RV show Travel Trailer pricing

APT wrote:


I would find quotes at some of the larger so called wholesale RV dealers in the midwest. Lakeshore, Holman, RV Wholesalers, RV Direct are examples. Then compare what transportation costs for you or delivery is to your local prices.

"So called" is spot on, none of those are wholesale. They are just dealers the same as any other and enjoy being close to Elkhart / Goshen. It can be a good thing for negotiating to have quotes from those so called wholesalers, but it can also bite you in the rump. I've had more than one dealer, when presented with a quote from RVW, tell me fine and to go buy it at that price. The quoted prices from RVW at least are contingent on accepting the financing they push, bring your own either financed or cash, and bust out another grand at a minimum.

In the local markets around those wholesalers the other local dealers are right in line with them price wise. There is a small Rockwood dealer just north of RVW near Toledo that beats RVWs pants off on pricing and service.

Hershey seems to be the exception with its level of mfgr involvement and size, but I have found the "Show Special" to be at least $1000 higher than you can get the same unit for a week later at the dealers lot. Floor space at convention and expo centers is not exactly cheap and the dealers are not paying for it, the buyers are.

I've helped transport units to and from the Pittsburgh show the last 3 years and I would never buy a unit that was at a show. You would not believe what happens to some of those units. Soiled diapers changed on beds and dumped in drawers, and turlets used dry is a common occurence at those shows. Why would one want a unit that had thousands of people trampling through pushing buttons, slamming drawers and cabinet doors etc? We had one we brought back that was utterly destroyed. All the window treatment hardware was ripped out of the walls, soda was spilled everywhere, upholstery was ripped, all sorts of damage. The units that are at the Pittsburgh show in January also all have another thing in common, and that's about a 90% chance they recieved a good salt bath getting there and back.

Another thing to consider. After the winter shows dealers place orders from the shows, and the factories ramp up from Feb to May to fill those orders. Build quality typically drops more from its already low priority status during those months.