Are Beneteau Boats Still Worth The High Price?

Beneteau is one of the biggest boat builders in the world and has been producing all types of sail and motor boats since 1884. Whatever type of boating you want to do, be it day sailing, leisure boating, long-distance cruising, or competitive sailing, Beneteau has a boat for you.

While historically, Beneteau has massed produced all of their boats, they have developed a range of modern, larger, much more luxurious models with a premium price tag.

But are Beneteau boats worth their high price? Let’s take a closer look.

Here’s Why Beneteau Boats Are Worth Their High Price:

Beneteau boats are worth their high price. Years of experience, innovation, and working with top marine architects, including Roberto Biscontini and Lorenzo Argento, have created a solid, reliable brand. Of their best includes the Oceanis Yacht 54 and 60 high-end cruisers.

How Much Exactly Do Beneteau Boats Cost?

Asking how much a Beneteau boat costs is a bit like asking how long is a piece of string.

If you are in the market for a Beneteau, there are so many different models and boat sizes that you’re sure to find one that fits your needs and your pocket. In addition, you can always look at second-hand models to try and find a bargain.

Prices start from $16,000 for a new Beneteau First 14, a simple entry-level, modern, fun racing dinghy. However, prices for the newer, contemporary, larger sailing yachts can exceed $1 million, and a new Grand Trawler 62 will set you back close to $2.5 million.

If your pocket doesn’t stretch that far and you are willing to look at the second-hand market, then at the time of writing, prices start from around $5,000 for a Beneteau First 24, from 1984.

Do Beneteau Boats Cost More Than Similar Brands?

Similar brands to Beneteau include Bavaria, Dufour, Jeanneau and Hanse. All these brands are mass-production boats designed to appeal to various boaters, cruisers, and sailors worldwide.

But do Beneteau Boats cost more than similar brands? Let’s make a price comparison of similar models from the same year:

Yacht Models	Year	Price From
Beneteau Oceanis 40.1	2022	$270,000
Bavaria Cruiser 41	2021	$225,000
Dufour 390	2022	$200,000
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 410	2022	$230,000
Hanse 418	2022	$220,000

[Data source: yachtworld.com]

Please note that there are wild fluctuations in the prices of the same models from the same year.

For example, a Beneteau Oceanis 40.1 from 2022 starts a around $270,000, but the price for this year and model can exceed $355,000!

This comes down to how each different owner has equipped and looked after their boat, plus the vessel’s location can play a part. However, the starting price for the 2022 Beneteau Oceanis 40.1 is significantly higher than the comparable models.

Check out our article: How Reliable Are Beneteau Boats? for more information!

Why Do People Choose Beneteau Over The Competition?

One of the reasons people choose Beneteau is because of brand recognition. Beneteau Yachts is the biggest builder of both recreational sailing and motor boats in the world, and you don’t get to be the biggest by building bad boats.

Many people will be familiar with Beneteau from a charter holiday so they may choose Beneteau over the many other production brands. Many charter companies use Beneteau boats in their fleet as they are spacious (some have up to 4 cabins), easy to maintain, and simple to sail, and the average charter customer loves them.

In addition, Beneteau Boats are great value for money – they are the biggest manufacturer by volume, which means they have greater buying power than the smaller boat builders.

This means that they pay less for all the different materials, including the resins, fiberglass, glue, wood, screws, and all the different components. These cost savings they pass on to their customers, but this doesn’t mean that they build cheap boats!

Beneteau Boats are some of the best in their class. A typical Beneteau yacht is remarkable for what it offers for the money.

They normally come with an impressive cruising interior, even if the finish is not quite as good as a much more expensive yacht, but people don’t buy boats solely based on the interiors.

While Beneteau offers basic boats, it is possible to semi-customize your boat by adding sail packages, upgrading propulsion, and anything else you can think of to improve your sailing and boating experience.

Plus, Beneteau offers perfectly designed boats for most sailors’ needs.

They are more adapted to coastal cruising, even though they offer blue water models. However, most Beneteau boats will never sail in bad weather, and their owners will give more importance to cruising than actual sailing.

Do Beneteau Boats Keep Their Value Better?

Beneteau is a well-known brand that is trusted by thousands of sailors worldwide.

Their reputation for building long-lasting, quality boats is known throughout the industry and contributes to their high resale value. All boats will depreciate, but as Beneteau is such a popular brand, second-hand models are still sought after, so they keep their value better than other brands.

However, just like any other brand of boat, the resale value will depend on how well maintained the boat has been kept. A well-maintained vessel will keep its value better than a neglected yacht of the same year and model.

In addition, the inventory and age of equipment onboard will also contribute to the resale value.

What Are Typical Alternatives To Beneteau Boats?

Beneteau boats are classified as mass-production boats, so we need to look at other production boats as an alternative.

Typical alternatives to Beneteau boats include the following:

• Bavaria – a German manufacturer that produces both motor and sailboats;
• Catalina – an American builder of a range of sailboats only;
• Dufour – a French boat-builder of sailboats;
• Jeanneau – also owned by Group Beneteau, build a range of both sail and power boats;
• Hanse – another German brand that offers a variety of sailing monohulls, catamarans, and motor boats under various brand names.

Do You Pay Full Price, Or Do Dealers Offer Discounts?

Whether you pay full price or if you can get a discount will come down to your dealer and their inventory.

If your chosen dealer has some older models still in their inventory, they may be keen to do a deal. However, if you are ordering a newer model, there may be high demand and a waiting period, so it will be difficult to negotiate a discount.

As a starting point, you could ask for a 15% discount and then be prepared to bargain hard. Your dealer may have room to negotiate on the boat price, or maybe not, but then the dealer may have more room to negotiate a discount with add-on extras like navigation or electronic packages, extra sails, or engine upgrades.

The adage applies, “If you don’t ask, you’ll never know.”

At the end of the day, it all comes down to the willing buyer, willing seller situation, and everyone should walk away from the deal happy.

Final Thoughts

Quite simply, Beneteau boats are the best quality and value of any boat on the market.

Beneteau has and continues to make a difference in the boating industry with its innovative designs, excellent performance, seaworthiness, quality, and safety.

Whatever type of boat you are looking for, Beneteau is certain to have a model that ticks most, if not all, of your boxes.

References:

Beneteau.com

Why Choose Beneteau Yachts?