Boy!! That was close.

We bought two RVs on line. A type B from a dealer in Florida, we are in NY. We were anxious to say the least. We did our research on the RV and on the dealer. We talked to the dealer and were assured that if the unit was mis stated in any way, they would give us our deposit back. Everything worked out great.
Our second online purchase was a private owner. It was a Type C, 4 years old with less than 4000 miles.
It was kept in a heated garage and was in excellent condition. We got it as a great price and were very happy with our purchase. Just do your homework and talk to the owners. Check it out before you buy if possible. We have bought well over $100,000 in vehicles on e-bay and have not had a bad experience.
I’m sure it happens, but so far we’re happy buyers.

Just wanted to add that EBAY can be a good source for new rigs as well. I have a friend that did this recently and got a pretty amazing deal. You pay the deposit via ebay and take care of everything else when you arrive. This particular dealer even had a nice full campground on site so when you arrive you could stay for a couple days and get any warranty items taken care of. Myself I love craigslist. I am more of a used type of guy.

When I first graduated college in the early 70’s I worked in sales for five years with the first three in car sales. Not the job you’d expect for a young college graduate but a wonderful educational experience for a naïve young man new to the world. That experience has helped me time and time again in life. For me it’s fun when they start in with their high pressure tactics, I’ll let them go on and on until finally, when I become bored I’ll say something like “At first you guys were entertaining, but this high pressure BS of yours has become boring, Buh bye!” and then I’ll get up and walk out. If they’re serious they’ll follow me out, apologize and become civilized, if not it’s only a machine, there’s plenty of other places to go to.

Rancher gave you some great advice. The biggest problem people have when making a purchase like this or a vehicle is they treat it loke a personal transaction rather than a business transaction. You have to always keep in your mind that this is business. No matter how much you love the unit, treat it as business because there is always another one out there somewhere. It is your money, so you have the control in the situation. If it ever seems like you are not in control, walk immediately. If you not confrontational by nature and only wanting to look, plan to have another appointment that you can't miss an hour or so after you get to the lot and then use that as an excuse.

I've left more than one dealer after the high-pressure sales tactics. If I'm just looking, I make that very clear from the start. In fact, I've started the car replacement process recently and went to drive a couple of models that I'm interested in. As soon as I met the salesmen, I told them point blank that I'm in the very early stages of deciding what vehicle I want and I've done all the research I can do without physically driving the vehicles, so that is what I'm doing now. At both dealers that remain on the list, the closest either sales person came to any pressure at all was to simply say that when I'm ready, they would love to earn my business. At no point was price asked about or discussed. The only one that fell off of the list tried the ol' "What will it take to get you to buy today?" tactic to which I politely advised him that there was nothing he could do as I was still deciding which vehicle I liked best. He fell off the list because I didn't like the vehicle as much, not because of his question as he didn't push it after I responded.

If you're buying new, unfortunately youo have to go to a dealer. That's why we buy "gently used". There's an outfit along I-5 just south of Mount Vernon called "Country Motors" that handles "gently used" and have a very good reputation. Three people we know have bought there and had good experiences. We'll probably consign our Georgetown with them when we get out of the lifestyle shortly.

For instance ..... what if I'm looking a Winnebago Aspect 23D 2006 -2007ish I find it on line from 38 to 47 and that is the dealers price, so do I use those figures and say 43 or 44?

Great advise, my only issue is trying to figure out a fair price. I mean if it's a new rig, that is pretty easy, but there are so many variables with a used rigs

I have written this before but perhaps it might help others again.

I have purchased and owned five RV's over the past 50+ years. As a rancher and owner of a small trucking company, I have also purchased over $2 million cost of ranch and truck equipment over the past decades. Here is the way that I have found that works the best. I have used this always and it works.

First, I research what I am going to buy, type, brand, prices, quality, usage, options, why I need/want it, etc.
Next, I determine what I am will to pay to obtain the item (truck, auto, tractor, RV, machine,etc). I set my price at a figure that will pay the dealer a fair price for profit but not more than necessary.

Then I go to the dealer and if the dealer sells what I want I make an offer before the dealer even mentions a price. My price is always lower than the dealer will ask in his counter price that is usually 15 to 25 percent higher than my offer.

I then pull out my checkbook, offer to write a check to pay in cash on the spot what I have offered, my price, and state take it or leave it since I will walk away. If it is a dealer that has not done business with me before, the dealer will always tell me that he cannot make the deal at my price and try to negotiate. I just get up and walk out. Usually when I start to walk the dealer will then see that I am serious and say to wait. I tell the dealer that my offer is final and unless he is serious I will walk and go to another dealer. I then leave my phone number and walk out.

Usually in about 3/4 of those instances I get a phone call within a day, often within an hour, asking me to come back since the dealer "has been able to work a better price". On the phone I just say my original offer stands and I am on my way to another dealer (true). Unless that dealer tells me on the phone that we can do business at my price I do not go back. Many times I have had a dealer call me a week or so later and tell me that if I had gone back we could have did business. I just tell him (truthfully) that he had his chance and I bought it at another dealer, and tell the price I paid to other named dealer).

Sometimes I even notify the dealer that my offer price is only good that day and after that my offer price drops. I am always willing to walk away and not buy it at all.

Dealers that know me, and we have done business before, know that I mean business and since I have done my research I almost always get the sale at my offered price on the spot. I don't remember every paying close to the Dealer's or MSRP for any major item over the past 50 years. For example our Monty 3750FL 5th Wheel that we now own was purchased at a price 23 percent lower than the price tag price that was prominently shown on the inside counter of the new RV when we first walked into the RV to examine it at the dealer. I never paid even one dollar more than my offer and I got the dealer to add a second AC to the Monty that we bought off the lot before I took delivery.

In 2013 I purchased a new Western Star Semi Truck in Denver and saved over $26,000 from the posted dealer price. I got it with my original offer since the dealer has dealt with me for years and knew that I was serious.

Be a hard nosed buyer and you can save money if you are willing to play the game. Be willing to walk away. Have the cash to pay on the spot, even if you need to get financing before visiting any dealer (I have always paid cash for the deal).

If you are trading an older unit in, do not even mention a trade until you have the new sale completed. Then offer the trade. Since the auto, truck, tractor, machinery dealers in this area know me, they know what I have that I probably will trade in. If they mention or ask if I have a trade I tell them that "I will not discus any trade until, and unless we agree on the new sale".

I bought my first TT from Poulsbo RV from their lot off of I5, which I think is their "Kent" location... I did this back in 2002, so no idea what their selling tactics are now..

But, I can tell you that they do want your money, so they will do whatever it takes to get it! :)

We found the rig we wanted and after saying "lets look at some numbers", they were all set on selling it to us for the sticker price... I said, "but we haven't even determined what the sales price is going to be??" We said "we already have our own financing, so we won't be going thru your finance department and we'll give you a call later with an offer".

I called them the next day and made my offer. They called back about an hour later with an offer that worked for me and was way less than the 'sticker price' they originally wanted to sell it to me and we made the deal.

They tried to sell me on the "extended warranty" deal as well as "giving" us a "trial" of their "Thousand Trails" camping club thing... Was not interested in either of those and told them NO on both of them. So the deal was made on our original agreement and I paid them cash and a check from my credit union for the price and that was the deal.

I've still got the same TT to this day and it's been great! :)

Good luck with your future shopping and I hope you can find the RV of your dreams too! :)

Mitch

Roy&Lynne wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:
Now you know why we bought from a private seller.

I did not get used to the bums rush at every dealer we stopped at.

Craig's list is your friend. as is E-bay. go rouge, do your own home work. :)

Ive looked on Craigslist Tom/Barb but most are dealers now a days

X2 on no Ebay. Way too many scams and buying from out of state not only a pain but I would certainly not bid first and then go see it.

Craigslist IS IMHO the best place. It's local and you can go and see BEFORE you buy.

To get rid of all the dealers ads, You need to click >"By Owner"< near the top of page where you put the search perimeters. That way ONLY "by owner" ads will appear. :W