reThe harder a customer tries to negotiate with us, the less we move.)
Sorry, can't agree with this, the harder I have ever worked for myself the better I have always done be it a car dealer, boat dealer or RV dealer. This guy is a dealer and who side is he on? Just my experience from being around 60 years.
Thanks again to all who have written, I have picked up many good tips and hopefully soon will do a good deal.
mark1228 wrote: The harder a customer tries to negotiate with us, the less we move. Someone mentioned a "pain in the neck" fee and it is true. If you ask for a dealers best price, then expect them to give it to you and if it is not good enough, keep shopping.
Couldn't disagree more. Unless of course the dealers "best price" changes 4 or 5 times during a negotiation. The dealer never ever gives you the lowest bottom line price right up front, even though you've asked for it. My wife and I have become an excellent negotiating team over the years like others have mentioned. We spend hours at a dealer ship negotiating price. We're not rude or overbearing, we're polite but firm. In every single case with no exceptions there comes a time in the negotiation when the dealer comes back and says this is it this is our bottom line price, yet they still manage to find another "bottom line" price one or two more times. If its not within our budget and they let us leave the dealership then we've both played out our hands and its over. A dealership will never let you leave without a sale if there is more bargining room on the price period, UNLESS its a popular item and demand outweighs supply.
2008 Cedar Creek Silverback 30LSA
2007 Chevy Silverado 2500HD D/A
As I mentioned, every dealer is different and I am simply telling you how we deal at our store. Don't expect a dealer to be honest with you if you won't be honest with them. You ask for the best price, you should get it. It is a simple fact at our store that if you ask for our best price, we will give it to you. If that works, great and if not, well we both tried. In my experience, MOST RV buyers don't want to play the used car price negotiation game. If you engage a dealer that way, expect them to treat you the same way. You all remember the Golden Rule right?
mark1228 wrote: As I mentioned, every dealer is different and I am simply telling you how we deal at our store. Don't expect a dealer to be honest with you if you won't be honest with them. You ask for the best price, you should get it. It is a simple fact at our store that if you ask for our best price, we will give it to you. If that works, great and if not, well we both tried. In my experience, MOST RV buyers don't want to play the used car price negotiation game. If you engage a dealer that way, expect them to treat you the same way. You all remember the Golden Rule right?
I have NEVER made a high dollar purchase, boat, RV's (3), motorcycle, lots of trucks, and had them give me their "best price" first. I think Saturn dealerships do that, and carmax, but I have never experienced that. Mark if your dealership does that, great. Also I can't speak for anyone else but for me there is nothing dishonest about good hearty negotiating. And like I said I enjoy the experience. To each his own. I have no problem with anyone who pays the msrp. I just don't.
OK... so this question should tip you off on how my deal is going. Has anyone bought from RVWholesalers and is there any advice you can offer on how to tee up a deal with them??? (I've got an e-mail quote, so I think the next step is to call them and ask for a contract to be fax'd over here)
As posted, I used the RVWholesalers e-mail quote as leverage. I decided to give up a few points of discount to deal with a "local" (125 miles away) dealer who would take my trade. I gave up 2 more points of discount (actually in value on trade, not sales price) on the total deal when the "manager" would not approve the verbal offer I'd agreed to but that was still less than transport and the sales tax savings using a trade.
I was faxed a contract at COB, 6 hours after I gave my verbal OK -- but now I've been waiting for 6 days!! to get an answer to the 12 written questions I e-mailed on the contract the next morning (which are potentially about one MORE point less discount hidden in the contract details). I sent one follow up e-mail, and made three phone calls to get answers... On the last call I got to the manager who told me he had "just seen my questions 5 minutes ago and would call back". 24 hours later I got an e-mail saying I should call back in 24 hours... AM I EXPECTING TOO MUCH HERE?
So anyhow... to be clear about it, I guess I'll send a written withdrawal of my 12 questions, and withdraw the verbal contract OK too... and start over with RVWholesalers -- which is the reason for the question.
Back to the OP... on bargaining - remember it's not over until the unit is delivered and I'm glad I did a complete contract review and asked written questions in advance -- it would not be fun to be working this out the day I expected to take delivery.
I think my emotions kicked in to give up the last points of discount to get a deal done, and I think being jerked around on the contract questions let me revert to a more rational approach.
Dave Lindemulder
Tammy, Mark & Kirsten
04 Dodge 2500 4x4 SLT QC/SB
HO-CTD/48RE - Graphite: Raptor SS nerfs, Prodigy, Reese 16K Kwik-slide, BD X-Monitor, PML Trans pan, PML Diff cover, Firestone Airbags
09 Heartland Cyclone 3210
I have dealt with the public in businss and sales for longer than i care to remember.Sometimes you find the people that want to drain every last drop of blood from you,are also the most difficult and demanding to deal with,alot of times not worth ones effort or the $$ involved.I like a good deal as much as anyone,but also realize that the dealer needs to make a reasonable profit to stay in business and GIVE GOOD SERVICE.
ALBE wrote: I have dealt with the public in businss and sales for longer than i care to remember.Sometimes you find the people that want to drain every last drop of blood from you,are also the most difficult and demanding to deal with,alot of times not worth ones effort or the $$ involved.I like a good deal as much as anyone,but also realize that the dealer needs to make a reasonable profit to stay in business and GIVE GOOD SERVICE.
You're the first person in all of these replies to mention GOOD SERVICE.
Before you wrap up that low price, and think you got the best deal, the quality of dealer service should enter into the equation. I believe that the difference between excellent and poor dealer servie can be worth as much as 10% or more of your purchase price.
And on another subject, related to the tax implications of a trade-in versus selling it on your own, to save the sales tax you can always sell it on you own and then ask your dealer to run it through his books, as though he were taking the trade-in from you at the same time that he sells you your new unit. You can do that if you can get the buyer of your used RV to process the sale for your used unit at the same time as you buy your new unit.
There's no need to "negotiate"!
~
*If* you want the best deal:
1. No trade-in, sell it yourself. (You *will* be money ahead!)
2. No financing - if you need to finance, get your own.
(You *will* be money ahead!)
3. Order it with *exactly* the options you want.
(not a unit off the lot.)
4. Get the best price you can - even if it's from a dealer across the country! Ask local (or closer) dealers to come close enough to that price to get your business. If they can't or won't, enjoy your trip to the dealer with the best price within your "travel zone".
Happy non-negotiating.
JC
On edit: "GOOD SERVICE". Thats great when you are
close to the GOOD SERVICE dealer - but doesn't help when you are
across the country on vacation, three thousand miles away.
So for #5. Get the best factory WARRANTY you can, and learn how to do minor repairs.
A couple of things to remember. . . paying cash is ok and dealers like cash, but dealers make money off of financing. So, if you want to finance, they're good with that. Be up front on your trade. A dealer wants a clean trade that will sell pretty fast. If you drag in a piece of junk on the lot that won't sell, don't expect a lot of excitement.
Alot of the problems with trade-ins is that folks think their camper is worth thousands more than what the current market price will bear. The shopper walking on the lot looking for a used trailer knows what used trailers go for, so does the dealer. But, the guy who is trading in a 2 year old trailer is the only one that doesn't know his trailer has depreciated $6k-$12k or more in value and the guy also doesn't know he overpaid for his camper 2 years ago, so he gets ripped twice.
That is where the problems crop up. Then the dealer has to play with the numbers to make it look like you're getting a lot of credit for it to make you happy. There is a tax advantage to trading. If you can sell the rig straight out, you may be better off.
If you want to know what your trade will sell for on the street, do some reasearch online. You'll be surprised that the rig you paid $29k new two years ago is selling for $15k-$17k two years later. Dealers usually have marked up the camper too with these posted prices. So, on a trade, be prepared for a wake up call on the true value of the camper. This process will help you decide how much you are willing to lose to get into that new camper. When reality sets in, then you can bargain better. It also helps you to determine if you're upside down in what you owe on your trade vs. what its worth.
Good luck!!
Duane & Amanda, a teenager, A golden retriever named Jazz, a crazy pet rabbit named Stew, and now Optimus Prime the hamster.
2008 Cedar Creek Silverback 30LSA
2008 Ford F250 Lariat SC 4x4 PSD 6.4, Timbren SES, Husky 16k Slider
Here's our experience. On the way home from camping last summer we dropped into the next closest Forest River dealer from our home (which is 4 hours from home). They beat the price from the local dealer by well over $4,000. This is after much friendly negotiating with the local dealer. But we knew how much it was worth and told them up front about our 1 yr old mint trade-in. It pays to look around!
Good Luck!
TH, TW, Son & Daughter
2006 Dodge Ram 2500 HD QC 5.9L Turbo Diesel
2009 Forest River Wildcat 29RLBS
The harder a customer tries to negotiate with us, the less we move.)
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