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Old 09-12-2013, 07:27 AM   #1
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What is the best way to negotiate price when ordering a Travel Trailer?

We are considering a Surveyor 226. We have looked at a couple of units but I figure if I am going to spend this kind of money maybe I should order one and get it optioned out. What/How is the best way to do this with the dealer to try and get the best price?

Thanks,
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Old 09-12-2013, 07:31 AM   #2
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Rightly or wrongly, I contacted 2 Internet dealers to find out what they would go for that way. I then contacted the 3 closest dealers to me and talked price with them.

I bought from the 2nd closest and haven't been impressed with my service after the sale.
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Old 09-12-2013, 07:35 AM   #3
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In my limited experience, most dealers are reluctant to give the best price on anything you order from the factory. If you want the best price it may be best to search for a unit on a lot with the preferred options.

I would say that your best bet is to try to play dealers off each other. Get a price from one, take it to another, and another, and another. try to get free accessories if they won't budge on price. Make sure you know the 'extra' costs that may be associated with propane, batteries, dealer prep, etc.

Good Luck!
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Old 09-12-2013, 07:43 AM   #4
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Bryan, I actually believe the opposite is true- I feel like the buyer is in a stronger position when ordering something. The dealer has no overhead on the unit except for floating its cost during the order process.

But, more importantly- you're comparing apples to apples from multiple dealers vs. comparing things that are "close" but not exact.
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Old 09-12-2013, 07:48 AM   #5
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strange, I certainly agree thats true with cars/trucks but when I negotiated with a few internet dealers before getting my TT. They were pushing to get rid of the stuff on the lot but when I asked about ordering they would send a me an FR order form with standard pricing and say the prices are what they are.

Maybe because it was a 2013 model and the 14's were coming?
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Old 09-12-2013, 07:55 AM   #6
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That's really weird. Now, I didn't do much shopping/talking price about any units on the lot. I already had an order sheet and contacted the dealers (local and Internet) with the exact camper + all options that I wanted. Each place I contacted came back with a competitive quote and were all within $2-5k of each other. I ordered in May of 2012 when the '13s were just starting to show up.
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Old 09-12-2013, 08:02 AM   #7
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Really depends on dealer. We just got our 2014 puma that was special ordered and we saved 6k off of list. Paid about 3k more than a 2013 that was on lot but also got more options. We went in priced the unit with what we wanted which came to $29,4?? asked what's the best he can do. After he gave us his best price of $24,??? we said let us think about it and went back next day told him we'll do it if we can be at $23,500 otd and he said yes.
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Old 09-12-2013, 08:26 AM   #8
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I don't know. I think it is buying during off season, having the best quotes in hand, coming in confident and firm, willing to walk away and have him chase you down when you're about to leave. That's how a friend of ours did it. He said, "I have a price. I have a budget. I need this much for my trade in, that's it and that's all." As he was leaving, sure enough, the salesman was chasing him down in the parking lot. He got an incredible amount for his trade in. An old Klunker and he got at least 3 times market value. WTG!!! He paid $25 for a 35-40K park model, and got 6K in trade on a piece of ______ old small TT.
Bottom line was 19K for a 40 foot park model. He made him throw in an extra flat screen too! Boooya!
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Old 09-12-2013, 08:38 AM   #9
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Really depends on dealer. We just got our 2014 puma that was special ordered and we saved 6k off of list. Paid about 3k more than a 2013 that was on lot but also got more options. We went in priced the unit with what we wanted which came to $29,4?? asked what's the best he can do. After he gave us his best price of $24,??? we said let us think about it and went back next day told him we'll do it if we can be at $23,500 otd and he said yes.
I think the one thing that is key is walk away (politely) after they give you the best offer. They might drop the price on the spot to keep you from leaving without a sale - I know most car dealers will. But just like cyclepuck did - that conversation after a day or two later seems to always produce a better price if you are reasonable with what you want.

When we bought our tt at the RV show, we found a brand new floor plan we wanted and it had the interior colors and the options we wanted. I would have preferred ordering one rather than buying the one that 10,000 people walked through, but they were claiming 8 weeks + on a new order (which based on comments here was probably close to the truth) and of course they promised to go the extra mile on cleaning and prepping it. So we took the "best offer" number on the spot and were satisfied we got a fair deal. There was still a day and a half left in the show, so if it did sell, we were waiting for one from the factory if we didn't buy.

But the interesting part of the story is the day after the show, a salesman from the dealer's "sister store" calls me about a Jayco we also considered. Told him we bought a trailer from their other store and he doesn't even take a breath - just throws me a price that was over $1,000 lower than the best price 2 days ago on the unti we had considered.

Not having a trade-in (or selling it yourself) and waiting a day or two after they give you the "best price" to "think about it" are two things I would say are key to getting the best price.
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Old 09-12-2013, 10:42 AM   #10
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You got lots of great advice in the above posts. It should be followed. You must be willing to walk away, not all dealers are going to give you a good, fair price. If it is not in their business plan, they will tell you about not doing warranty work on a unit that you got some were else, walk away, as that means that you will pay a lot more from them compared to the large internet dealers. I would not be opposed to making a trip to say, OH, IN or MI to get a much better deal. The trip to pick it up could be a great vacation. Good Luck
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Old 09-12-2013, 11:21 AM   #11
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Let them know up front you have your checkbook in hand and are ready to pay on the spot. I'd also let them know that *I* know that ANY dealer can order a custom unit.
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Old 09-12-2013, 01:20 PM   #12
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We bought ours right after a snow storm the day we walked into the dealership was one of the most horrible days that winter I knew this would be the perfect day. And always walk out in the first day negotiation never ever buy the first sit down if they let you walk out by the second day you will get a call with the lowest price.

We bought a new 2012 318BHS Touring Edition with satellite for four tvs and vent covers for $23,499.00 out the door. And the trailer was not on the lot it had to be brought down from Utah
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Old 09-12-2013, 03:52 PM   #13
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Let them know up front you have your checkbook in hand and are ready to pay on the spot. I'd also let them know that *I* know that ANY dealer can order a custom unit.
Paying cash doesn't always get the price lower because the dealer will be losing out on financing. In the end it comes down to your deal making skills.
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Old 09-12-2013, 04:01 PM   #14
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Paying cash doesn't always get the price lower because the dealer will be losing out on financing. In the end it comes down to your deal making skills.
Agreed. Cash sale is money out of the salesman's pocket. He makes commission on finance too.
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Old 09-12-2013, 04:11 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by Bryan2503S View Post
In my limited experience, most dealers are reluctant to give the best price on anything you order from the factory. If you want the best price it may be best to search for a unit on a lot with the preferred options.

I would say that your best bet is to try to play dealers off each other. Get a price from one, take it to another, and another, and another. try to get free accessories if they won't budge on price. Make sure you know the 'extra' costs that may be associated with propane, batteries, dealer prep, etc.

Good Luck!
You mentioned "extra cost ....dealer prep ...".

I would really buck up if our dealer listed "dealer prep" as an additional cost when we purchased our unit. I'm sure I paid some sort of "dealer prep" charge, but I would have walked if it was listed as such.

Tax,title,license, additional accessories, warranties above the standard new unit one - sure Ill pay those, but the dealer better figure his "dealer prep" labor in the Overhead column.
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Old 09-12-2013, 05:17 PM   #16
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Agreed. Cash sale is money out of the salesman's pocket. He makes commission on finance too.

True - but it's money out of your pocket.
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Old 09-12-2013, 05:27 PM   #17
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True - but it's money out of your pocket.
Actually I would figure its money in his pocket - he's not paying interest on the loan he didn't have to take out.

JIMO
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Old 09-12-2013, 06:26 PM   #18
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You mentioned "extra cost ....dealer prep ...".

I would really buck up if our dealer listed "dealer prep" as an additional cost when we purchased our unit. I'm sure I paid some sort of "dealer prep" charge, but I would have walked if it was listed as such.

Tax,title,license, additional accessories, warranties above the standard new unit one - sure Ill pay those, but the dealer better figure his "dealer prep" labor in the Overhead column.
I negotiated an "out of the door price". There could have been a line item for "strippers and hookers" and I wouldn't have batter an eye (maybe balked at the lack of invite, but not the fee). Heck, I *did* see a $5 Internet fee. Don't know, don't care. I was happy with my price- how they arrive at it for their book-keeping doesn't matter none to me.
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Old 09-12-2013, 06:32 PM   #19
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I negotiated an "out of the door price". There could have been a line item for "strippers and hookers" and I wouldn't have batter an eye (maybe balked at the lack of invite, but not the fee). Heck, I *did* see a $5 Internet fee. Don't know, don't care. I was happy with my price- how they arrive at it for their book-keeping doesn't matter none to me.
Kind of what I said - I just don't want to see a line item charge that says "Dealer prep". Just me.
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Old 09-12-2013, 06:43 PM   #20
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Kind of what I said - I just don't want to see a line item charge that says "Dealer prep". Just me.
Yeah, but I guess the difference is that I don't care if it says "Dealer prep", "PDI", or anything else. My price was my price.
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