Potential Buyer Asking for a "Test Drive"

[Pete7]

I sold one boat to a Dutch couple who travelled to the UK for the weekend to view 4 boats. Mine was the last and on the Sunday afternoon they agreed to buy it. Reason, they said I was the only one willing to take them out for a test drive.

Pete

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Pete7

I sold one boat to a Dutch couple who travelled to the UK for the weekend to view 4 boats. Mine was the last and on the Sunday afternoon they agreed to buy it. Reason, they said I was the only one willing to take them out for a test drive.



Pete

That and the fact that they hadn’t bought a return ticket. ;^)

A good way to get home really.

[Nineteen]

Originally Posted by GILow

Well, maybe things are just plain different here in Australia.

I have never heard of anyone using the boat-for-sale system as a way of getting a free trip in a boat. Quite frankly, it sounds like urban myth to me. One of those... "I heard about this guy..." things you hear in pubs.

I've sold a few boats over the years, always enjoyed the process. And yep, I've had my fair share of tyre kickers, who are a pain in the backside.

BUT, I've also had people come along with a tyre kicker mindset, only to end up keen buyers at the end.

Remember, when selling your boat, it REALLY helps to have a few people interested. When I sold my Austral 20 a few years back I had three interested parties, with whom I had a pleasant and good natured round robin bidding war. It worked out well and pushed the sale price up to my reserve in a few days.

Anyway, this whole thing really has me beat. Maybe, just maybe, there are these strange creatures who use the buying process as some form of free afternoon sailing where some of the contributors live. If that's the case, damn, that's just plain odd.

But where I come from, I OFFER a sail on the boat, because I know nothing sells sausage like a little bit of sizzle.

My perspective entirely[emoji106]
Cheers
Tom

[Spartyman]

As a potential serious buyer, I could have very limited funds, so seeing this vessel perform could help out. If you refused I would think you are hiding something and walk.

[Ringmaster]

Mr. GILow,.I guess you didn't read my post. It's not a "myth". I've experienced "buyers" looking for an afternoon of entertainment and I've spoken to others who have done the same.

[Dooglas]

Originally Posted by Spartyman

As a potential serious buyer, I could have very limited funds, so seeing this vessel perform could help out. If you refused I would think you are hiding something and walk.

If your funds are so limited that you are unable to post a modest refundable deposit as is the standard in the boat brokerage business, then you are NOT a serious buyer - you are just somebody who is interested in boats but can't afford one. There is a tried and true reason why the procedure for selling a boat is as it is - just as there is a standard procedure for making an offer on and purchasing a house.

[achil]

There are so many people on here suggesting that the seller should always seek a contract and down payment before taking a prospective buyer for a sail. It has also been suggested that the people looking for a sail first, are those that have never bought a boat. I do belong to that group; I sail club boats because it is a whole lot less costly than buying.

However, I may buy a boat one day. To do that I would need to travel to one of the Great Lakes or to the coast to get any kind of variety. I would be damned if I would give anybody (a stranger) money to take me for a sail to see if his/her boat was what I wanted. That is like buying a pig in a poke. I have bought umteen autos over the years from $50. up to $45,000.00 and I never bought one that I didn't take for a ride first, so why would I enter into an agreement with a stranger to buy a boat without first sailing in it? For all I know he/she may not even be the owner, or the boat may be encumbered. I may be willing to buy the owner lunch or bring the beer, but I wouldn't pay to be brought out.

After all, the owner has decided to take on the roll of the broker and in all likelihood expects to pocket the 10% it would normally cost to sell the boat. He/she needs to accept the work that goes along with that. You need thick skin especially if you think your boat is in better condition than it actually is, because prospective buyers will either tell you to your face or they will say nothing and just walk away. I am sure there are tire kickers out there, why, I have no idea; that has to take a whole lot of time. If I were to buy a boat, I don't have that kind of time to be screwing around and I wouldn't want to deal with sellers that can't recognise a real buyer. If I were to buy directly from an owner, I would expect to share in that 10% because chances are I would have to do a lot more work than if I went through a broker. It is like buying a house form a sale by owner. Look at it this way, if the owner were to take 10 different people out for a sail. I'm saying just go out of the harbor, do some tacks and jibes and whatever else the prospective buyer wants to do and head in. How long is it going to take 1-2 hours. that's a total of 15 hours +-. If that gets a buyer, isn't it worth it? You do have to qualify the person before you take them out, you don't want taking people out that can't qualify to purchase the boat or is not serious about buying to begin with. If you don't know how to do that, you need to learn or call a broker. Don't mean to ruffle feathers, I'm just saying what I would expect and I would get it or I would not buy. It's not exactly a sellers market today.

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by achil

...I would be damned if I would give anybody (a stranger) money to take me for a sail to see if his/her boat was what I wanted...

There are many people in the world like you... people with no boat.

[Calif.Ted]

But where I come from, I OFFER a sail on the boat, because I know nothing sells sausage like a little bit of sizzle.

Yep, and nothing says a boat is in "sail away" condition like sailing it away.

[Spartyman]

Originally Posted by Dooglas

If your funds are so limited that you are unable to post a modest refundable deposit as is the standard in the boat brokerage business, then you are NOT a serious buyer - you are just somebody who is interested in boats but can't afford one. There is a tried and true reason why the procedure for selling a boat is as it is - just as there is a standard procedure for making an offer on and purchasing a house.

Well, there is nothing standard about buying a sailboat. Too many horror stories of unethical owners unloading on inexperienced sailors. Buyer beware, ask to sail before buying, no comittments until due diligence is done!

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by GILow

Well, maybe things are just plain different here in Australia.

I have never heard of anyone using the boat-for-sale system as a way of getting a free trip in a boat. Quite frankly, it sounds like urban myth to me. One of those... "I heard about this guy..." things you hear in pubs.
...........

You have obviously never run into the Amway people.....

Given a pep talk by their 'controller'.... works along the lines of 'go for a sail and then focus on selling enough product to be able to to buy a big fancy yacht'....

Yachts one year , Mercedes Benzs the next... or so the local dealer told me once.... punters lob up wanting to test drive top of the line cars.... walking the walk and talking the talk... but turn out to be Amway ....

Came across it quite a few years ago when I was moonlighting in the new boat trade... I swear that one year at the Melbourne boat show every second person was Amway and wanting to go for a sail..... they must have chartered a bus......or three...

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Ringmaster

Mr. GILow,.I guess you didn't read my post. It's not a "myth". I've experienced "buyers" looking for an afternoon of entertainment and I've spoken to others who have done the same.

OK, point noted.

So, these guys actually TOLD you they were looking for an afternoon of entertainment? Wow! That's amazing.

Never happened to me, but maybe I've been lucky?

[GILow]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

You have obviously never run into the Amway people.....

Given a pep talk by their 'controller'.... works along the lines of 'go for a sail and then focus on selling enough product to be able to to buy a big fancy yacht'....

Yachts one year , Mercedes Benzs the next... or so the local dealer told me once.... punters lob up wanting to test drive top of the line cars.... walking the walk and talking the talk... but turn out to be Amway ....

Came across it quite a few years ago when I was moonlighting in the new boat trade... I swear that one year at the Melbourne boat show every second person was Amway and wanting to go for a sail..... they must have chartered a bus......or three...

This has certainly added a new terror to boat sales for me. Only thing worse would be boat load of some religious nutters trying to convert me.

Actually, Amway had a lot in common with some of the more commercially minded religions.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Calif.Ted

Yep, and nothing says a boat is in "sail away" condition like sailing it away.

After they've paid?

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Attikos

If he gives you a deposit, he's running the risk he'll have trouble getting it back from you if he doesn't close. It's happened.

That's the point. If he's serious, it's not a big risk for him. If there are issues found, the contact will allow him to get his money back.

If they are just looking for a free boat ride though...most people won't put up a few grand.

Now I would look at the situation a bit before being hard headed about it
- If it's a nice day, I'm already at the boat...taking her out for an hour, raising the sails, doing a couple of tacks and bringing her back in...I might do it if I have the feeling they are serious.
- If the weather is bad, I have to drive an hour out when I had other plans...etc...I would probably lean towards having them sign a contract contingent upon the sea trial.