Buying from consignor

[DLoy1324]

Found a nice looking coach at a consignment shop. It is a 2014 Tiffin Allegro with 11,000 miles with most every thing we would want if ordering new.

What are some the advantages and disadvantages when buying from a consignor? This is our first motorhome and I am not very mechanically inclined so I can't say I know exactly what to look for upon inspection.

We have been looking and deciding on the right floor plan for about four years now and with retirement on the six month horizon think we are ready to pull the trigger. However this next spring would be the ideal time for us to buy, when buying used one cannot always count on perfect timing.

Any thoughts on buying from a consignor would be appreciated.

Thank you...Dirk

[Just For Fun]

Originally Posted by DLoy1324

Found a nice looking coach at a consignment shop. It is a 2014 Tiffin Allegro with 11,000 miles with most every thing we would want if ordering new.

What are some the advantages and disadvantages when buying from a consignor? This is our first motorhome and I am not very mechanically inclined so I can't say I know exactly what to look for upon inspection.

We have been looking and deciding on the right floor plan for about four years now and with retirement on the six month horizon think we are ready to pull the trigger. However this next spring would be the ideal time for us to buy, when buying used one cannot always count on perfect timing.

Any thoughts on buying from a consignor would be appreciated.

Thank you...Dirk

Be careful! Be very, very careful.

IMHO they are one step down from a Used Car Sales Outfit. They typically have nothing invested in these units and simple act as a middle person. Typically no warranty/guarantee. Typically sold as is, where is; as many dealers do.

If you are NOT local to that coach:
1. Hire a local, certified tech to go over the coach for any obvious problems
2. Do fluid test - oil and coolant
3. Be armed with what that coach actually sells for. Rather than taking the Consignor's word for it
4. IF you place a deposit on that (any) coach, do it through a major Cred Card company back up with your Purchase agreement specifically stating "DEPOSIT IS 100% RETURNABLE IF BUYER IS NOT SATISFIED."
5. When you get to that coach, driver it for a minimum of 50 miles - preferably more to get a feeling for it and your like or dislike
6. DON'T be in a rush to buy anything. There are lots of coaches out there and more hitting the market every day. Also understand that the prices for used coaches go down each year. Not up!
7. Make your search a positive adventure. And not a drudgery of undesirable options.
8. Make a list of all the items you want on a coach
a. Minimum/maximum length
b. Options
c. Floor plan
d. A/C - Heat
e. Deal killers

Enjoy the search. And don't be afraid to come back to this forum with more questions.

[Badlands Bob]

When you say "consignment shop", is this a licensed vehicle dealership? When I think of consignment shop, I think of selling children's clothing and old winter jackets.

In my state, it is illegal to sell a vehicle that is not titled in your name unless you have a dealer's license issued by the state.

My first concern would be, who holds the title. If there is a lien on the vehicle, this makes things a little more complicated. Obviously, you want to get a qualified inspector to check out all of the systems on the RV prior to purchase. This will cost you several hundred dollars but could save you thousands and will give you piece of mind.

[TurtleKent]

If you gave us dealer's name, someone on the forum might have experience dealing with them.

[Gary RVRoamer]

A consignment shop is a merely an agent or facilitator for a private seller, and often is not a licensed dealer at all. He handles advertising and conducts prospective buyers around, but is NOT the seller. He gives no warranty and cannot make promises in behalf of the seller. Nor can he fix problems unless the actual seller approves and agrees to pay for them. In other words, you are buying privately from another individual and generally do not have the protection of any of the states laws concerning vehicle dealer operations.

[Spdracr39]

Consignment sellers do all the dirty work for the private seller for a percentage. There are good ones and bad ones. They make nothing if there isn't a sale and their only vested interest is in the cost to clean it, park it, and advertise it. I have always had good luck with them as a seller and a buyer for boats. They have more visibility to buyers because they usually have several units in one location to look at. As a seller there is no hassle but you get less money. Consignment purchases are going to cost more than a private sale but not as much as a dealer usually.

[ByeTheWay]

Originally Posted by DLoy1324

What are some the advantages and disadvantages when buying from a consignor? This is our first motorhome and I am not very mechanically inclined so I can't say I know exactly what to look for upon inspection.

Any thoughts on buying from a consignor would be appreciated.

Thank you...Dirk

The title may become a problem. For example: This happened in Arizona recently. Buyers bought a coach from a consignment dealer. After the purchase, the dealer went into bankruptcy. The buyer's have yet to receive the title to the coach that they paid for. I spoke with a repair shop in the same city where this happened and was told that there were a lot of buyers looking for Titles.

I have bought from consignment dealers before, but I doubt that I will again.

[Mike and Cha]

It all depends on the Dealership that is presenting the MH. If the Dealership is a good one they are not going to jeopardize their reputation to sell someone else's MH. If they are questionable, then it really doesn't matter whether you buy new or used from them, you will treated the same either way. Do your research and don't listen to all the negativity about buying a MH that is on consignment. There are many good deals out there, and some people don't want to deal with a private sale due to the "tire kickers", and letting people test drive their MH. I agree either way have it inspected by an independent inspector, but there are many dealerships that are ethical and handle consignment sales. Many of them make sure they do any repairs needed, at the sellers cost, before putting them out on the lot. The nice thing is all the DMV paperwork can be handled via the Dealership, and there is no issue dealing with the Seller and their bank, and holding your breath while the money changes hands. So if the Dealership is a good one I would have no problem buying through them.

[Falcon190]

Originally Posted by ByeTheWay

The title may become a problem. For example: This happened in Arizona recently. Buyers bought a coach from a consignment dealer. After the purchase, the dealer went into bankruptcy. The buyer's have yet to receive the title to the coach that they paid for. I spoke with a repair shop in the same city where this happened and was told that there were a lot of buyers looking for Titles.

I have bought from consignment dealers before, but I doubt that I will again.

After I bought my coach from a consignment dealer in Washington I wasn't given a title right away. Weeks went by and still no title. Then months went by. I was ready to hire an atty when I got a call from the police. Turned out that one of the owners of the dealership embezzled company funds and never paid the owner who didn't even know the coach had been sold. Then the dealership filed for bankruptcy.

Eventually I got the title directly from the previous owners, who got about thirty cents on the dollar of the sales price, paid out over five years.

[timetogo]

Hire a professional surveyor to inspect it. Will cost a little money, but could save you major headaches.

[4x4van]

I bought my RV from a dealer who sells RV's on consignment. It is not a "new" RV dealer, but rather a parts & service center here in SoCal that also handles sales of used RV's.

The only delay was in getting my offer approved by the owner, since it was significantly lower than the initial asking price. Even that took only about 30 minutes. The rest of the transaction was no different than any car or RV purchase to I've ever made. Temporary registration taped in the windshield, recieved official registration within 2 weeks.

I've never dealt with a "consignor", so I don't know how that differs.

[DLoy1324]

Thank you all for your responses. The consignment company is McMinnville (OR) RV Sales and Consignment and has only been in business a few months. There are however some posted reviews which are all positive. They also indicate that the coach comes with a one year warranty.

Interesting information I found out from Tiffin, the coach was built in June 2013 and the warranty began a month later. That definitely affects the value in my eyes. The NADA retail range for a '14 is $84K-$101K but the retail range for a '13 is $75K-$90K. If I were to make an offer I would lean more in the direction of the '13 range. Any thoughts?

Thank you...Dirk

[Gary RVRoamer]

Make sure your payment will actually go to the seller, e.g. make the check payable to consignment agent & the actual seller. If you pay the consignment agent and he fails to pass the money on to the seller, you end up with a coach but no title, and the seller can (and probably will) take it back eventually. He is the owner of record and can report it stolen if he doesn't get paid.

[Badlands Bob]

The number one rule we used when I worked Auto Theft is, If it's not registered in your name, the vehicle does not belong to you. Ownership does not transfer until the title has been registered with the state.

Everything else is civil. Hire an attorney.