Community Forums

rachael · 07-13-2011, 06:13 AM

Do any of you have any sugestion on dealing with sales person for price of 5th wheel? IS it okay to bicker a price? or do you just accept the price they are offering. Anyone with this experience please help.

njs42 · 07-13-2011, 06:40 AM

Based on my experience and IMHO------------and the HO of many.

Dicker their socks off---never pay the sticker----25% is often considered the standard deal---check out some threads on purchases and you will find what people say---my rig was purchased for about 30% off the sticker and that was when these were selling like hot cakes.

Good luck---make them a low low offer and start from there I think you will be pleased you did. They will moan----If they moan too loud---just go to another dealer---or act like it anyway. They will follow----------remember they will not sell it for a price that will hurt them----so don't worry about the dealer, to find out their bottom line just go very low and work slowly---never tell them what you are willing to pay just ask what they are willing to accept----do not be afraid to get up and walk---they will call you back. Figure out your bottom line first---then stick to it.

Don't fall in love with the 5th wheel-----there are plenty out there----fall in love with the price you get it for first---you will love your purchase more after if you do.

Good luck-----be pleasant but persistent

nosticks · 07-13-2011, 06:46 AM

Bicker for all you can, it's your money. Don't be afraid to leave if you don't get the price you want. Don't include anything in the deal but the unit itself. If you arrive at a price you feel you want to pay, then get a second deal for any extras like additional A/C units or hitches.

There is no fixed MSRP in RV's, so a list of $80,000 and a "great deal" of 25% off still does not mean $60,000 is a good deal. Just ignore the MSRP, Sale Price, or whatever George Washington's Grandmothers Birthday Sale Extravaganza Price you are given. Shop, shop shop, same brand different dealer, you'll soon zero in on what is a price that allows the dealer to make a profit not a killing.

njs42 · 07-13-2011, 06:55 AM

To bicker is to argue----that's not what you are doing---never argue, be pleasant and persistent----you want to dicker----bargain, make a deal---barter.

Smile---it's not a fight.

And go low on the price----embarassingly low----make it fun----for you.

Cat320 · 07-13-2011, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rachael

Do any of you have any sugestion on dealing with sales person for price of 5th wheel? IS it okay to bicker a price? or do you just accept the price they are offering. Anyone with this experience please help.

Depends on the price they quoted. When we priced a special order 5th wheel, he said he'd call with the price. He called and the price was well under what I thought it would be so I said, "order it!"

TXiceman · 07-13-2011, 05:03 PM

The salesman will absolutely love you if you waltz in and whip out the check book and write him a check for his first price.

Do your home work and start at 30% below the real MSRP.

Ken

Ray,IN · 07-13-2011, 05:41 PM

What they said X2.

therink · 07-13-2011, 06:07 PM

What's worked for me: shop online for best price of exact same rig. That will be your offer. Make the offer in an email yo your salesperson and ask for a response. On my 2010 fiver, they had it listed for 42k, "on sale" for 39k. I paid 30k.
When there to sign the papers, he explained to me what a great deal I got and that he might lose his job over it. Yeah, sure. I. Kindly reminded him that he agreed to the deal.
Also, if low balling don't ask for extras. It will just complicate the deal and give them the upper hand to raise the price.
They will also push an overpriced extended warranty. Read the fine print, that is if they let you.
I was happy with my deal and wasn't to painful to make.
Steve

IC2 · 07-13-2011, 07:58 PM

This is the worst possible time of the year to buy any kind of an RV. Wait, if possible, until February, and preferably a snowy day. We had narrowed our choice down to 3 other brands that were in our price range, never considering the Titanium - way out of our $$ range. We did a walk through anyhow, but the price - phew!! Too much. We went home after making a deposit on one of the lesser units - but 3 or 4 days later got a call saying 'could we spend another couple thousand bucks, and if so we could have the much nicer Titanium'. I said no, but might be able to swing another thousand. We went back, they had pulled the 5er in, melted off the snow and had done a full clean up. The deal was struck, and us - happy with this trailer. And the price - well salesmen have Christmas bills due in Feb too. Then they delivered it for me at the end of March after storing it for us for almost 2 months.

Deal, deal, deal after doing your homework. They wont lose money, but there is plenty of mark up to play with.

rachael · 07-14-2011, 06:56 AM

Thanks to everyone with responses. This helps lots. I'm new to this and its great to ask for advise.

ntrsandman · 07-14-2011, 07:08 AM

You may have to take into consideration where you buy your RV. Yes, you may get a smokin' deal from ABC RV 350 miles away. But, you will likely need to take your RV to that 350 mile away dealer for warranty service. RV dealers are not like car dealers. JM2C

jimcumminsw · 07-15-2011, 10:27 AM

I do not bicker or argue over the price on anything item. Life is too short for this.
When I buy a product, I know the options and manufactures suggest retail price along with what is the product selling for in the marketing area. The internet is wonderful for this information. I will then look up the NADA, Black-book, Kelly Blue book and such for price information. Armed with this information, I will state to the salesman what is your best asking price. I will tell him if the offer is not to my liking, I will walk away and find another dealer. Do not get emotional over the product, another car/camper or whatever is around the corner. I have done this several times and will continue to do so.
Jim W.

IC2 · 07-15-2011, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimcumminsw

I do not bicker or argue over the price on anything item. Life is too short for this.
When I buy a product, I know the options and manufactures suggest retail price along with what is the product selling for in the marketing area. The internet is wonderful for this information. I will then look up the NADA, Black-book, Kelly Blue book and such for price information. Armed with this information, I will state to the salesman what is your best asking price. I will tell him if the offer is not to my liking, I will walk away and find another dealer. Do not get emotional over the product, another car/camper or whatever is around the corner. I have done this several times and will continue to do so.
Jim W.

Good luck with an RV - not going to easily find reputable "real world" info

kcaravelli · 07-27-2011, 08:12 PM

Well, this is a very interesting question to me.

1. Don't under any circumstances think you HAVE to get the coach you are bidding on. This is critical. Saleman spot this one a mile away. Don't get attached to the darn thing. There are lots of good deals out there.

2. Know what you are buying. I don't personally like the J.R. Consumers Group's reviews or agree with them but the subscription does get you an interesting book on how to spot quality and build issues in an RV. There are things in there that the average person would never look for. Read if before you buy.
3. Are you buying for your use and, do you know what that use will be over time?
Write down the places you are likely to go. Write down the type of milage you expect to rack up. Write down the weather you will encounter and how you will be in that type of weather. Be sure you take a checklist of these item that are important to you so you sidetracked from your needs when visiting all the cools coaches out there. Buy what YOU need and what YOU like.
4. I had a conversation the other day with someone who wanted to sell there 5r here locally. The owed a bunch of money on the coach and so when they went to several dealers they all told her they wanted her to kicke in an extra $10,000 with the coach so they could make their profit. In this scenario you have no room to wiggle. Try find out what is behind the dealers aquisition of the coach. What negotiaing room they may or may not have. The other lesson here is that you could have a $40K coach for about $25k in many circumstances. First because if you find one that you can by used they will be able to mark it down in the $30k range to begin with and avoid dealer markup on the used coach. Second, if you find one which does not have heavy financing dragging on the deal you will have a LOT of wiggle room in this economy. I negotiate hard, very hard. Don't take your personal feelings with you. If they are standing there looking like they will get in trouble with their boss or have a baby in their arms to feed...well I am sorry but this is business and by gosh I'm after the best price the market will give me!
5. Be sure you don't get sucked into buying back end financing deals. These would be the hot was on delivery for $1,000 or that under belly paint job for $5,000, or that extended warranty you may not need. I am a systems enigeer so I can find my way around my computer just fine, but fixing the gas furnace is time I just don't have.
decide what your time is worth and decide if you are handy enough to fix it yourself, if not then maybe this is good. It works great for us.
6 Finally, you are not really buying just an RV. You are investing in a company. That company has built your RV and will continue to provide parts and service to it suppliers or not. If not and they have gone out of business then you have a potential problem. Look into how much of the coach is proprietary construction and parts and how much is generic RV stuff. Don't let this scare you off, but use it when negotiating. If the salesman now you understand that the used rig you are looking at is an "orphan" then you have leverage.
7. Be sure to buy it from a dealer that can service you or find one that will service your brand BEFORE you buy. It is critical that you have someone who can service it. We have our rig gone through every fall before winter sets in. Even though we live "under cover" under a 40'x24' tarp we still make sure everything is kept in top shape.
Conclusion:
We looked a well known brand a month ago which was being show at a dealership. The rig was being sold by someone who worked in the service department there and had taken immaculate care of the rig inside and out.
BUT....when we were walking around outside the peson had left his travel stickers which were earned from going all over the US. Now the best part; when I walked into the rig there was a fishing pole rack on the wall which I enquired about. Turns out this fella was an avid fisherman and knew all the best places around the country. You still with me?
Can you just imagine the trails and back country camping this fells did? I did and decided not to buy it. I couldn't tell from looking at it whether the infrastucure was in good shape but I'm quite certain this thing had been through some pretty nasty backroads that lead to those fishing grounds.
Have fun shopping