Samsung RF197 Install Affects Coach Value???

[JDT]

Not really a question here, just some info for those of us who have changed out the Notcold to a residential fridge.

We have been toying with the idea of selling our coach for a few weeks now. A consignment dealer was recommended to me so I gave him a call. He was very encouraging about the coach as I listed all the improvements I had made to it. When I got to the Samsung he said "oops, that is a deal breaker, people don't want that. They want the two way. If you really want to sell it you'll have to change it back to the Norcold." I asked him if he had ever had ice cream from the Norcold but he was insistent I had done a terrible thing and ruined the resale value. Whoa.

I would think knowledgeable buyers would pay more for a conversion done right and besides, many coaches, not necessarily the high end ones are coming with a residential fridge. Maybe there is a question here as I am wondering what you think? Have I ruined the value of my coach if we decide to sell it?

[radams]

Not as far as I am concerned. In fact, that's an absolute must have on my next coach, that is, if there is a next one. The only caveat I can think of is that it would need to be done right, with adequate inverter size and battery bank.

Maybe the guy used to be a used car salesman. Whenever I had a car to trade in it always had the wrong equipment. If I had a stick everyone wanted an automatic, if I had a two door everyone wanted a four door. You get the picture.

[boaterok]

I think it should be a selling point!! And on the dealer side you just have to consider that he's just a salesman. At least it want catch fire, your groceries want spoil and it will keep the ice cream and beer cold and thats all that counts.

[Twomed]

Find another dealer....with that attitude you would just be parking your rig AND he would use it as a comparison to sell the "properly equipped " ones. Yeah right pay another $4K to make a fire bomb??? He is a dufus!!! Move on!

Real reefer right from the factory...no more Norcolds for me. You did the right thing.

[moisheh]

If that dealer were correct then half of the new DP's would be hard to sell. Residential fridges are even standard eqpt. in many models!!

[JDT]

I reread my post and I think I may come accross as taking this too seriously. I didn't, in fact, after hanging up I thought of some more things I should have said but the little angel on my right shoulder won over the guy on my left shoulder. But it is Mardi Gras and maybe I should have let loose then gave up something big for Lent.

Anyway, I do plan on using it as a selling point. I just haven't warmed up to the idea of selling it myself because of all the scammers out there. We'll see.

[RustyTools]

I'm with everyone else so far, a NotCold/Damnetic frig is definitely becoming the deal-breaker (check posts in other places & forums!) and not in a good way.

It may be that you will have to educate the dealer and prospective clients to the advantages of your swap-out. They may only have seen 2-way frig's up til now and not be aware of why you made the improvement, so explaining all the Safety Recall issues and cooling problems against the convenience, peace-of-mind and hard ice-cream advantages are to inform them. Should be a no brainer by then!

Additionally, a lot of the things like the NADA or Kelly Price-Books and dealer resale-sheets have a list of standard features and options with a 'recommended' (oh, how I hate to use that word) price next to them (you know: Trade-In, WholeSale, Retail, etc). Since it has a residential frig, it's less easy for the dealer to peg a price so he may be taking the easy way out.

Again, a little education on his part will go a long way to get you a better price for an IMPROVED product.

[JDT]

Thanks, Rustytools, that is what I plan on doing. However, with fuel prices skyrocketing I think our timing is poor and we may wait a while now.