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Old 07-06-2020, 08:09 PM   #61
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I drove Muskegon Michigan for previous RV saved 20k. I orderEd it there on line drove out to get it never been that Far it East was a great trip. My current one I order and and had delivered to my home from Tucson shipping was 800$ but save 15k compared to the local guys. No one had what I wanted Local. Warrenty work that a whole other issue no one local is willing to do the work. I’m having to take back for repairs. But it’s a trailer what the heck
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Old 07-06-2020, 08:13 PM   #62
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1800+ miles one-way when I bought mine. 3 yrs old and killer deal on what features & brand I wanted. It was a repo beig sold on a used car lot.
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Old 07-06-2020, 08:13 PM   #63
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I've not found a independent tech that will do work without immediate payment, even with FR pre-approval. I couldn't find a local dealership that would fix it unless purchased from them. So I'm left with going back to Camping World. ��
In all the many times we have used independent service, we only had one that demanded pre-payment after pre-authorization. And we did, and got reimbursed at a later date.
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Old 07-06-2020, 08:26 PM   #64
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I am also in So. California, and seeing much better deal in the Midwest. I would take a road trip to save a few thousand. But I am trying to get the local dealers to come close as possible to the price I see in the mid west.
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Old 07-06-2020, 08:45 PM   #65
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We traveled from southeast Florida to Walcott, IA (a little more than 1400 miles each way) for our purchase. It was well worth it due to the savings.
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Old 07-06-2020, 08:53 PM   #66
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Travel to save!

307 miles from Central California to Fallon Nevada. Saved money, bought a true well maintained pride of ownership 10 year old 40’ Newmar Ventana, diesel pusher, 1 1/2 bathroom with 3 TV’s and Washer/Dryer 38,000 miles. Still had a Third Party Inspection by the Lemon Squad (they are a nationwide Co) for $295 with full systems inspection and took 97 photographs for us. Our Lender required that and to put on a 4 year warranty bumper to bumper $100 deductible and WELL worth it. For $1500 we also bought a GAP Insurance policy for 6 years that if we lost it, the Gap Insurance pays the difference, between the current value, and what we owe, with Zero Deductible!
So yes, you too can buy long distance and still protect yourself!
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Old 07-06-2020, 08:56 PM   #67
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Travel vs local

I have purchased 3 new campers. 2 I decided which unit I wanted to buy, shopped the local dealer for pricing. Then went on internet to see what I could buy it for elsewhere. Internet price was $7k to $8k less. Went back to local dealer and told them what I could get it for and gave them the internet link. Both times local dealer came to within $1k and I bought from him. Driving 800 miles to pick up camper and save $1k was, in my opinion, a wash because of travel expenses. The third unit the local dealer, different dealer, would not come off outrageous price so I bought from one 250 miles away and saved $4k. My “regular” local dealer was happy to do warranty work but he did work his buyers first. Was not problem because it was July and Florida gets really hot camping in July. If your local dealer doesn’t want the warranty work find a certified independent who will do it for you. Just make sure to get work pre-approved so the manufacturer will pick up the tab.
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Old 07-06-2020, 09:06 PM   #68
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Traveled from the Kansas city area to Bath, NY for my Class C, saved a bundle. Warranty work is another issue but it is when bought locally. I just learned to fix things myself rather than have it sitting somewhere for months waiting for repairs.
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Old 07-06-2020, 09:10 PM   #69
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I can Fix most anything too. Forest river requires the dealer to verify the parts. I m not to keen on the slides thought and have a couple bad cables
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Old 07-06-2020, 09:15 PM   #70
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..., took a train (sleeper car) to pick it up. ...
Passenger trains still exist?
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Old 07-06-2020, 09:18 PM   #71
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Maine to Texas

I had the exact model I wanted in mind. When I saw it for a good price I drove from Maine to Texas in 32 hours. Picked it up on cinca de mayo this year. It had 3500 miles and I then took 2 1/2 days to drive the motorhome 1900 miles back to Maine.
Handled great.
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Old 07-06-2020, 09:22 PM   #72
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Travel for Purchase

I went 225 miles (one way) twice for a 2017 Forest River Surveyor and bought from a private seller who posted the ad eight months prior. My bank told me the agreed upon sale price was $11,000 below loan value and my Surveyor was in exquisite shape. My wife and I went up for the pre-purchase inspection, which was basically a walk-around, and I went back two weeks later for the pick-up.

I was watching RVTrader for almost a year before settling on this purchase and narrowed the field to a Prime Time model with a similar floor plan. I broke some of the rules of first-time RV buying, but in my case it worked out well. I bought from display on a consignment lot with no utilities hooked up, so no way to verify even the most basic utility functions. But I bought from a seller with a very believable background and story of his first-time purchase of a new travel trailer.

I hope your research pays you back with similarly excellent results.
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Old 07-06-2020, 09:35 PM   #73
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I am also in So. California, and seeing much better deal in the Midwest. I would take a road trip to save a few thousand. But I am trying to get the local dealers to come close as possible to the price I see in the mid west.
Good luck with that. Numerous California dealers dared us to drive to the Midwest, if we wanted those low prices. They refused to come within $3000, 3x their costs to have it shipped to them.
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Old 07-06-2020, 09:46 PM   #74
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We Did

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We have started looking at upgrading to a fifth wheel, some of the models we like do not seem to be available locally. Found plenty in the midwest and in the southern states. I am in California, that is quite a drive, just wondering if someone has done it and was it worth the time and effort to travel?
We live in California and purchased from RVW in Ohio, made it a 6 week travel trip, only thing I would change is make it 10 Weeks. Put 10k miles on the truck. RVW was honest and very helpful with warranty work. Plan to stay at Indian Lake (about 3 miles from dealer) for any fixes needed, test everything.

Good Luck
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Old 07-06-2020, 10:25 PM   #75
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The model we wanted was sold out everywhere in southern cal, so we drove 5.5 hours to Turlock to get it. Also saved almost $8k for the trouble. Next closest was Ohio, glad we didn't have to do that. We also have two dealers nearby that will do the warranty work.
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Old 07-06-2020, 11:07 PM   #76
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Smile Drove from Oregon to Ohio

We found the trailer we wanted and purchased from a wholesale dealer in Ohio - saved us $13,000.. well worth the drive. The dealer was amazing and would purchase from them again. Ordered a Surveyor Luxury model with a ton of upgrades. The trailer was not fully prepped when we arrived so the dealer (Couchs RV) paid for a hotel for us for the night. They gave us a free kit which included everything we needed for sewer, , sewer deodorant, leveling block etc. We just happen to be from Michigan and took additional time to visit relatives. We had some warranty work done over the winter by a local dealer with no issue and they did an amazing job..
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Old 07-06-2020, 11:09 PM   #77
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Drove from VA to MI to save $5k on a trailer. Had serious structural issues with it and couldn't get a dealer near me to even look at it. Dealer I bought it from blew me off - they're set up to deliver cut rate trailers and really nothing more.

Lost $7k dumping it and replacing it. I'd rather pay more and shop both the product AND the dealer than just shopping on price alone.
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Old 07-06-2020, 11:12 PM   #78
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On a new trailer? I think that is what people are discussing here.
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Drove from VA to MI to save $5k on a trailer. Had serious structural issues with it and couldn't get a dealer near me to even look at it. Dealer I bought it from blew me off - they're set up to deliver cut rate trailers and really nothing more.

Lost $7k dumping it and replacing it. I'd rather pay more and shop both the product AND the dealer than just shopping on price alone.
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Old 07-06-2020, 11:26 PM   #79
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On a new trailer? I think that is what people are discussing here.
2018 Keystone Bullet Bought new from Lakeshore in Muskegon May of 2018. Floor collapsed in April 2019 and trailer was deemed unsafe and ultimately was on the vanguard of what has proven to be a common issue but mine was early when it was easier to blame owners. Dumped with full disclosure to a salvage company.

But to answer your question, sparkling brand new trailer.
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Old 07-06-2020, 11:48 PM   #80
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CA to Salt Lake City for me, but I wished I had gone all the way to Laramie. The closer to the factory, the cheaper the deal. Warranty stuff can all be done locally once you are back.

Would point out the do's and don'ts of buying any RV on YouTube. "Junk fees" or fees a buyer should never pay that the dealer uses to jack up the costs.
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