How important is it to buy local?
I heard a long spiel last night on a youtube video about it being very important to buy local, because RV dealers always prefer to work on their own customer's rigs first. One MORE criteria!! : ...
Forum Discussion
I full time and bought my fiver 1000 miles away from where my sticks and bricks home was. I saved THOUSANDS. Now, as a full timer, I have no 'local' dealer so it does not matter.
#1, a new RV's warranty is only for 12 months so after that you will be in the same line like everyone else. The inside components (fridge, AC units, etc) have their own warranty and you can always call the manufacturer to find who does warranty service locally. Or non-warranty work.
If you think about it, most likely any problems will pop up while you are out using the rig. You very well may want to get it fixed wherever that happens to be. That will not be at a local dealer.
I bought new in Ohio and had warranty work done in Orlando, Fl. The dealer seemed glad to get the work. I also had an AC unit poop out while going across Iowa, stopping in Council Bluffs for a week to visit friends. It was July and the local dealer I talked to was swamped but recommended a mobile mechanic who did all their 'overflow' work. I talked with my fiver manufacturer and they OK'd using the mobile guy. So I did and was glad. He came out the next day, diagnosed the problem as a non-fixable AC unit, needing total replacement. The Bighorn people OK'd that and it got replaced the next day.
So I think it's important on a new unit to talk with the manufacturer before buying (not the dealer) and ask what their policies are for warranty work. I knew up front that mine would probably OK a mobile mechanic. Ask - Will they OK a mobile mechanic ? How about dealerships that don't even sell your brand ? The fridges, furnaces, hot water heaters, AC units are mostly the same in all the rigs.
I think it's great to support a local business - as long as you're getting close to as good a deal as you can find at one of the 'wholesale dealers'. But I will not overpay just because a local dealer refuses to be realistic - there's a LOT of markup in these rigs.
I think you should do your homework on the net, and figure out which fiver you want first. Then go about finding a dealership that sells that brand, either local or not local. I would not buy something just because that's all that's available close by. They have wheels on them for a purpose.
#1, a new RV's warranty is only for 12 months so after that you will be in the same line like everyone else. The inside components (fridge, AC units, etc) have their own warranty and you can always call the manufacturer to find who does warranty service locally. Or non-warranty work.
If you think about it, most likely any problems will pop up while you are out using the rig. You very well may want to get it fixed wherever that happens to be. That will not be at a local dealer.
I bought new in Ohio and had warranty work done in Orlando, Fl. The dealer seemed glad to get the work. I also had an AC unit poop out while going across Iowa, stopping in Council Bluffs for a week to visit friends. It was July and the local dealer I talked to was swamped but recommended a mobile mechanic who did all their 'overflow' work. I talked with my fiver manufacturer and they OK'd using the mobile guy. So I did and was glad. He came out the next day, diagnosed the problem as a non-fixable AC unit, needing total replacement. The Bighorn people OK'd that and it got replaced the next day.
So I think it's important on a new unit to talk with the manufacturer before buying (not the dealer) and ask what their policies are for warranty work. I knew up front that mine would probably OK a mobile mechanic. Ask - Will they OK a mobile mechanic ? How about dealerships that don't even sell your brand ? The fridges, furnaces, hot water heaters, AC units are mostly the same in all the rigs.
I think it's great to support a local business - as long as you're getting close to as good a deal as you can find at one of the 'wholesale dealers'. But I will not overpay just because a local dealer refuses to be realistic - there's a LOT of markup in these rigs.
I think you should do your homework on the net, and figure out which fiver you want first. Then go about finding a dealership that sells that brand, either local or not local. I would not buy something just because that's all that's available close by. They have wheels on them for a purpose.
