Pricing question on 318bhs

[bobbyg123]

I want to make sure that I'm not violating any terms of this board with this question, and if so, I apologize in advance. I'm not looking for "bottom line" pricing information, but I would like to know how much of a discount off of MSRP I can reasonably expect to negotiate with my local dealer. Out in the Seattle area, the local dealer has inflated the MSRP considerably higher than anything I've seen around the Nation. I've been in medical sales my entire career, so I'm familiar with how the game is played; however I haven't dealt with anything like this. I'm talking about an MSRP near $50K. Beautiful as they are, that seems crazy high to me. Did any of you guys have to shop multiple dealers?

[grhodes50]

My 2011 Touring Edition 303RKS MSRP was about 10k less than that, $39,562. If I remember correctly the 318BHS was about the same.
I think most people get somewhere around 25-30% off the MSRP. Some a little more, some a little less.

Just checked and my dealer has a 2012 318BHS MSRP listed at $41,198 and it is a Touring Edition. I believe you could pick this one up for around $30k, maybe a little less.
2012 Prime Time Lacrosse 318BHS - Travel Trailer - Details

[Rugged Brown]

Originally Posted by bobbyg123

I've been in medical sales my entire career, so I'm familiar with how the game is played; however I haven't dealt with anything like this.

I have worked as a healthcare worker for 30 years, and spend millions every year. I, too, know how the game is played and you should have to pay full price.

Shop around, negotiate,negotiate negotiate.

[BubbaTex]

I can only tell you my own experience. I waited until winter when I knew sales would be slow.

We picked an exact unit and options we wanted. We chose the furthest distance we were willing to drive to retrieve our TT and started researching online for dealers within that driving range. In our case the criteria was under a 5 hour drive as we wanted to do it in one day.

Once we found the dealers in our designated area and located the exact model we wanted on the dealers lot we started making phone calls.. We found our dealer, he was a bit over the 5 hour mark but came in nearly 4K lower than the best price we received from any other dealer regardless of distance. The dealer openly admitted they had to move a unit as they were amazingly slow, they claimed they knew we had to drive a fair distance and wanted to make sure it was the best possible price.

We paid just over 60% of the Manufacture MSRP on a much less expensive unit than what you are discussing.

I am not telling you this is the way to negotiate; it was just my way of negotiating. I feel doing things via the internet and phone gives us the control. Being on a dealers lot tends to give them the control.
We are happy with our deal, at the end of the day, all that matters is you are happy with your deal.

On another note, we had a few issues with delivery. I was nervous and thought I had screwed up by not paying more for a closer dealer. Prime Time jumped on it and sent damaged parts to our door immediately. I’m convinced Prime Time, regardless of model has the best customer service of any industry, not just the RV biz. These guys were amazing and attentive.
Hope that helps you some.

[BubbaTex]

Opps im an idiot sometimes. Prime didn't send us damaged parts, they replaced damaged parts.

And the amazing thing is, it was a dealer issue, not the factory issue yet they chose to handle it directly without involving the dealer.

[bobbyg123]

Thanks guys. I won't pay over $30K for a travel trailer, and event that's a stretch. Inflated MSRP's seem to be the sales ploy flavor of the month these days. No disrespect intended to Prime Time, who I think builds a great travel trailer. I'm still a year away, and I agree with the poster who said waiting for the offseason and looking for a desperate dealership is probably the way to go.

I'm only driving a 1/2 ton, 5.4L F150, so I need to work on upgrading the truck before moving into a new trailer. I'm getting excited though. I'll start working on the local dealer towards the end of summer.

[HAARubicon]

We purchased our 2012 318BHS from our local dealer in East Texas. I am not sure if it is the same dealer as BubbaTex. Our unit came equiped with 50 amp service, two AC's and all the extra touring edition goodies. It MSRP'd at 45 thousand and we drove out at less than 30k. I think it is reasonable to expect this pricing with the market and access to nationwide internet pricing.

[Laura]

wow, ours was just under 30K
2012 Prime Time Lacrosse 318BHS - Travel Trailer - Details

worth every penny!

[padave65]

Dealers jack up the selling price just in case you have a trade. That way they can make it look like they are giving you more than thay are for your trade. Much like buying a car, straight sale is the best way to go if you can. Do you have a trade? If so, you may want to try to sell your unit independently. If you do this, check to see if the dealer will do courtesy trades. That saves you the sales tax on the dollar amount of the trade and they can do the paperwork instead of running to a notary. I got a great deal on my unit here in PA. It was last year's touring edition.......Good Luck

[buckeyefan]

You can also look that the Salem Hemisphere 312QBUD New Forest River Salem Hemisphere for sale in Hamilton OH | 2012 Forest River Salem Hemisphere 312QBUD (Outside Kitchen-100% Aluminum) Travel Trailer For Sale from Jeff Couch's RV Nation in Hamilton Ohio - Jeff Couch's RV Nation

[Vols]

Same here in Dallas area
2012 touring edition 29k

[padave65]

Prime Time's website says that they are running special sales event presently......what you describe does not sound like special incentives.......MSRP here in PA on a 2012 318 Touring Edition is $40,540. Last year it was 36,000....did not have a few of the nice extras.

[kozzy]

On my 2012 318 I paid 37% less than the msrp. Example my msrp was 39k and change...I paid less then 24 k for it...good luck

[bobbyg123]

Originally Posted by kozzy

On my 2012 318 I paid 37% less than the msrp. Example my msrp was 39k and change...I paid less then 24 k for it...good luck

Thanks Kozzy. I'm starting to see some dealers drop their prices down to the mid-$20K range. Was yours a touring edition?

[weiman1983]

We just bought a TE and paid about 10K less than MSRP. The price tag on ours was $31,000. Since it's part the Rv show special they threw in a free icemakr!

[kozzy]

Mine is not the touring edition, I actually didnt even know a touring edition existed...But i got a great deal, becasue I bought mine at the end of the season. I live in NYS, and here, the end of the season is the fall. Dealers try and move them out before the end of the year. I bought mine in November, it is a 2012, and has al lthe options you can get, aside from those in the touring edition, so itis loaded pretty good. MSRP was 39K and some change, I ended up at 23K, free winterization, no fright charge, and Free lifetime winter storage. i cant complain at all..

[gator14]

I'm looking at my invoice sheet and the "suggested retail" price listed is just under $40K. I drove off with my 2012 318BHS Tour. Ed. with a Husky 4 point WDH for $26,8K. Now, here's the kicker.....I did Internet researches fanning out westward, just curious, and found the further west, i.e. AZ, NM, CA, OR and WA, the MSRP climbed to $48K (west zone?). I'm from CA, but retired in Virginia; therefore, the road trip beyond 300 miles was not an option. I know this'll leave a bitter taste, but the best suggestion thus far is to continue researching, decide on the drive time you are willing to do, and make an offer. Best wishes on your venture.

Gator14
2012 Lacrosse 318BHS Touring Ed.
2009 F150 S-Crew XLT; 5.4L, 6.5bed, 3.55LS
Husky 4 point WDH

[bmcgee]

Where did you purchase your lacrosse? That's an amazing deal.

[kozzy]

Which deal.....lol

[gator14]

Hey bmcgee, I would assume.....no, I know for fact that kozzy got the best deal. I looked at the non-Touring Ed. in VA, PA, WV, and MD and the best deal I could conjure up was 27K, free dealer stuffs and a cheap WDH. One would think being the end of 2011 dealers would be itching to make deals. However, kozzy found one and he did good!
But FYI, I purchased my TE at Snyders in Salem, VA.