like to think they don't lose much to depreciation. A lot of times they don't- but they make up for it in repairs and maintenance. "Depreciation" has ruined a lot fewer vacation cruises than deferred maintenance coming home to roost. :-)

Aug 28
I gave $190,000 the way I figured. I had a 2004 Four Winns Vista that I bought in Miami. It was a hurricane damaged boat. My brother and I fixed it up (with a lot of help). I valued it at $75,000 as it sits. Bottom line, I gave $115,000 and my boat. I wish there was a place I could look up actual selling prices (like you can on houses) for these boats. I think brokers can do it but average customers can't.
Aug 28
Got that right... :>) Short
Aug 29
I'd say you did fine. Short
Aug 29
Ditto.
Aug 28
New 2007 w/5 hours on the engines.
Aug 28
Based on your reported price, you did good.

Enjoy it.

Short
Aug 29
What other options? AC, genset, canvas cover, camper canvas, etc.

What area are you in?

I have the 348. This is the same boat; they just renamed it 358 for marketing hype. It's been a great boat. We bought it instead of the 340DA. Mainly due to the lack of walk-through windshield on the SeaRay, narrow gunwales, no passenger lounger seat and a rather boring interior. Not to mention being about $60k less (beginning of 2006) than several 340DA on the market at the time.

-Bill Kearney

Bill
Aug 28
Those are all the same reasons I went with Four Winns over Sea Ray. You hit every one of them. I am in the Midwest. The boat has all the options you listed plus polished chrome windshield.
Aug 28
   

Disclaimer: This is a computer-generated and formatted feed of current postings to a public
Internet forum. We do not control the information delivered, nor do we endorse or monitor its
content. Internet forums may carry offensive, harmful, inaccurate, and otherwise inappropriate material.
Click to see the RSS XML version of this page   Click to see the Atom XML version of this page