Commit to Purchase TT- What is expected?

[DTay2014]

We are thinking about driving to OH this weekend, from NC, to purchase a travel trailer.

Question: I'm sure we will be asked for a deposit before arriving and seeing this unit in person. From your experiences, what do you suggest that we commit to before actually inspecting the unit on site?

For example, should we avoid transferring any amount for a deposit before seeing it? Should we commit to purchase via email if the PDI and any fixes are completed to our satisfaction?

[dadmomh]

No criticism intended, but first problem was having it delivered to you, even halfway. The person delivering it is a driver, period. They do not do a PDI, have answers to questions or anything else re the trailer. But too late to remedy that now. IMHO, always, always pick up your trailer at the dealer. A driver at RVW making a pick up told us a story of meeting a man halfway and the man was highly PO'd that he just found out he needed a hitch! They were out in the middle of some desert and no hitch anywhere in sight. Wonder how he planned to get this thing home to begin with???

Easy fix here.....you call David Durnell. He is one of the owners, is very responsive and reachable. Derek should have responded in some way, which you need to mention to David, but your problem will be fixed.

When we picked up our TT we had reservations at Indian Lake SP about 10 minutes away from RVW.....excellent first night stop. We found a very small crack in a piece of exterior trim and that the outside speakers were not working. Called the service/warranty person that afternoon (you couldn't GIVE me their job!). She said to swing by in the morning, they'd get a picture of the crack to send in to FR for replacement and a tech found that the wiring was not connected to the outside speakers. We were in and out in less than 30 minutes. BTW, we drove from West TN both times and came out WAY ahead on money and had all our questions answered, PDI was excellent and we learned a lot re this TT over our HTT, and they installed our new Blue Ox 1000 hitch perfectly - as opposed to this guy who didn't know he needed one. Call David.

[Gtrcampingfamil]

Anyone have problems after the sale with Rv Wholesalers? We met them roughly halfway in GA last week, receiving our travel trailer just before dark. Did not notice dent, which had been painted, in the left front of our trailer. Have emailed our salesman Derek about help or who he could refer us to with no responses. Anyone know who to contact who WILL actually help us?

[Doug33]

I'm not trying to hi-jack this conversation, or say there aren't legitimate reasons to drive several hundred miles to purchase an RV. But in this case I'm trying to understand the need to go from NC to OH.

Was it because there were no dealers in NC that sold the brand you wanted? If that is the case, how will you address service and warranty issues in the future (if you encounter any)?

Is it because the dealer nearest you had the brand and model you wanted, but wouldn't give you the price/conditions you wanted? If so, is there a dealer near you that you can have your TT serviced at?

I live in NJ and have purchased several vehicles in PA. But that was only 20 miles away, and I can have them serviced at any Chevy dealership in my area.

I prefer to buy and service my vehicles/RVs as locally as possible, so I can develop a working relationship with a dealer. This makes for much less worry and stress when I drop off for service, because I know there is a good chance they will meet my expectations. And if they don't, they know they will have to make things right to keep my business.

[campincandice]

I'm ok giving a deposit to hold a large purchase I haven't seen. In 2004 we were looking for a gently used Suburban for towing - we'd find them on line, race to get to that dealer that night only to find they had been sold during the day. After that happened twice, we opted to put a deposit on a credit card over the phone to hold the next one we found. Worked just fine, and we purchased that vehicle.

Whether or not we want to believe it, we all need our dealers to be in a healthy financial position for several reasons. It is a poor business decision to hold something for someone who doesn't show up.

[dadmomh]

Re RVW....we are considerably out of state, but when we bought both our HTT - a special order - and our new TT, we had to put deposits on both. That said, we were completely moving along on the purchase process and had no problem giving them the deposit. Being close-by, it would be easy to just go by, pick your unit from the zillion on the lot and be done. But for online shopping or maybe it's just coming from a distance, they DO require a $1000 NON-refundable deposit. If we'd arrived for our PDI and changed our minds on the original purchase, the deposit would transfer over to whatever unit we chose, but it's theirs. NON-refundable. Trust me on this. Local may be different.

As it happened on our HTT, FR just never got around to manufacturing this special order unit. Not the fault of RVW and they would have refunded our deposit. We were returning our DGSs to their parents and told RVW we'd be there on Saturday morning ready to bring a trailer home, so to please have a game plan to look at whatever fit our requirements. They did. We did. Very good people to deal with. Over 4 months later FR did build our special order unit and did deliver it to RVW. Meanwhile, we felt like the RV Gods were watching over us, because the one we special ordered would not have been nearly as good a choice as the one we ended up buying...23SS.

Can you imagine the number of people who are shopping online, see something they love, tell RVW or whoever that they'll be there bright and early and never call back or show up??? I have no problem with a deposit. If you're a serious buyer and believe you have found THE one, shouldn't be an issue, IMHO.

[carjocky]

Buy law they can not keep your deposit if you decided not to buy anyway so all of this is mute. I purchased from RVwholesalers (all american coach). They are good people and would not try to keep your deposit. I work to minutes from them and they are a great place to do business with. With that being said I am sure that like someone said if you call them and say we are on the way and will be there in 3 1/2 hours they would hold it for you until then. But for the others that saying who is buying in this weather? Everybody that is thinking about it is buying now. This is the busy time for them and motorcycles. You buy those items before spring so you can use them when the weather turns. 30 - 45 days.

[WoodGlue]

Loulou57, there are a lot of us gals on RV.net 🙂

WoodGlue

[loulou57]

DTay2014 wrote:

2. Some of you assume that I am a male. Sigh, I'm not. Let's stick to OP.

I welcome another female here. I am not sure just how few and far we are. I do know there are a a handful of us females here, some travel fulltime, on their own! You are right as it is usually, automatically assumed that everyone is male here, I have written "he" quite often myself.

[avoidcrowds]

Yes, I have also been getting some chuckles reading this thread.

So many have said there are plenty of other units out there. Maybe not! I sold my 2012 TT two months ago. There is still only one other unit in the country just like mine, that has been for sale before, or after.

Maybe the one the (female) OP is looking at is a particular floorplan, in a particular length, by a particular manufacturer, with exactly the options she wants. Maybe it is a one-of-a-kind used unit (or maybe a custom-build that fell-through). My point is, there may not be any other units like it within a 500 mile radius.

Everyone deals differently, and has their reason for the way they deal. She asked for input, and got it. She sees that many feel comfortable with a refundable deposit, and many don't. That's what's great about America - we each can do business the way we want to, and feel comfortable about it.

DTay2014, have a safe trip, and I hope the unit is everything you expected.

[sunofabeach]

i guarantee that most of the people saying that they would never, ever give a refundable deposit would be the first ones on here crying foul that the dealer sold the trailer they were travelling to look at. then it would be the dealers fault.

the only way to please this type of person is to actually lose money on a sale, take the food off the salespersons plate and give it to the buyer. ridiculous.

[DTay2014]

Ah the differing opinions. I suppose that is why I posted... to obtain feedback based on multiple experiences. I find two things humorous (and maybe because I've had several beers by this point):

1. Some of you are bickering over such a simple question
2. Some of you assume that I am a male. Sigh, I'm not. Let's stick to OP.

[doxiluvr]

I would never put a deposit on something I have never seen. I would take the chance that it is still there and if it isn't, there are many more just like it or order one or find one similar. It's not like you are buying a custom made home for pete's sake to live in full-time and build up equity on. If they want your business they may set a time that you need to be there; but I sure wouldn't send them any money and take a chance on not getting it back if you don't like it.

[loulou57]

popeyemth wrote:
Possible,yes. likely....that's different.
Everyone has a different strategy in negotiating,and a big part of what I believe to be smart negotiating is the willingness to walk away.
There will always be another deal,somewhere.
But you sir , are absolutely correct, it's up to the OP how to handle this.
No offence intended.

It is ok to call me miss. I always think you should have an out on any deal. In the OP's case it seems he really wants this unit. I would not want to see him get in a situation that causes stress. Whatever he decides, I hope he gets a happy ending.

[popeyemth]

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