Do dealers get paid from factory for PDI time?

[swburbguy]

I was out trying to make to make a deal on a 5th wheel and salesmen was trying to include a fee for the PDI. We didn't make the deal price was too high besides the PDI fee.

[bob_nestor]

With the exception of things like filling the water and propane tanks the PDI seems to be nothing more than a final quality control check and inspection. In my mind this is something that should have been done at the factory as part of the manufacturing process, especially if the company is claiming to be ISO9001 compliant. A final PDI at the dealer to make sure nothing fell off or broke in the trip from the factory would seem to be a prudent move on the dealer's part, but also part of their job in making the sale and having a happy customer.

I have yet to figure out why there is a factory PDI charge on LTV RVs when one chooses the option of taking delivery of the unit at the factory.

[fla-gypsy]

I don't get hung up with what they call each line item. That is just a distraction ploy to keep you from looking at the total price which is all that matters. What makes any of you think the dealer has any interest in doing a PDI? They only do them when forced to by a saavy customer who will not turn over any money until they are satisfied.

[wing_zealot]

It doesn't matter to you what fees there are and what they call them. The only thing that matters to you is the bottom line price and what you are getting for that price.

To answer your question, the dealer pays the manufacturer a wholesale price for the unit. After that, the manufacturer only pays for warranty, at a set rate.

Now the dealer has to mark up the price in order to pay the bills, pay the salesman, make a profit, and stay in business. If he makes a decent profit he can do a decent PDI and throw in some extras like propane, etc. If he makes very little to no profit, you can forget getting a PDI and anything thrown in; you'll get ushered out the door PDQ. that's why you have to compare price, and what you are getting for the price.

The RV I bought recently, I shopped RVW in Indiana. I actually paid $900 less when I bought locally for the same RV and that included a PDI fee (the actual PDI was adequate, covered everything, but nothing special). I had two friends that bought at the same dealer, wouldn't pay the PDI fee, and got about zero for a PDI. One was a first time RV owner and is severely lacking in basic knowledge about his RV; he really needed the PDI (and still does), the other not so much.

[Old-Biscuit]

West Beachhouse wrote:
Price does matter, but wait till you provide the dealer with the PDI list you want to ensure is covered when you pick up your new rig and the dealer tells you "I don't think we can make you happy." Interesting, since the PDI list I downloaded was from this site, my fellow forum buds...

West Beachhouse

That PDI list.....it is a guide for YOU when YOU do YOUR PDI

Dealer PDI...hahahahaha
IF they really did one YOUR PDI would have minimum items listed.

[West_Beachhouse]

Price does matter, but wait till you provide the dealer with the PDI list you want to ensure is covered when you pick up your new rig and the dealer tells you "I don't think we can make you happy." Interesting, since the PDI list I downloaded was from this site, my fellow forum buds...

West Beachhouse

[Sandia_Man]

Out the door price is all that matters when buying a vehicle or RV. We have found through our experiences over the many years that the smaller, family-owned dealerships have played less games and are more willing to get to a pricepoint both parties can agree on.

[rjf7g]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
When we bought our 5vr we ordered it and had an agreed upon out the door price.
When 5vr was delivered to dealer-------MY PDI took over 4 hours

Same here with my park trailer...in fact, the dealer delivered and installed it (including bringing his tractor to do a little gravel work) and didn't charge me an extra cent over our agreed upon price.

[spoon059]

I don't care what they charge me or how they write it in. The bottom line price is all I care about. They could give the camper for free and charge me $21K in PDI.

Compare price from one dealer to the next. If one is outrageously higher, find out what the extra charge is and determine if it is worth paying. If not, move on to the next guy. RV dealers are all over the place. If one isn't worth your money, the next one is worth a shot!

[obgraham]

My requirement, whatever the vehicle: "bottom line price, please, no add-ons except sales tax. Get back to me when you have it." They have to know you are serious.

In this case the dealer is just trying to keep his margin as high as he can.

[Walaby]

I was at my local CW. Found a trailer I was mildly interested in. Asked for bottom line. She gave me a price, and then told me that she had to add "half of the cost they paid to ship the trailer to the CW", and "half of the cost for preparing it for me to take ownership (aka PDI)". Before I could even say a word, my wife jumped in and say no way in this earth will I pay for you to prepare the TT for me to take delivery, and I **** sure won't pay part of your "delivery charge" when it is sitting right outside the door. The salesperson then said "well, I have to start somewhere", to which, she replied, "you can start that with the next person who walks in"... Wife got up, and I didn't say a **** word, and we walked right out.

Went to the other dealer we had been talking to. Smaller dealership, got a great deal on a lightly used TT they had just taken in. No hassles, none of the BS. I made an offer, price wise, and they countered, to which I said toss in the WD hitch and the brake controller, and we're good. Done deal. No added BS.

Mike

[phillyg]

I've walked away when buying cars; refuse to pay add-on dealer fees. Haven't had to yet on an RV.

[jfkmk]

Ed_Gee wrote:

swburbguy wrote:
I was out trying to make to make a deal on a 5th wheel and salesmen was trying to include a fee for the PDI. We didn't make the deal price was too high besides the PDI fee.

More idiots in the sales departments! Next they'll want to charge for talking to you by the half-hour like lawyers. Idiots! This stuff is what profit margins in their sales is for!

I would think the idiots are the ones PAYING the fee, not receiving it. 😉

[Y-Guy]

It's all part of negotiating. It's a profit center just like undercoating, sealants and stain proofing the furniture. I had one dealer tell me it was like the Documentation Fees they were required. They tend to get added on at the end when you're excited to get your new keys and go home. $300 here, $150 there and it begins to add up. When I bought my last used car I shook the guys hand on an out the door price, when they tossed in the Documentation Fees I told him that wasn't part of our deal. Wasn't worth losing my sale for $75 and they waived it.

[ScottG]

They tried to charge us $1500 for the PDI. I told then there's not a chance I'm paying that and that they need to show me the bottom line. They quickly abandoned the ploy and gave me a total number.

[gbopp]

swburbguy wrote:
I was out trying to make to make a deal on a 5th wheel and salesmen was trying to include a fee for the PDI. We didn't make the deal price was too high besides the PDI fee.

I think you made a good decision by not dealing with that dealership.
Who was the dealer? Maybe a forum member will have some input.