Orlando Boat Dealership

HOW TO FIND BOAT DEALERS IN ORLANDO

Orlando isn’t typically seen as a boating mecca, but there are a lot of lakes and of course you’re not that far from the coast so there are plenty of boat dealers. The best place to start the search for a dealer is the manufacturer website. The dealer locator on the website should be able to tell you where the closest dealer is. Other than that, online research will probably be the best way to find what you’re looking for. You should get plenty of search results from google and you can narrow down the results from there. You may want to consider asking your marina as well since they may have dealer affiliates or they’ll just know the best ones in the area. Greater Orlando is a big place, so if you are outside of the city, you can use the Mariner Exchange Dealership Search Page and enter in your location to find boat dealers near you. This will give you all of the dealers, not just the ones for the manufacturer you’re looking for.

TRICKS TO BUYING FROM A BOAT DEALER

• Closer is better: You’ll want to find a dealer that is close to you so that servicing your boat will be easy. If you keep your boat at a marina that’s further away, then try to find one that’s close to there so that you don’t have to haul your boat all over the place.
• Buy last year’s model at a discount: Oftentimes, last year’s model is just as good unless there was some major update from the manufacturer. If you buy last year’s model, then you’ll likely be able to get a better price and you take old inventory off the dealer’s hands. It’s a win win.
• Head to a boat show: Boat shows are a great place to view the dealer landscape and shop. You can do side by side comparisons and see all the services offered. However, don’t be pressured to buy on the spot. You don’t want to make a rash decision without first checking your facts and doing your research.
• Research on the manufacturer website: Manufacturer websites have pretty much everything you’ll need to know about the boat. You can dive deep and compare models. They’ll also have recommendations for the type of engine you’ll need. Doing this research beforehand makes you much better prepared to work with a boat dealer and find the right vessel.
• Make sure they offer good repair services: Chances are that the dealer will be servicing your boat the first several years after you purchase it. This is typically for warranty purposes so you want to make sure they do good quality work before you make a commitment. Again, your relationship with the dealer doesn’t end after you buy the boat - it continues many years after as they perform maintenance and repairs.
• If you order a custom boat: Try to get a discount because the cost of sale for custom orders is much lower than if the boat was already in stock.
• Test the boat on the water: Make sure to take the boat out for a sea trial just like you would test drive a car. Often, this can reveal nuances that you otherwise would never have known about. If other people in your family will be driving as well, then you should bring them along for the sea trial and make sure they can handle it.

WHY BUY FROM A BOAT DEALER?

• Every manufacturer is different: They will be able to tell you what separates your manufacturer from others and why it’s the right (or wrong) boat for you. They will take into consideration what you’re planning to do: fishing, leisure, hunting, cruising - and can recommend the right manufacturer and model for you.
• Repairs should be minimal: Buying from a dealer means you’re buying a new boat. Very rarely will a new boat require service right after you purchase it unless you had custom work done to it. If you buy something used, you have no idea what kind of past work was done and you could end up paying for it with costly repairs down the road. If you are the first owner, you’ll know the service history and then after the warranty expires you can get a new one if you are so inclined.
• Warranty is the way to go: The dealer will work directly with the manufacturer to handle warranty repairs. This will save you a lot of paperwork and phone calls. The mechanics at the dealer will be certified and thus covered by the warranty so you’ll be in the clear. This process will be much easier if they are closer to where you keep the boat.
• Customization will be available: It will be easier to get a boat that comes with your exact specifications since the manufacturer can customize it before delivery. This is not the case on the secondary market and what you buy is what you get. You’ll only be able to make these requests by going through the dealer.
• Getting a loan should be a breeze: They’ll be able to get you set up with a loan the same day, or refer you to one of their partners.