Boat dealer Auctions?

Gents,

I am looking to buy a new to me used wakeboat this coming season. I am not brand loyal or anything, just want a good deal. I was talking with my brother and he has a car dealership license and he informed me of the auction they have for boats, RVs, campers and what-not.

My questions are the following: Has anyone ever bought a boat from such an auction? Can you get decent deals? What about condition of interior? motor? gel-coat?

regardless I am sure I will go check it out, just to see...

Thanks a bunch!

ps- he is in arizona, if that helps/hurts

There was a post about this a while back. If I recall the consensus, from guys who frequent them, was that the majority of the boats were in really rough condition. Plus without being able to run the boat you would have to get it beyond dirt cheap to cover the risk.

I am sure there are nice ones, trouble is how do you know. When a engine/ driveline is 10K plus its a pretty risky gamble. A nice looking boat can have a blown motor and cost you 10K before you can use it. Plus with dead and no batteries its tough to test systems, etc. Bottom line is you would have to get them cheap for it to be worth it. I'm talking 50% of current market value to make the risk worth it.

I have a dealers license and I have bought boats at these auctions. Back in the day (2008-20011) you could find lots of nice clean repo boats and fetch a good deal. I have not seen a good deal at the auction for 2 years. If you get a good deal, be prepared for some major issues that someone just dumped on you. Remember the boat is "as is" at the auction. On occasion nice clean boats roll through there, but I have seen them bring retail and more. That is just my 2 cents.... Don't get your hopes up on finding a smoking deal. You will be let down. You are about 4 years too late!!!

Thanks for the input guys. i kinda figured as such!

We have purchased 2 boat at the auction 4 years ago and it was a real gamble. Ours have paid off, but we really didn't save a ton of money. We still have both of our boats. A 25' pontoon party barge and a 3 seater yamaha jet ski. The ponton boat we purchased for about 3 to 4k under blue book, but it need about $1.5 k worth of work like a toon up/ battery and upholstry (it sat uncovered in the bow). The jets ski just needed a toon up and a new battery. We paid 1K under blue book.
So if you do the math we did not steal any of these boats. Pretty much paid what we could of talked a person down

The inventory even back 4 years ago was somewhat crappy. Not much to see. We went two different time getting one boat each time. Remember it is "AS IS" and sometimes that can cost you. Unless the batteries are charge or even if a battery is there, you might not get to see how many hours are on the boat. If they are a repo, those repo guys snag anything of value to them. Batteries, emblems, rear view mirrors, board racks, biminis ect. Out pontoon boat still does not have a stereo in it, but I hardly use it. The jek ski didn't have any keys if I recall.

If I were you I would go and check it out. See the auction in action and if there is something that comes down the line that you could live with buy it. Know the price of the boat 1st. Low trade in value as the true price.

Then set what price you are willing to pay for it and listen to you gut.

I wouldn't even pay low trade in value, not even close…you have no clue if it even runs!! Boat wouldn't even be worth low trade if it was MINT and stripped of the stuff you are talking. Bimini, racks, stereo, batteries…thats THOUSANDS of dollars to be replaced. On a used boat there isn't thousands between low value and market value usually.

@B..like you said you got really lucky. For what you paid, if either of those items had major problems(which you had NO way of knowing) you would have taken a bath.

Good info. It will be fun to go, but my hopes are low.

When you guys say "low trade in value" is NADA guides the best/only place to look?

DIGGS pretty much nailed it on the head. I also have access to all the boat auctions and any boat in decent shape sells for close to retail or higher. I have bought a few boats from auctions but nothing in the past 2-3 years.

Sorry I never ment to say we would pay low trade in value. I ment that to me that was the real value of the boat and purchase it much lower than that. 3 to 5k lower than that at the least.