Question about dealer pricing on a '17 Moomba Helix?

I'm in the market for my first inboard and I've found a left over 2017 Helix with a lot of upgrades at a dealership. The retail base price is 56,760 and options are 8450 for a total of 65,210 retail.

They are charging $2495 for Freight and $797 for Prep bringing the total to 68,500. The freight and prep seem really high at this particular dealership (which is out of state) when compared to the dealership in my state who charges 565 freight and 1540 for prep. My dealership doesn't have any remaining 17's so that's why I'm looking somewhere else. Just curious if its normal for there to be that much of a difference between dealerships in freight and prep.

My main question is how much (percentage wise) can you expect to realistically get them to come off the asking price? I know there are several factors involved (dealer inventory, time of the year, ect.) so I'm just asking as a baseline. I'm currently in negotiations on the deal and wanted to get feedback from some of you that have purchased new boats in the past and have experience in boat deals. I'm proficient with automobile purchases but marine is proving to be a little more tricky because I can't find as much invoice pricing info on boats compared to autos. I'm currently at 12% off the listed retail price for a total of $57,385 plus freight, prep, and taxes.

Dont know if its actually accurate and obviously the dealer has to make some money to stay in business....but you can go to: seedealercost.com. Then click on Marine option and find Moomba....add your options and it will give you MSRP and "dealer cost". The value brands dont seem to have as much leeway, but you may want to check on the Moomba Forum too. Price above sounds decent, dealers create their own prep and freight charges since most people believe that is a hard cost. Similar to car dealers. Also makes a difference if you buy at a high volume dealer vs smaller dealer.
One thing to consider.....when buying new, the dealer relationship is just as, if not more important than the actual boat since when it comes to warranty and service, you are at their mercy on many things. So make SURE that its a good dealer who can service well and provide warranty services since if you take the boat to a dealer that you did not buy from, you will be far from 1st in line. This is the difference between a small issue taking a few days or a month during summer when you want to be using the boat. I cannot stress how important the dealer relationship is, not saying that means you gotta let them rape you, just that you both want to walk away feeling good about the sale and talk to them about what will happen AFTER the sale

I’ve been in the same pattern as you last summer when I bought my 2017 Nautique.
Can’t really help you with your numbers cause it’s maybe different for country to country (I’m canadian).
By the way congrats for your decision! Hope it’s gonna end up well.

For my personal experience, the season can be a game changer. The season will begin soon so dealers know great deals gonna be bought.
Maybe it’s easier to deal when the season ends and next year models begin to came.
Salesman have pretty much no advantage to sell a leftover or ordering a new one. The more he deals the leftover the less he make money so ordering a brand new one is always better for him.

When I bought mine it was like that. I was directly dealing with the dealership co-owner because it was his own demo. He pushed me a lot for ordering a new one because I dropped the price so much it was not worth for him to sold me his demo and ordering a new one could cost me the same. Cause his was fully loaded, about 15K options.
If I ordered a new one with just some essential options could cost me the same. But I wanted the fully loaded 2017 at the price of a new 2018 naked.

Best advice could be to give you a price for a new one with options you want and see if the deal worth it.
About freight and prep every dealer have their own. But I’m pretty sure it can be dealed.
Again maybe easier when season ends.

I work very hard to have my boat. In the beginning the owner was strictly a no way I would have it.
I called him everyday or 2.
After 2 weeks we came up with a deal lol (season was ending in few weeks anyways)
He was laughing and saying I was pretty insistant! I guess I worked enough to have it.
It’s not like he was loosing money anyways or he’ll just forget about me.
Very gentle guy and comprehensive for an owner .

I always stayed with the same price.
The boat was retail 112k, I wanted to pay 100k not a penny more. After calling and calling and calling. And not accepting any offers of him or other offer for other boats he finally accepted.
So I had maybe a 12% off because everything was included (without taxes).
A 10% discount on the total retail can be possible but up here (Eastern Cananda) it’s very unusual. I really had chance any other dealer ever let me so much.
Maybe it’s different in the US. Don’t know
For me having all the option for free it’s a fair enough deal.
Pretty much like you, 2018 base listed around 57K and this one you have the same price so your 8K options are like free.

Indeed 57 for a new leftover helix with great options is pretty much a good deal.
2018 are easily 65-67 when you take some option that are kind of essential. (Again up here)

Good luck !

Really great advice from D tho.
So important

Talk to Joe at Abita Inboards, he’s our local Supra Moomba dealership, he’s a small dealer so you can get two different sets of pricing , he also has leftover stock and 18’s I think. Abita Springs LA not to far from you and our water and air temps make fir a good in water demo where you can get in water and surf. If you need someone to get wet and surf your wave, I’ll be glad to show up an help out!

Originally Posted by granddaddy53

Talk to Joe at Abita Inboards, he’s our local Supra Moomba dealership, he’s a small dealer so you can get two different sets of pricing , he also has leftover stock and 18’s I think. Abita Springs LA not to far from you and our water and air temps make fir a good in water demo where you can get in water and surf. If you need someone to get wet and surf your wave, I’ll be glad to show up an help out!

I'll have to give him a call the first part of the week. I know right where Abita is and thanks for passing that info on because I wasn't aware he was there in Abita Springs.

When you're looking at freight and prep charges, you also have to think about how far each dealership is away from Knoxville where most of these things are made. I would bet that the shipping on a Skiers Choice boat costs a lot more to go to California than to go somewhere on the east coast. Just a thought.

Like D said though, it's been my observation that on value brands like Moomba, the dealer does not have a ton of room to come off the asking price like they would on a premium boat. Judging by what I saw the helix go for at my local boat show this year, you would be stealing that boat at 57. Good luck with your purchase.

Originally Posted by Ttime41

When you're looking at freight and prep charges, you also have to think about how far each dealership is away from Knoxville where most of these things are made. I would bet that the shipping on a Skiers Choice boat costs a lot more to go to California than to go somewhere on the east coast. Just a thought.

Like D said though, it's been my observation that on value brands like Moomba, the dealer does not have a ton of room to come off the asking price like they would on a premium boat. Judging by what I saw the helix go for at my local boat show this year, you would be stealing that boat at 57. Good luck with your purchase.

Thanks, that's what I was trying to determine. I felt like I was getting a good deal but just wanted some feedback from others that may have purchased a Moomba in the past.

UPDATE:
I negotiated some more today and I actually got the freight and prep waved. The final sale price will be around 58,900 + tax. So in the end I saved close to another 1700 off the original price by getting those fees waved. I'm pumped about finally getting a boat and I appreciate all the input I received from everyone. I'll find out for sure if everything goes through on Tuesday. Once I get the boat I'll try to post some pics soon.

Check out the Moomba forum. Great group of boat owners over there. They will also help you spend more money on stereo, ballast, and boards!

Originally Posted by Rusty1977

Check out the Moomba forum. Great group of boat owners over there. They will also help you spend more money on stereo, ballast, and boards!

Great, that's all I need is help spending more $$$ on stereo, ballast, and boards!!! LOL
Seriously though, I'll have to check it out.

Demo the wave, though most dealers don’t dial the boat in and don’t know how , put an experienced surfer behind the boat on the wave. If the surfer likes the undialed wave, your good to go. Though most modern surfboats need to be dialed in after purchase, it would be good to know what your purchasing in advance , you know your buying a boat but you are really buying a wave or wake

Also check the trailer, if your going to consistently launch on your fresh water lake, who cares, but if your going to launch regularly in the brack water, spend some of your savings on upgrading the trailer to galvanized, painted or non painted. Those “nawthern” trailers won’t cut it down south on the coast especially if you plan to keep boat

Originally Posted by granddaddy53

Demo the wave, though most dealers don’t dial the boat in and don’t know how , put an experienced surfer behind the boat on the wave. If the surfer likes the undialed wave, your good to go. Though most modern surfboats need to be dialed in after purchase, it would be good to know what your purchasing in advance , you know your buying a boat but you are really buying a wave or wake

Also check the trailer, if your going to consistently launch on your fresh water lake, who cares, but if your going to launch regularly in the brack water, spend some of your savings on upgrading the trailer to galvanized, painted or non painted. Those “nawthern” trailers won’t cut it down south on the coast especially if you plan to keep boat

Not sure what the trailer is composed of on the Moomba I'm looking at. I know it is Boatmate single axle painted trailer that is painted to match the boat. The boat will be launched in a fresh water lake a few times a year but will predominantly be used in brackish water on the river delta here in lower Alabama.

Brackish/salt water will tear up a trailer fast.....rusts it from the inside out since the water gets inside the holes. At least rinse it every time you go out, but over time, it will rot the inside of the frame unless galvanized like Posey said.
To help your boat....spray all metal parts, motor mounts, etc with anti-corrosion. They have some stuff that will seal with with a wax like substance that should at least help and keep it from rusting a little longer.

Originally Posted by Dswitz

Not sure what the trailer is composed of on the Moomba I'm looking at. I know it is Boatmate single axle painted trailer that is painted to match the boat. The boat will be launched in a fresh water lake a few times a year but will predominantly be used in brackish water on the river delta here in lower Alabama.

That sounds like a not galvanized . Again if keeping the boat for a long time and launching every weekend , this is a mistake, take some of your savings and upgrade or seek another deal though yours sounds nice. And if you can do two wheel with or without brakes , they are much easier in the long run to use, move by hand, or maintenance . So a two wheel galvsnized won’t be as much especially non painted. But if I ordered one it probably would be tandom. We start putting things like 500 lbs of lead in these things plus full fuel so I’m thinking two wheel not as good on your tow to the lake. Small drive to local launch no big deal

I could have negotiated fir a two wheel non galvanized real cheAp or nothing if I would have negotiated hard like you did . I spent $5000.00 dollars to get mine as a tandem painted galvanized. They in essence got me back in negotiations. But if you think, a beautiful black painted tandem with aluminum mags , galvsnized with 4 stainless disc brakes and “lifetime” hubs is worth the upgrade. Mine is so pretty it gets wiped down completely wheels, frame and fenders and steps each dunk at launch.

Joe at Abita keeps the cost down by not painting them (they seem to be swirl polished though ) and often puts grey panels in his gelcoat orders which coordinates with trailer