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Old 09-20-2017, 02:59 PM   #1
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Race to the bottom (RV pricing)

I can't believe these Rv dealers and the pricing. They just keep dropping and dropping and dropping.

I've had the local guy tell me he's at bottom and done

Now the wholesaler guy is at bottom and done.

A guy 2 hours away had my business until today and now he's getting beat.

Another big dealer that I had been talking to just came back and smoked them all by another $800! I'm gonna press him for a free hitch and then I'm done. I'm more than happy on price now. We are a full $1000 below where I wanted to be.

This is kinda fun.
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Old 09-20-2017, 03:20 PM   #2
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Just wait till you need warranty work?
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Old 09-20-2017, 03:24 PM   #3
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I am kind of surprised. The demand for Rvs has been strong all summer and with the large number that will need to be replaced from storm damage, I would expect to see prices go up.
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Old 09-20-2017, 03:24 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by calebj06 View Post
I can't believe these Rv dealers and the pricing. They just keep dropping and dropping and dropping.

I've had the local guy tell me he's at bottom and done

Now the wholesaler guy is at bottom and done.

A guy 2 hours away had my business until today and now he's getting beat.

Another big dealer that I had been talking to just came back and smoked them all by another $800! I'm gonna press him for a free hitch and then I'm done. I'm more than happy on price now. We are a full $1000 below where I wanted to be.

This is kinda fun.
Where are you at? In NE Texas they pretty much all tell you a price that's 10-20% higher than what I can get at RVWholesalers- and they won't negotiate. They're done before they start!!!!! Better make sure that big dealer gave you that in writing and as an out the door price. RV dealers are notorious for adding in a nice little $1500 PDI fee or something similar at the last second.
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Old 09-20-2017, 03:41 PM   #5
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I am kind of surprised. The demand for Rvs has been strong all summer and with the large number that will need to be replaced from storm damage, I would expect to see prices go up.
True. Was expecting the same myself.
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Old 09-20-2017, 04:02 PM   #6
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Where are you at? In NE Texas they pretty much all tell you a price that's 10-20% higher than what I can get at RVWholesalers- and they won't negotiate. They're done before they start!!!!! Better make sure that big dealer gave you that in writing and as an out the door price. RV dealers are notorious for adding in a nice little $1500 PDI fee or something similar at the last second.

Your right. RVW won't budge. But now they are getting beat. They also really ticked me off when dealing with their finance dept but that's another thread in and of itself.

As far as OTD price that was my first question when I saw the quote. I have it in writing that it's an OTD price except for tax

I think I'm all done with the price wars.

His quote was $24200 with no hitch.
I told him 24000 and a hitch.
He came back with 24500 including the hitch.

I'm happy considering we started around $28000 with some other dealers and many of them dropped out at 26-26500
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Old 09-20-2017, 04:07 PM   #7
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Just wait till you need warranty work?
Doesn't matter. We rarely used a dealer for warranty. Certified independent RV service is the way to go. They do warranty work in a matter of days instead of months
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Old 09-20-2017, 04:19 PM   #8
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Doesn't matter. We rarely used a dealer for warranty. Certified independent RV service is the way to go. They do warranty work in a matter of days instead of months
That works too. But how about the "just fix the damn thing yourself" theory?

Case in point: My new 8329SS Rockwood's Dometic Fridge stops working on first trip out. I could have (rightly) drug it back to the dealer, at a cost of 30-40 of my bucks in diesel fuel, waited God knows how long. And then wasted another Saturday going back to fetch it and bring it back home.

or!

I could figure out the bad component (thermal safety cutout), bought 3 new ones of Amazon for $6 and got my fridge operational in about 15 minutes. And I am relatively sure that the dealer would have just changed the whole fridge out, and maybe put the new one back in in a shoddy way.

There very little on my camper that can break that's cheaper for me to take to the dealer for warranty work, than to just fix it myself.

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Old 09-21-2017, 08:24 AM   #9
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Your right. RVW won't budge. But now they are getting beat. They also really ticked me off when dealing with their finance dept but that's another thread in and of itself.

As far as OTD price that was my first question when I saw the quote. I have it in writing that it's an OTD price except for tax

I think I'm all done with the price wars.

His quote was $24200 with no hitch.
I told him 24000 and a hitch.
He came back with 24500 including the hitch.

I'm happy considering we started around $28000 with some other dealers and many of them dropped out at 26-26500
I think you misread my statement. I meant my local dealers won't budge. RVW has always beaten the socks off of them. That's why I was asking where you are located because my local dealers don't even come close to RVW's price. Better make sure you're actually comparing apples to apples on the campers, too. I seriously doubt that if you are looking at in stock models they are identically equipped and that can have a huge impact on price.
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Old 09-21-2017, 08:45 AM   #10
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That works too. But how about the "just fix the damn thing yourself" theory?

Case in point: My new 8329SS Rockwood's Dometic Fridge stops working on first trip out. I could have (rightly) drug it back to the dealer, at a cost of 30-40 of my bucks in diesel fuel, waited God knows how long. And then wasted another Saturday going back to fetch it and bring it back home.

or!

I could figure out the bad component (thermal safety cutout), bought 3 new ones of Amazon for $6 and got my fridge operational in about 15 minutes. And I am relatively sure that the dealer would have just changed the whole fridge out, and maybe put the new one back in in a shoddy way.

There very little on my camper that can break that's cheaper for me to take to the dealer for warranty work, than to just fix it myself.

Tim
Tim... all true.
BUT... you've been on here long enough to know some don't have a clue.
They simply can't fix things themselves. Nor should they if under warranty.

When I read (other) posts about folks not understanding the simplest, basic R/V 101 types of things, my advice to someone buying is find a good dealer, possibly even a GREAT dealer because those kinds of people are going to need them.
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Old 09-21-2017, 10:01 AM   #11
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Tim... all true.
BUT... you've been on here long enough to know some don't have a clue.
They simply can't fix things themselves. Nor should they if under warranty.

When I read (other) posts about folks not understanding the simplest, basic R/V 101 types of things, my advice to someone buying is find a good dealer, possibly even a GREAT dealer because those kinds of people are going to need them.
Actually, you're better off, IMHO, getting a REALLY good deal and then just paying an independent tech to do your work. I know with RVWholesalers, I've saved enough to pay for some MAJOR repairs out of pocket and still come out ahead. But I didn't have to- I've been able to actually use an independent repair shop just down the road. So I've saved a LOT of money and don't have to depend upon a dealer for warranty work (many of which would take months to complete it, hold my camper and then do shoddy work). And if it's something small like swapping a light fixture, for example, RVW will send me the part. I can quickly do the swap and then return the defective part. If I'd bought local, they'd want to bill for the labor and I'd have to leave my camper for weeks so it would be "in line" for warranty work just to get something simple taken care of. Most won't even let you keep it for camping and then bring it in when it's your "turn". Some dealers might not work like this, but the ones around me do.
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Old 09-21-2017, 10:17 AM   #12
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did your quote include a mounted spare tire? Propane tanks filled? 12 V battery? How about an electric tongue jack?

those are ALL add-ons at the dealer...

I don't think you have beaten the dealer YET...
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Old 09-21-2017, 10:25 AM   #13
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Exactly we he said ^^^^^
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Old 09-21-2017, 10:48 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by dustman_stx View Post
Actually, you're better off, IMHO, getting a REALLY good deal and then just paying an independent tech to do your work. I know with RVWholesalers, I've saved enough to pay for some MAJOR repairs out of pocket and still come out ahead. But I didn't have to- I've been able to actually use an independent repair shop just down the road. So I've saved a LOT of money and don't have to depend upon a dealer for warranty work (many of which would take months to complete it, hold my camper and then do shoddy work). And if it's something small like swapping a light fixture, for example, RVW will send me the part. I can quickly do the swap and then return the defective part. If I'd bought local, they'd want to bill for the labor and I'd have to leave my camper for weeks so it would be "in line" for warranty work just to get something simple taken care of. Most won't even let you keep it for camping and then bring it in when it's your "turn". Some dealers might not work like this, but the ones around me do.
Maybe wasn't clear the first time so I'll try again...

My advice was for those who don't have a clue.
They simply can't even change a light bulb let alone figure out what part they need and then have it shipped to them, replace it and ship it back and so forth.

They have trouble finding their way back to the dealer they bought from let alone find an independent service person to come work on their unit.

These folks are not as few and far between as you might think... The R/V business is booming and there are many folks buying R/V's today that have never set foot in one prior. R/V forums are full of posts where someone just bought a new unit and have posted to complain with paragraphs full of simple things like loose screws and burned out bulbs. If they knew how to fix it, they would have.

For those folks it isn't about the bottom dollar price, They aren't saving any money to use toward repairs because they simply can't repair. They depend on the dealer they bought from and when that goes sour, they are here complaining.

My advice stands... find a good dealer, a great dealer... you ARE going to need them.
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Old 09-21-2017, 11:24 AM   #15
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Maybe wasn't clear the first time so I'll try again...

My advice was for those who don't have a clue.
They simply can't even change a light bulb let alone figure out what part they need and then have it shipped to them, replace it and ship it back and so forth.

They have trouble finding their way back to the dealer they bought from let alone find an independent service person to come work on their unit.

These folks are not as few and far between as you might think... The R/V business is booming and there are many folks buying R/V's today that have never set foot in one prior. R/V forums are full of posts where someone just bought a new unit and have posted to complain with paragraphs full of simple things like loose screws and burned out bulbs. If they knew how to fix it, they would have.

For those folks it isn't about the bottom dollar price, They aren't saving any money to use toward repairs because they simply can't repair. They depend on the dealer they bought from and when that goes sour, they are here complaining.

My advice stands... find a good dealer, a great dealer... you ARE going to need them.
RVWholesalers will help you find a local service center (sometimes dealers, sometimes independent) to work on your rig. I still say you're better off saving the money up front. Even if you have to pay out of pocket(which you don't), you're better off. If someone can't do a google search or look in the yellow pages for a local rv repair center, I'd advise against getting an RV at all. Actually, I'd advise those people to not even drive!!!
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Old 09-21-2017, 11:30 AM   #16
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I saved $26,000 over local by buying 800 miles away. And the local guy still works on it.

Warranty WILL run out. What will you do then????
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Old 09-21-2017, 02:07 PM   #17
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I am kind of surprised. The demand for Rvs has been strong all summer and with the large number that will need to be replaced from storm damage, I would expect to see prices go up.
Every dealer near me is selling everything they have to Hurricane Harvey victims.

My wife and I have postponed our search until things get back to normal.
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Old 09-21-2017, 02:20 PM   #18
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I saved $26,000 over local by buying 800 miles away. And the local guy still works on it.

Warranty WILL run out. What will you do then????
Independents. Easy. Go to dealers only as a last resort.
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Old 09-21-2017, 03:37 PM   #19
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did your quote include a mounted spare tire? Propane tanks filled? 12 V battery? How about an electric tongue jack?

those are ALL add-ons at the dealer...

I don't think you have beaten the dealer YET...
You mean to tell us that the delivery driver takes the battery with him after delivery, or is towing from manufacturer to dealer without an operating break-a-way switch?

Only PUP's and smaller TT's are delivered by flatbed trailer.
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Old 09-21-2017, 03:39 PM   #20
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I saved $26,000 over local by buying 800 miles away. And the local guy still works on it.

Warranty WILL run out. What will you do then????


What dealer did you buy from? When I get ready to trade for another Cedar Creek I want to buy from them
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