Need help buying/negotiating travel trailer from dealer

The 70% figure is still very elusive. I've seen many widely varying MSRPs for the exact same trailer when looking at inventory on line at different dealers.

To be perfectly honest, there is no real MSRP for trailers like one finds on cars. The ones on cars are standardized by the Feds. The ones for trailers are what ever the dealer wants to create.

fla-gypsy wrote:
There is a huge mark up in the RV industry. Without any specifics the general rule of thumb is pay 70% of MSRP plus TTT. If you can provide more detail it would help.

rwbana wrote:

I'm not willing to drive across the country to save $2000 but I may do it to save $3000.

Then there's the whole buying local in case of servicing, etc. which makes it very convenient to buy local.

That was about what my attitude was when we where shopping for our TT.
I got a quote from a wholesaler in Indiana on the exact same model unit we wanted from our local dealer.
Local dealers price was nearly exactly 3K higher comparing both out-the-door prices. I told my sales guy that including the hitch / brake controller and buying local was worth something, so give me another 1K in the form of parts and accessories and we had a deal. The sales guy asked why and I explained that we where new campers that needed everything to go with the TT. Lawn chairs, patio mat, leveling blocks, etc. I knew full well that 1k retail price would really only cost them $700 or so, but it would also be nice to drive away from the dealer truly ready use the TT. He did the "I have to ask my boss" thing, but came back 5 minutes later stating that we would be credited the 1K in their parts store and the deal was good to go.

Re fuel prices....I did not consider the diesel + all the extras to do business, so apologize for the incomplete answer.

Re having a trailer delivered or even meeting half way....if it is at all feasible, strongly suggest that you turn it into a mini-vacation and pick it up at the dealer. While waiting for our salesman, we had occasion to chat with a driver just returning from a delivery and getting ready to head out again. He told us a story, with many more exactly the same, about delivering a trailer part way and meet the purchaser. The meeting point was somewhere in the middle of nowhere. When the purchaser arrived he had a zillion questions, had arrived with NO hitch of any sort, had no clue what was what. The driver explained that he did not have any of that information and also there was no hitch included in the deal. The purchaser was less than happy, they were miles away from anywhere that would have been able provide a hitch. He explained several times that his job was to deliver only and did not have details on how things worked. Purchaser obviously did not do his part, salesman may or may not have done his part. Can't imagine him missing a chance to sell a WDH! The purchaser, in his frustration, said something like "what am I supposed to do with this trailer now???" All the driver could do was suggest he contact a local dealer and try to work something out. When he left, the purchaser and the trailer were still sitting in the middle of nowhere. Lesson learned....pick up at your dealer and get a thorough PDI and all questions answered. And don't forget to ask about a hitch.

Car, boat or TT my approach is always the same, when I find one I am interested in, I tell the salesman. “The price you quote is the number I write on the check; and I only bring one check!”

I make it abundantly clear that the price we agree on includes everything, taxes, prep, fees, lunch money for his kids or whatever. I write it down, I leave with the product.

It may not reduce the price but it does eliminate a lot of hidden last minute costs.

Take your time, do not be afraid to walk away from any deal. Think about it over night. Buying a high ticket item is not a race.


Do not obsess over whether you got the absolutely, cannot beat it, best deal. What is important is you got what you want at the price you want.

There are a lot of after sales cost. Insurance, license plates, roadside assistance etc. check these costs out before you buy.

Good Luck

rwbana wrote:
Wow, thanks for all of the really good advice I can't believe how friendly and helpful everyone has been.

Here is a excerpt from an email I got from the sales person Mike who is been very friendly




The list price is $26,941 less the discount of $6,946. Our price is $17,995 plus tax, Lic., and fees. The price I give you has no hidden fees or other undisclosed costs. Hitch work and brake controller would normally run $1,344 but we have discounted it to $998 including all installations.

Your Out the Door price with all the above will be $20,844.91.



He said also included in the price is a Prodigy 2 brake controller and an equalizer 10,000 pound Equalizer sway bar.

The MSRP price of $26,941 also includes a dealer prep charge of $789 and a freight delivery charge of $3888

For a freight shipping charge of nearly $4000 am I better off just driving halfway across the country and picking it up myself?

I also heard that these dealer prep fees are also junk fees which they have embedded into the MSRP.

If it was me I would accept that price as the OUT THE DOOR price Tax and License included. Counter offer that and see what they say...my bet is they accept. I would also make them include any so called "dealer" fees or Transport costs in that.

One more thing my wife seem to play tough husband card and get way better deal then me everytime . Now days I let her deal. When she is not comfortable she just throws my husband will not agree and do the walk away routine. I have to honest when we thought new RV I just let her do the deal. She did awesome and nearly 2k for the trade in .

Again... thanks for all the responses...seems like we have some experts in the hauling arena, which is a bonus I was not anticipating in this thread.

For more background info, we have decided on the Jay Feather 23MB which my dealer said MSRP is $26,941 and that in that MSRP is embedded freight of $3,888

Interestingly, I found the same trailer in Coldwater, MI with an MSRP of $23,250 and a freight of $380 bucks!

If I can get my local dealer here in Temecula, CA (1 hr. north of San Diego), to work with me on the seemingly excessive freight charges, then that would be nice.

I guess if I'm paying 70% of MSRP, then I'm not paying the full $3888 freight, I"m paying more like$2721 (70% of $3888)

I'm not willing to drive across the country to save $2000 but I may do it to save $3000.

Then there's the whole buying local in case of servicing, etc. which makes it very convenient to buy local.

It sounds like the dealer already has this at 70% of MSRP but it would be nice to get the Equilizer and the Prodigy 2 thrown into the deal.

Doc fees are just a profit enhancer with most dealerships. Hopefully you live in a state where doc fees are regulated. In TN doc fees are not regulated and the dealership's greed cost them a sale. The dealership can ask what they want for their product and add on all the fees they want but they can not make me purchase from them.
Randy

bfast54 - you spoil sport - you mean it costs money and a person's time to run a vehicle 6000 miles? :)

I have no idea what price range you are interested in but we just recently purchased a 15' that has a MSRP of $15600. The dealers here in the SE were advertising it at $12500+ and quoting it at $11900. By the time they added on T&L and, something I refuse to pay, doc fees of $400-$500 the OTD was around $13500. Since we travel up to ND and MN every year I checked with a ND dealer and got the trailer OTD for $10.900 and I will pay the 7% sales tax and $30.00 for registration when we get home for a total of $11700. Your ability to shop and travel with out additional cost has a lot to do with what you pay. If we were just traveling to ND to buy a trailer it is not cost effective but since the Moms are in their 90's the annual trip is mandatory. So we are killing two birds with one stone.
Randy