I have been searching for our next RV which for us will be a nice new/newish Class C. The following comments however apply to anyone who wants to pay the rent by selling RV's.Lying to me is always a bad idea. You don't know me or how much I know so cut the BS and stick with the truth.... you will go far. I know for example, that you are not going to sell me that nice C for less than it cost and the V-10 is NOT going to get me 15 mpg. :SKeep in mind I am about to make one of the largest purchases of my life. Maybe getting me to drop $60,000 or more seems trivial to you but it is a big deal to me. If you don't know a Class C from a hot rock for Pete's sake say so and get someone who does. BTW: Leaving me standing in the Tucson sun or our Monsoon rain for ten to 15 minutes, especially when I had an appointment to meet you does nothing for your credibility. It is true that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. :RIf you say you will call me back with more info, pricing whatever... DO IT! Even if it is to tell me that you don't have the info yet at least do me the courtesy of saying so. Maybe it is just me but when your add says "Call for price" guess what? I won't! If you are too embarrassed to post a price, and we both know everything is negotiable, then we will not be doing business. Please try and keep your website current, most buyers todays are relying on it. Listing 15 Class C's when you only have three on the lot is a waste of my time.I know you have a tough job and probably get about as much respect as Rodney Dangerfield but if you are straight with me and offer a quality product at a fair price we will probably do business. :C

What a great dissertation on the vagaries of the RV sales world. This needed to be said and repeated ever so often for those that haven't read your post. I especially hate the "call for price". There is always a hidden gimmick to this statement on an add. Either the dealer knows what he wants or he doesn't have it or sundry reasons for not stating it. This goes for car dealers as well.

Respect is earned, not given or assumed. A salesperson who is respectful to his/ her customers, just may get it in return.

bad day at the rv lot huh? I know.

Wow!!! GREAT post Capt!One thing I do disagree with is: "You don't know me or how much I know so cut the BS and stick with the truth."From reading a lot of posts on here about buying RV's, most go to their bank, pull out 100 grand and say enie, meanie, minie, moe, I like the color of that one; here is your money. :E So these sales men can get away it most of the time and they know it.It's refreshing to see that you don't do that and didn't fall for their line!Again, great post!

Some free advice for the folks who sell RV's for a living...

jrs1871
Explorer
Jul 31, 2013
I am surprised it has not already been mentioned, but if the prospective buyer is a female don't talk down to her. I have walked out on more than one deal when the male salesman tried to give me BS about what this rig would or would not do. I had already done my research, I knew those things. Also just because the DH is along, don't assume he is the primary decision maker. As my husband says, he is just the hired driver; I am the one that knows the technical aspects of the RV.
Desert_Captain
Explorer III
Jul 31, 2013
OP here... well folks we will see what happens tomorrow. Got a call at 5 this afternoon from my RV dealer where I left the TT on consignment on Saturday. He has an offer and if I will eat $500 he thinks it is a done deal. I told him yes but the trailer is sold "AS IS" and any liability to be assumed will not be mine. He knows how clean it is and will be doing the PDI after his own inspection. Now he is not making much money but it has only been on his lot for 3 days, I am not giving up much and free to buy the my dream rig and the buyer is getting one hell of a deal so it sounds like a win, win, win but at this point I am assuming nothing. I was promised a yes or no call by 1000 tomorrow.

I just spent the last hour and half composing my offer to the builder I've been working with and if I get a yes tomorrow morning I will e mail it off. It has been so nice to work with one of the owners instead of a salesman. I think we are very close on this one and my bride and I are very excited... always wanted to see Elkhorn Indiana.... :R
jamarynn1
Explorer
Jul 31, 2013
Another thing. Don't do a "disappearing act" after I buy the rig and need to talk to you about a problem that is your duty to fix. Don't make me leave 10 messages for you over a five-day period before you call me back. Don't promise me you'll do something and then keep *forgetting* to do it. I promise you I *will* remember your disinterest in helping me when it comes time to trade the rig in on another one. Spoken from experience; when it comes time to buy a new rig, we definitely won't be going back to the dealership we bought this one from new.
deleted-2
Explorer
Jul 31, 2013
Chiming in after reading every reply.

We've always gone in knowing we'd get screwed somehow.
At our age I'm pretty sure we can read even the most diabolical pushy salesman.
The DW will just walk out at the first nuance of BS leaving me to apologetically back away.

It is quite an eye opener watching\listening to a salesperson treat two people in their 60's with cash for an RV like knuckleheads.

A well known coast to coast seller did this to us and lost our business for life.
We remember the incident...I'm sure the RV dealer just moved to the next victim.

My apologies, but I feel the OP means nothing to the RV sales business.
Those folks read and hear this kind of thing day in day out.

For every informed buyer there will be hundreds who fall.
bigdogger
Explorer II
Jul 31, 2013
CANAMKID wrote:
Heres our story. Went into the local RV store late on a Sat. afternoon.
Was looking a some 5ers that we wanted to see the floor plans as they were locked. Ok so we go inside to ask to see if they could unlock and
show us a few. 2 sales people behind a counter no one else around.
The gal looked at her watch and then at us and said we are closing in a 1/2hr. so we won't be able to. With that said I looked at her and said
to her. Young lady you just lost a cash sale and walked out the door.:S

Steve & Linda
So they actually didn't lose a cash sale, since you were looking to see what they had in floor plans, not actually there to buy a specific rig. You have no idea if they had something you were actually interested in buying and have no idea if you would have been able to agree on the "cash price" Is there a little more to the story? I seriously doubt they just told you the dealership was closing in half an hour and they wouldn't show you anything. Did you indicate you needed to look at a number or rigs and they were realistic in telling you that it would be impossible to open and view a dozen rigs in 30 minutes. I know this is a foreign concept, but those salespeople have lives to live. When they get off work they have commitments with family and friends. Do you really expect us to believe that you would have made the decision and completed a purchase as large as new RV in 30 minutes? To most sales people, someone arriving 30 minutes prior to closing and wanting to look at floorplans is a sure tipoff they won't be making a purchase any time soon.
CANAMKID
Explorer
Jul 30, 2013
Heres our story. Went into the local RV store late on a Sat. afternoon.
Was looking a some 5ers that we wanted to see the floor plans as they were locked. Ok so we go inside to ask to see if they could unlock and
show us a few. 2 sales people behind a counter no one else around.
The gal looked at her watch and then at us and said we are closing in a 1/2hr. so we won't be able to. With that said I looked at her and said
to her. Young lady you just lost a cash sale and walked out the door.:S

Steve & Linda
msmith1199
Explorer II
Jul 30, 2013
bigdogger wrote:
I have been around the auto industry for 30 plus years, in many capacities. Selling a car or truck pretty well equates with selling an RV. While it sure would be nice if everyone selling a vehicle knew everything about every rig, it is really not possible. While it would be nice if every time a quality sales person made a quality presentation to a prospective buyer, that buyer honored that salesman's professionalism and knowledge, that doesn't happen either. I can't tell you the number of times I have seen a professional salesperson give a quality presentation. Take hours of their time to answer every question, do everything right, negotiate a fair price and have the customer say, "Everything is great, I need to think about it overnight and I'll call you tomorrow" Well tomorrow comes, the salesman follows up and the customer has bought elsewhere, often the same vehicle. When the salesman delves in further, the customer paid the same price, nothing else was different. When they question why they chose to buy where they did, the buyer says "well I just stopped in to check your price and was only there for a couple of minutes, you deal was very fair, but I bought from the other guy because they agreed to match your price and I was tired of shopping."
In the end, what the salesperson learns from these types of deals is selling is really a numbers game, talk to more people, sell more vehicles. So they no longer spend hours with one customer in a day, instead they try to spend 20 minutes with 15 and they make more sales and hence, more money.

While I understand it would be impossible to know everything about every RV on the lot, sales people need to know the basics. Things like when they open a compartment and see some big metal appliance in it, they should be able to tell you what it is. They should know about things like inverters and what you can run on them and that those big white things on the roof are not storage compartments, but air conditioners. And I am exaggerating a little, but I have run into salesman who couldn't answer basic questions about RVs.
Go_Dawgs1
Explorer
Jul 30, 2013
Great post. I had a similar thing happen to us. Our salesperson knew nothing about RV's and I was showing her what to show and look at. I also agree if I have to call on the price I won't. It's not rocket science to figure out what something costs and if you tell me something and lie to me then goodbye.
msmith1199
Explorer II
Jul 30, 2013
linnemj wrote:
I was a sales manager (not RVs) for over 30 years. It used to crack me up when people commented that being in a sales job must be difficult. No, if you just follow the basic advice given by the OP it makes life easy. Good follow up, being truthful and responsible goes a long way.

When I am shopping for a big ticket item, it amazes me when sales people have little product knowledge. If you don't know something, admit it, and find out. While you are waiting for customers, do some reading and learn about what you are selling.

And there is my biggest issue with RV dealers. Why do you have people on the lot selling RV's who have never owned one or camped in one? I ran into that a lot when I was buying. All you have to do is ask them a few questions and it's obvious they are not RVers. And by not being RVers that means they either can't answer most of the questions they are asked, or in the OP's case, likely when asked a question they just make up an answer.

Now I did go to one dealer who I found out required his non-RVer sales people to go out camping in the used RV's they had on the lot. That was at least better than nothing.
Traveler_II
Explorer
Jul 30, 2013
Vulcaneer wrote:
CincyGus wrote:

Honestly, respect, doing as you say you will, and following up with information get you something from me.

And it would be good if customers acted the same way. If we think sales people tell lies, just listen to some of the customer lies, and disrespect, and not doing as they say they will.

Last RV I bought was from a really good sales guy. Had good product knowledge, was honest, worked with us, put a good deal together. The deal went really well.

The dealers service department really suk'd tho'. But that's another story.

Good comment--also the lady that sold us our present fiver did a great job, she listened to our needs and made recommendations on what we wanted. I enjoyed working with her, and lucky for us the service department also did great. Not so much with the RV before, so we just didn't go back to them.