MHSRV

[igave]

Going to be interesting to observe, as you’ve all put so well. In our case, we shopped several well known places all over the country with a good idea what we wanted in a coach and what financial sideboards we felt like placing on the deal. We happened to find a year newer coach from the same manufacturer, same floorplan, same length, brand, same series. The one we settled on in Alvarado was one year newer, 380 hp vs 360 hp, satellite, and some add on small things for a flat $20k less than the next lowest deal. Other than the couple options I listed it was an apple to apple comparison. Our experience with the salesperson, the technician, and the whole process was one of the better we’ve had over the years. That was our experience. I guess everyone’s experience in dealing anywhere with anyone boils down to that personal interaction at a particular time. In watching this play out, I hope the new folks don’t screw up what for us was a good one.

[powerboatr]

well autonation is a joke. they killed local dealers. Berhsire Hathaway is doing this now by buying dealers and providing everything under one roof,

but mhsrv has HUGE inventories and move lots of rvs, from small to large and even some specially built for them, (realm)

plus they are moving cornerstones at half msrp.

[Ann n Gene]

Please clarify, not NEW Cornerstones at one half of MSRP???

[hobart22]

They wanted 100,000 deposit and were 48,000 over nirv. I will never go there agin.

[LWBAZ]

Originally Posted by powerboatr

mhsrv has HUGE inventories and move lots of rvs, from small to large and even some specially built for them, (realm)

plus they are moving cornerstones at half msrp.

Originally Posted by Ann n Gene

Please clarify, not NEW Cornerstones at one half of MSRP???

Sign me up!

I can sell our 2018, buy a 2019, and put a large sum of money in my pocket!

[LWBAZ]

Just to clarify, the MSRP on a 2019 Cornerstone currently in stock at MHSRV is $736,036. Half of that is a tick over $368K. I'll take five for starters!

On a more serious note, I've never seen discounts anywhere near 50% even when MHSRV is doing big markdowns to move the last of a prior model year's coaches. For example, they currently have a 2018 45Y Cornerstone discounted 36%, but I doubt they're going to go much lower than that unless Thor/Jayco/Entegra throws some serious incentive money their way.

[Lault]

No one is discounting a new anything on wheels at 50% period.

[lowejug]

Originally Posted by Ann n Gene

Lowejug, I disagree with one point. When comparing prices I have never understood shopping to get the best price then going back to a dealer and let him match the price and buy from him. I would want to reward the dealer who offered the best price without me doing all the work of pricing his product for him. That gives the higher dealer an unfair advantage, he is not putting his best deal out there to you but counting on you finding a deal that may be higher than he had in mind and making more profit off of you at the expense of the dealer who showed his hand up front. I think that is one reason it is so hard to get a bottom line up front fair deal from the outset. Most dealers have to assume you are going to shop their price and will sell them out. All JMHO

Gene...

So I walk into my local Toyota dealer and want to buy a tundra truck
1796 model .. Msrp.. 52,600.00
They have it discounted to 50,000 and that’s there price.
I get on my computer and do a search and see that identical truck is on a lot in Tucson Arizona for 46,000 on there website
So I politely ask my local dealer to match this price as clearly a Toyota dealer in Arizona can make a profit at the lower price why can’t my local dealer.. and they did ..
Great.. I just saved 4 grand and avoided driving to Arizona..everyone in Toyota still made money...
I don’t see this as anything but being a smart consumer ..
I bring this same concept in buying a entegra motor home..
Some dealers are simply willing to make less then others
In all things we buy.. always has been that way.. some consumers will just pay that higher price clearly and that’s what those dealers hope for.. I am just not one of those...
Jmo..

[wnytaxman]

Originally Posted by lowejug

Gene...

So I walk into my local Toyota dealer and want to buy a tundra truck
1796 model .. Msrp.. 52,600.00
They have it discounted to 50,000 and that’s there price.
I get on my computer and do a search and see that identical truck is on a lot in Tucson Arizona for 46,000 on there website
So I politely ask my local dealer to match this price as clearly a Toyota dealer in Arizona can make a profit at the lower price why can’t my local dealer.. and they did ..
Great.. I just saved 4 grand and avoided driving to Arizona..everyone in Toyota still made money...
I don’t see this as anything but being a smart consumer ..
I bring this same concept in buying a entegra motor home..
Some dealers are simply willing to make less then others
In all things we buy.. always has been that way.. some consumers will just pay that higher price clearly and that’s what those dealers hope for.. I am just not one of those...
Jmo..

The biggest differences in your example is that when you need service your local dealer is required to service your new Toyota and we have an extra zero on the price tag with the Entegras. That is not the case with RV's. Gene's point and mine are basically the same. A dealer knows I'm shopping and that I will look around. Give me your best price up front. If you can't do that then you don't want my business. There is a major dealer that uses the tactic of "give me last look" which translates to "I'm really ripping you off if you aren't smart enough to catch me."

When we have shopped we always take a very simple tact. Give me your best price because I am shopping. No price matching, just your best price.

[JohnBoyToo]

wnytaxman, that's actually the approach we take...


if your price is not lowest on the same thing, then you won't hear from us...


BUT, price actually includes my (hopefully) educated perception of future service, value, etc....

[RickWhite]

Here is my $.02 on MHSRV ....

When shopping you just can't beat their inventory. Especially if you are not sold on a specific make and/or model. The way the place is organized and all the inventory allows you to really shop and see the difference in different coaches. The great thing is you see something you like/dislike in a coach it is real easy to go back and forth between two different coaches and not having to travel between two different dealers as you are working your way thru your process.

Not having a salesman breathing down your neck was a big plus in our book. In the old movie theater on the property they even serve lunch on Saturdays (burgers/dogs/BBQ). You do not have to have a salesman to go in a sit down and relax and discuss things over. A free meal is not the difference in buy or not buy but is a nice touch for the no pressure approach.

As for price, once you know what you are looking for and want then just like anything else you really should shop around to find the best deal for what you are looking for. In my case, MHSRV was the best deal. A NIRV salesman I spoke with (who use to work for MHSRV) even knew which coach I was looking at and even told me it was a better deal then anything he had at the time or could order for me. So like anything, doing your homework pays off in most cases.

I was told at time of purchase that if I was looking for the best deal for my old coach that it would be better for me to do a private sale. I did not have my old coach with me when we made the deal on the new coach but was told if could honestly describe the condition of coach they would make a trade-in offer. I was offered the NASDA trade-in value for the coach based on the condition I described. For a multitude of reasons I decided to the trade-in and they agreed that I described the coach and condition accurately and honored the offer with out any questions/issues. They sold the coach about 6 weeks later. They did ask me if the new owner could contact me about a few of the modifications/upgrades I had made to the coach. In my case; trade-in was a good choice and after making the few repairs (mostly just wear items for a 8 year old coach) I don't think I would have done that much better on a private sales when time & repairs would have been figured in.

As for service, I did get off to a rocky start. In my case nothing we had issues with prevented us from using the coach. While service was aware of my issues; and I mostly talk to my service advisor via eMail; with out the coach on the lot it turned in to a out of site out of mind situation. To add to the problem was parts said they had the part but the part was defective. So every time service checked on the part; only the defective part was in stock.

Now that I understand how their service department works; it has been much smoother. A quick eMail or phone call and we are able to work/figure out how we are going to get service done. In most cases; I am getting service done while I wait and not having to leave the coach. We have an agreed date/time and they have been ready for me when I show up.

One of the nice things about MHSRV is they are selling/servicing so many Entegra's that I am told that JP; my service writer; only works on Entegra coaches. Same for his main go to tech (Robert; I think is his name but I forget); he only works on Entegra coaches. With only working on a single brand of coach, they know exactly where they need to be looking for a particular problem. They also seem to have a decent inventory of parts. So again this facilities the ability to fix a problem while you wait.

I really liked everybody I worked with at NIRV. In the end MHSRV had what I wanted on the lot at a price that was better than I could find anywhere in the country at the time I was shopping. At first it was a little rocky dealing with service at MHSRV but I really do think they are trying to fix problems of the past. I am also finding their service department very knowledgeable about the Entegra Coaches. We do not regret our decision to buy an Entegra or purchasing from MHSRV and would do it again if we needed too.

Again just my $.02 based on my experience of dealing directly with MHSRV.

[bjohnmasters]

Originally Posted by lowejug

Gene...

So I walk into my local Toyota dealer and want to buy a tundra truck
1796 model .. Msrp.. 52,600.00
They have it discounted to 50,000 and that’s there price.
I get on my computer and do a search and see that identical truck is on a lot in Tucson Arizona for 46,000 on there website
So I politely ask my local dealer to match this price as clearly a Toyota dealer in Arizona can make a profit at the lower price why can’t my local dealer.. and they did ..
Great.. I just saved 4 grand and avoided driving to Arizona..everyone in Toyota still made money...
I don’t see this as anything but being a smart consumer ..
I bring this same concept in buying a entegra motor home..
Some dealers are simply willing to make less then others
In all things we buy.. always has been that way.. some consumers will just pay that higher price clearly and that’s what those dealers hope for.. I am just not one of those...
Jmo..

I am involved often in pricing some complex consulting/development deals. I know our overhead fully-burdened costs, and often have to say to the owner...do you want 10% of $2M or 15% of $0.00. In other words, you can lower the price and win the deal, or stick to your desired margin and let the firm across the street have the deal. Certainly sometimes it might not be worth it, but usually some profit is better than no profit.

[hdgoldie]

No one purchases a dealership without a belief and a plan to increase sales and profits. Just saying...