Community Forums

Mac_in_VA · 01-29-2021, 10:30 PM

Hi everyone!

I am new here and a total newby. I would be so grateful if you could please give me some advice.

We have been renting for a while and now we are so ready for our first RV. We like the Bounder 33C and like the white, lighter, interior. So, we want to buy new. We live in Norther VA and have been having a heck of a time trying to find one. The dealership is telling us that they wont' be selling bounders until 2022. Does that sound that right?

Should we buy close to home? I know there are other dealerships out of state. But, we have been told to stay close to home so we can get good service. Is that true? Are there any dealerships around my area that you would recommend?

How can I find out what is a good fair market value? I know the rule of thumb is 30% to 35% MSRP . . .but don't they make up the MSRP? And, can't they get me with all the fees? And, financing?

Thank you so much for your help!

Jim_HiTek · 01-30-2021, 10:16 AM

Because of Covid, millions of people who wouldn't have considered an RV to retire in are considering it now. The market is and has been crazy for a year now with people snapping up every RV manufactured and pushing up the prices on used. So yeah, the dealer was probably straight with you.

Yes, it would be prudent to look farther afield. You should do your searching online, and prepare to fly to where the RV is, or drive if it's close enough. Dealers have been assisting out of state buyers for decades that I know of so don't worry about that too much, usually they'll let you park and stay on their property for 2-3 days while the paperwork is finished. When you contact a dealer, try to find a salesperson that's sensitive to your situation and understands your travel expenses. Once you leave their lot, prepare to drive to a local RV park 2-300 miles away for the shake out cruise...close enough to go back to the dealer if needed.

Years ago, dealers used to be partners sort of when it came to warranty repairs on vehicles they carry in common. I don't think that's all that common with RV dealers but it doesn't hurt to call your local dealership and ask them how they feel about it. Better yet, walk in and ask to speak to the owner about it.

But if you do a few shakedown trips before you leave the dealers area, that's the best thing. Don't buy a Service Contract. Take the money you'd spend on that and put it in the bank, than add $100 per month for the life of the RV. Makes you self insured. Save money.

Scooter · 01-30-2021, 10:55 AM

Any others coming on board ? Dogs, friends or grandkids ? You could buy far away...but get written letter from manufacturer GM or CEO that it is OK to have maint. and repairs performed close to you at xxxx dealer(s). Then go to these dealers and have the GM or owner initial this letter. You might check out RV Service Reviews for your area.

Lots of websites have your particular and similar Bounders for sale...and....SOLD price. Do your price haggling via email or fax....not in person or via phone.

It may be that in the near future.....those who bought new are finding out a RV is a hassle...... and now they will be for sale.

After your power train and house warranties are up......and your finances permit.....look around for an exclusionary service contract.

rarebear.nm · 01-30-2021, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mac_in_VA

Hi everyone!

I am new here and a total newby. I would be so grateful if you could please give me some advice.

We have been renting for a while and now we are so ready for our first RV. We like the Bounder 33C and like the white, lighter, interior. So, we want to buy new. We live in Norther VA and have been having a heck of a time trying to find one. The dealership is telling us that they wont' be selling bounders until 2022. Does that sound that right?

Should we buy close to home? I know there are other dealerships out of state. But, we have been told to stay close to home so we can get good service. Is that true? Are there any dealerships around my area that you would recommend?

How can I find out what is a good fair market value? I know the rule of thumb is 30% to 35% MSRP . . .but don't they make up the MSRP? And, can't they get me with all the fees? And, financing?

Thank you so much for your help!

First welcome to IRV2. There are many very good and experienced people here.

Several points:
It has become a sellers market, if you want to buy there may not be much wiggle room in discounts. Someone else will buy it, quickly. We are looking for a specific used MH (motor home) and they have sold within a two hours coming on market, three times now.

As for service, most RV shops will perform required services. In some cases may need to stay within dealerships that sell your brand. But more importantly, many service shops will give priority to those who bought from their lot. Others have to wait. It's not uncommon to wait for weeks to even get it looked at, then part ordering, warranty approvals and finally the work done. A few places will help those folks passing through with simple repairs quickly. Remember many times when an RV requires service it won't be near your home base and will have to get the work done else where anyhow. That's assuming you're really going places with it.

New RVs will arrive with defects in almost all cases. There may be a couple of exceptions where warranty work is rare. In some cases people have only a dozen or so issues others may have a list of hundred or so items. Not going to comment about your own RV choice. RVs are not made with the same quality controls your see in autos in most cases.

There is no perfect RV. Everything about RVs is a trade off, features, quality, cost, weight, etc. Many people wind up trading in their first RV within a couple of years. They learn they made some poor choices and/or their needs have changed. Unless you've good money to burn, buying a used RV as your first unit can save you a lots in depreciation if you trade it in. Some people find they are under water at an early trade-in. Just be aware. Many discussions here about buying new vs used.

As stated above plan on staying close to the sellers for several days as you use and test and EVERY thing on the RV. Then drive to a few nearby RV parks and stay in the local area for a few more days. There are various adventure stories of people buying a new RV and head to Alaska the next day. Some dealers have spaces setup for buyers to stay on their lot for a few days to work out any problems prior to departure. IMO- that's a sign of a good dealer.

Agree totally with the advice to skip the service plans and ALL of those add-on extras. Just save the amount service plan and add to it every month and you'll come out ahead. You still need some kind of road side assistance plan. Many threads on that issue.

There's one forum member here who spend perhaps a year asking many question before selecting what RV they wanted and then sent bid invites to various dealers in the country stating his terms. Some dealers passed on it, but in the end he got what he wanted on his terms or very near them.

Most important have fun and stay safe...

Mac_in_VA · 01-30-2021, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scooter

A

It may be that in the near future.....those who bought new are finding out a RV is a hassle...... and now they will be for sale.

After your power train and house warranties are up......and your finances permit.....look around for an exclusionary service contract.

THANK YOU so much! This is great advice. Sorry to ask, what is an exclusionary service contract?

I think you are entirely right. But, I think the market will be LAVA RED HOT this summer. And, I need out! I need to get out of this home. We've been locked down for 10-months . . . schooling and working from home. It's getting crazy.

Mac

TimmyB · 01-30-2021, 07:16 PM

A good way to word the question to your LOCAL dealer is, "If I buy this here, but have a problem while I'm out of state, what do I do?" Then, if they say (as they should) "You can get service from any authorized Fleetwood dealer...", it would be very hard for them to say, "...but not us for travelers in our area!"

When we purchased ours, LaMesa in Port St Lucie Florida bent over backwards to earn our business. Since we split time between FL and MI (as well as travelling), service at the selling dealer wasn't the most important aspect. It also helps that the REV Tech Center is basically three hours from our up-north destination, so we have had lots of work done there. (Sadly, too MUCH work, but that's for another discussion!)

Don't be scared to deal from a distance. You can research the dealer just as easily as you can research the brand.

Good luck to you!

Scooter · 01-30-2021, 07:21 PM

An exclusionary service contract tells you items....that are NOT covered. Everything else IS covered.

Parts named contract cost less....but unless you can figure out everything that is NOT covered...(LOTS are not mentioned)...you might be in for a costly repair.

Do a search on this forum. There are hundreds of posts about this.

rjsupersonic · 01-30-2021, 08:29 PM

Give motorhome specialists in Texas a call they usually have a good inventory and may still have their fly to buy program. The 33c is a great choice.

saddlesore · 01-30-2021, 08:33 PM

Just my random observations when shopping....

1st.. View the "tag" lines at the bottom of the responding posters..
To give you an Idea of where they are coming from and the equipment they have.

Keep in mind..
You Do Not Know......What You Do Not Know..

Your 1st coach is simply a learning tool..
When You tour/view "In Person" any perspective coach..
View it First with all slides retracted, then shuck your shoes and do a dry run in the shower, sit on the throne (AND Close the door!), lay on the bed,study the galley(enough counter room/pantry space/pots & pans storage?) Do You have access to all these with slide retracted???
If the coach is fully usable without the slides extended, then give it a second look.
(Think wally-docking,rest areas,truckstops...any where that you cannot/do not have room for the slides to be extended)

BUY USED! & buy one with everything you "think" you want and will need..
IF the perspective coach seems a bit small but still "DO-Able" .......REMEMBER!!!
What seemed small... becomes unbearably TINY after being Coop'd up" for a week or more due to weather...
(AKA.....Cabin Fever)
A coach that is "Too Big" lasts for a week or two..One "Too Small" lasts forever.

And.... You WILL make mistakes and have booboo's We all have.....
Within a year or less, you will discover..about the RV

What you love about the RV...
What you can kinda-sorta tolerate with the RV..
And what you absolutely hate about that !@#$%^%$#@! RV.
Then you can go get what you should have gotten in the first place..
Happy Hunting

Remember!!!!
Every day you "put off" retiring...is just one LESS day you have remaining to enjoy being RETIRED !!!

wjohnson913 · 01-30-2021, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjsupersonic

Give motorhome specialists in Texas a call they usually have a good inventory and may still have their fly to buy program. The 33c is a great choice.

Yep.
https://mhsrv.com/fleetwood-rvs/fleetwood-bounder

rarebear.nm · 01-30-2021, 10:52 PM

Our first RV an Excel 32 ft 5th wheeler has been wonderful no regrets except for the length. With the tow truck we are 50 overall. For some areas that is rather limiting as we learned. So we bought a second RV, keeping the 5th, a short MH. We did not do nearly as much research on it as we did the Excel. Three mistakes, I HATE corner beds, now require a queen walk around, the seating is not comfortable enough after driving all day and last it was under powered for use in the western mountains, our home area.

So we will be replacing the Minnie Winnie whenever the right deal appears. Missed two great deals from remote on the phone while someone else walked in the showroom and placed a deposit with another salesperson while we were on the phone. Both times only two hours after the units appeared on the web. Got to move fast to snatch up some RVs. Since we already have two RVs we can afford to wait for the right deal.

Know exactly what you want and be ready to place a refundable deposit very quickly. Should not be an issue with a dealer, but can be very tricky to do with a private sale! Buyer be ware.

Mac_in_VA · 01-31-2021, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjsupersonic

Give motorhome specialists in Texas a call they usually have a good inventory and may still have their fly to buy program. The 33c is a great choice.

Thank you so much! I have reached out to them and they seem really nice to talk to. At least they are willing to discuss ordering a new one from the factory. I have basically been laughed out of five dealerships. Everyone wants you to buy what is on the lot, even with big defects. The demand is unbelievable.

Can you tell me a little bit more about their fly and buy program? What was/is like?

TimmyB · 01-31-2021, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mac_in_VA

Thank you so much! I have reached out to them and they seem really nice to talk to. At least they are willing to discuss ordering a new one from the factory. I have basically been laughed out of five dealerships. Everyone wants you to buy what is on the lot, even with big defects. The demand is unbelievable.

Can you tell me a little bit more about their fly and buy program? What was/is like?

Many big dealers have a program like this.

Our experience with LaMesa was a bit different because of the fact that we had no way to get our trade in to them when our rig would arrive after production. They said, drive your trade-in to us and we'll leave it here parked on our lot. Then, we'll fly you back to Michigan on our dime! We had to get our old unit to them either way, so they made it incredibly pain-free for us. They have a travel coordinator who handled everything for us, including the hotel room the night before the flight. Once our vehicle was ready for delivery (three months later), we handled all the delivery paperwork and drove away. No high pressure to buy anything.

rjsupersonic · 02-01-2021, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mac_in_VA

Thank you so much! I have reached out to them and they seem really nice to talk to. At least they are willing to discuss ordering a new one from the factory. I have basically been laughed out of five dealerships. Everyone wants you to buy what is on the lot, even with big defects. The demand is unbelievable.

Can you tell me a little bit more about their fly and buy program? What was/is like?

I don't have any first hand experience but they used to advertise it on a regular basis perhaps the COVID situation has changed that. I have talked to several people over the years that have had a great experience with them, good luck.