$10,000 rebate, what????

I was at the boat show recently and Malibu dealer is claiming a 10,000 dollar rebate in 3 yrs. Anyone know about this? Is it a scam? Any info is appreciated.

There is a company called the national rebate fund. Companies pay a fee to use them in advertising this way. The company is very strict in times and dates info needs to be to them. If you do not send what they want at certain times you are disqualified. I am in my 3rd year of a 4 year program on a gas fireplace. Its way less, about $1400.00. The company banks on people forgetting to follow the steps in the correct manner. Not sure if this is the same thing but it sounds the same. www.nationalrebatefund.com Good luck

It is crazy but true. The people that actually stay up to date will get paid in the end but there is no leeway. Boarders Paradise does it on about everything. Good Luck.
http://www.boardersparadise.com/

Here's what I was told today. Mastercraft has a similar deal going on. If you buy a high priced boat like an X-80 you get a certificate for 20k. However, to redeem the certificate you have to register your boat with this 3rd party annuity company offering the certificate. The initial registration has to take place within 7 days of your boat purchase. At the end of 36 months you have another 7 day window to redeem the certificate you registered 3 years prior. At the initial registration and at the final redemption you have to supply them with your original bill of sale and a couple other documents. It's really not all that difficult if you can read a calendar. What the annuity company banks on, is that 80% of the certificate holders flat forget or mess up the redemption procedures. The annuity company gets a small amount of money from the boat manufacturer for each certificate issued upon sale. The money is then invested in some way by the annuity company, which is one of the reasons why you have to wait 36 months to collect. This is how it was explained to me, so don't quote me.

I saw the same deal at the pleasanton boat show offered by MC and Malibu. I had a few questions myself so i went to the website that offers the deal (do a search for cash rewards inc).

My thoughts were that this was an obvious attempt to lure the customer in and have the rebate company weasel out of the deal. I also thought that if i were a customer i would want the cash up front, and realize that the dealer is over pricing the product in order to give me something later down the road...which may or may not happen (see website's admission about "breakage")

The comment about anyone who can read a calendar can participate...well that is a stretch. I can think of a million scenarios where one could mess up the procedure and not get any refund...and statistically that is what the third party company is banking.

Finally if you are financing the boat why would you as a customer want to pay more for a product in order for an investment company to use your money (for their gain) all the while you are paying interest (if financed) on that amount?

I feel it is a scam although some may actually receive their "reward". It sure does take the boat itself out of the picture, now people are asking about the rebate.....

I dont know why anyone would want to seek this program out, but if so any dealer could offer it.

Any other opinions out there on this?

I'd say take the 10 grand off the price and you(insert boat company) fill out the forms and get your rebate.

Kdawg and Jim have basically got it right. When my family was selling our 05 X star this was one of the deals that we could offer the buyer. I think the person had to pay one to two grand more for something like fifteen grand off at the end of three years. But the process was much more intensive than just sending something when you buy and sending them something after 3 years to redeem. You had to have regular correspondense with the rebate company via surveys that had to be filled out and sent in something like once every 2 months. If you miss one survey your disqualified. For me this would be a great deal because my wife is an awesome record keeper and she would make sure to stay on top of it with proof and reciept of every transaction. If it was just me or anyone else, we would forget and lose out. It's a pretty smart deal and offers a nice incentive. You just need to know what type of person you are. Also I would check where the rebates were being sent. I heard from someone that rebate laws vary state to state and that in some instance they can just go bankrupt and your out the money.

Its not a scam and its not a rebate that the company gets. Its simply an incentive. you want it? then get it. If not? don't.

I agree with everyone, it's not a scam but I feel like it's a gimmick. I would prefer if Mastercraft just reduced my purchase price by the small amount they pay the annuity company. Obviously, it's not dollar for dollar upfront, but I'd take any discount today over dealing with the rebate for three years. When I buy my X-45 next week I will get the rebate from my MC dealer, however I'm going to pay my CPA 2k of the rebate to do it for me. My CPA will get paid when I get the check.

Kdawg did they not give you that option? With us we could sell our boat for our regular asking price or add 2k to the price and give the rebate. i believe this is how the dealer did it with their new boats as well. We were able to offer this because our boat was a promo boat so when we sold it the person got a brand new waranty and all the mastercraft incentives like buying it new.

I think that this is strictly a Cope deal, not a Mastercraft/Malibu event. They advertise something similar on all the brands they sell.

Aren't rebates are just a way of slapping the consumer in the face and saying, "we could have charged you less on the initial cost, but we won't"!