Do dealers get paid from factory for PDI time?

Seems we have different definitions. Now that we have discovered that the service you mean by PDI and the service that I mean by PDI are different; all we have to do is find out what service the OP meant by PDI.

PDI and the walk-thru are different things.

My dealer budgets 8 hours of a technician's time for the PDI on a TT.

The salesperson does the walk-thru with the customer.

Many, many, many times the complaints I read on here about quality problems on new RVs are things that should have been corrected in the PDI. Some dealers shortchange the customer by hoping nothing is wrong and figuring they will deal with it if/when the customer returns with complaints.

My dealer told me that no RVs leave their shop without at least one warranty issue found during the PDI and before delivery to the customer.

bob_nestor wrote:
With the exception of things like filling the water and propane tanks the PDI seems to be nothing more than a final quality control check and inspection. In my mind this is something that should have been done at the factory as part of the manufacturing process, especially if the company is claiming to be ISO9001 compliant. A final PDI at the dealer to make sure nothing fell off or broke in the trip from the factory would seem to be a prudent move on the dealer's part, but also part of their job in making the sale and having a happy customer.

I have yet to figure out why there is a factory PDI charge on LTV RVs when one chooses the option of taking delivery of the unit at the factory.

In both cases when I bought a new trailer the PDI was much more than that. Quality control was 10% of the PDI. It was a demonstration of how all of the systems worked, how to winterize, where the valves were, how the hot water heater works, the proper way to use the slideout and power awnings, what to lube, with what, and how; how to hook-up and unhook, how to adjust the WDH, how to empty the tanks, how to use the black tank flush, what every switch is for and how to use them, how the propane auto switchover works and how to use it, what systems operate on 12V and what operate on 120V, what common mistakes others make and how to avoid them, and more.

It took over 3 hours the first time. The second time was only a couple of hours cause I already understood a lot of things; but I still had to learn about the power awning and other things that were new to me.

Around here it seems all the dealers charge around $800 for the PDI. It probably varies by areas of the country.

All in all it really doesn't matter, I write one check for the total price, line items aren't important. Just compare the total price from dealer to dealer.

With the exception of things like filling the water and propane tanks the PDI seems to be nothing more than a final quality control check and inspection. In my mind this is something that should have been done at the factory as part of the manufacturing process, especially if the company is claiming to be ISO9001 compliant. A final PDI at the dealer to make sure nothing fell off or broke in the trip from the factory would seem to be a prudent move on the dealer's part, but also part of their job in making the sale and having a happy customer.

I have yet to figure out why there is a factory PDI charge on LTV RVs when one chooses the option of taking delivery of the unit at the factory.

I don't get hung up with what they call each line item. That is just a distraction ploy to keep you from looking at the total price which is all that matters. What makes any of you think the dealer has any interest in doing a PDI? They only do them when forced to by a saavy customer who will not turn over any money until they are satisfied.

It doesn't matter to you what fees there are and what they call them. The only thing that matters to you is the bottom line price and what you are getting for that price.

To answer your question, the dealer pays the manufacturer a wholesale price for the unit. After that, the manufacturer only pays for warranty, at a set rate.

Now the dealer has to mark up the price in order to pay the bills, pay the salesman, make a profit, and stay in business. If he makes a decent profit he can do a decent PDI and throw in some extras like propane, etc. If he makes very little to no profit, you can forget getting a PDI and anything thrown in; you'll get ushered out the door PDQ. that's why you have to compare price, and what you are getting for the price.

The RV I bought recently, I shopped RVW in Indiana. I actually paid $900 less when I bought locally for the same RV and that included a PDI fee (the actual PDI was adequate, covered everything, but nothing special). I had two friends that bought at the same dealer, wouldn't pay the PDI fee, and got about zero for a PDI. One was a first time RV owner and is severely lacking in basic knowledge about his RV; he really needed the PDI (and still does), the other not so much.

West Beachhouse wrote:
Price does matter, but wait till you provide the dealer with the PDI list you want to ensure is covered when you pick up your new rig and the dealer tells you "I don't think we can make you happy." Interesting, since the PDI list I downloaded was from this site, my fellow forum buds...

West Beachhouse

That PDI list.....it is a guide for YOU when YOU do YOUR PDI

Dealer PDI...hahahahaha
IF they really did one YOUR PDI would have minimum items listed.

Price does matter, but wait till you provide the dealer with the PDI list you want to ensure is covered when you pick up your new rig and the dealer tells you "I don't think we can make you happy." Interesting, since the PDI list I downloaded was from this site, my fellow forum buds...

West Beachhouse

Out the door price is all that matters when buying a vehicle or RV. We have found through our experiences over the many years that the smaller, family-owned dealerships have played less games and are more willing to get to a pricepoint both parties can agree on.