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I have noticed on Team Winnebagoland’s website they spell it out very clear. I was just browsing on their site a couple months back and I saw they had a used 2020 AR240 for sale. In bold heading across the page it said ; Not For sale to customers out of state. I don’t get it. If I was in the market, I would have definitely gave it a try. Or ask a Wisconsin friend to buy it so I could buy it from him
"Well Tony, there's a setup charge, freigh, shipping, title, dock fee, wheel tax, environmental fee, recycling fee, disposal fee payable upfront AND on the back end, license fee, and conservation fee. Those would necessarily also apply if you need a trailer for the boat. Now, one last question so I can get you the best price, are you going to need a steering wheel?"
My experience has been this: the dealer has no clue when these boats are going to arrive. They just show up at the dealership randomly, with out warning. I happened to walk into my local Marine Max, randomly on one day, after seeing his inventory of other center consoles , I asked if he had any 210 FSH SP models. He laughed out loud and said he had to cancel about 15-20 orders in December for the 2021 model and the customer’s were very upset, so I’m sure we don’t have any but let me check. A few seconds later he said one arrived yesterday on my day off and it’s still in its shrink wrap. Do you want to look at it? The T top had not been assembled and was laying on the deck of the boat. I put a deposit down that day and I closed the deal today. The lesson is visit your local dealer regularly!
Manufacturers can use several tactics to “protect” a dealer’s territory, which is typically spelled out in their dealer agreement. They don’t want a nearby dealer to “poach” in a larger neighboring market. For example, the mfg might base future allocation on sales within their territory or offer discounts for sales in their territory. I’m sure there are other ways they enforce their dealer agreement. And yes, a dealer wants as much aftermarket sales as they can get.
By way of comparison I recently visited Chatlee Marine in central NC. When I arrived their gigantic parking lot was full of boats. I am not exaggerating, there were at least 75 new boats on site. The sales rep told me none of these boats were available, all had been sold. He carried 3 lines of boats I was interested in, so I inquired about each. The following are wait times and deposit requirements for a 21 foot center console:
Sea Hunt- 6 months and $10,000 deposit
Carolina Skiff- 3 months $5,000 deposit
Yamaha 210 FSH SP 12 months and $5,000 deposit
The other way these dealers are profitable is: they are floating your money, which I have no problem with. They are business owners not public servants.
