Rip off prices from RV Dealers

[Spade_Cooley]

We took a trip along with our neighbors in our travel trailers to the Alabama Gulf Coast last week. While there both of us had issues with our travel trailer toilets due to improper winterizing. Next year we will both due a better job and use the pink stuff throughout the entire system rather than simply blowing it out. We needed to replace our toilet mechanism and found a useful You Tube that showed us how to do it.

We both purchased the new valve system from a reputable dealership in the area for $56 with tax and installed it ourselves. When I get home I see the same valve is for sale on Amazon for $9.99 with free shipping. I know these dealers need to make a profit to maintain their store but this much of a mark up is outrageous.

[bob_nestor]

Spade Cooley wrote:
We both purchased the new valve system from a reputable dealership in the area for $56 with tax and installed it ourselves. When I get home I see the same valve is for sale on Amazon for $9.99 with free shipping. I know these dealers need to make a profit to maintain their store but this much of a mark up is outrageous.

You could have continued your camping trip without a working toilet and fixed it when you got home. But that probably wasn't considered an acceptable option, so you paid for the convenience and availability of the part when you needed it. And yes, similar if not identical parts may be available on Amazon or eBay at much lower prices with "free" shipping, but you have to be careful because many of them ship directly from factories in China and can take weeks before they arrive. One way or another there are costs involved - time, money, convenience, etc.

[ford_truck_guy]

schlep1967 wrote:

NamMedevac 70 wrote:
never buy an RV at an RV show. Experience counts. See you at the rodeo

When we were shopping for our first travel trailer we almost fell for the "show special" price of $23,000. We held off and made some calls to other dealers over the next few weeks. Bought the same unit better equipped for $14,600.
That show price is SPECIAL for one side of the deal.

IT ALL depends on what type of show.... IF it is a manufacturer show, you COULD get a good deal.. IF it is a dealer show, no deal...

The Manufacturer will have reps there to make the final decisions on costing...

[Tyler0215]

A toilet valve is something you only buy if you need it now. Proably a higher markup on an item like that, than on an item that may be an impulse buy.
The price seems high, but what are you gonna do?

[RetiredRealtorR]

To all that belly-ache about markups, all I can say is "if you only knew".....

Just as an example, I was in the jewelry business for a number of years. Markups then, as they are now, reached 1000% on many items (that's 10x if you're fuzzy on the math), especially diamonds.

Do a little research, and you'll find that markups in many industries make those RV parts markups pale in comparison.

[BurbMan]

You can buy a $0.05 nut from the hardware store, put it in a bag that says "Marine and RV" and charge $5.00 for it. I paid $100 for a propane alarm at a CG store once because our would not stop sounding off and I didn't want the whole family sleeping in a TT with no propane alarm. You want it right here, right now, you're going to pay a premium.

Personally, I would be thankful that you were able to find a flush valve AT ALL, so that you could fix the toilet and enjoy your trip, rather than complaining that it cost 5x what they get on Aamzon.

[bcbouy]

before my wife retired,her company used to puchase products from Atlas,who supplies the rv industry with parts.the markup is a minimum of 100% between the wholesale/retail according to the pricing catalogue.now i have to hold my tounge every time i need to step into a dealers parts dept.because i know for a fact how much i'm being gouged.

[jdc1]

LOL. When my wife owned a knit shop, their mark-ups ranged from 300% to 1,000%. The customers could not buy what they could without having a wholesale license.

[dedmiston]

I only buy from dealers (including our site sponsor) when it's an emergency and I absolutely need the item right this minute.

In those cases though, I pay the premium and thank my lucky stars that the item was in stock that day.

My wife still won't forgive me for the trip where I left the shore power cord at home and we had to pay top dollar for a new one at CW. Yep, it was my fault, but we were happy to have electricity at the site and not have to run our gen in shame at an RV park.

[Lwiddis]

The dealer price was fair if you understood the price and were not compelled to buy…I.e. could have gone elsewhere.

[rk911]

Spade Cooley wrote:
We took a trip along with our neighbors in our travel trailers to the Alabama Gulf Coast last week. While there both of us had issues with our travel trailer toilets due to improper winterizing. Next year we will both due a better job and use the pink stuff throughout the entire system rather than simply blowing it out. We needed to replace our toilet mechanism and found a useful You Tube that showed us how to do it.

We both purchased the new valve system from a reputable dealership in the area for $56 with tax and installed it ourselves. When I get home I see the same valve is for sale on Amazon for $9.99 with free shipping. I know these dealers need to make a profit to maintain their store but this much of a mark up is outrageous.

are you sure the parts were identical?

[schlep1967]

NamMedevac 70 wrote:
never buy an RV at an RV show. Experience counts. See you at the rodeo

When we were shopping for our first travel trailer we almost fell for the "show special" price of $23,000. We held off and made some calls to other dealers over the next few weeks. Bought the same unit better equipped for $14,600.
That show price is SPECIAL for one side of the deal.

[midnightsadie]

this will be most likely the first time I ever stuck up for a rv dealer I,m disabled some now or I,d have changed it myself. took rv in, leak at hot water tank. told them put new tank in. call the next rv is done went to pay bill.$ 65. bucks,told guy it was to get a new tank. said the nipple was cracked tank not needed.

[willald]

I'd be very curious to know the specifics of how you blew out the lines for your RV, as this is first time I've heard of it not being enough and causing freezing issues.

Did you make sure and open the valve for the toilet long enough so that almost no water was coming out (all air)? Did you open the low point drains? Did you do the same for all other spigots, etc? Did you pump some pink stuff through the water pump to protect it, if you use it? Did you put pink stuff in all the drains to protect the traps?

I personally have been using the blow out method for over 20 years, and in 4 different RVs. Never once had a problem. Also know of several guys that do contract maintenance for RVs on permanent sites out in the mountains where it gets really cold. Every one of them uses the blow out method and have never had a problem.

As far as the prices dealers charge: Yes, the markup there can be ridiculous. Like others, we try to avoid buying from them as much as possible, as their prices can usually be beat significantly if you don't need right away and can order such.

[NamMedevac_70]

I love it when bad things happen to RV dealers and most truck dealers with only a few truck dealer exceptions.

I recently attended a large new RV Dealer, Boat and Off-road show in Reno with low visitor turn out even on a weekend. A dealer there who bought my gently used still good TT 5 years ago was not happy to see me as he thought he paid me too much and this made me very HAPPY HAPPY for the day. He also kept a phone glued to his ear as potential customers walked by his new units. He also lost a potential sale from me.

Although in the market for small TT I learned years ago in Texas to never buy an RV at an RV show. Experience counts. See you at the rodeo

[Spade_Cooley]

I see nothing wrong in a dealer making a profit and even doubling the price of the item does not seem unfair. Dealers have a lot of overhead and have employees. Its the American way to make a profit. I am not about squeezing every penny or nickel until I circumcize the buffalo and I will pay the retail price at the dealer. I do not like being skinned. From now on I will weigh the cost and time factor before I buy parts at the dealer again.