Travelr wrote: So........where do all of you negotiators think the prices should be? Cost, below costs? Should the dealer make a couple bucks? How about the salesman? I understand that the product is depreciating as it sits there, the flooring costs continue. But just when does the dealer just close the door, give the inventory to the bank and quit?
What would move a dealer to pay you even wholesale book for your rig, then sell the new rig at or below costs? The dealer is better off to keep the new product which he can give back to the bank as opposed to having whatever money he may have invested in your used rig. Oh yea, he can get flooring on your trade in but at a higher interest rate than the new rig. So what's his motivation? Get your beat up thing and see a new fresh rig burning gas? (that's what we use to say in the car business. It isn't a deal until the tail lights cross the curb...or...It's not a deal until it's burning gas.)
I know you are all smarting than this. Many of you have been in business. You know what it takes to run a business, how to make a deal. And if the RV dealer is like the car dealer, there is little or no money to be made in the front end (that's the show room and the selling of the vehicle.) The flooring or holding costs, the salesman, managers, accounting and more. You use to be able to make a few dollars in the F&I department (finance and insurance) (in fact make more money there than you do on the vehicle generally speaking) The money is in the service department and parts department. No, I am not in the car business anymore.....done, finished, and gone...
While i agree with you that the dealerships need to make a dollar and can only go so low, What about the manufacture? Car manufactures give rebates and other deals all the time to bring in buyers, Yet i am not seeing anything from RV manufactures. There has to be some room in these prices to help the industry.
Last week while in Wisconsin we drove by a local RV dealer that we have visited several times in the past years looking at Class "A"s, "C"s and etc. We can close to considering one of their Class "A"s last year but could not reach a reasonable price. In front of their dealership they have a nice display area easily seen from the main road going into town. This year we were shocked to see no Class "A"s on display, only small Class "C"s and one Class "B" with "17 mpg" written(big white lettering) in the window.
Guess that just about says it all in a nutshell, times are tough and thing are going to change for the average RVer.
We like the idea of camping in one's own driveway and watching the Travel Channel. Mix in a little reality TV, fire up the grill and grab a six pack, what more could anyone want??????
Yes, we know there is nothing like the "Backroads of America".
Bob and Sue
WA1RI wrote: Travelr has it right, and LV Thom, you have to realize that the other dealers with the 84 and 87 were no trade numbers, this was all discount. If you put in your trade it is going to be wholesale book or a little less.
If you want to do comparisons, you need apples and apples.
Ever negotiate at a restaurant for a cup of coffee? Their markup is WAY higher than an RV.
I've been in touch with the other dealer and was quoted a trade value for my coach which gave me a number to work with. The price of their coaches did not go up, so at least I had a final number to work with on the financing. With LV RV I couldn't even get a number. Yes , they told me what my trade value was but never did come up with a sale price on their coach. Yes, I can compare apples to apples, just give me the price of your apple, not what your apple will cost per month.
2004 Safari Simba 37PCT
2007 Jeep Liberty
Thom & Jane
Boss is Luci...Schitzu-Poodle mix
The deals are not going to be in 2008-2009 coaches. If you order one to get exactly what you want, you'll only get 25%-30% off at most, because there isn't a lot of profit left after that. At a lower price, the dealer would be better off just passing on the deal. If there is a 2007 or 2006 coach on the lot, the dealer is going to get desperate and will be in the mode where he knows he won't make a profit and simply hopes to lose as little as possible. The price of used vehicles is going to plummet and you just have to wait a little longer. Someone buying a new unit and trading in an existing vehicle is going to do bad financially because your tradein is less valuable. Someone with an existing vehicle and shopping for a new 2007 or used RV should do okay but not great. A person with no motorhome at present and willing to buy used or a new 2007 is the one who is going to save enough to pay for a lot of gas or diesel.
There are exceptions, but dealerships in general have such a sleazey reputation that I don't have much sympathy for the owners, so cut the best deal you can and don't worry about what's "fair".
all im waiting for is the RV compainies to start giving out like 2,000$ gas/deisel cards then ill start looking again. I walked into the dodge dealership the other day and almost winded up with a new car all becuase of the 2.99 gas card.
americandream42 wrote: all im waiting for is the RV compainies to start giving out like 2,000$ gas/deisel cards then ill start looking again. I walked into the dodge dealership the other day and almost winded up with a new car all becuase of the 2.99 gas card.
I wonder how long it will be before the 2.99 gas card deal is going to bite them in the butt, with gas already above $4.15/gal and no end in sight!. I just saw diesel is at $6.25/gal in some places.
americandream42 wrote: all im waiting for is the RV compainies to start giving out like 2,000$ gas/deisel cards then ill start looking again. I walked into the dodge dealership the other day and almost winded up with a new car all becuase of the 2.99 gas card.
Good Lord many you pay for it regardless there is not free lunch.
americandream42 wrote: all im waiting for is the RV compainies to start giving out like 2,000$ gas/deisel cards then ill start looking again. I walked into the dodge dealership the other day and almost winded up with a new car all becuase of the 2.99 gas card.
Good Lord many you pay for it regardless there is not free lunch.
Foretravel will pay for all your gas for 18K or 24K depending on the model which is the warranty period as well as all standard regular services as well as repairs. That i a great deal it is free then to use for 18 months. Not bad.
John
2001 42' Foretravel U320
2007 Bornfree 24 Painted
2001 Jeep Wrangler
2007 Burgman 650 Executive
Susie and Dolly (Cavalier King Charles Spaniels)
Dolly now in our hearts and thoughts 8-27-05
Doodle a Black and Tan Cavalier
Lolly a Ruby Cavalier
Travelr wrote: So........where do all of you negotiators think the prices should be? Cost, below costs? Should the dealer make a couple bucks? How about the salesman? I understand that the product is depreciating as it sits there, the flooring costs continue. But just when does the dealer just close the door, give the inventory to the bank and quit?
What would move a dealer to pay you even wholesale book for your rig, then sell the new rig at or below costs? The dealer is better off to keep the new product which he can give back to the bank as opposed to having whatever money he may have invested in your used rig. Oh yea, he can get flooring on your trade in but at a higher interest rate than the new rig. So what's his motivation? Get your beat up thing and see a new fresh rig burning gas? (that's what we use to say in the car business. It isn't a deal until the tail lights cross the curb...or...It's not a deal until it's burning gas.)
I know you are all smarting than this. Many of you have been in business. You know what it takes to run a business, how to make a deal. And if the RV dealer is like the car dealer, there is little or no money to be made in the front end (that's the show room and the selling of the vehicle.) The flooring or holding costs, the salesman, managers, accounting and more. You use to be able to make a few dollars in the F&I department (finance and insurance) (in fact make more money there than you do on the vehicle generally speaking) The money is in the service department and parts department. No, I am not in the car business anymore.....done, finished, and gone...
While I agree with you that the dealerships need to make a dollar and can only go so low, What about the manufacture? Car manufactures give rebates and other deals all the time to bring in buyers, Yet i am not seeing anything from RV manufactures. There has to be some room in these prices to help the industry.
Kevin
Your right Kevin... American auto manufactures did (I assume still do) have 'Hold Back money'. That given to the dealer if they sell a certain number of vehicles or sell the right ones or sell them as soon as they arrive (paying for them right away). There is money for detailing them on arrival, money for advertising. All kinds of things. No one ever believed the dealer was selling it for $1.00 over invoice and showing you the invoice!! It was the true and correct invoice, the consumer just did not know all the codes showing the rebates to the dealer. They were right there on the sheet.
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