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jodann · 11-24-2005, 02:32 AM

That was the charge on my bill of sale. Tho a number of repairs previously noted before purchase were made, other details were overlooked. I let dealer know that I was sorely disappointed. Felt all they did was wash exterior of tt. Dealer has offered to reimburse us $200 of the prep charge. Guess I'll take it, altho there was no additional charge on tt I purchased at same dealership last year.

jodann · 11-24-2005, 02:32 AM

That was the charge on my bill of sale. Tho a number of repairs previously noted before purchase were made, other details were overlooked. I let dealer know that I was sorely disappointed. Felt all they did was wash exterior of tt. Dealer has offered to reimburse us $200 of the prep charge. Guess I'll take it, altho there was no additional charge on tt I purchased at same dealership last year.

mamaloya · 11-24-2005, 04:19 AM

I was also charged a dealer prep fee. Can't remember offhand what it was though. They said that they wash it, go over and fix any little things that are wrong, etc. We bought a brand new one, so I didn't see why we should be charged for them to make sure everything was like new. They did give us a 1.5 hr class on how to use it though, so I did not complain. I assumed it was a standard charge.

TXiceman · 11-24-2005, 05:37 AM

The dealer just trying to make some extra money. All you have to do is say..NO. and let him refigure the deal. Ona new trailer he should have that figures in his cost of doing business.
Ken

RustyJC · 11-24-2005, 05:40 AM

If I'm buying a new RV, why should I pay the dealer for him/her to ensure that I'm taking delivery of a clean, serviced unit? That's between the manufacturer and dealer, as far as I'm concerned.

Rusty

mamaloya · 11-24-2005, 08:18 AM

I wish I had known that sooner. It makes since to me what you guys are saying, we just weren't really thinking at the time. They made it sound like it was something special they were doing. It was only later that I went HUH what were we thinking?

Edmund A Skibinski · 11-24-2005, 08:34 AM

jodann, If the dealer offered you $200 dollars back from the dealer prep, I would be mighty thankful, very seldom that a dealer would even consider giving back money from dealer prep. Ed.S

Gary RVRoamer · 11-24-2005, 10:41 AM

Dealer "make ready" charges have become pretty much standard in the new car sales business and it sounds as though Rv dealers are now trying to adopt them. Helps the profit margin a bit, especially if you got a steep discount on the deal.

The manufacturer sells the RV to the dealer and he is supposed to "make it ready" out of his profit margin. Make ready is mostly a cosmetic thing - if he actually finds a defect, he can charge the factory for a warranty repair.

Radarr · 11-24-2005, 02:02 PM

You got screwed. This why I have such a hard spot for the NADA which is National Automotive Dealers Association. The same people that print the black book which I consider trash and unfair to RV Owners. This association has developed programs so dealers can squeeze every dollar out of the customer. Rip off values for used coaches, add-on service fees, flat rate service fee manuals, and sales tactics procedures to make the most profit are part of the association agenda. They really have no interest in us, the RV Buyer, other then to create and show dealers ways to get as much out of us as they can.

I get really burned and feel sorry for those folks when I read what happened to them. You really need to be savy about what you were about to do and know who you were dealing with, or else your going to get burnt. But that's only one part, what makes these situations even worse, is that these dealers now have an opinion of us, that we're all suckers and they can charge the everyone of us the same. Well I have to tell you, if we all don't stand up for ourselves in these situations it's only going to get worse.

If I were you jodann, I would keep the $200.00 and then write the dealer a letter expressing your disatifaction with their shyster dealer tactics and demand a the remainder of the money, which you were not informed about prior to the sale. I would also inform this dealer that you are going to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and the RVIA(Recreation Vehicle Industry Association) and then do so.

The RVIA has a watch dog department that follows what goes on in the industry. It's time this Association did more then cater to some unscrupulous dealers and spent time making sure the people who are responsible for them even having a job, that's us the RV Buyers, are protected and dealt with fairly. Remember, if we stop buying into their slanted programs and accepting their dispicable tactics, they'll have to straighten up their acts or get out of business.

If you haven't already, I highly suggest signing the RV Owners Protection Act that is circulating around differnt web sites. If the more then 10,000 RVers who have join this web site, were to have their voices heard all at one time, the RV Industry would have to listen. Now, add all the other web sites and their memberships to the cry, and we have a voice to be recond with. We just have to get together and make our stand.

How did that slogan go, "United we stand, divided we fall". Well you've seen what happens when they single us out one at a time as they did to jodann.

The dealers profit is exactly that... In that should be included all the cost of doing business. If anything is added to a sales contract, it would be only resonable to see Sales Tax, License & Title Fees(if the Dealer has to act as your agent) and any special accessories or services the buyer added after the fact. But document fees, prep fees, transportations fees (other then the one from the factory, shown in the original window sticker) basically are all boggus fees and nothing more the additional profit makers.

Radarr

Ken Roberts · 11-24-2005, 08:54 PM

And then there is one worse, i.e. the RVIA sticker fee. So the manufacturer belongs to RVIA and they want to charge us a $65 fee for them to put on a sticker that I am going to take off anyway. If you want to really throw the dealer a curve when you sit down to do the paperwork after the PDI, which is the correct order of things, tell him you noticed he has his dealer identification sticker on your new unit and that you want $100 for the advertising you will be providing him when you are out travelling and the public gets to see his sticker as the selling dealer, Ken, '04 DSDP...

Radarr · 11-24-2005, 11:34 PM

Ken, your right on the mark. You make two more good points, I forgot about the RVIA stricker, I remember seeing that fee applied, but you know, I never asked why we have to pay for it. It's a fee to RVIA that the Manufactures pays for each vehicle. It's a certificate that shows the vehicle is manufacture to RVIA Standards.

They want us to believe that these poor manufactures can't afford to include the fee in the price of the coach, as it should be, so they tack it on after the fact. Here to, these association fees are actually collected numerous times from us, because any manufacture that wants to sell RV products in the RV Industry, has to be a member of RVIA. Take every product put into the vehicle and the RVIA is collecting a fee from each of them that we are paying for. Now we opened another can of worms. How many darn times do we have to pay these fees? Just think about that, how much of the vehicle's actual cost is incumbered with fees, such as these?

radarr

mamaloya · 11-25-2005, 06:55 PM

Radarr,

I understand you are angry, but please don't take it out on me. I paid the fee. Sorry if that bothers you. This is the first time that we have bought an rv. You live and learn. We researched what we wanted, shopped around, and bought it. We knew nothing of these extra fees. Next time, we know to question it, and we will tell others about it. I am the one that should be angry about it. I know that I like my camper and can't wait to use it. Life is full of lessons and life is a journey. If I got angry everytime I made a mistake or someone took advantage, I would be a very bitter person. I live and learn and get over it. I also try to tell others about my experience, so they hopefully don't make the same mistake.

You fussing at people does not accomplish anything. I am new here so maybe it is not my place to say this, but can you please let your words be edifying. I came here to find advice from experience rvers so that I don't have to learn everything from the school of hard knocks. I will probably make many, but I hope that you guys will help preempt a few.

You sound like you have lots of experience and can share a great amount of wisdom from things that you have learned. I look forward to learning from you, but could you please word it a little bit nicer. I am a little sensitive and would very much appreciate a gentler message.

Thank you.

WillYum · 11-26-2005, 03:51 AM

You go girl. I don't know just who this Radarr is or who he thinks he is but I joined this forum because it seemed to be one where everyone was helpful and no one got 'flamed' for making a mistake or whatever. Perhaps he needs weaker coffee or maybe his mama didn't spank him enough!!!!

431 days till freedom

mamaloya · 11-26-2005, 04:29 AM

Thanks for the backup WillYum, I appreciate it. But lets be nice to him too. I am finding out that there are a lot of sites out there with flamers and it may be hard to adjust to a kinder gentler site. Lets all just remember to be supportive and patient. btw, especially remember the patient part when I really start asking some stupid questions OK. LOL