prep or orientation fees

I love the $250 document fees at an RV dealer or an auto dealer. Get the software,buy the paper, punch in a few numbers and print it out. Sure, that's worth $250. Oh, but it can be negotiated down. I retired from an industrial laundry company and bought a car from one of my customers and got the full range of addons from the salesperson that didn't know me. First was the cash back if I financed thru them for 90 days,No, i have a check now. Then was beating me over the head about needing an after market warranty, 48 months and 50K miles. Oh and the new car warranty was three years and 50K miles, No. then came the $500 appearance package, clearcoat,scotch guard, but called something else, nitrogen in the tires and something else.NO. I was supposed to take delivery in a couple of days as the car wasn't on the lot yet. The one I was getting was like one they had ,but was sold. The next day as I was delivering to them, I asked the detail shop mgr about the appearance package and he asked if I wanted it and I said yes, but not for $500, so he said he'd take care of me for the three hours labor for one of his guys to do it. the whole thing actually cost me a couple of six paks and $50 for the detail kid.
Add ons are a racket.Charging for a PDI is a racket. Chrging for orientation is a Racket.

I agree with the "out the door" folks. I don't care how they divide their numbers, just what my cost is when writing the check.

Never!

Just like "Document Fees" from auto dealers. That is a cost of doing business. If my secretary prepares the documents, I'll pay for it. If his secretary (no matter what the job title) does it, he pays for it.

Prep and orientation fees are a rip off. I found at a recent RV show that some dealers would give a lower price and then tag on the extra costs. The "out the door price" is a great way to aproach the dealer, but if I found one that was trying to bump up the cost, I would walk away.

There are some good dealers out there that are honest from the git-go. My $.02

when I bought my current TT and traded in 10 yr old smaller TT, I negotiated based on "out the door" price... I really didn't care how he reported it on paper.. just how much money I needed to give him (and ask the bank for).. bank officer actually commented that sales price and amount of money I was asking for was significantly lower than NADA value.

Good info. Thanks.

Dealers will get away with anything they can. "Let the buyer beware". I would ask up from what the price is to drive it off the lot and then decide if I want the RV at that price. If they added on a fee after negotiations were over then I would tell them to take them off. If you offer that ultimatum then you must be ready to walk.

wanderingbob wrote:
You ask for an " out the door " price ! Any add ons will be visible , negotiate them , pay only whats is on " the out the door " price ! If you have a trade in ask for the Trade Difference price . You should not care what they allow for your trade as they inflate trade value and sales price to make it look good to finance company !It is the trade difference that is important .

GOOD ANSWER.
OUT THE DOOR PRICE NO ADD ONS> MAKE SURE THAT IS ON CONTRACT

You ask for an " out the door " price ! Any add ons will be visible , negotiate them , pay only whats is on " the out the door " price ! If you have a trade in ask for the Trade Difference price . You should not care what they allow for your trade as they inflate trade value and sales price to make it look good to finance company !It is the trade difference that is important .

It isn't unusual for an RV dealer to charge a PDI (pre-delivery inspection) fee. The PDI on an RV is what an auto dealer calls prep. Many people confuse the PDI with the walk thru/orientation. A service tech does the PDI, often a sales person does the walk thru.

The extras would be things like paint or fabric protection and extended warranties.