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]

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

[Lantley]

Keystone wishes they had that kind of clout. The dealer would simply drop the Keystone line and replace it with someone else.
The warranty issue is about paying a fair rate,in a timely manner, without a lot of red tape and approvals.

[laknox]

Mountaineer42 wrote:

Lantley wrote:

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.

The warranty service issue is no myth. Despite your encounters I have been refused warranty service by my local dealer. While some dealers handle warranty service better than others the issue is real. To pretend that all is well with RV warranty service is misleading.
If the RV warranty system worked like the auto industry there would be no discussion. BUT IT DOESN'T! Consequently there are lots of issues and lots of conversation concerning RV warranty service by non selling dealers.
Do a search if you care to. There are lots of post on the matter.
Everyone posting is not delusional as you imply but have actually experienced a denial.

Totally agree, it is no myth. I purchased my latest 5er at a distant dealer. When a couple minor items cropped up requiring some warranty service, I was flat-out refused by 5 "local" dealers. First question at every one was "Did you buy out-of-province?", and when I said "yes" I was told they would not do work on any unit purchased out-of-province. I complained to Keystone and their response was that ALL dealers were supposed to take any unit for warranty BUT they had no control to MAKE them do that. They promised to contact the local dealer to see if they could talk him into handling my problems, and sure enough, a couple days later I got a call from the Service Mgr at a local dealer. Suddenly the issue changed from being that I had bought the unit out-of-province to them being totally overwhelmed with work! He went to great pains to explain it wasn't anything to do with having purchased out-of province (even though that's exactly what I was told originally by his staff) but that it was simply they had too much work to be able to do my repairs. What a load of BS!

Crap. All Keystone has to do is delay delivery of pre-paid units until such time as the dealer sees things the Company way. Pretty simple...if only the mfrs would enforce it.

Lyle

[Mountaineer42]

Lantley wrote:

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.

The warranty service issue is no myth. Despite your encounters I have been refused warranty service by my local dealer. While some dealers handle warranty service better than others the issue is real. To pretend that all is well with RV warranty service is misleading.
If the RV warranty system worked like the auto industry there would be no discussion. BUT IT DOESN'T! Consequently there are lots of issues and lots of conversation concerning RV warranty service by non selling dealers.
Do a search if you care to. There are lots of post on the matter.
Everyone posting is not delusional as you imply but have actually experienced a denial.

Totally agree, it is no myth. I purchased my latest 5er at a distant dealer. When a couple minor items cropped up requiring some warranty service, I was flat-out refused by 5 "local" dealers. First question at every one was "Did you buy out-of-province?", and when I said "yes" I was told they would not do work on any unit purchased out-of-province. I complained to Keystone and their response was that ALL dealers were supposed to take any unit for warranty BUT they had no control to MAKE them do that. They promised to contact the local dealer to see if they could talk him into handling my problems, and sure enough, a couple days later I got a call from the Service Mgr at a local dealer. Suddenly the issue changed from being that I had bought the unit out-of-province to them being totally overwhelmed with work! He went to great pains to explain it wasn't anything to do with having purchased out-of province (even though that's exactly what I was told originally by his staff) but that it was simply they had too much work to be able to do my repairs. What a load of BS!

[Lantley]

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.

The warranty service issue is no myth. Despite your encounters I have been refused warranty service by my local dealer. While some dealers handle warranty service better than others the issue is real. To pretend that all is well with RV warranty service is misleading.
If the RV warranty system worked like the auto industry there would be no discussion. BUT IT DOESN'T! Consequently there are lots of issues and lots of conversation concerning RV warranty service by non selling dealers.
Do a search if you care to. There are lots of post on the matter.
Everyone posting is not delusional as you imply but have actually experienced a denial.

[taken]

laknox wrote:

taken wrote:

laknox wrote:
If you do your own warranty work, can you bill the mfr for labor at standard shop rate? 🙂

Lyle

Actually, with some manufacturers, you absolutely can and I've done just that. Gotten a check within two weeks of submitting my hours.

Really?! Cool! Did they pay scale or "book" rate? What mfr?

Lyle

Forest River. Not sure what scale or book was on the rate, but it was certainly fair...

[Dman1]

2100 km away to save between $15K and $20K, with the dealer supposedly offering Nationwide Warranty Service at a dealer 20km from my house. Yup!

[laknox]

dupe

[laknox]

taken wrote:

laknox wrote:
If you do your own warranty work, can you bill the mfr for labor at standard shop rate? 🙂

Lyle

Actually, with some manufacturers, you absolutely can and I've done just that. Gotten a check within two weeks of submitting my hours.

Really?! Cool! Did they pay scale or "book" rate? What mfr?

Lyle

[taken]

laknox wrote:
If you do your own warranty work, can you bill the mfr for labor at standard shop rate? 🙂

Lyle

Actually, with some manufacturers, you absolutely can and I've done just that. Gotten a check within two weeks of submitting my hours.

[taken]

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.

[C-Bears]

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.

[jalichty]

Sometimes the service from the selling dealer isn't too good either. We had to take our FW back to the selling dealer a couple of times for a warranty issue and then took it back for some just plain work and the trailer was there for about three weeks. Now, we made an appointment so they could work on it when we got it there, but no luck. I have had better luck getting work done timely at a non-selling dealer about 25 miles away rather than the 150 miles at the selling dealer.

[laknox]

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.

That's the problem. Yeah, they'll service you, but on =their= time, not yours. Would you put up with it at the Ford dealer if/when your F350 needs service? I seriously don't think so. How would you feel if it took a week for an oil change? That's about par for many, if not most, dealers doing service on rigs they haven't sold.

Lyle

[taken]

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.