New Travel Trailer Pricing

[bwood1377]

Hi all. New to the forum and to travel trailers. My family and I are looking to get a seasonal site and travel trailer with a bunkroom for the kids. I've been trying to wrap my head around all the different pricing I see for some of these. Currently I'm looking at the Grand Design Transcend 32BHS. I've seen prices range from around $40000 down to around $30000. I looked at the see dealer cost website and saw the MSRP is around $29000 with the invoice around $20000. So I guess my question is can I really get this travel trailer down around $20000 or is it more near the MSRP price. Ive included a picture of what I've found. Thanks for the help.

[R.Wold]

I’d start with 65% of MSRP and see if they have a heart attack (never hurts to ask). If not you’ll probably end up around 70%. I don’t know the trailer market but I have several big dealers quote me 71% MSRP and I felt there was still a little wiggle room. Good luck and please report back on your findings.

Edit: Interestingly I just did the math and your quote above is, you guessed it, 71%!

[Jack Klompus]

Note for the OP:

We are living in strange times.

[HDGoose]

So much depends on your buying location.

[bwood1377]

Yes definitely strange times. I live on Long Island and unfortunately there's only one dealership near me which sells Jayco which I'm not really interested in. However we plan on getting a seasonal in Connecticut so we'll hopefully get something up in that area but I'm also not opposed to having one shipped from somewhere else if the pricing works in my favor. Not sure if anyone has had any type of experience with that or if its not a good idea.

[TIME2CAMP]

If you spend more time on this forum you will soon see most do not recommend a new trailer for a first time buyer. There is a lot to learn, and the first choice often becomes a "wish I thought of that" list of issues. Trailers tend to depreciate a lot in the first few years and there are always defects that need to be addressed under warranty. Looking in the RV park for units for sale might be a good way to learn what works and save some money.
This is also a tough time to buy, everyone wants to get away and RVs have been identified as COVID safe vacation options. Finding a nice used unit as opposed to junk that someone is getting rid of due to the buying frenzy can be tough for the first timer.
Good luck, whatever you do, but do spend a few hours on these forums as the education is worth the time.

[Dranrab]

Demand has been high and inventories are low. Quality control is historically lacking industry wide. I would suspect most manufacturers have a number of new employees. All of this spells a bad time to buy in my opinion.

[bneukam]

A detailed and comprehensive PDI is now more important than ever, as dealers are also swamped and pushing problems on to consumers.
But demand will remain for quite some time. With all that has occurred in the last few months we’ve seen more remote properties and RV’s selling quickly.

[bwood1377]

So I guess it seems I may be better off waiting till the summer of 2022 when hopefully things might be a little more normal. Plus like others have said it might be a better market to buy something used that might only be a year or so old after people bought them this year and realized it wasn't for them.

[tuffr2]

I believe that is a reasonable idea.

But on the other hand it would be a good idea to know exactly what you want to buy and be ready to jump on it if it becomes available in the new or used market.

[bwood1377]

Agreed. I definitely know our number one is to have a separate bunkhouse. However I do also like the fact that the grand design has the second half bath which is nice. Is it a deal breaker, no. There could also be in the used market something with other options that would be in my price range that if new would not. Lots to think about. I appreciate all the info and responses. Last thing I want to do is the we should of waited or done this or done that. I dont want to settle and would like to be happy in my purchase. Thanks again to everyone.

[tuffr2]

To put you more at ease a RV is a want...not a need. I enjoyed every RV I have bought and never looked back.

If new, try for 30% off and be happy.

If used - it should be a lot less expensive than new. Be happy again.

[Brad Wilf]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

To put you more at ease a RV is a want...not a need. I enjoyed every RV I have bought and never looked back. .

100% agree. You end up making due. We had 5 of us in a truck camper... wouldn’t change it...all about family... there gone before you know it.

[epeddy1]

Originally Posted by bwood1377

Agreed. I definitely know our number one is to have a separate bunkhouse. However I do also like the fact that the grand design has the second half bath which is nice. Is it a deal breaker, no. There could also be in the used market something with other options that would be in my price range that if new would not. Lots to think about. I appreciate all the info and responses. Last thing I want to do is the we should of waited or done this or done that. I dont want to settle and would like to be happy in my purchase. Thanks again to everyone.

I've often heard that if you wait for the perfect rig at the perfect price, you could end up getting turned off from the idea completely. Or you finally do find the perfect rig and fork over your fortune, only to find out it wasn't even perfect after taking it out a couple times.

We took the leap and got a Keystone 243BHS. About a year of searching (well, maybe like 6 months of just learning the lingo, TT vs 5er, etc.) Then looking at prices, storage cost, maintaining, and seeing if its something we cull pull off financially. Then my wife spent a month looking at floor plans online. We had a decent list of must, likes, deal breakers. Ours doesn't have an outdoor grill, but a stove. Shower isn't that pod style I would've preferred. But the floor plan works for our family. We didn't get a great deal, 80% of MSRP, but my wife is a terrible negotiator and hands over our leverage gift wrapped with her cheezy grin and the sales guy knows he's got a sucker. But it wasn't too bad considering the market right now, and not many BHS in our area were available. Happy wife...

We went new bc my wife has a thing and wants our black tank to have only our black in it, the floors to have our dirt, etc. Happy wife...

4 trips now with it, and nothing really standing out as "we messed up getting this option" or "that". Sure, some of the features of bigger units would be nice. 2nd slide with an island. 2nd bath. Toy hauler. But had I got something any bigger than my 28', its possible I would've thrown in the towel trying to tow anything bigger. Its been a learning curve for me, to say the least.

And I feel like if we waited for that perfect unit I would've missed these past 4 trips, plus 3 or 4 more we have planned before winter. My only child son is 7, so this summer and the rest of the 5 summers we have until he's a teen, are the most precious commodity I have. Worth more than money.

Anyways, rant over. Just some things to think about.