First Time Buyer...Updated 03/06/2006
This post is intended to be helpful to the first time buyer of a motor home. For those of you who don't fall into that category or believe this post is incomplete or off the mark, do us all a favor, a...
Forum Discussion
To any first time buyer, pricing can be very confusing. I have spent several months doing research and determined that the discounts from MSRP range from a minimum of 25% to a maximum of 38%. When shopping, if you decide to make an offer and have not done any research, I would suggest offering about 30-32% off the MSRP to see the dealer's reaction. Do not settle for less than 25% off.
Do your research online. I found many RV dealer sites that display the MSRP and also show their discounted prices. Also check eBay as many sellers show MSRP and a "Buy It Now" price. I started a journal showing the brand, MSRP, discounted price and percentage of discount. After about 8 months I felt confident that I had found the best pricing available so that I could use that information to negotiate the best price on my selected unit.
Using this information, I found the unit I wanted on eBay, but 2000 miles away. There was a "Buy It Now" price that represented a substantial discount. I located an identical unit at a dealer that was only 75 miles away and went to look and negotiate. I offered him the eBay price, and he responded with a price $15,000 higher. I was willing to pay $3000 more rather than travel to purchase, but this dealer insisted that there was "NO WAY" a dealer could sell for that amount. He was right! I called the dealer that was 2000 miles away and offered $10,000 less than he was advertising, and bought it at that price. I now own a new 2007 Gulfstream 38' diesel pusher with 3 slides, MSRP of $186,000, purchased new for $116,000
Research pays off.
Do your research online. I found many RV dealer sites that display the MSRP and also show their discounted prices. Also check eBay as many sellers show MSRP and a "Buy It Now" price. I started a journal showing the brand, MSRP, discounted price and percentage of discount. After about 8 months I felt confident that I had found the best pricing available so that I could use that information to negotiate the best price on my selected unit.
Using this information, I found the unit I wanted on eBay, but 2000 miles away. There was a "Buy It Now" price that represented a substantial discount. I located an identical unit at a dealer that was only 75 miles away and went to look and negotiate. I offered him the eBay price, and he responded with a price $15,000 higher. I was willing to pay $3000 more rather than travel to purchase, but this dealer insisted that there was "NO WAY" a dealer could sell for that amount. He was right! I called the dealer that was 2000 miles away and offered $10,000 less than he was advertising, and bought it at that price. I now own a new 2007 Gulfstream 38' diesel pusher with 3 slides, MSRP of $186,000, purchased new for $116,000
Research pays off.
