Purchasing from a distant dealer

[Hedgehog]

We have a dealership that is 45 minutes from our house that we were looking at purchasing a brand new ordered fifthwheel from. This would be my third rig from this dealership. Well, today we went to a dealership 2 and a half hours away that had the same fifthwheel we are looking to order. I just wanted to see it before I ordered it from the local dealer. Well, the dealer that has a 2015 model of the unit I want to order gave me a price of $4800 cheaper than the ordered 2016 locally. So to be fair, I asked for a quote on a identical ordered unit from them. It came in $3300 cheaper. the local dealer keeps blaming the thorough service and a lifetime warranty on all there units for there higher price. After warranty, I do my own repairs for the most part. Would you buy local or save $$ and buy further away?

[taken]

Lantley wrote:

taken wrote:

Lantley wrote:

taken wrote:
PS: it wasn't foolish. Just can afford it and love new things. Also four different brands and four different dealers so no one bending over backward over anything... It's tough when your theories don't wash eh?

I think we have different definitions of foolish.

Well then, to me, your definition of foolish is foolish if you think being able to afford new vehicles is foolish. I guess what I would consider foolish is not making the right life decisions to put yourself in a position to be my kind of foolish... :W

Yes it is certainly possible to have more money than good sense.

Or no money and no sense as it is in your case.

[Lantley]

taken wrote:

Lantley wrote:

taken wrote:
PS: it wasn't foolish. Just can afford it and love new things. Also four different brands and four different dealers so no one bending over backward over anything... It's tough when your theories don't wash eh?

I think we have different definitions of foolish.

Well then, to me, your definition of foolish is foolish if you think being able to afford new vehicles is foolish. I guess what I would consider foolish is not making the right life decisions to put yourself in a position to be my kind of foolish... :W

Yes it is certainly possible to have more money than good sense.

[taken]

Splashers3 wrote:
Obviously Taken doesn't care about depreciation.....I will agree about the thrill with buying new.

You're right, I don't. Life is short, this isn't practice, and we only go this way once. I refuse to be the wealthiest guy in the graveyard. I buy as low as possible to mitigate depreciation and have had luck selling to those who don't know you get over 35% off new when you travel to buy. Sure it costs some bucks but so does going on a cruise or whatever else people throw their money away on. I know plenty of people who spend 5k on a family cruise and have nothing to show for it after 10 days. I prefer to do it on a new RV, truck, TV, etc. Pick your poison. Last rig was a 2013. We towed it 10k miles over a couple of years, had a great time with it, paid 47, and got 40 for it. I think I got my 7 grands worth.

None of this helps the OP though. Hey, we all have different experiences with local dealers servicing out of area trailers. I would say the majority don't have a problem and it stinks for those who have. It's a risk you take. Just like an extended warranty. Everything in life is weighing the odds and hoping you're not the one. I have done pretty well not worrying about it. It it bites me eventually, I'm so far ahead of the game that I could pay for anything that needs fixed and have plenty left over.

[Splashers3]

Obviously Taken doesn't care about depreciation.....I will agree about the thrill with buying new.

[taken]

Lantley wrote:

taken wrote:
PS: it wasn't foolish. Just can afford it and love new things. Also four different brands and four different dealers so no one bending over backward over anything... It's tough when your theories don't wash eh?

I think we have different definitions of foolish.

Well then, to me, your definition of foolish is foolish if you think being able to afford new vehicles is foolish. I guess what I would consider foolish is not making the right life decisions to put yourself in a position to be my kind of foolish... :W

[taken]

Splashers3 wrote:
You might be able to afford it, Taken, but it might also say you haven't found a rig that you like....and, you haven't really owned one long enough to have any warrantee work done...you just trade for a new one...have you gone through as many TVs as well?

Why don't you just buy a New Horizon, and be done with it.

I owned them all over a year and they all had a one year warranty. I don't want to EVER be done with it. New things and change keep you alive. It's also fun and exciting. Also, I never said I haven't found a rig I like. I just like to play with something and then move on. I loved every one I bought when I bought them. The only thing I'm married to is my wife. Everything else has a price.

Oh, and love me some new TV technology. When there is something worthwhile with a new panel, you bet I upgrade and craigslist the old one!

[Lantley]

taken wrote:
PS: it wasn't foolish. Just can afford it and love new things. Also four different brands and four different dealers so no one bending over backward over anything... It's tough when your theories don't wash eh?

I think we have different definitions of foolish.

[Splashers3]

You might be able to afford it, Taken, but it might also say you haven't found a rig that you like....and, you haven't really owned one long enough to have any warrantee work done...you just trade for a new one...have you gone through as many TVs as well?

Why don't you just buy a New Horizon, and be done with it.

[Stefan]

First off, I call BS on the 'lifetime warranty' simply not true. not going into detail, but it is bogus. For the 1 ( or 2 ) yr factory warranty, I say go with price, plain and simple.

[gmw_photos]

I consider any dealer within 1000 miles to be "local" :B
I saved well over $3000 after expenses buying from a dealer over 600 miles away. The dealer just 40 miles away would not budge on price. For a savings of over $3K, I figured if I had to, I could pay a local, well respected independent RV repair shop to repair something if I had to, and still have money in my pocket. As it turned out, the repairs that might have been warranty were all just minor things I fixed myself here at home.

[taken]

PS: it wasn't foolish. Just can afford it and love new things. Also four different brands and four different dealers so no one bending over backward over anything... It's tough when your theories don't wash eh?

[Lantley]

taken wrote:

Lantley wrote:

taken wrote:
One experience doesn't a trend make! Because YOU got turned away doesn't make it an epidemic! Wow, you live in a small world to think that because something happens to you or a few noisy internet posters, that it must be that way for everyone. You ever think about how the vast majority of people who have no issue, just don't say anything? They are too busy happily camping. Bad news travels fast and lives forever on the net. Same thing happens when a couple people out of a hundred thousand have a certain issue with a new truck. They post about it on the forums and new members think it's an epidemic when in fact it does happen but is as rare as hens teeth. So, bottom line is the minimal amount of posters are not delusional and I never said they were. There are just minimal and I certainly wouldn't spend 9k more on my RV based on their limited experience. Don't do anything scientific and consider the ratio of this happening though. Just go by your personal experience and that of a very few posters who are on RV forums who had the same. We know that EVERYONE is on the forums and they all post what happens while under warranty. It's black and white for sure. Plus it's on the internet so it must be true... :R

Your right it's not an issue. We have just imagined are denials or have been duped by other delusional internet posters :h

I guess we are having trouble reading. If only typing real slow had the same effect as talking real slow maybe you'd understand. :S Let's try it once again. I'll USE capital letters to help you along. I NEVER SAID THAT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. I SAID IT'S NOT A RAMPANT EPIDEMIC AS SOME WOULD MAKE IT OUT TO BE. A few posters does not an epidemic make. I realize though that you're the most important person in the world and if it happened to you it MUST happen to everyone. How could it possibly be an exception and not the rule? That couldn't be it? :R Come along with me now... if it happened to the majority of people, then the industry would change it's policy as it would seriously effect sales.

Who said it was a rampant epidemic? We are simply stating it is a real issue not a myth. Furthermore others including myself have chimed in that they personally experienced the denial that you are referring to as a myth.
If you read the small print on many RV brochures the RV manufacturers encourage consumers to buy local vs. buying far away. I believe this statement is an effort to avoid warranty denials by non selling dealers.
Nevertheless many travel to get a better deal and dealers continue to avoid doing warranty work on units they did not sell.

[C-Bears]

taken wrote:

C-Bears wrote:

taken wrote:
It's pretty much a myth that you can never get local service when buying far out. Not that it hasn't ever happened but it's rare. Most dealers will put you at the end of their service list after their buying customers but will take you in. We have bought our last two at a distance and never had any trouble getting service local. Just because people post this type of thing on the forums doesn't make it 100% true.

It might be a myth where you are at, not where I have been. When your brand dealer is 1/2 mile away and your furnace is not working (under warranty) and the first thing they ask "did you buy that fiver here?". When you say no and they tell you they can't get you in until spring, then you start understanding how the RV world really works!

It is nothing like the auto industry. Plus the manufacturers have no control over the dealers that sell their products. Most RV manufacturers are just thrilled that a dealer is willing to sell their brand of RV.

I've bought 4 new RV's in the past 6 years so I'm fairly certain I "know how the RV world really works..." LOLOL. There has been ZERO problems getting any of them repaired when bought local or distantly. Stop spreading myths based on blanket statements that DO NOT apply to every dealer or even most dealers. I'm fully aware of the differences between the auto industry and the RV industry. However to spread this fear mongering only helps local dealers increase their margins by scaring customers into buying from them. The boat world is the same way. Never had a problem there either.

I expressed my experience dealing with Keystone RV and some of their dealers. It is not a myth if it has happened to you personally now is it?

I am going to venture a guess that if you have been foolish enough to purchase 4 brand new RV's in the past 6 years that most dealers would bend over backwards to service about anything you bring to them. I am sure they are seeing dollar signs for a future-not-so-distant-sale.

[taken]

Lantley wrote:

taken wrote:
One experience doesn't a trend make! Because YOU got turned away doesn't make it an epidemic! Wow, you live in a small world to think that because something happens to you or a few noisy internet posters, that it must be that way for everyone. You ever think about how the vast majority of people who have no issue, just don't say anything? They are too busy happily camping. Bad news travels fast and lives forever on the net. Same thing happens when a couple people out of a hundred thousand have a certain issue with a new truck. They post about it on the forums and new members think it's an epidemic when in fact it does happen but is as rare as hens teeth. So, bottom line is the minimal amount of posters are not delusional and I never said they were. There are just minimal and I certainly wouldn't spend 9k more on my RV based on their limited experience. Don't do anything scientific and consider the ratio of this happening though. Just go by your personal experience and that of a very few posters who are on RV forums who had the same. We know that EVERYONE is on the forums and they all post what happens while under warranty. It's black and white for sure. Plus it's on the internet so it must be true... :R

Your right it's not an issue. We have just imagined are denials or have been duped by other delusional internet posters :h

I guess we are having trouble reading. If only typing real slow had the same effect as talking real slow maybe you'd understand. :S Let's try it once again. I'll USE capital letters to help you along. I NEVER SAID THAT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. I SAID IT'S NOT A RAMPANT EPIDEMIC AS SOME WOULD MAKE IT OUT TO BE. A few posters does not an epidemic make. I realize though that you're the most important person in the world and if it happened to you it MUST happen to everyone. How could it possibly be an exception and not the rule? That couldn't be it? :R Come along with me now... if it happened to the majority of people, then the industry would change it's policy as it would seriously effect sales.

[Lantley]

taken wrote:
One experience doesn't a trend make! Because YOU got turned away doesn't make it an epidemic! Wow, you live in a small world to think that because something happens to you or a few noisy internet posters, that it must be that way for everyone. You ever think about how the vast majority of people who have no issue, just don't say anything? They are too busy happily camping. Bad news travels fast and lives forever on the net. Same thing happens when a couple people out of a hundred thousand have a certain issue with a new truck. They post about it on the forums and new members think it's an epidemic when in fact it does happen but is as rare as hens teeth. So, bottom line is the minimal amount of posters are not delusional and I never said they were. There are just minimal and I certainly wouldn't spend 9k more on my RV based on their limited experience. Don't do anything scientific and consider the ratio of this happening though. Just go by your personal experience and that of a very few posters who are on RV forums who had the same. We know that EVERYONE is on the forums and they all post what happens while under warranty. It's black and white for sure. Plus it's on the internet so it must be true... :R

Your right it's not an issue. We have just imagined are denials or have been duped by other delusional internet posters :h