Why does it seem that the RV salesmen of today look lik60's?

Just an observation from my personal experience. Sales people can come up with the numbers that make things look really good. If you want to get the scoop on the RV you are looking at, gain the confidence of a mechanic. (although at our auto dealership they like to be called technicians) They can answer things about the technical aspects such as 'what problems have you had the wiring, (or plumbing, or suspension etc) on this particular model of coach?" They can tell you about size of tanks, dependability of pumps and complaints that customers have had.
On the chassis of motorhomes, these RV techs may not be your best source, but I found a truck mechanic that loved Cummins engines. He saved a friend of mine a headache and a pile of money. I got him to check out a coach my friend was looking seriously at buying and after checking the coach chassis over thought there were at least two injectors going out. Sometimes it is easiest to go around a salesman than to have to figure out what he is NOT telling when you start asking questions.

Pangaea Ron wrote:

Dale.Traveling wrote:
Working retail sales with a commissioned based salary is a high turn over occupation. It is a very rare occurrence to find someone on the sales staff that actually owns or did own a rig of some type and their experience out in the woods is beyond Scouting 30 years earlier. For most of us owners our rigs are a labor of love or hobby. Turn the hobby into a job takes the fun out of it. Some can do such as a camp host but those individuals are not as common as we wish.

I had a salesman at a major PNW RV operation who did actually own an RV. He was showing me the stock, then looked around, reached inside his jacket and pulled out a photograph. ( I thought that is was going to be porn by the guilty look on his face). It was a photograph of his MH that he wanted to sell, he said it was much better and cheaper than anything here, and wanted me to go to his home to view it later. A real quality guy.

And the dealer should fire him. Using the dealership's advertising (that's how every customer on the lot got there, be it print ads, internet ads, signage, radio ads, TV ads or whatever) to sell their personal vehicles is ethically wrong and a form of stealing. On top of that he slammed his employers entire inventory while doing it.
Probably he was "curbing" rigs on the side, and that rig was "his personal rig" only in the most literal sense. He probably did own it and bought it exactly to do what he was doing, selling it while bypassing his employer to make 100% of the profit instead of the 20% to 30% commission he would make if he sold a rig out of the dealer's inventory.
Of course it is also possible that the every salesperson had a rig or two to claim as their own with the dealer's approval to make it seem like the customer was getting a brother in law deal. If that was the case, forget firing the salesperson, run the dealer out of business instead for being a complete fraud.

J-Rooster wrote:
I shop for new RV's at Roy Robinson RV in Marysville Washington State. There sales people are way above average in the RV trade. Takes me hours to get to this dealer but well worth it. There sales manager is also easier to work with than say Poulsbo RV.

x2 That's where i bought mine.

I've told this story here before, but it deserves to be repeated.

A friend of mine bought a MH from them at the same time as I did, and he drove it home and parked it in his driveway and never used it. A couple of days later he was involved in a car accident as a passenger and was paralyzed from the neck down. I called the sales manager to say that he would probably not be able to ever use the MH, and I would help his wife decide what to do with it. They stepped up and offered to take it back. I drove the MH back to Roy Robinson RV, and handed them the keys. We were all very emotional with tears and hugs. They also sold his trade-in and sent an additional check to his wife, because it sold for more that they expected. He died a few days later. They are great guys.

I shop for new RV's at Roy Robinson RV in Marysville Washington State. There sales people are way above average in the RV trade. Takes me hours to get to this dealer but well worth it. There sales manager is also easier to work with than say Poulsbo RV.

smlranger wrote:
These days with internet and other forms of information, to me a salesman is merely someone who helps me navigate the shopping and purchase process. It is up to me to verify what I am told and do my research on what I am considering for purchase.

Exactly. There is all kinds of information on the web about a particular unit. Plenty of owners out there who will gladly tell you their stories without ranting. Pictures, specs, and all kinds of of other details. When one goes to a dealer or individual they should have a list of previously unanswered questions then come back and validate the answers.

I will not make a purchase of a RV or truck before I am certain that I have taken the time to know everything about them before I engage a sales person on price. It requires some serious time investigating and reading but there will be no surprises.

OP....meet Benny....he'll do right by ya...!......:W:W...Dennis

Dale.Traveling wrote:
Working retail sales with a commissioned based salary is a high turn over occupation. It is a very rare occurrence to find someone on the sales staff that actually owns or did own a rig of some type and their experience out in the woods is beyond Scouting 30 years earlier. For most of us owners our rigs are a labor of love or hobby. Turn the hobby into a job takes the fun out of it. Some can do such as a camp host but those individuals are not as common as we wish.

I had a salesman at a major PNW RV operation who did actually own an RV. He was showing me the stock, then looked around, reached inside his jacket and pulled out a photograph. ( I thought that is was going to be porn by the guilty look on his face). It was a photograph of his MH that he wanted to sell, he said it was much better and cheaper than anything here, and wanted me to go to his home to view it later. A real quality guy.

I still recall the man who sold me this rig telling me it would have a Ford Triton V-10 and an Allison Transmission. (Well, possible with an adapt-a-kit but Allisons do not fit Ford engines, wrong bolt pattern,, They do fit GM and Cummins, and a host of others, but not Fords).

Oh, I did get the best transmission (Even Ford admits the Allison is best).
and the matching 8.1 Liter Vortec.

Went to the Pittsburgh RV show last night. Almost every salesman we came in contact with used the same sales tactic... Come on folks, you can' t take it with you. ($) sheesh, can you get a little more original?