Community Forums

Ramets · 11-22-2014, 08:27 AM

From time to time we'll entertain the idea of getting another coach. But everytime we look, at say the Tampa Super Show, we'll both come away with the same thought....why? We have remodled the interior over the years to make it more comfortable. As a matter of fact most of our remod's seem to be standard equipment now on the new coach's. So we'll just drive the wheels off the one we have. Plus the best part....it's paid for!!!!

mojoracing · 11-23-2014, 09:01 AM

Us dealers will always negotiate. If we let you walk out the door we really couldn't do it for the price you asked. Let me qualify that. Any intelligent dealer. Thats not to say that something might not change down the road and we call you back and offer you a new incentive that just came down from the factory ect. No dealer is holding out for msrp. Profit no matter how small is still profit. I can get more rv's, I can get more cars, I may or may not be able to get more customers. When in the car business I never found it a problem to find 30% off an rv purchase. I actually found it relatively easy. One thing I look at as a dealer, is where my customers live. I may take a shorter deal if a customer lives close enough to return to us for service. If they are traveling from 2 states away, I might not be so eager to give away that unit for a profit that barely covers prep and the salesman's commission.

V3600 · 11-23-2014, 09:04 AM

This past Feb. we got 30% off MSRP without too much hassle. It was a Camping World and they were competing against another Camping World across town.

mojoracing · 11-23-2014, 09:05 AM

When buying an RV, we are not the evil enemy. To us its a simple question of are we making enough money to keep the doors open or aren't we. We make you an offer, you counter and we hopefully come to an agreement that we can both live with. Nothing personal although I love our repeat customers and truly enjoy when they stop in just to say hi and share stories. Thats what makes my job fun everyday.

Superslif · 11-23-2014, 10:07 AM

Our last purchase I gave my local dealer 24 hours to give me their best and last offer. I that time they called back 7 times, but was still over $5500 higher (2013 hybrid tt). Every time they came down $1000. But the 6 months before that, after I made it perfectly clear I was ready to pay cash, I knew what unit I wanted, what options...Never budged from the first out the door price they gave me.

Some dealers want to make the big mark-ups, others want to move product. The big mark-up making dealers are hoping for the un-informed buyer who is more worried if they can get financing, no matter what the price. *what is my payment*?

Rusty years · 11-24-2014, 12:32 PM

This thread has died, there's nothing more to say. Much of what I have read is nauseating, speaking so ill of business people. So many experts and only two of us have been on the selling side. The MSRP was mandated by the fed govt so people could compare easily. If it's too high, no one will look at it. The ones who waste our time with totally unrealistic offers are simply looking at champagne with beer pocket books. There has to be a wide spread for the dealer to work with because the buyer wants retail plus sentimental value for their worn out trade.

swampdog2 · 11-24-2014, 05:11 PM

so what you guys are saying is if a dealer shows a msrp and a 27%discount that they will still deal on the price ! I did not experience that at a very popular dealer in texas , we found what were looking for and made an offer that was 30% off the posted msrp and they said TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT so we took it because we were 350 miles away from home and did not have time to dicker back and forth for a week or two. We were not satisfied with the coach after we purchased it (the dealer would not allow us to drive it before we bought it ) and after putting just 3000 miles on it sold it , so now we have decided to try and buy local and have run into the same thing, so I'm telling you guys that MOST dealers do in fact have a take it or leave it policy and this time I left it .funny how all the dealers I have visited have a posted msrp and all seem to have the same 27% discount what a coincidence !

Bamaman · 11-29-2014, 05:02 PM

Don't let RV and marine dealers tell you how great their current sales are. There were a bunch of "adjustments" in 2008, with the weaker dealers simply going out of business.

If you note, very, very few RV and marine dealerships have since gone into business. Though the retail market is better than 2008, business in RV's and boat dealerships still suck.

I still don't understand how the remaining dealerships can stock so many RV's or boats--especially in slower selling segments of the retail market. Their interest expenses on floorplan have got to be out of sight. And after a unit's been there awhile, the dealer's got to pay a curtailment or partial payment on principal.

Don't think you can buy an RV/boat like you can a car/truck. The RV dealer has a 6 month selling season, but he has 12 month expenses.

I guess that's why my dealer charges a ridiculous $125 per hour service labor and sells parts at very high profit margins. But I hope my dealer's going to be in business for a long time, because we need high quality dealerships in every large retail market.