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How far have you traveled to buy/pickup your rig?

maxum1989
Explorer II
Explorer II
I have searched and found a fifth wheel that I believe would be perfect for my family. It is quite far from my residence though so I am considering a pretty long road trip to pick it up. How far have you traveled to pick up yours? Maybe it will make me feel better hearing about other road purchases while I consider such a thing.
2008 Chevy 2500hd Duramax/Allison
2006 Wildcat 27 bhwb
2009 Lance 830 *Sold*
2011 Northern Lite 8.5 *Sold*
53 REPLIES 53

FlatBroke
Explorer II
Explorer II
2200 miles from Northern Colo to Indian. Thought I had covered all the bases, looked under neath and it was pretty rusty. Bought it anyway because the rest passed inspection. Spent a couple of days de rusting and painting it.

Hitch Hiker
"08" 29.5 FKTG LS

RustyJC
Explorer
Explorer
rkassl wrote:
My philosophy is to buy as close to home as possible. We all know that there will be issues with the new trailers and that means trips back to the selling dealer, I am not going to drive 200, 400 or 1000 miles, no way. Sure you may take your trailer back to any authorized dealer but believe me if you didn't buy it from them you are way down on the bottom for service. Just my 2 cents.


1. In the 2-1/2 years we've owned our DRV, it has never been back to a dealer or the factory for any repairs.

2. If it did need a repair during the warranty period, I'd call DRV and get authorization to use an independent service facility or mobile RV repair provider. The LAST place I would take it is a typical dealer service facility where it's going to sit for weeks before anyone even bothers to look at it and the quality of the repairs is usually substandard.

Rusty
2014.5 DRV Mobile Suites 38RSSA #6972

2016 Ram 3500 Dually Longhorn Crew Cab Long Bed, 4x4, 385/900 Cummins, Aisin AS69RC, 4.10, 39K+ GCWR, 30K+ trailer tow rating, 14K GVWR

B&W RVK3600

Bionic_Man
Explorer
Explorer
I bought our first 5er 300 miles away. Much better price than buying local.

That said, the trailer was a POS, and I did have trouble getting warranty work done locally. The local dealer took forever to get anything fixed on it. I sold it after two years of non-stop trouble, but still came out ahead because I sold it for more than I bought it for, so it did work out.

The next (and current) trailer was bought local. Not sure if it was just because I was working with a different dealer, or because I bought the unit from them, or a combination of the two, but that purchase and ownership experience was much better.
2012 RAM 3500 Laramie Longhorn DRW CC 4x4 Max Tow, Cummins HO, 60 gallon RDS aux fuel tank, Reese 18k Elite hitch
2003 Dodge Ram 3500 QC SB 4x4 Cummins HO NV5600 with Smarty JR, Jacobs EB (sold)
2002 Gulf Stream Sea Hawk 29FRB with Honda EV6010

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Explorer III
rhagfo wrote:
about 250 miles Portland, OR to Burlington, WA.
We did well.


In my old backyard!
2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

rkassl
Explorer
Explorer
My philosophy is to buy as close to home as possible. We all know that there will be issues with the new trailers and that means trips back to the selling dealer, I am not going to drive 200, 400 or 1000 miles, no way. Sure you may take your trailer back to any authorized dealer but believe me if you didn't buy it from them you are way down on the bottom for service. Just my 2 cents.
2015 Montana 3440RL Legacy Edition
PullRite Super 5th 20K hitch
Morryde Pin Box
Dish Tailgater and King Tailgater Satellite Systems
2016 GMC Sierra Denali 3500 SRW CC full bed

skiles
Explorer
Explorer
We drove a little over 200 to pick ours up. Worth every mile so far.
2009 Outback 268rl
2015 F250 Lariat 6.7 Powerstroke

PhoneDude_8289
Explorer
Explorer
1200 miles one way from Texas to Florida. Toured Florida for ten days then took another ten days camping our way back to Texas. Still have the 5er after three years and still loving it. Had a minor problem with the RV that I took care of myself.
8289WS
Ram 2500 TCD SB 4WD

SCVJeff
Explorer
Explorer
As said in another similar post: 1400 miles. Great deal, great time on the road, and I wouldn't for an instant go local thinking that I'm going to get better or faster warranty service. That's a complete farce
Jeff - WA6EQU
'06 Itasca Meridian 34H, CAT C7/350

rhagfo
Explorer III
Explorer III
about 250 miles Portland, OR to Burlington, WA.
We did well.
Russ & Paula the Beagle Belle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 Aisin DRW 4X4 Long bed.
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS, 32' GVWR 12,360#

"Visit and Enjoy Oregon State Parks"

gwalter
Explorer III
Explorer III
We went 500 miles. We purchased it in the city we have previously lived in and I still have them service it if possible when a problem arises. We still have family in that area so that helps.
2010 Ram 3500 Laramie
2021 Bighorn 3120 RK
B & W Companion Hitch
Air Bags





restlesswind
Explorer
Explorer
1800 + miles Sacramento CA. To near Hope Arkansas. Found the exact trailer we wanted on the internet, made deal over the phone, flew to Ark did a complete PDI
paid the bill, flew back to CA and had the trailer delivered. After the trip and delivery, it was still well worth the $$. And ended up with the exact unit we had decided on after nearly 2 years of looking and shopping in CA.
'04 33.5 CKQG Hitchhiker Discover America
04.5 Dodge 3500 CTD SRW
Pac Brake,Max Brake
Fulltimers since '06

Peg_Leg
Explorer
Explorer
600 mi, bought the HHII on ebay sight unseen. Did have the BIL go look it over. He's a licensed home inspector with RV experience. Great price, a few problems very minor cost and I did the repairs. Great way to get to know the rig. Very Happy but definitely not the way for most.
2012 Chevy 3500HD Dually 4X4
Crew Cab long bed 6.0 gasser 4.10
2019 Open Range OF337RLS
Yamaha EF3000iSE
retired gadgetman

B_O__Plenty
Explorer II
Explorer II
ScottG wrote:
RustyJC wrote:
ScottG wrote:
But I would not travel very far to buy a RV because the non-selling dealers can be difficult to deal with when it come to warranty repairs.


If I have a problem, chances are I won't be anywhere near my "selling dealer". DRV has no problem authorizing repairs at an independent repair facility or using a mobile RV repair service (not that I've needed either of them) whose service is superior to many (if not most) dealers who treat a service department as a necessary evil.

Rusty


That's fine but I have read far too many posts here about people who bought elsewhere and are having huge problems getting some local dealer to take care of them.
Dealers will tell you outright that they will work on their own sold units before the rigs that people bring in from elsewhere
And if you buy from that local dealer that may be fair.
Bought locally and got terrible service. Never again. For the money you can save you can hire a mobile RV service and still come out ahead. Buying locally is no promise they will service it properly. Talk is cheap...

B.O.
Former Ram/Cummins owner
2015 Silverado 3500 D/A DRW
Yup I'm a fanboy!
2016 Cedar Creek 36CKTS

Alabama_Jim
Explorer
Explorer
Traveled from Prattville, Al. to Lagrange, In. 722 miles

BigD629
Explorer
Explorer
900 miles. From Okc to Chicago. Flew in and Drove it home. Was a great Class C to start with. Had it for a couple years. Bought our Class A DP in Texas, a little closer to home but still 600 miles round trip. If the deal is worth the trip, Go for it!
2005 Foretravel U270,36', 400HP Cummins ISL
2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2016 Polaris Turbo