Not yet Monaco Owner

[Jerry1909]

Not yet a Monaco owner but we are looking at a 2011 Monarch 35SFD and will be seriously talking to the dealer tomorrow. They have made what seems to be a reasonable offer for us. Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated. I am new to iRV2 and have posted this to a general Class A forum. Have a good one.

[MonacoMama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry1909 Not yet a Monaco owner but we are looking at a 2011 Monarch 35SFD and will be seriously talking to the dealer tomorrow. They have made what seems to be a reasonable offer for us. Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated. I am new to iRV2 and have posted this to a general Class A forum. Have a good one.

Jerry1909... I am sorry- I should have asked to have this converted to a thread here.
Many of the members don't necessarily look in the "Calling New Members" thread for questions so I am afraid your post may have gone un-noticed .
Did you negoiate a good deal?

[Jerry1909]

I'm not used to negotiating my way around these forums yet but I am enjoying what I have seen. Yesterday we went back to the dealer and took a test drive. Our offer seems to be fair for us and the dealer. What I found interesting is that Monaco requires dealers to have a certain turnover of inventory which I think was to our advantage because we were not expecting to make a purchase for about 6-8 months from now waiting for some of my income to mature. They are willing to hold payment requirements for 6 months without compounding interest while we take over ownership of the Monarch. Our offer is at the bank for financing. We are excited about the new coach.

[Robert T]

Jerry,all I can suggest is do your home work!!! Monaco list price vs what the dealer has paid is a large margin based on my past purchases. Example a coach list for $150,000 ,what did the dealer pay? Take the $150,000 less freight & RIVA seal cost, for this example assume $2,600.00 for freight and cost of seal subtracted from retail net $147,400. Take this amount times 28% and subtract from the $147,400 net $106,128 plus the $2600.00 =dealer cost at $108,728.00. Another way as a check figure for list price,which will be approxiamtely the same as retail is to take dealer cost times 140% and add back 72% of the $2600.00. $106,128 times 140% = $148,579.92, then add back in 72% of the $2600.00 = $1872.00.Yes there is a 28% mark up on freight and RIVA seal cost. $148,579.92 plus $1872.00=Approx list price.of $150,451.92.

Then after you make the deal the dealer will charge you for the PDI (Pre-delivery inspection cost) this can be reduced by asking and be willing even to start to walk out the door.Also check around for the going rate for a dealer to handle the title and 30 day tag.I told the dealer I will run around ,just give me a bill of sale, I can get a 30 day tag on the invoice.Then give me the MSO signed over to me by the dealer and I will go to the state and pay the sales tax directly and pay for the title fees and obtain clear title. I have seen PDI as high as $1,500.00 and title fees as high as $250.00 .I always asked ,is this coach such bad condition from the factory that it needs these repairs? They will claim that the coach requires prep. I have told dealers it appears that the factory wants the dealer to prep the coach and you as the dealer want me to pay for this. I will take the coach as it sits and will then return to you so you can fix all items under warranty and bill Monaco.
PDI by the dealer most of the time is a lick and promise. They wash it , clean it fill the propane tank and maybe give you some fuel.

My last coach a Holiday Rambler Endeaver I purchased at a FMCA international rally. I received 26 % off of list , full tank of fuel, and PDI done prior to leaving, transfer my brake system and wired up my tail lamps, took the old washer out of the old coach and installed it in the new coach. Yes ,I traded my old coach in and received $4,000.00 more than NADA west coast wholesale book value.

My suggestion is go to an international rally, next one is in Perry Ga 3-12-11 but call FMCA to besure that the show coaches can be sold at the rally. Some states limit sales only to dealers with in the state. My coach I purchased at a rally in New Mexico and the selling dealer was from Texas. He was happy to sell me the coach for what I wanted to pay as he did not own the coach, Monaco did and he had no floor plan cost. I also choose a dealer who was a re-decs dealer . There was a re-decs dealer near where I lived and the dealers with in that re-decs system have to repair warranty other dealers.
Mu friend also purchsed a coach from a no re-decs dealer and had the factory rep secure in writting of a local Rv dealer that would honor warrnty work.

Lots of luck

[Batman_777]

New: Take the retail MSRP and subtract 25% for starters.

Example: 200,000 x .25 = 50,000 - 200,000 = +- 150,000

That's your negotiating point. You should get an easy 20%- 25% off the MSRP. If not, go someplace else.

[Keithb56]

Hi Jerry, We have the same coach, 2008 version. Coach has been basically problem free over 14k miles. You will always have some small things to tinker with. Lots of nice features on this coach. My one regret is not going for a coach with king bed. We have one at home and the queen in the coach seems small. We added a memory foam topper to the mattress. I added two more batteries and an inverter. We pulled out the two couches and replaced with swivel recliners, big improvement! Good luck with your negotiation. If you are making a clean deal (no trade), you are in the driver's seat, don't be afraid to play hardball, there are lots of dealers and lots of coaches.
Keith

[Stevepkam]

Jerry, I just bought a 2011 Monarch 33SFS. One thing I noticed is that they have done some cost cutting. None of the light switches are labeled in my coach. This is vexing mainly at the entrance area where there are 2 sets of 3 switches. I am continually hitting the switch that turns off all the lights. I've noticed that some older Monarchs came with a front console. Mine didn't. Does anyone know if the older Monarchs with 50 amp cords came with a reel to roll the cord up?
In spite of the cost savings, I love the coach so far.

[patmsp]

We have a 2000 Monaco Dynasty. It has a pickup reel for the 50 AMP made by Glendinning Products. It reels in the 30' cord and dumps into a holding box underneath the reel. There is a switch (under a cover) on the outside of the rig that controls out and in functions.

So, don't you have a pickup reel on your coach?

[RVNeophytes2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Batman_777 New: Take the retail MSRP and subtract 25% for starters. Example: 200,000 x .25 = 50,000 - 200,000 = +- 150,000 That's your negotiating point. You should get an easy 20%- 25% off the MSRP. If not, go someplace else.

I agree. And, if you end up back in the mkt, letting someone else deal with the infant mortality issues and 37% depreciation in those first 24 months might get you into a similar coach for far less.

'Should add that Momma has already picked out a Cayman as her next MH. She loves the decor, floor plan. We'd nearly bought one from a dealer, discovered they'd covered up severe corrosion in the rig. Then, a good friend lost his Fleetwood buyer after he'd already upgraded to a Newell, and the rest is history...

(BTW, we call our Fleetwood "Batgirl" for the same reason my 777-flying brethern probably conjured the "Batman" name. Funny coincidence!)

[Jerry1909]

Thanks, to all. I'm still in the negotiations but well within the %age reductions you mention.

[jim.smithjr]

You'll do just fine, Jerry. Take your time...

[Keithb56]

Steve, the 2008 Monarch is a 50 amp coach, but did not come with a cord reel. Not offered as an option either.
Keith

[Jerry1909]

We got the price down to a little more than 23% below MSRP which is acceptible to us. Now we are dealing with the Bank and financing and the stuff that goes along with that.

Jerry

[cb5300]

Is that 23% off of the actual Monaco MSRP price list, or the computer generated price sheet that dealers like to print off. Monaco's price sheet will have a "water mark" on the sheet(s), the dealer's won't. Dealer's are famous for marking up manufacturers MSRP's by 20-25%. Then they give you a discount of 25-28% off of "MSRP"...Camping World is famous for this...I always insist on seeing the factory MSRP (looking for water mark) and I'll ask to see the factory invoice (doesn't hurt to ask, and sometimes they'll pony up and show you). Matter of fact, on my Sig, I have the factory shipping invoice and of course the factory MSRP.... Also remember that the dealer gets a "hold back" just like a car dealer based off the factory invoice....