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Old 07-03-2017, 08:31 AM   #21
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How do you find certified independents? I have done Google and yellow page searches and the few shops I came up with are much further away than about 8 dealers.
Forest River emailed me a list of their authorized service locations in my region (central Texas) and I found a great one (Lone Star RV Service) about 45 minutes away from me. I've been to them twice now for warranty and non-warranty work and have been very pleased. In the first case, I paid for the warranty work and FR paid me quickly. My closest FR dealer will not work on units that he doesn't sell and I had saved several thousand dollars buying from a high volume dealer 3 hr drive from me, but this dealer is horrible at providing service. Worked for me.
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Old 07-03-2017, 09:19 AM   #22
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So we are getting close to pulling the trigger on a new trailer (2018 Wildwood 230BHXL). We are working with a local dealer, who has been great, has good reviews, and a good service department. However, after doing a little more research I discovered another dealer about four hours away selling the exact same unit for 15% less then our local dealer. Even with doc fees etc. we'd still end up saving as much as $2500 out the door. Even with the eight hour round-trip that's a financial no-brainer. I don't make $300 an hour.

I brought this up to our local salesman and I'm not sure how much give up there is there. Of course he talked up the value of a local dealership, prompt service, etc. All things I can appreciate, and part of the benefit I would imagine of purchasing a new trailer in the first place. I'm just not sure it's worth paying 15% more on the same trailer.

I'm hopeful I can negotiate him down somewhat, but I was wondering what most folks think about the benefits of a using reputable local dealer, versus finding rock-bottom price. Is that a trade-off I should ever be willing to make?

Neither dealership has the particular unit on the lot yet, so I'm not in a huge rush. But I will be talking to the local salesman again on Wednesday.
If you are fortunate to have no or few problems with your new trailer, you will be please with your purchase at the more distant and less expensive dealer. If you have a problem trailer and need to make repeated trips to the dealer for repairs, you will be happy with the closer and more expensive dealer. Service involves more than one trip to the dealer. It is one trip to pick up the new trailer. But service requires two trips each time - one drop off and one pickup. Sometimes repeating the drop off and pick trip, sadly. It will be easier to monitor the closer dealer - an in-person visit to check repairs is more effective that a phone call or email. JMHO.
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Old 07-03-2017, 09:44 AM   #23
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I still say I would use any authorized independent over any dealer, anytime. EVERY time we have used a dealer for service, they have had my rig for weeks, even months. Everytime we have used an independent service, it is days, or it is fixed on site. The longest time was 4 days and that's because they had to order and wait for a new hydraulic cylinder.

After the sale, dealers are not a factor for us.
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Old 07-03-2017, 09:46 AM   #24
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Some thoughts on this, although my thoughts may be far different than many.

First consideration, above all others, including price: IS YOUR LOCAL DEALER GREAT AT SERVICE? If he is not any good or hard to deal with, I don't buy there unless he is so far and away the cheapest as to make the savings sufficient enough to make it worth taking it elsewhere to service.

IF he is great at service, then I have to decide if I'm willing to pay his selling price (might luck out and be lowest, might not).

But if he is willing to work on any unit anytime, and is great at service, but expensive, then I am going to buy wherever in America is cheapest. These things roll, and I'll go anywhere in America to get the best price.

Factored into my thoughts is the fact that a year goes fast, and warranty is not the biggest thoughts on service.......a factor, but not the biggest factor. Even if it's great and doesn't break, someday it will and warranty will be long gone, and someone is going to have work on it.

P.S.
We bought 800 miles away, saved upwards of 23K, and our local dealer fixes it, under warranty or not, and is very good. So we are lucky.
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Old 07-03-2017, 10:16 AM   #25
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Old 07-11-2017, 04:22 PM   #26
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How much is a good dealer worth?

Yeah my local dealer said he doesn't have a problem selling the unit I wanted for what he has them listed for. He was $5000 dollars higher than Jeff Couch. He said go ahead and buy that one and if it needs warranty work bringing it to him and they would do the warranty work if I needed it. He said it wouldn't hurt his feelings and he would make some money either way.
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Old 07-11-2017, 04:53 PM   #27
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That sounds like a really swell dealer. Our local dealer was doing the "customers have priority" veiled threat so I'm not sure what sort of treatment I'll get from them if I go there for service (ended up going with RVWholesalers for the price).
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Old 08-25-2017, 02:31 AM   #28
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Thank you both! I'm thinking that at first I'm going to try to use the distant dealer's low price to try and negotiate the local dealer as low as I can. If I can't close the gap to something near $1000 or less, then I'm going to have to seriously consider the further dealer - in which case I'll need to weigh out their rep and service.

What makes it a bit hard to walk away from the local dealer is that they're just plain nice to work with. I'd love to have a great dealer so close by, but I'm not sure I'd $2500 love it. And $2500 would buy a good bit of service work (or camping fees, etc).

One idea I had (assuming I can talk the local dealer down within $1500 or so of the other guy) was to see if I could get them to give me credit from their store or service center. Is that something that dealers typically will do? Of course there's always the chance that the cheaper dealer would do the same if I haggled enough, so it's still possible that I would be getting the best deal, but it might make it easier for me to rationalize staying local if they could through some additional incentives my way.

My plan is to basically tell the guy: "Look, I want to buy from you. But I can't justify paying over 2K more just for the privilege of working with you. Hep me get to yes - what can you give me to close this gap?"

Disclaimer: I'm a *terrible* negotiator and have been ripped off more than I'd like to admit because I don't want to come across as a jerk. [emoji14] I'm trying to learn from my mistakes here...
It's your hard earned money. Don't worry about the jerk part. I'm sure they have been offended before. Besides, it sounds like they are offending you by 2,500 big ones. They all buy for the same price. If they don't match the price. Do the travel and make it your maiden voyage with a camp trip on the way back. Happy Camping.
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Old 08-25-2017, 09:13 AM   #29
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FWIW(for what it's worth) we bought 900 miles away and saved 6k after traveling and picked up. Camped back. I haven't used warranty service, but the local dealer said they would work on it. Shady Pines in Texarkana.
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Old 08-26-2017, 11:30 AM   #30
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Forest River emailed me a list of their authorized service locations in my region (central Texas) and I found a great one (Lone Star RV Service) about 45 minutes away from me. I've been to them twice now for warranty and non-warranty work and have been very pleased. In the first case, I paid for the warranty work and FR paid me quickly. My closest FR dealer will not work on units that he doesn't sell and I had saved several thousand dollars buying from a high volume dealer 3 hr drive from me, but this dealer is horrible at providing service. Worked for me.
Thanks for that information, I will contact them to get a list.
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Old 11-07-2017, 07:37 AM   #31
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for future reference if its a camping world dealer buy from where you want it serviced, otherwise any other locations want nothing to do with you. And as far as authorized dealers who can do warranty work, it's much harder than it should be to get approval.
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Old 11-07-2017, 07:46 AM   #32
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Old 11-14-2017, 04:34 PM   #33
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Please let us know when you fine one!
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Old 11-17-2017, 01:11 AM   #34
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I had thousands of dollars of warranty work done. I bought at a higher price for a good dealer. I think it was worth it. Not much I can fix on my own, so I needed a reputable dealer who would work on it.
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Old 11-17-2017, 09:31 AM   #35
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I had two requirements when I was looking.

1. Dealer
2. All aluminum frame
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