How To Get The Most For Your Boat Trade-In
A boat trade-in is a great option for those wanting to sell their current vessel. Get rid of your unwanted model and get one step closer to the boat of your dreams! It's a strategic buying and selling approach that speeds up the process and makes everything much less stressful. It's no surprise so many folks choose to trade-in their boat.
Here at JC Sports, we strive to make your life easier. We created the following guide to getting the most for your boat trade-in. If you want more tips, want to begin the boat trade-in process, or want to explore boats for sale in South Carolina, contact our expert staff. We are happy to help! You can also visit our marine dealership in Seneca, South Carolina. We are proud to serve those in Greenville and Anderson.
Know The Benefits Of Boat Trade-In
Before we dive into getting the most for your boat trade-in, it's helpful to briefly discuss the perks of choosing this approach.
First of all, it's usually the fastest option for selling your boat. When owners sell on their own, it often takes six months or more. That's a significant chunk of time! Doing a trade-in with a boat dealership is much quicker and can be a matter of hours or days instead.
The quick turnaround is especially beneficial for two types of sellers. Those who are exiting the marine lifestyle will want to offload their vessel quickly so that they can stop paying dock rental fees, stop storing the boat trailer, and so on. Those who are upgrading will want to get rid of their current model so they can upgrade to their preferred boat as soon as possible.
Second, the boat trade-in process is much easier on you! The marine dealership has to handle the nitty gritty details that make selling a boat tedious and time-consuming. They will deal with the storage, marketing, and negotiating with prospective buyers so you won't have to!
Make Your Boat As Presentable As Possible
The better your boat looks, the more valuable it appears and the higher price you may be able to get. Appearances DO matter in the world of buying and selling. Before you take your boat to the marine dealership, spruce up its appearance to get the most for your boat trade-in.
Run through the following checklist:
- Look over every nook and cranny and remove every personal item.
- Wash the exterior.
- Clean the interior, using the correct products for the various materials (such as cleaning products for glass versus chrome).
- Touch up any paint chips or scratches.
- Replace any stained or worn upholstery.
- Sanitize the various surfaces, especially focusing on high touch areas such as the controls.
- Consider doing a wax and polish to make it shine.
- Spritz a mild scent for the sake of freshness and a nice final touch.
Get Your Boat In As Good Of Condition As Possible
If it's been some time since your last voyage, take your boat out for a test drive. Pay close attention to any performance issues. You want your boat operating to its fullest potential so that it can fetch the highest price possible.
Of course, it's a balancing act. Getting the most out of your boat trade-in may involve investing a bit more money, but be strategic about spending. You don't want to invest more money in parts replacements or repairs than it's worth. Spending $600 on repairs to up the boat's value by $200 is clearly a bad investment. Make sure any additional money and time you put into the boat results in a high enough payoff.
Get Everything Ready For The Next Owner
The last step to getting the most out of your boat trade-in is gathering up all the necessary documents. This involves the required paperwork, such as the registration and title, as well as the less essential, but still very valuable, paperwork.
If there are any extended warranty details, be sure to gather up the corresponding records. If the warranty can pass to the next owner, this can help persuade an on-the-fence buyer to make the purchase. Extra protection is extra value!
Be sure to gather all the service and maintenance records possible. Your boat's potential buyers have no way of knowing that you meticulously cared for your boat. If you can provide the paperwork to show that you stayed up on preventive and routine maintenance, it will help boost the buyer's confidence and their price point. It's an easy way to get the most out of your trade-in—simply gather the right paperwork!
Looking for boats for sale in South Carolina? The friendly staff at JC Sports can go over our available models and help get your boat trade-in process started. Simply contact us today or fill out the online form to get the ball rolling. We are always happy to answer any questions that come up and strive to provide stellar customer service. If you want to stop by in-person, you'll find us in Seneca, South Carolina, and we also serve those in Greenville and Anderson.