Best time to Purchase TT

[Bobhaus]

We are planning to up grade our TT in the next couple of months. What time for year is best to do this..We are interested in a 3008W Windjammer. Should we wait till the Charlotte RV show in Feb?

[Triguy]

The best time of year for prices has varied for me. I was able to get a good price on my last trailer ordering in March. Although, be careful ordering at that time as there may be factory delays. Much later and I think much of my summer would have been wasted waiting for it. Others have had great luck buying off the lot in the fall from a dealer who was slowing down and had inventory to clear.

The show pricing both times was not even close to what I was able to negotiate at the dealer.

[bikendan]

IMHO, the best time to buy, is right before winter, so late fall.
the worst is in the spring, when everyone is looking to buy for the summer.
we got ours in late Oct., at a rock bottom price, since dealers try to reduce their inventory before winter sets in.
and i don't see great deals at RV shows, except on previous year's models.

[wneise]

I agree. Late fall or even winter. I'm sure that dealers have to maintain a certain amount of sales volume to appease manufacturers, banks and insurance companies, plus you can also get model year closeout deals just like at a car lot.

[Fire Instructor]

It's market driven, and that varies. If the previous season was "slow", the dealers will have some great buys of "leftovers" even in the late spring. If it was a good year, or you are looking at a very successful / popular floorplan (the Roo 23 series comes to mind), then you will be less likely to find the right deal. All three of the units that I've bought new were purchased in the off-season, either because I started looking at the end of the season, or at the winter/spring RV shows.

[grhodes50]

The last two fall seasons Prime Time has offered "Touring Edition" models on their LaCrosse and Tracer Executive lines. $4,000 worth of upgrades at no extra cost!
My dealer still has a few on his lot.

I'm not sure, but other FR brands may do something similar.

[weiman1983]

Our dealer informed us that January to early spring is when the dealers will have the best prices. We Just purchased our trailer for well under the suggested MSRP. As far as RV shows go, he said they mark the units up slightly during the show. Don't knowvhow much truth there is to that but that's what we were told.

[lbrjet]

Simple. When you find the exact trailer that fit your needs at a price you feel is fair. I don't think the time of the year matters one bit.

Dealers can mark up the MSRP to anything they want so you can't strictly go by the percentage off MSRP. MSRP's are so inflated that everyone thinks they got a great deal.

The first trailer I bought had zero options: every one was exactly the same. One dealer had MSRP of 24K and asking price was 16K. Another dealer had the same model (identical trailer) with a MSRP of 20K and asking price of 16K. One is a 33% 'discount' and the other a 20% 'discount'. So beware of of MSRP's.

[Terier]

Originally Posted by weiman1983

Our dealer informed us that January to early spring is when the dealers will have the best prices. We Just purchased our trailer for well under the suggested MSRP. As far as RV shows go, he said they mark the units up slightly during the show. Don't knowvhow much truth there is to that but that's what we were told.

Originally Posted by lbrjet

Simple. When you find the exact trailer that fit your needs at a price you feel is fair. I don't think the time of the year matters one bit.

Dealers can mark up the MSRP to anything they want so you can't strictly go by the percentage off MSRP. MSRP's are so inflated that everyone thinks they got a great deal.

The first trailer I bought had zero options: every one was exactly the same. One dealer had MSRP of 24K and asking price was 16K. Another dealer had the same model (identical trailer) with a MSRP of 20K and asking price of 16K. One is a 33% 'discount' and the other a 20% 'discount'. So beware of of MSRP's.

Also it might depend on if you are ordering it or buying off the lot. If ordering it I would suggest ordering far enough in advance to account for delays before your camping season starts. Judging from when my service department is really busy gives me an idea of when the slow period of sales fall into in my area.

With buying it off the lot it can be a different ball game. I also agree with finding a price that you feel is fair. Another thing to consider are the adds in to your deal - are they included at no charge or at a discount?

Do your homework on MSRPs and check to see what is the average price range your trailer of choice have sold for. There a website that can give your an idea of what the trailer is worth but I can't recall the site name.

[bikendan]

i wouldn't trust what any dealer said!
i would go by what customers said.

but, it does matter if you're buying off the lot or ordering.
my statement of late fall-early winter, was for in-stock rigs.
personally, for ordered rigs, i think right before the model year change would be the best.
but i'm not sure that there's any better time of the year, to buy an ordered rig, since it's not dealer stock and you are customizing it to your tastes.
it would be driven by overall sales numbers for the company.