No matter what dealer is in question you will always find those who have good and bad experiences. Clearly, Ralph had a bad one. We are the other side of the coin. We have bought two units from them, both long distance (once from MI and once from MA) and had a perfectly acceptable experience both times (including the second which included a site-unseen allowance for our trade). Arrangements were as stated and the process flowed as expected both times.
As far as the service/warranty issue, you will find endless threads debating that issue with, once again, people on both sides of the argument. For us, I knew that I would do the vast majority of the repairs (in fact, In 8+ seasons of ownership the only time I had a trailer in for service was for new tires), so I wasn't too concerned.
Decide what your priorities are, know what you are gaining/sacrificing in each, and make your choice. For us, the $7k we saved on a $35k unit was worth the hassle, for others the savings might be less (either in quantity or relative value).
Good luck!