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RKW's avatar
RKW
Explorer
Oct 07, 2014

Dealer prep fees

Here is the question I emailed to my salesman.

"Could you please provide me with the destinations fees for the models I'm interested in? I don't mean the fee to transport to my town, but the dealer destination fees that are typically included in the yet to be negotiated, out-the-door price?"

To which he replied.

"No documentation fees. Prep or what we call a Camp Ready / Pre-Delivery Inspection is $970? is added to the price if customers wants that service."

Rather than playing email ping-pong with the guy, I thought I'd just ask him in person what he means by that answer. I may make an offer as soon as tomorrow, so I'm asking for your comments concerning preparation fees, dealership games, and generally how to approach this.

I found the following on Keystone's website (the RV is a Keystone product).

Dealer Responsibilities

1. Provide timely service under the terms of the limited one year warranty whether the product was purchased
from them or from another Keystone dealership.

2. Maintain adequate service facilities, preferably staffed with trained and certified technicians equipped to
perform competent, efficient service to your Keystone product in a good and workmanlike manner.

3. Provide a pre-delivery inspection of your Keystone product prior to delivery. This would include instructing
you on the operation of the unit’s systems, components, and Keystone’s Limited One Year Warranty.


4. Register your unit with Keystone RV Company within 10 working days from the date of delivery.

5. Explain the process to obtain local Service and “Out of Town” Service in the event of an Emergency.

6. Remedy all open safety and service advisories prior to retail sale and delivery of the trailer.

25 Replies

  • All that matters is the final price. How you get there and what they call it is irrelevant.
  • I have spoken to several dealers around my area, they all charge a prep/service fee of $750 - $850 on new units. They claim to spend approximately 8 hours or more doing the prep.

    Remember, everything is negotiable!
  • keystones rules don,t say they can,t charge , just what they should do, it really doesn,t matter what there fee,s are, its the bottom line out the door YOU are willing to pay. I don,t pay sticker on most things , even got HH, GREG to lower a price on washer dryer combo.
  • Well what I would do is contact Keystone Sales Manager/Officer and inquire why a keystone dealer is charging customers for a PDI and include the e-mail.
  • Dealer prep fees = Something the dealer can put a name on and charge extra.

    Like when we once asked the mechanic how much to change oil, and he said "twenty bucks" and when we were done, we handed him a twenty and walked away with an oil change.

    NOW, we ask the mechanic's desk-jockey (can't talk to mechanic anymore) and he says "oil change, twenty bucks" ... and when you get the bill, it says "oil change, $20 bucks, oil disposal $2, shop rags, $2 bucks ... so they label the charges that should be included in the Shop Rates of $120 an hour or more and add it to the bill as if we suddenly became idiots overnight.

    Add profit just because it can have a name / label, sorta.

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