Demo

Quick question about demos. If the dealer lets you demo a boat, and you do not want to buy that boat after the demo, do they charge you or give you heavy pressure to buy the boat? Does a rep go on the boat with you and will they tow you? Thanks

Depends on the dealer.

They can not charge you for a demo... but if they are smart they will get an approved credit app. or a 500.00 deposit (TOTTALY refundable) to make sure they are not wasteing your time or there's.. Most good dealers will have a demo person because the sales guy should not want to take themselves off the floor... Dealers will pull you but you need to realize that it can be a huge liability for them... or at least in Cali.. As for pressure???? they are there to sale a boat so what would you do? As a previous boat sales guy I would make sure we are on the correct boat for you and if we are comparing w/ another product I would insist they show up @ the same time so we can cutt the B.S. a boat salesmen has a small window to make there money for the year so they usually don't like to waste your time or their's... It seems to be a new young bread of sales people today in the industry so good luck and DO DEMO it's important...

Thanks a bunch Sharky

I came into the dealerships with preapproved loan paperwork so I was obviously not trying to waste anyone's time. I had the MC and Centurion dealership request a deposit for a demo (one was rather large too). Both said that I would have to agree to the price before the demo as well. I walked away without ever getting to demo their boats. If that's the way they treat a potential customer I didn't have much faith it was going to get any better afterwards. Tige, Skier's Choice and Malibu all had no problems demoing without a deposit or a whole lot of pressure, they all had the boat will sell itself once you get it on the water mentality.

I would not pay a deposit to demo a boat. Any sales person with worth their salt would qualify me enough to know if it was worth it.

That is a cost of doing business and if they cannot tell who to do demos with and those that are just joy riding then they have bigger issues.

The dealer should WANT to demo the boat, that's what should sell you on it. I would feel offended if they didn't want me to drive it asap.

I wouldn't do business with anyone who hassled me about a boat demo. I'm not going to force the dealer to take my money. And I'd be a bit leery about providing a deposit. Sounds like a tactic used to keep you from leaving. (Sort of like how a car dealership holds on to your keys when they do a trade-in evaluation so you can't just leave whenever you want to.) I might do a fully refundable credit card deposit on the particular boat I am interested in.

Demo w/o payment, never seen anybody who would not demo.

Thank You for all of the input