Despite my aversion to the practices of Host industries regarding marketing and pricing of their TCs, I had decided that the floor plan that they offer in the Everest was just too convenient to pass up. Thus I had worked out a deal with Tom's Camperland in Tempe to purchase a special order Host Everest. During the process of specifying the configuration of the TC, I had e-mailed at length with both Allen Greeley at the dealer and Randall Pozzi at Host. Allen and I had come to what I thought was an agreement for me to purchase and I asked him to forward me a contract before I paid a substantial down payment for the special order Everest.Prior to this point I had inquired about the ability to evaluate my trade without seeing it and Allen had indicated that he did not need to see it as long as I was straight forward about it's condition. So I told him about my current 2007 Okanagan in full detail including the fact that the refrigerator did not work any more and all other issues.....that being the case I was pleasantly surprised at what he was willing to offer for it on trade in. SO , that made the decision easy for me and I said write it up and send me the contract and I'll call you with a credit card for the down payment.Then it got weird. Allen contacted me exactly one more time to ask about the non-working refrigerator.......the one I had been completely honest about not working in the TWO prior emails about my trade........after repeating that yes, the refrigerator does not work anymore other than as an icebox, I did not hear from Allen, nor Randall ever again.....this after I had lined up every single thing to purchase this TC.Absolutely the oddest attempted major purchase I have ever experiencedNeedless to say I am upgrading my current Okanagan and waiting until someone else, who actually wants my business, copies the Everest floorplan.

Perhaps when they confirmed that the refrigerator was not working, they still thought the deal was acceptable and were carrying on with the deal. did you ask?bumpy

Cant be good for business, good luck in your search.

Maybe there was a misunderstanding on his part. Give home another call as it sounds like you really want this to happen.

Sell your camper and get a Lance

I don't know who this Allen character is but I bought my Lance from Tom's all the way from Oregon and it was great. Email Brad, brad@tomscamperland.com he was great to work with. Actually everyone was great and I am very happy with my experience. Plus you can't beat there pricing. I found it so refreshing working with someone on a transaction that did everything they said they were going to do when they said they were going to do it. I was probably there for an hour total with install. No up sell.

Tom's Camperland BS with Host assist | Good Sam Community

deltabravo
Nomad
May 15, 2015
hbski wrote:
Last I heard from Allen was April 9th, have not heard from Allen nor Randall again. Was supposed to be picking up my camper this week or next.

After not hearing from them, did you try contacting them again to ask what the status was?
3_tons
Explorer III
May 15, 2015
SugarHillCTD wrote:
As a slight aside to the Host tactics, I have noticed that other RV companies use this "option" technique.

Reading through Trailer Life magazine, I have seen several instances where RV companies will indicate that there are "mandatory options"

WHAT IS THAT???

It is a kind of shell game, because it keeps the base price lower until those mandatory options are added in to the buyer's cost.

You are right about many RV sales people probably couldn't sell enough used cars to keep their jobs.

It's also deceptive because it allows them to publish a supposed non-optioned weight which helps to sell campers...
billtex
Explorer II
May 14, 2015
rider997 wrote:

Honestly, Lance is substantially more upfront about the weight of their campers and options.

Not really...only if a Mfg weighs ea unit as it leaves the factory could the weight be considered accurate.
AMLRV weighs each unit.
Lance does not, many others do not.
rider997
Explorer
May 14, 2015
Bedlam wrote:
run100 wrote:
Arctic Fox used to do the "mandatory option" package, but I'm not sure if they still do. That was a big turn-off to us when we were shopping.

The way Arctic Fox justifies the mandatory option is that when you are comparing other campers, their competition does not make these additional items mandatory. Their thought is to compare fair price or weights they needed a configuration that more closely matched the others.

Our Weekend Warrior toy hauler had many standard features that were optional in other haulers. It made the WW look overly expensive and heavy until you dug into the details and realized the value you were getting with the standard feature set.

I think this why the well appointed campers will more likely have mandatory packages, yet advertise lower prices and weights than are actually available when they ship.

I have an AF and I'm still disgusted that the "wet weight" printed on the camper's sticker is 1,000 lbs under its actual weight. These are substantial numbers we're talking about, not just rounding errors.

Even the option weights listed on Northwood's website are uniformly low. They list a 125lb Onan generator at 75lbs, for instance.

Honestly, Lance is substantially more upfront about the weight of their campers and options.

The GVWR/payload stickers on automobiles are extremely accurate and take into account every "as-built" option on the vehicle. There is no reason, other than a lack of industry support or government regulation, that this should not also be the case for recreational vehicles, especially truck campers, where you don't have a manufacturer supplied chassis to handle the weight.
hbski
Explorer
May 14, 2015
Grit dog wrote:
Does it really matter if they call it an option or not? Cars have mandatory options or options packages as well. However a mfg markets their wares is their business. Either you like what you're getting or don't. If enough people don't then the mfg changes it.
As far as the dealings with the dealer, yes they could have totally flaked on the deal if all the info is correct. Not very often one gets offered as much or more than they expect on a trade unless their expectations are off, to the low side.
Or there's more to the story.
BTW, why not just go to another dealer? Gotta bmore than one place that sells Host campers. Musnt have needed the new camper very bad this year.

BTW not defending dealers here, as a lot of them are crooked, in my limited experience.
Hence the reason I typically buy from private owners. Well that and not paying dealer premiums.

Yes it matters as it is misleading marketing. The camper is not available AT ALL at the weight nor the price that they list as the base unit. And it's not an option in any way it is part of the base unit. There is no such thing as a forced option

Show me where a car has a "forced option" I've never seen it. I've seen where you need to add one thing to add another, but the base vehicle is still without options.
hbski
Explorer
May 14, 2015
deltabravo wrote:
hbski wrote:
The contract did not arrive the next morning, but the question about the refrigerator did....I answered the question and then did not hear back again.

And yep 5k is a hefty deposit.....why I wanted something in writing explaning what my plunking down 5k entailed.

I'd want something on paper too.

Just curious, how long ago was this exchange of emails?

Last I heard from Allen was April 9th, have not heard from Allen nor Randall again. Was supposed to be picking up my camper this week or next.
deltabravo
Nomad
May 14, 2015
hbski wrote:
The contract did not arrive the next morning, but the question about the refrigerator did....I answered the question and then did not hear back again.

And yep 5k is a hefty deposit.....why I wanted something in writing explaning what my plunking down 5k entailed.

I'd want something on paper too.

Just curious, how long ago was this exchange of emails?
Grit_dog
Navigator
May 14, 2015
Does it really matter if they call it an option or not? Cars have mandatory options or options packages as well. However a mfg markets their wares is their business. Either you like what you're getting or don't. If enough people don't then the mfg changes it.
As far as the dealings with the dealer, yes they could have totally flaked on the deal if all the info is correct. Not very often one gets offered as much or more than they expect on a trade unless their expectations are off, to the low side.
Or there's more to the story.
BTW, why not just go to another dealer? Gotta bmore than one place that sells Host campers. Musnt have needed the new camper very bad this year.

BTW not defending dealers here, as a lot of them are crooked, in my limited experience.
Hence the reason I typically buy from private owners. Well that and not paying dealer premiums.
Bedlam
Moderator
May 14, 2015
run100 wrote:
Arctic Fox used to do the "mandatory option" package, but I'm not sure if they still do. That was a big turn-off to us when we were shopping.

The way Arctic Fox justifies the mandatory option is that when you are comparing other campers, their competition does not make these additional items mandatory. Their thought is to compare fair price or weights they needed a configuration that more closely matched the others.

Our Weekend Warrior toy hauler had many standard features that were optional in other haulers. It made the WW look overly expensive and heavy until you dug into the details and realized the value you were getting with the standard feature set.

I think this why the well appointed campers will more likely have mandatory packages, yet advertise lower prices and weights than are actually available when they ship.
bighatnohorse
Explorer II
May 14, 2015
I've met Allen face-to-face at Tom's Camperland multiple times.
He is of good heart.

That said, he is also one sharp cookie. He knows how to sell.
He follows up on request conversations by phone without being a pest.

My feeling is that the nature of this post is one sided and something is being omitted.

Accordingly, and with distaste, I will leave off reading more of this unseemly smear campaign.

More camping, less *****ing please. . .