I know it's best to at the dealership with a prospective trailer but that's not always practical. Will dealers really talk turkey and give their lowest price over the phone or by email? If a dealer is in a big-ish city I'd probably just hop on a plane and make a deal in person. But sometimes the dealership just isn't by an airport. Of course, once I purchase I'd have to drive to pick it up but I can't imagine making the drive with my truck before even striking a deal. Ordering the model I want locally it just seems like the dealers are unwilling to come down much on price. From buying trailers in the past I know the most motivated dealer is the one with the trailer sitting on his lot. I'm on the west coast where trailers are generally more expensive but am willing to drive up to 1000 miles or so. I have only a couple fairly obscure models that I'm interested in so I'm likely going to have to order or travel.

Both of my recent RVs were phone offers. I just made the offer. Over the phone I'm not captive. They know if they don't make a good deal I'm gone on to another dealer.

I've done that with trucks and have had great success. After sending pictures from all angles, I got a trade in price for my old truck. My last 5th wheel, I bought in New Jersey when We were camping in Island Lake, Il. When I got to the dealership, the trailer I saw on line had water damage in different places. It was as no deal for us, and not too far out of our way from Pa where we live. After seeing the lemon, we perused the dealership lot and found a four year old Cougar in perfect condition and hard used. We are wintering in it right now and still happy with the deal.

Purchased my current fifth wheel from RV World Of Georgia, 130 miles away. All of the negotiations were done by email. Didn't see my trailer until the day we picked her up. They had her in showroom condition and after a three hour PDI could only find two small cosmetic issues. Also purchased my current truck the same way. Found a transmission cooler leak when I went to pick the truck up and the dealer didn't have the part in stock. Repaired the line a few days later and delivered the truck to me, two hours away.

Sure. I found an out of state dealer that had the unit I wanted, (previous model year). Made a fair offer, agreed on financing, and picked it up some weeks later.It was about a four hour drive. They installed the hitch and brake control while I did the PDI,lunch break, and paper work.I was back on the road a couple hours later pulling my new camper.It made for a long day, but I got a lot accomplised in one day....Jim

Worked for us on the last two purchased. Current 5th was purchased about 250 miles away in IA. When we went to pick it up, we were talking to the dealer about long distance purchases and he told us that he had several fly in from Calif to pick up their RV. Could not come close to the price anywhere closer.

Negotiating Price on New 5th from a Distance | Good Sam Community

WyoTraveler
Explorer
Dec 06, 2015
Both of my recent RVs were phone offers. I just made the offer. Over the phone I'm not captive. They know if they don't make a good deal I'm gone on to another dealer.
blacktop
Explorer
Dec 06, 2015
I've done that with trucks and have had great success. After sending pictures from all angles, I got a trade in price for my old truck.
My last 5th wheel, I bought in New Jersey when We were camping in Island Lake, Il. When I got to the dealership, the trailer I saw on line had water damage in different places. It was as no deal for us, and not too far out of our way from Pa where we live.
After seeing the lemon, we perused the dealership lot and found a four year old Cougar in perfect condition and hard used. We are wintering in it right now and still happy with the deal.
Halmfamily
Explorer
Dec 06, 2015
Purchased my current fifth wheel from RV World Of Georgia, 130 miles away. All of the negotiations were done by email. Didn't see my trailer until the day we picked her up. They had her in showroom condition and after a three hour PDI could only find two small cosmetic issues.

Also purchased my current truck the same way. Found a transmission cooler leak when I went to pick the truck up and the dealer didn't have the part in stock. Repaired the line a few days later and delivered the truck to me, two hours away.
Jim_Sharon
Explorer
Dec 06, 2015
Sure. I found an out of state dealer that had the unit I wanted, (previous model year). Made a fair offer, agreed on financing, and picked it up some weeks later.

It was about a four hour drive. They installed the hitch and brake control while I did the PDI,lunch break, and paper work.

I was back on the road a couple hours later pulling my new camper.It made for a long day, but I got a lot accomplised in one day....Jim
Segel10
Explorer
Dec 06, 2015
Worked for us on the last two purchased. Current 5th was purchased about 250 miles away in IA. When we went to pick it up, we were talking to the dealer about long distance purchases and he told us that he had several fly in from Calif to pick up their RV. Could not come close to the price anywhere closer.
grampscamper
Explorer
Dec 06, 2015
Our last 2 were done over the phone. I think it's quite common.
taken
Explorer II
Dec 06, 2015
We bought ours from Jeff Couch's RV Nation in OH about 800 miles away. Special order and still did about 37% off the nonsense MSRP with no haggling. Lots of folks do it from the high volume dealers without much stress.
Dave_H_M
Explorer II
Dec 06, 2015
Did the last one out of state. Phone and internet hand shake on the price.

Went smooth as silk.
dahkota
Explorer
Dec 06, 2015
We sent emails to six dealers asking for their best out the door price. The second best offer we received we accepted and did the deal by phone. It was in Florida, about 1200 miles away. We did a deposit over the phone. The sale wasn't final until we got there, did a walk through, and signed the papers. We accepted the second best offer because the dealer had a much better reputation for warranty work.
midnightsadie
Explorer II
Dec 06, 2015
write down all your must have,s make seal over the ph subject to inspection, did this four times .worked great ,funny how you can buy the same rv 1k away for thousands less than in your home town.