Between a ROCK and a piece of WOOD

[itat]

Originally Posted by NorSnrub

The markup on rvs is about
40% over msrp.

The common opinion around the forum seems to be that you should be able to get min. 30% off the MSRP. I've never bought a trailer brand new, so I can't offer any first hand experience on that. I doubt that I'd able to get that up here in Canada though.

[Steeljag]

If you have not, meet with and show them the reduced price you received from the other dealer.

Did the "sales person" say they would not service units not purchased there? Call or stop by the the service department, and ask them ! Sometimes the sales, and service dept are worlds apart !

Good luck !

[NorSnrub]

Go on the internet and if you have looked around and know the make and model you want try looking up Wana rv in Shipshewana IN. Buying was good form them but trade in was terrible. But even with the bad trade they beat everyone I checked with in other parts of the country.

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by NorSnrub

The markup on rvs is about
40% over msrp.

I hope you meant "invoice," not "msrp."

[Wolverine 1945]

Originally Posted by crookedread

Everybody has the right to their own opinion but here was my thinking. I talked to the dealer and he told me the price. I told him that I could get the trailer for $8,000 cheaper. I told him I would prefer to purchase locally so would he be willing to deal with me. He said no and he would be reluctant to do my warranty work. I asked him if he got paid for warranty and he said yes. He then added that I would have to get the trailer to Oregon. I told him I could get that done for $900. The deal was pay my $8000 or I won't do your warranty. I paid $950 to have it towed to my house and parked in the driveway, including a $50 tip. Found a repair shop that was authorized to work on FR. Had minor repairs performed on warranty at that shop. Had $7050 in my pocket to add a couple of items to the trailer. Before you pay an extra $8,000, check into the options you might have. Many shops are authorized for warranty work, or can be very quickly. Of course this is not the solution for everyone but it worked for me.


Crookedread
2016 Duramax
2011 Stealth 2312

Sounds like your local dealer is a real turd !!!
Glad you found a way to not have to deal with him !!!

[dan4jeepin]

My two cents if any dealer says they will only work on units sold by them I'd walk out. We consumers need to take a stand against this sales tacit for crappy dealers to sell at inflated prices. If enough people do it those dealers will fail and hopefully we will be left with a better dealers that are actually helpful when you need them.

[BusyRetirees]

I just got an email from RV Wholesalers and they indicate that they have service depots all through Canada and the US. I have never dealt with them, so others can provide more info, but if they have a service depot near you location, you can check it out and maybe get your RV for an even cheaper price.

[NorSnrub]

We are full time campers and are never near our Dealer we purchased from. We check with Forrest river on warentee repairs find a Dealer and thay fix. Sometimes we have to call FR and complain. But always taken care of.

[Ian Walker]

I don't understand this "must buy new" mentality. Bought my last TT 2 years old from a consignment dealer in TX called PPL Motorhomes. Excellent dealer! Would buy from them again in a heartbeat.
They sold me an "aftermarket warranty" for a fair price.
Even if you're not in the area Google their website. I think they have 4 outlets now. Each trailer, 5th wheel & motorhome is exactly as advertised. Each unit is listed as: Good, Very Good or Excellent and each has the floor plan and the GVWR. When you get to their lot your faced with something like 400 units to choose from. What we did is compared TT's online until we found something we liked. Then we went to see a similar unit new and then we went to see their unit.
We saved almost half the price of a $40,000 TT.
BTW when we did go to see PPL. It was a 12 hour round trip.

[wuffwuff]

Let's put this in a little bit of perspective ..... I retired after 30 years at a New car dealership, half of those years in the service/parts side. Now let's say you drove a 100 miles to save a few dollars on a new vehicle, thus letting the profit of the sale to that dealer .... but now you come back to the local dealer to get the free (warranty) work. You haven't spent any money with them (oil change, tune up, etc.) but you expect for them to tend your needs ahead of their regular 'paying' customers, as if you're the only person needing work done.
When warranty or recall service is performed the manufacturer pays the dealer at the wholesale cost and not the retail rate. Sometimes warranty only pays half the retail rate. It's a private business there to make money, .... not a government subsidy program. Do business locally and earn their respect. It might cost a little more but the return is worth it.

[SeaDog]

Warranty work is not free part of the cost of the unit to the buyer is to cover problems. The dealer has agreed with the MFG to do warranty work in exchange for the right to carry that brand. In my neck of the woods it is responsibility of the local dealer to gain the respect of the buyers by offering a fair deal and good workmanship not the other way around.

[Wolverine 1945]

Originally Posted by wuffwuff

Let's put this in a little bit of perspective ..... I retired after 30 years at a New car dealership, half of those years in the service/parts side. Now let's say you drove a 100 miles to save a few dollars on a new vehicle, thus letting the profit of the sale to that dealer .... but now you come back to the local dealer to get the free (warranty) work. You haven't spent any money with them (oil change, tune up, etc.) but you expect for them to tend your needs ahead of their regular 'paying' customers, as if you're the only person needing work done.
When warranty or recall service is performed the manufacturer pays the dealer at the wholesale cost and not the retail rate. Sometimes warranty only pays half the retail rate. It's a private business there to make money, .... not a government subsidy program. Do business locally and earn their respect. It might cost a little more but the return is worth it.

I totally agree with you,,, when it comes to car buying !!!
RV buying,,, not so sure ??/ RV prices very sooo much ???
And there is no comparison between Auto dealers & RV dealers !!!
It would be Great if RV dealers offered the same type of service as auto dealers do !!! But they do not !!!

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by Wolverine 1945

I totally agree with you,,, when it comes to car buying !!!
RV buying,,, not so sure ??/ RV prices very sooo much ???
And there is no comparison between Auto dealers & RV dealers !!!
It would be Great if RV dealers offered the same type of service as auto dealers do !!! But they do not !!!

Seems true, but so very short-sighted. I guess they never heard the old saying, "I lose money on every sale, but I make it up in VOLUME."

[Ian Walker]

I have a solution : it's very simple.
Don't Buy New! Don't Buy New! Don't Buy New!
and before you say it yes you can get EXACTLY what you want in a used trailer or 5er or MH .

How You Ask?
It's called the internet & I'm pretty sure you've all heard of it. Start surfing the net. My wife & I bought a 37 foot TT 2 years old in excellent condition. Have we had problems? Of course but nothing major & nothing we couldn't fix ourselves. We also got an "after market warranty" which we bought for major appliances etc.

[woodpile]

Originally Posted by wuffwuff " Do business locally and earn their respect."


Is this the same as dealer should earn my respect? It's getting late here in the east.

Also I have a great local dealer and have not needed anything major during my first year. However when I may need them are they going to put me at
the back of the list in favor of the ones that paid 40, 60, 80 thousand over
what I paid? Probably so!!

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by woodpile

Originally Posted by wuffwuff " Do business locally and earn their respect."


Is this the same as dealer should earn my respect? It's getting late here in the east.

Also I have a great local dealer and have not needed anything major during my first year. However when I may need them are they going to put me at
the back of the list in favor of the ones that paid 40, 60, 80 thousand over
what I paid? Probably so!!

I purchased my last 2 campers from the same large dealer. I stop in for cleaning supplies at least once ever 2 months. They also get any work I cannot do myself.
At the end of June I called and asked if they could look at my 5er and was told to bring it in. When I arrived they said they would need 30 - 45 minutes to find the problem. Someone's TT was pulled from a bay and my 5er was taken in. Was told of the findings and to go take a long lunch, they would have it ready by 5:30 PM. I arrived at 4:45 and at 5:05 my 5er was done and the TT put back into the bay. I also get 15% off labor. It is not the price originally paid but just knowing a loyal customer.
A 2300 mile round trip to a different dealer could have saved me $2500 + tax. Not worth it at all.

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by CaptnJohn

I purchased my last 2 campers from the same large dealer. I stop in for cleaning supplies at least once ever 2 months. They also get any work I cannot do myself.
At the end of June I called and asked if they could look at my 5er and was told to bring it in. When I arrived they said they would need 30 - 45 minutes to find the problem. Someone's TT was pulled from a bay and my 5er was taken in. Was told of the findings and to go take a long lunch, they would have it ready by 5:30 PM. I arrived at 4:45 and at 5:05 my 5er was done and the TT put back into the bay. I also get 15% off labor. It is not the price originally paid but just knowing a loyal customer.
A 2300 mile round trip to a different dealer could have saved me $2500 + tax. Not worth it at all.

So YOU'RE the guy causing the rest of us to have to wait 5 weeks for our TT's!

[Wolverine 1945]

We should also be able to save a couple of bucks by buying last years model !!!
Dealers love to get those off there lots !!!

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

So YOU'RE the guy causing the rest of us to have to wait 5 weeks for our TT's!

I'm far from the only one but someone was put day behind. The service manager knew I just came home and had no plans for 3 weeks. He knows I drive past 2 other shops over 42 miles.
I also told him when I was shutting down for the summer and he kept it 5 weeks when it could have been done in 2.

[DNA Dan]

In response to: "Don't Buy new!", I would normally agree with this approach unless money were no object. However we ARE on a budget and primarily our issue is the floorplans with a murphy bed, bunk beds and slide out are relatively new. Even on the 2504s, there are some changes which we feel are absolutely critical, such as widening the bunks in the newer models over the older ones. It's difficult when prior year deficiencies are corrected for in later model years. I am sure there will always be "new" deficiencies that come up, however some are worse than others. Trade-offs I guess - You just have to weigh how much those changes are "worth".