Price Opinion

[Lindan n Jim]

We have an opportunity to upgrade to a 2005 Holiday Rambler Vacationer 36WDD. We are very satisfied as for as the floor plan and the condition of the rig goes. I am looking for opinions on the price. Here are some of the particulars:

Offered by a local dealer for $39,995.00
35,000 miles on the 8.1L with 5sp/overdrive
Generally in very good condition
NADA says average Retail is $39,176.00
Tires are 7 to 10 years old
No service records available.
PO traded up to a brand new 40' DP
Sales guy says Manager may drop $1,000.00

DW says I'm a cheap kind of a guy, but I explain that I am "careful", not cheap. Considering that it has sat on the dealers lot for several months, and the time of year, what would YOU offer for such a rig?

We are happy with the condition and the floorplan, but the price is a little scary as we have NO experience with Holiday Rambler. The sales guy is no help and claims he doesn't know much about HR either. They appear to have a good reputation.

Do the sales guys job for him. Make me a killer deal!

[CLIFFTALL]

I’d start with a $32,000 offer. I’m sure they paid less. You need a few thousand $’s in tires right away. I’d also have it inspected by an Rv tech.

[Lindan n Jim]

Just the kind of thing we are looking for Cliff. I hadn't thought about the inspection, but the dealer offers to go through all of the systems on the coach to familiarize the new owner with them and to assure them they all work. No guarantees, tho.

Michelin tires will run about $3,900.00, mounting, balancing, taxes extra. Dealer may be able to get them cheaper.

I hear $32,000.00...........any other offers?

Can anyone think of anything else that the dealer could provide to sweeten the deal? Maybe something non-cash related?

[dons2346]

I would offer $27,000

[1doodadd]

No service records? Take it for a test drive so as to heat up the oils, and THEN take oil samples of the Engine oil, and Transmission oil. Ask the Dealer to do this for you in front of you while it is being done. Send them to your local Caterpillar dealer for testing.

Also if it has a Cummins and it falls into the year as you have stated, 2005, check the provided link for some more information!

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f123/isl-...ge-180891.html


If oil samples come back Good, and the engine is not in the wrist pin question, Then I Would Think About Making A Quality Offer. That's what I would do

[JohnBoyToo]

10 yr old tires, be careful if you test drive it

Here's some high comparisons.... this is what they are asking, not what was sold...

https://www.google.com/search?q=2005...utf-8&oe=utf-8

ppl has some history of what they sold for:

https://www.pplmotorhomes.com/used-r...By=price+desc&

https://www.pplmotorhomes.com/used-r...By=price+desc&

[marjoa]

So far we have advice of offering, 27K, 32K, blah, blah K and they're asking 40K. Heck man, a nice new mid-range pick up truck cost that much or more.

As I see it, what ever you pay in this range is a good deal if it's in good shape as you say. And yes, you'll need to spend a few K in tires right off the bat and probably more for other things you don't see right now.

If you want to move forward and get the dealers attention that you're not just a tire kicker, but a bonafide possible buyer, walk in and Plop down 1K for a deposit and make the purchase and your deposit contingent on inspection IN WRITING usually within 7-10 days. Then get engine, tranny and coolant fluids lab testing. Dealer will probably not pay for that. Then you order and pay for a professional inspection. The inspector usually can do the fluid pulls too if you want them to do it. That inspection report will equip you with ammunition to further barter concerning price, or maybe a small tire allowance or other goodies you seek. They may or may not barter further.

It's just like buying a S&B. You're the potential buyer and 99% of the time you pay for inspections, surveys, title back ground checks, liens etc. After all that is done, THEN you go back to the seller and try to barter or come to a price both parties agree on. If you do it backwards, which would be, you go in there and say, "will you take 34K for it" and he says yes, it will be sold as is. Bartering is off the table and you have no idea of the total health of the coach.

[epj]

About a year ago, we sold a 2002 Endeavor 36’ gasser in very nice condition with some updates for $35K. It had new Toyo tires. Anyway, based on that, I’m going to venture that when equipped with new tires and anything else needed to have all systems function properly, that a final investment of $35-40K isn’t unreasonable. Have the TVs been updated? That’s something we just had done on our 2005 Phaeton. Not killer expensive, but an expense nonetheless.

[affreeman]

I would offer something close to NADA low retail, excluding any options.

[cpkleve]

I can offer you my experience, FWIW.

We recently traded (a year ago) our 2001 Bounder with a V-10 to a dealer on the purchase of an '06 DP. The Bounder was upgraded with front and rear Airlift airbags, upgraded TVs, new upholstery, new flooring, and new window shades & curtains.

I was a bit surprised that he listed the coach for 2x as much as I received for a trade in. Trade-in $16k - Selling $32k. I am sure they settled for something in the $26-28k range as it is no longer on their lot.

We are very pleased with our DP and grateful for the trade in we received. I do believe the time of year makes a difference because most RV businesses don't want to hold a spot on their lot through the winter season (if you are in an area where it will snow).

Good luck & GOD Bless you with whatever decision you make!

[MotorPro]

I would start at $28000 and most likely end up between 30 and 32

[TJDave]

Last spring we traded our 2006 Four Winds class C in on a 2005 Holiday Rambler Admiral. Same asking price and miles as what you are looking at.
The superior build quality of the Holiday Rambler vs the Thor was immediately noticeable inside and out. (Aluminum sides and roof. Real wood and oak inside, instead of stickers over particle board.) I didn't quibble on the price because they offered more on the trade than I expected, and what I thought it was worth. Front tires were 8 years old. I did ask for a parts and service gift certificate to cover the cost of the tires, which I bought elsewhere. Been slowly burning up the GC in their store. I also asked for new batteries, which they installed. We could of saved some more money if we haggled back and forth for hours, or sold our trade on Craigslist. But many hours of our time haggling and dealing Craigslist tire kickers has a price tag. Eliminating that was worthwhile for us.
We are happy with the difference we paid between the two rigs. We are still extremely happy with the Holiday Rambler upgrade after a whole season of camping trips.
Good luck on your decision.

[Arch Hoagland]

I have basically the same coach. On the dash there is an LED readout made by Actia that tells you what gear,etc you are in. Is it legible? I'm on my third Actia gauge over the past 13 years.

Check to make sure the Bosch Brake recall has been done.

It's probably got the Norcold 1200 refrigerator. Make sure the overheat recall has been done.

Check dates on the tires.

Don't know what to tell you on price. A friend of mine owns a used car lot, I ask him why he priced the used cars ridiculously high. He said you'd be amazed how many stupid people there are who walk in and pay the asking price.

[Dick in Wisc]

"tires 7 to 10 years old". How could any dealer put a unit on his or her lot with tires that old. I think doing that is unethical, immoral, and should be downright illegal. I 2x what a previous poster said about being careful during the test drive!

I would probably never pay much over NADA average retail, unless the unit (car, truck, RV, etc.) was really, really something special.

What does the "NADA average retail" include? New tires, fresh fluids, fresh filters? A/C units that blow cold? Generator that run?

To me NO maintenance history on a unit the dealer apparently took in on trade on a high dollar, high margin new unit tells me that everything is worn out, aged out, and miled out. I suspect that after the trade, unless the customer beat the dealer with a sledge hammer on the price, the deal has zero money in this unit plus some cash left over from the transaction.

I'd factor in new tires, a brake job, new fluids, filters, belts, and HOSES on chassis engine, transmission, rear differential, and the generator. I'd make sure that all the A/C units blow cold air on a hot day from the generator as well as shore power. I'd get the generator all warmed up and put a HUGE load on it to see what happens.

Take it for a ride. Probably could use alignment (front end and rear end), tie rods, maybe ball joints or king pins (whatever they use), bushings, and likely shocks.

Fill it with water and pressurize the system. Look for leaks. Keep it pressurized for hours (hopefully a day) and keep looking for leaks.

The last person I'd trust to "inspect" this unit is the dealer. Any dealer who'd put a unit like this on the lot with 7 to 10 year old tires will lie to you about everything to sell it. How far away from the dealer do you live?

Finally 7 to 10 year old tires ... Some 7? Some 10? or the dealer is guessing? Have you seen the tire codes?

Finally ... if you do arrive at a price with all the above factored in, this dealer is probably the LAST place I'd have do the service work.

PS: THE BATTERIES! How could I not mention the batteries. How old are they? If more than five years, they need to be replaced. What kind are they? Batteries are kind of like the TVs ... replacing/updating isn't $10K, but its still not a cheap date.

Good luck! Keep us posted.