Am I Getting Ready to Buy A Lemon?

[Howlan]

Hey Everyone, Newbie forum member here, getting ready to take delivery of my first RV Friday of this week and just joined to try and get info about the new family experience my family is getting ready to start. Well as I searched some I found an old thread that I think is the RV that I'm planning on buying, which is a used Hurricane 34Y from the Buffalo NY area (I'm in North Carolina and was going to fly up to get unit on Friday). See thread:

Thread about Lemon Hurricane 34Y in Buffalo NY

Being that the unit I'm looking at has 3600 miles I'm betting it is the same unit. The dealer (Colton RV in Buffalo area) told me there were no issues with the unit and it looked brand new. I was wondering why the mileage was so low and asked about that. Dealer said when I go there if I wasn't happy I could walk away from deal, so I put deposit down on unit to hold.

Reading the thread sure is making me get wet feet. Any suggestions or thoughts? I really don't need any headaches....

Thanks,

Howard

[OhhWell]

Executive wrote:

mtrumpet wrote:

I wish that the OP would come back and fill us in on what transpired(?)

Nah!..they post, then meld back into the woodwork...they'll be back when they have another question....:S...:M

He probably didn't take any of the good advice he asked for and went up there. Then he found out that "Walk away from it" didn't mean what he thought it did and the deposit was non-refundable. Then, not wanting to look foolish in front of his family, he proceeded foreword with the deal and feels so sick to his stomach that he cannot even type "rv.net" into the browser window without throwing up.

He could also be very hard at work rationalizing the purchase and reading all of these replies might not help that process which I completely understand.

[wny_pat1]

bycrackey wrote:

true sort of but at 3600 miles I doubt this Rv has ever seen snow,ice and salt
show me where in the US u can drive where there are no rough roads at one point or another
all this being said the dealership and the salesman without doubt should have declared the accident damage to you on this unit no matter how small or big

Just driving it to the two area RV shows(Hamburg Fair Grounds and the Casino in Salamanca) would require driving it in the snow!!! I think they took close to everything on the lot to them. And I think I can safely say that I almost see a motorhome traveling somewhere almost every week, all winter long. And if its winter here, there is almost a guarantee of snow on the ground, and on the road. But right now it is bare and dry with ground up powered road salt. Fourth time this winter that everything has melted, just to be dumped on again!!! Crazy weather.

[Executive45]

mtrumpet wrote:

I wish that the OP would come back and fill us in on what transpired(?)

Nah!..they post, then meld back into the woodwork...they'll be back when they have another question....:S...:M

[mtrumpet]

I certainly hope that the OP didn't buy from them. Many years ago, I went to look at a GB gasser there at Colton RV. Right off the bat, the salesman was a weasel. We took the rig out for a test drive, and it shook so bad going down the road that I could barely keep it in the lane. When I questioned the Salesman about it, he merely said, "What shaking? I don't feel anything." Oh, of course not. I just started laughing aloud in front of him. I knew that I had the stereotypical "used car salesman" that I was dealing with. When we returned to the lot, I went through the rig with him, pointing out all the things that were broken or in need of attention or replacement. He just kept giving me lines out of "the sleezy car salemans' handbook". At that point, I was just having some personal fun at his expense as I had no intention of buying that or any other rig from him/them.

Several years after that when we were looking for a DP, we stopped in there to have a look at some rigs, more so for research of floor plans, amenities and such. The place handn't changed. Same double talk from the salesmen etc.

I wish that the OP would come back and fill us in on what transpired(?)

[wnytaxman]

VinCee wrote:
Living in Western New York I am quite familiar with Colton RV. Almost, I say, Almost, bought a used Georgie Boy RV from them in March 2012. Went to look at and talk over with the salesman Craig three Saturdays in a row. Told him each time before I decide on the rig, I was comparing to a newer Ithasca with triple the mileage, I would need to have my wife there to see which rig she preferred by the amenities and floor plan of each before we even talked difference in dollars. But, I also wanted to get an idea of what I would be looking at finance wise on each rig plus my trade in value for my 2000 Allegro, which they are a flagship dealer for. I did my research and knew the trade value of my Allegro in addition to what I thought the GB and the Ithasca was worth. My conversation with Craig went like give me a ballpark on trade and expected ballpark on each MH so I can prep my wife a little in describing the GB to her, she had seen the Ithasca when we were out window shopping on a Sunday afternoon. The next Saturday DW and I went back to Colton to compare RV's. They sent the Ithasca to their other showroom knowing we were coming in to compare rigs, I had made an appointment with Craig to be polite and have his un-divided attention! DW like GB, mileage 10,000 and 30K lower than Ithasca. Ok Craig, lets talk numbers. Now trade value drops 14K! and "sale" price up 10K from ballpark figures previous Saturday! I questioned Craig on the numbers changing so dramatically. His response, "We never discussed prices or trade in value last week!. I accused him of low balling me, asked for the sales manager to come in, he of course backed up Craig. Dear Wife (and she is) gets up and says "I'm outa here" and walks out without me! I follow her out with Craig now hot on my heels trying his lying best to now save the sale. I just turned in the parking lot, next to the GB and told him I would never do business with Colton RV.

Makes me wonder how they stay in business as long as they have been especially representing such a well regarded line as Tiffin Motor Homes.

Wow, VinCee. That is almost identical to what my experience was with them. I think the only way they stay in business is by catching the uninformed and making so much on a few sales that they don't have to sell many units to make money. Like you, I have no idea why a respected company like Tiffin stays with them.

Oh yes, their service sucks also. I don't want to forget that aspect. We had an Itasca that they worked on and after a charge of over $500 we ended up fixing it ourselves.

[VinCee]

Living in Western New York I am quite familiar with Colton RV. Almost, I say, Almost, bought a used Georgie Boy RV from them in March 2012. Went to look at and talk over with the salesman Craig three Saturdays in a row. Told him each time before I decide on the rig, I was comparing to a newer Ithasca with triple the mileage, I would need to have my wife there to see which rig she preferred by the amenities and floor plan of each before we even talked difference in dollars. But, I also wanted to get an idea of what I would be looking at finance wise on each rig plus my trade in value for my 2000 Allegro, which they are a flagship dealer for. I did my research and knew the trade value of my Allegro in addition to what I thought the GB and the Ithasca was worth. My conversation with Craig went like give me a ballpark on trade and expected ballpark on each MH so I can prep my wife a little in describing the GB to her, she had seen the Ithasca when we were out window shopping on a Sunday afternoon. The next Saturday DW and I went back to Colton to compare RV's. They sent the Ithasca to their other showroom knowing we were coming in to compare rigs, I had made an appointment with Craig to be polite and have his un-divided attention! DW like GB, mileage 10,000 and 30K lower than Ithasca. Ok Craig, lets talk numbers. Now trade value drops 14K! and "sale" price up 10K from ballpark figures previous Saturday! I questioned Craig on the numbers changing so dramatically. His response, "We never discussed prices or trade in value last week!. I accused him of low balling me, asked for the sales manager to come in, he of course backed up Craig. Dear Wife (and she is) gets up and says "I'm outa here" and walks out without me! I follow her out with Craig now hot on my heels trying his lying best to now save the sale. I just turned in the parking lot, next to the GB and told him I would never do business with Colton RV.

Makes me wonder how they stay in business as long as they have been especially representing such a well regarded line as Tiffin Motor Homes.

[J-Rooster]

Anything your promised get it in writing!

[bradschiller]

just remember that Camping world when they advertize states a price of 10 to 20K over their sell price to make there on sale price look good this is what I found out when looking for the same MH at other dealers so start at the sale price and work down 10 from there FYI

[kab449]

The OP is probably still shell-shocked from the written barrage he went through. I know I am after reading it from the beginning.

[wnytaxman]

Executive wrote:
So, almost two weeks later and no response from the OP....that's why I hate these kinds of posts.....maybe the OP purchased it and he's stuck on the side of the road somewhere with no cell or internet access......:S......Dennis

Dennis I have to agree with you. Someone says, "Hey, what do you think about....?" They get some pretty good responses and then they disappear into the night. Kind of goes along with the concept of if you don't want someone's opinion then don't ask for it.

Oh well, let's hope he's not here in WNY today with temps around 10 degrees and a wind chill in the minuses and a constant snowfall. I'm sure that would not make him happy with his decision to be here in January.

Ed

[Executive45]

So, almost two weeks later and no response from the OP....that's why I hate these kinds of posts.....maybe the OP purchased it and he's stuck on the side of the road somewhere with no cell or internet access......:S......Dennis

[wnytaxman]

Neil, we really don't have bad weather. We keep that rumor alive to keep the riff raff out! 🙂

I wonder what the OP finally decided to do. Just curious as to how he made out or didn't make out.

[C-Leigh_Racing]

wnytaxman wrote:

bycrackey wrote:

C-Leigh Racing wrote:
Other than what Dennis just mentioned, let me see,,,Buffalo NY, snow, ice & SALT a good part of the year up there & then the ruff roads on top of that. Dont make any difference in which highways the owners use, that chassis has took a beating even at 3600 miles.

I have racing friends up in that area, his business is out of Buffalo, so would not be much for me to ask him if he could roll by that dealers lot when he had time to check it out.
Neil

true sort of but at 3600 miles I doubt this Rv has ever seen snow,ice and salt
show me where in the US u can drive where there are no rough roads at one point or another
all this being said the dealership and the salesman without doubt should have declared the accident damge to you on this unit no matter how small or big

I know this may be hard for someone in NC to understand but we actually only get snow here in WNY for about four months of the year and you don't see RV's on the road here in late November until late March. Almost every RV owner that I know of has never ever driven their RV in snow or ice. The issues the OP is facing are much greater than the extremely remote possibility of the rig ever being driven in snow or on ice.

Ok, I stand corrected then.
I just remember my trucking days, like a mail man, rain sleet snow or shine, that load better be there on time.
Neil

[wnytaxman]

bycrackey wrote:

C-Leigh Racing wrote:
Other than what Dennis just mentioned, let me see,,,Buffalo NY, snow, ice & SALT a good part of the year up there & then the ruff roads on top of that. Dont make any difference in which highways the owners use, that chassis has took a beating even at 3600 miles.

I have racing friends up in that area, his business is out of Buffalo, so would not be much for me to ask him if he could roll by that dealers lot when he had time to check it out.
Neil

true sort of but at 3600 miles I doubt this Rv has ever seen snow,ice and salt
show me where in the US u can drive where there are no rough roads at one point or another
all this being said the dealership and the salesman without doubt should have declared the accident damge to you on this unit no matter how small or big

I know this may be hard for someone in NC to understand but we actually only get snow here in WNY for about four months of the year and you don't see RV's on the road here in late November until late March. Almost every RV owner that I know of has never ever driven their RV in snow or ice. The issues the OP is facing are much greater than the extremely remote possibility of the rig ever being driven in snow or on ice.