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Old 03-14-2021, 03:39 PM   #1
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Do all dealers just give out bad towing information?

I understand that a RV dealer just wants to sell an RV and an auto dealer just wants to sell a vehicle. That being said, every RV dealer I have talked to and most truck dealers all say "you can tow that with a half ton". And when I mention payload, they say "the big concern is the towing capacity of the truck, not the payload". And then when I mention "yeah, but the tongue weight gets added to the payload" they stop and think for a second and say "oh yeah, I guess that is true." Do they really not know, or do they just think it is not important or just trying to sell an RV? I know selling is their top concern, but I wonder how many times that misinformation comes back to cause an accident or cause a buyer to need to upgrade their truck.
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Old 03-14-2021, 03:46 PM   #2
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That dealers give out bad information is not surprising nor the real problem. The trouble begins when people listen to them and take their advice. You can’t change the salesperson, but you can ignore them.
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Old 03-14-2021, 04:51 PM   #3
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When you go to buy anything you should do your own research. As Einstein once said “if we knew what we were doing we wouldn’t call it research”.
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Old 03-14-2021, 04:51 PM   #4
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I honestly think that most of them don't know. Like you said they don't want to loose a sale. Also a lot of times the tow vehicles capabilities change so much especially with the year it was made. They might have one customer show up with a new 2021 half ton and the specs will allow a particular model of camper then the next customer comes and wants the same camper but has a half ton that's 10 years older. It probably won't be legal or safe to tow it,but the salesman remembered the customer before with a half ton and says sure your fine.
The scary thing is most people pulling trailers of any kind these days are probably overloaded. Especially when you get into dump trailers,equipment trailers,etc. You can't haul as much as you think,but people will say "I've been doing it for years with no problems" so they will continue to do whatever.
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Old 03-14-2021, 05:05 PM   #5
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Without qualifiers these conversations are worthless. Half tons, properly equipped, can tow a variety of travel trailers. If a dealer from either side ill informed a customer, knowing the facts, of the intended sale, is wide open for legal consequences.

GMC, Ford and FCA all publish easy to read Trailer Towing Guides and specific language in the owners manual regarding how there specific vehicles are to be used. More specifically the "Not to exceed" any weight number.
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Old 03-14-2021, 05:14 PM   #6
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I agree that all trucks are configured different and of course you could find one that could tow any of these. I guess my point is more that nobody has ever mentioned the tongue weight. They always just go for the total weight, and usually even just mention the dry weight. It does start to make me wonder if they really do know or not that the tongue weight matters!
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Old 03-14-2021, 05:25 PM   #7
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It is indeed rare when I purchase an appliance, a vehicle, a trailer, ETC... that I do not know more about the item purchased then the salesperson... because I do some research.

If I do find a salesperson that can enlighten me.. HOMESTLY enlighten me, then I usually give them my business.

If I MUST deal with someone that gives me a bunch of BS, then I will only purchase from them if they give me the best price.
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Old 03-14-2021, 05:36 PM   #8
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I believe it is a little of both. Many simply parrot the sales pitch they are taught but really don't understand it. Others know and simply need to make a sale. It is rare that a salesperson that you bought one RV from is still at that dealer the next time you look. Do your homework before you go. This forum has an amazing amount of RV experience and willing to share and help. Another option is to find an experienced person who lives near you to go look even if just to learn what questions to ask.
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Old 03-15-2021, 12:23 PM   #9
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Oh Yeah

Like we were told---"your truck will pull anything on this lot". My answer was---"Yeah, but will it stop it???"
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Old 03-15-2021, 01:33 PM   #10
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Do All Dealers Just Give Out Bad Towing Information?

Some, maybe. Just remember, one of a salesman's tenets is to:

"Tell the customer what they want to hear"

A buyer has to do their homework in order to sort fact from fiction.
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Old 03-15-2021, 01:39 PM   #11
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Unfortunately my experience... Dealers just want to get you to buy, and some dont even know what they are selling.. Other than an RV/Trailer 3 months after buying they would not even take my call.
I do have to say I've had great luck with my Forest River Rep, but soon that ship will sail as my rig gets older.
I have learned more about my specific RV here from many of you.
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Old 03-15-2021, 02:46 PM   #12
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It’s not that they don’t care. It’s that they don’t know! There isn’t a training class that salesman go to..most have never towed anything. Too many variations in trucks/trailers. Only thing they really know is what the tow capacity is of a particular vehicle, and how much the trailer weighs..(empty). Very few know anything about payload capacity and tongue weight! I just went thru this with a dealer...him..”oh yea this will pull it just fine” me...”yes, but I won’t be able to put anything in the truck/trailer cause the tongue weight just took all the capacity!” Him..dumbfounded and confused look!!! Then..”huh, never thought about that!”
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Old 03-15-2021, 03:23 PM   #13
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Maybe the car dealers remember the TV commercial of a Toyota Tundra pulling the space shuttle.
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Old 03-15-2021, 04:20 PM   #14
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Most RV staff know virtually nothing about towing and car dealer staff know even less.
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Old 03-15-2021, 06:23 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sailtrkr View Post
Like we were told---"your truck will pull anything on this lot". My answer was---"Yeah, but will it stop it???"
It is stated in the owners manual and trailer towing guide for each manufacture that the Tow Vehicle is only designed to stop the GVW of the tow vehicle and no more. It goes on to state the importance of proper trailer brakes and controller.
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Old 03-15-2021, 06:33 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bikendan View Post
Most RV staff know virtually nothing about towing and car dealer staff know even less.
I find this not to be true. And this comes from our latest experience of purchasing a new tow vehicle and TT. All sales people involved from various dealers made it a point to cover the weight compatibility.
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Old 03-16-2021, 08:26 AM   #17
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On a similar note, where I live you need a different driver’s license if your trailer has a GVW greater than 10K lbs (class 3 vs regular class 5) Two trailers ago the sales MANAGER at the dealer where we bought told me not to worry about it as if stopped they would never weigh the trailer. When I basically called BS and asked about the fact that the data plate on the trailer stated the GVW he stood there with his mouth open and didn’t say a thing. I went through the process and got the Class 3 license. In my experience it is indeed rare when you can believe anything that a salesperson tells you when their only motivation is to make the sale and take your money. It might happen but then again you might see a unicorn in your back yard too. 😏😏
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Old 03-16-2021, 08:43 AM   #18
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Bought two FWs from two different dealers in FL. Both of them physically checked out my truck to make sure their units were towable by my truck. I was surprised. When I asked about slider hitches, short beds, and cut-out corners, one stated he wouldn't opine before he saw the FW hitched up. I appreciated his honesty.
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Old 03-16-2021, 08:54 AM   #19
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My salesman is a funeral director, selling RV's on the side for a very large nationwide chain. His expertise was dealing with people and did that well. He did NOT know things like how crazy heavy a single axle TT tongue weight could be and how it would likely exceed the tongue weight capacity of the Toyota 4Runner I was considering as a TV. Luckily, I found this forum while TT was on order, and was able to make a much better choice of TV.
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Old 03-16-2021, 10:44 AM   #20
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Originally Posted by dm6 View Post
I understand that a RV dealer just wants to sell an RV and an auto dealer just wants to sell a vehicle. That being said, every RV dealer I have talked to and most truck dealers all say "you can tow that with a half ton". And when I mention payload, they say "the big concern is the towing capacity of the truck, not the payload". And then when I mention "yeah, but the tongue weight gets added to the payload" they stop and think for a second and say "oh yeah, I guess that is true." Do they really not know, or do they just think it is not important or just trying to sell an RV? I know selling is their top concern, but I wonder how many times that misinformation comes back to cause an accident or cause a buyer to need to upgrade their truck.
WHAAAAT !!
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