Whilst it may be tempting to buy new, there are plenty of reasons why you should buy used instead. In this article we cover the top 10 reasons why you should buy a used boat.
- Budget-friendly
- Less Depreciation
- End of Season
- Upgrade
- Who Can Tell?
- Ad-ons
- No Teething Problems
- Time-tested
- Already Broken In
- Plenty to Choose From
1. Budget-friendly
Whilst this mustn’t come as a surprise, used boats are undeniably cheaper than new boats. Once a boat has been used it automatically loses a good percentage of its value, even if the boat is in perfect working condition.
This also means that you can get a bigger boat for less money and, given that the cost of owning a boat is nothing to sneeze at, you will be grateful to save money on the purchase itself, after all, who doesn’t love a good bargain?
2. Less Depreciation
As we mentioned before, new boats lose a lot of value once they have been bought, especially during the first year of ownership. In the case of used boats, this depreciation has already occurred, which means that it will retain most of its value.
3. End of Season
Come autumn, many boat owners decide that their boat has had its last season and lots of used boats start to appear on the market. Owners often decide to sell so that they can trade theirs in for a newer, different or bigger model to suit their needs.
Buying a used boat in the autumn may seem early given that next season is almost a year away, but this gives you the opportunity to fix up your boat and make sure she’s in perfect condition for the summer.
Come autumn, many boat owners decide that their boat has had its last season and lots of used boats start to appear on the market. Photo: Hannu Keski-Hakuni on Unsplash
4. Upgrade
If you wish to follow suit and you too decide that you want a different or bigger model, you won’t have to worry about losing as much money when selling a used boat since used boats depreciate at a far slower rate and tend to be much cheaper than new boats.
5. Who Can Tell?
If you choose wisely, it’s likely that nobody will be able to tell whether it’s a used boat or a new boat. And even if there are a few tell-tale signs, is it really worth buying a new boat? Within a year or two your shiny new boat will end up looking like a used boat, so why not buy a used boat from the get-go and save some money.
It’s likely that nobody will be able to tell whether your boat is a used boat or a new one. Photo: Greg Rosenke on Unsplash
6. Ad-ons
Whilst not always the case, some used boat sellers will also throw in some add-ons for little or no extra cost since they no longer have a need for these items once the boat is sold. This is another reason why buying used boats can save you a lot of money.
7. No Teething Problems
Another benefit of being the second or third owners of a boat is that all the teething problems associated with new boats, such as leaks or problems with the equipment, have already been solved for you. You can also contract a surveyor and check the boat’s maintenance records how well looked after it is to avoid having any more long term problems.
8. Time-tested
If a new model has consistent problems or defects, owners usually find out the hard way (after spending all their hard-earned cash). However, with used boats, since they have already been on the market for an extended period of time, you can rest assured that there will be plenty of reviews online to help you steer clear of any defective boat models.
With used boats, you can rest assured that there will be plenty of reviews online to help you steer clear of any defective boat models. Photo: jeanneau.com
9. Already Broken In
A boat that has been “lived in” won’t look as perfect as a new boat, but this can in fact be a good thing. If you think about your house when you first moved in and take a look at it now, there are probably a few things that have been broken, stained or worse. The same can be said for new boats.
That’s why having a boat that is already broken in means you won’t have to be paranoid every time you see your 3 year old holding a sippy cup full of ribena, or a drunk uncle teetering with a glass of red wine. Instead you can relax- any scuffs will only add character!
10. Plenty to Choose From
Finally, when it comes to used boats you are truly spoilt for choice. There are plenty of online marketplaces that offer used boats such as: Boats and Outboards, BoatShop24.co.uk, iNautia and YachtWorld.
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