NEW 2014 vs. 2015 (vs. 2016) & Price

[ryant858]

The more research I do on pricing & model year, the more I question what year I should be buying.

I like a decent deal, but also don't pinch pennies. I'm looking at 36-40 Dutch Stars, Phaetons or Allegro Busses, and similar. I originally started with the new 2014's because I figure if I'm patient, I'll find a good deal on a new one.

My research seems to be telling me that a GREAT deal is between 25-33% off MSRP for new (which is a bigger discount than I would have expected). I'm seeing a lot of 2014's that are new being advertised for 20% off as SALE.

I haven't watched this market for years, like I know cars... so trying to get a sense if 2014s this time of year should go for more than 33% off MSRP since '16s are coming soon (few months?) and if now is the time that dealers are looking to push 2015s (30%+off MSRP), or if that's not until the '16s show up.

Or am I thinking about this too much?

[luckyd]

Find the floor plan that suits you.
If YOU are OK with the price, then go for it.
I am sure you will find someone that will say they got a better deal.
Always works that way.

You can always PRETEND you bought something because we all
know the price goes down AFTER you buy.

[PDR John]

If you find a '14 you like, why not try for 30+% OFF.

If they don't agree, time is on your side.

Don't forget, some give a better deal on ordering. They don't have to floor the coach, saves them some money.

[PeaceOwl]

I agree, your devaluation will be two years in a heartbeat, so part of your savings will diminish, so does that mean maybe a 2015 would've been a better idea at 25% off? It all depends on how overstocked they are, how popular the model is, how populated the area is with consumers.

Any way you look at it, there are certain times of the year we beat ourselves up for the losses. If you love what you bought you won't mind in a few years.

[lanerd]

The way I look at is that 1st year depreciation (as soon as you drive it off the lot) is around 30%....so you should be able to get a 30% discount off the MSRP and you will break even.

Really?

[Jmills1975]

I was looking for a 2014 and wound up getting a 2015 for $4k more than an offer that was regected for a 2014 by a different dealer. For that $4k I got an outside TV, frameless windows, on less year on the tires, 4 less seasons on the roof, and one year newer batteries. The dealerships seemed to make a bigger difference than model year.

[ryant858]

very similar to what I am seeing. MSRP for each is around $370. The '15 is "on sale" for 307 and the 14 is discounted to $297... So $10k difference which seems light. Of course, that's before negotiating. I'm trying to figure out how much room is left after these "special" prices.

One way to find out is to ask...

[Campin Cajun]

Ryan once a dealer determines that you are a serious buyer the real negotiations begin. Until then you are a tire kicker to them and you will not get their best price.

While making the deal is fun and exciting, in the end you want a floorplan you are happy with and a dealer you trust to work on you moho.

[jondrew55]

I bought a 2014 Excursion 35C 6 weeks ago. They list for around $200 new, sell for somewhere in the $150s.I got this leftover for $129. That's about as low as I've seen them. Dealer would not budge off the price even after I handed him a check for $5k. All in all I think it was a good deal. We like the floor plan, got me a DP finally.

Keep in mind though that a 2014 was probably built in 2013 (mine was build in Dec 13). They've been sitting on the lot, getting shuffled from show to show, and probably between dealerships (I think mine was in La Mesa in Ft Lauderdale before it got sent to Orlando). Mine had 2500 miles on it from all the shuffling around. I'd posted a question on an earlier post and that does not seem to be an unusually high number of miles considering.

We bought this one because we liked the floor plan, and it was a DP (we had been looking at gassers about $10-$15k cheaper). and we liked the price. Buy from a reliable dealer and do a thorough pre delivery inspection. Good luck

[BeachDude]

Originally Posted by ryant858

....My research seems to be telling me that a GREAT deal is between 25-33% off MSRP for new (which is a bigger discount than I would have expected). I'm seeing a lot of 2014's that are new being advertised for 20% off as SALE....

Hang on to your senses! You haven't seen anything yet!

Unlike the automotive world where car dealers successfully marketed to the American public and lobbied the Federal government to be able to control, manipulate, and print out the "Sticker Price" seen by consumers, that was not accomplished by the RV industry.

As such, the price that you see being offered for the sale of an RV, (A motorhome in this case), has virtually nothing to do with any sensibility. It has all to do with the free market, capitalism, and profit. All good things!

However, leftover inventory RVs, (motorhomes) can be sold profitably for as much as 55% less, (5ers, Travel Treailers, and Folding Trailers can be found 65% below initial MSRP), than the initial price shown to consumers, (MSRP), when the unit was brand new. It may seem like a shock to the uninitiated. But, when you have experienced it several times, it sinks in.

[ryant858]

Geesh... The wild west! Appreciate the insight.

[Hertzberg]

We ordered a 2015 Newmar (London Aire) a couple of months ago. We sent bids to 8 dealers around the country. Five of the dealers offered meager discounts of about 20%, but 3 of the dealers offered significant discounts of 27% or better. We ended up with a "discount" of 30% after a few phone calls with these 3 dealers.

I am using quotes around "discount" because, as pointed out above, MSRP of RV's are very inflated.

My advice would be to skip the 2014's unless you get a smoking deal - they are already a year old and have been sitting around degrading. Look for a 2015 on the dealer lot that matches your floor plan needs and go for 28-30% off. If you want to order a coach, you will probably end up with a 2016 since it's late in the 2015 build cycle.

[Campin Cajun]

Just an FYI while you hunt for the best deal. My local Newmar dealer has a 2014 Mountain Aire currently advertised @ 31% discount.

[ryant858]

Campin Cajun - do you have a link just so I can take a look?

This forum has been so helpful already... I can't wait to get through a purchase so I can start asking all of the "fix it" questions