Add ons

[Snap-On Man]

When buying a new motorhome what kind of add-ons should I expect to pay and what should I not pay? Ex. Sales tax, luxury tax, delivery fees, dealer add-ons, preparation fees, documentation fee, etc. What did you pay and what did you manage to get removed from the cost of your new RV?


Tool Man

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[Nomad Mike]

The obvious things are sales taxes depending on your state, and registration fees. Dealer add-ons would be for instance a trailer hitch or ladder that were not stock.

Other add-ons like road side assistance, extended warranty or service agreements are up to you. There are many good products out there for road side assistance and warranties, just know what you want and the prices before shopping.

All the other fees you should just rename "profit fees", because that's what they are. I paid taxes and registration on my used MH, and that was it.

Also, if you finance through the dealer expect to pay an arm and a leg and they will reap that in extra profit - more profit than the sale itself so they are quite motivated to provide it. Don't tell them during the negotiations how you will pay, they can take less profit if they are also financing. Hint at taking their finance, but don't commit unless it is one of those rare dealers that will not add in their cut on the finance. Don't lie to them, but don't give away your strategic advantage either.

[oakcreekeric]

I have to laugh at this thread...

My GF and I decided to stop and "just look" three years ago.. Well, that was a big mistake.. we ended up buying one.. but I will share my story..

We stopped and looked.. it was a CW event.. Well, the GF found one she had to have.. and well, one thing led to another, and she began to "work" a deal with the sales rep.. before I knew what was going on... she had him sharpening the pencil, so to speak..

Let's just say the price on the window was NOT what they started the negotiations with.. it was like $4000k higher.. I was like what the heck.. There was, doc fee, delivery fee, stock fee, clean it up fee and any other bogus fee you could come up with.. Having spent a few years in the car business in a former life, it didn't seem right to me..

Well, there was a trade involved, and we left the place with a deal in hand.. but contingent upon our final approval.. Unfortunately, my GF ended up in the hospital the next day.. I called and told the sales guy what happened and said we were out of the market until we got a handle on my GF's situation (blood clots)... After about a week.. things started to return to "normal" for my GF.. out of the hospital and medication was doing it's job..

I decided on a whim to search rvtrader.com and look up the RV we were interested in.. Needless to say, we were shocked.. all the prices, for the most part, seemed to jive with what CW had on the sticker.. So, I decided to make a call.. I ended up calling a dealership in NJ.. I asked the guy who answered "what fee's will you add to your price"... he laughed and said.. you were at a CW, weren't you.. of course I said yes, and he said.. that's where they make their money.. on the "fee's"... the guy told me there would be a $179 NJ doc fee added.. but if it meant a yes, he'd eat the fee.. he said the fee would appear, but he will lower the price..

Well.. we ended up working with him, but I felt obligated (as a salesperson myself) to give CW a shot at matching price.. the salesman did spend a great deal of time with us... they couldn't/wouldn't come close.. I even asked if they could get within a couple thousand dollars, and they said no.. they just kept telling me we'd be sorry if we drove/flew out to NJ to pick it up; "cause they'll change the price once I get there"..

In the end.. the price didn't change.. in fact, the dealership offered us $1000 (in the form of an additional discount) for travel expenses to get to his dealership..

Moral of the story.. While there is something to be said about buying from a local dealership for service.. the fact of the matter is.. you should buy from wherever you can get the best deal.. if a local dealership gives you any crap.. work thru the manufacturer and things will work out for you... That's been our experience, and we'll do it all over again on the next one..

Good Luck !!