Pete_k
Stantonville Tn
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Joined: 03/18/2004
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We can drive 2 hours 20 minutes and pay more or drive 9 hours and save around $6700. I know the closer dealer would be nice for any warranty work. But then again for close to $7000. Difference I can make a vacation out of getting work done also.
Picked out what we want in the unit, Then faxed it to the dealers. Prices came back, closer dealer was $10,000. more. Told him thanks but no thanks we have a deal for this amount. He came down but just not enough. Now I will say this up front, if it were say $2000. Or less I can understand that. Price to get a unit delivered down south cost. Plus the other dealer does not have any deliver cost. There next to the plant.
Would rather buy local, but then again when your talking this kind of cash. Not sure they want us as a customer anyway.
We will be staying in the camper 3 nights there. One in there yard, 2 others in the campground next to the lot. This way we have time to go over the unit. Use everything on it, make sure everything is ready before we head back south. But then again if we buy from the local dealer we would also be doing the same thing. Never would I hook up and take off with a camper for the first time. For me stay and get the bugs worked out then. Head off into the sunset.
Pete
2004 Duramax/allison Trans C/C 4x4
2012 Landmark Key Largo
2008 Lund 1825 Pro Guide Tiller, With a Evinrude 90 HP E-Tec
Live near Pickwick Dam and the Tn river
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hallock5
Texas
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For that difference, absolutely would make the drive with no regrets, as you did give the lil guy a chance to work down the price. Hope when you get there though you don't discover some kind of 'bait and switch'.
2008 Jayco Eagle Superlite 28.5RLS
2002 Ford 4x4 SuperCab 7.3 (Jr International) Diesel
Sad to say, time to sell to a good home.
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WeBeFulltimers
Here & There
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Joined: 04/01/2008
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My feelings about buying locally are the same as yours. However, if you are handy and can take care of minor problems yourself, go for the savings. Money is money and business is business. If you are one who has to return for every small issue, buy locally after putting their feet to the fire for more money off.
I have bought 2 Montanas from Northgate RV, Ringgold, GA just as cheaply as the dealer in Michigan that claims to be the best on price and Northgate's service is second to none.
2007 DODGE RAM 2500 4x4 QC CTD 5.9 4SPD AUTO TIMBRENS PRODIGY REESE 16K KWIK-SLIDE***PACBRAKE PRXB 2012 MONTANA 3585SA
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OldGreaser
South Texas
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Joined: 02/13/2010
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We drove 1200 miles for $6k savings (net with cost of trip) and it worked out well.
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WyoTraveler
Northwest, Wyoming
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Joined: 11/22/2011
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You could buy a lot of repairs that aren't even covered under warranty for $6700. I drove about a 1000 miles and saved over $7000. I would do it again in a minute. Just make sure when you compare prices that you are getting the same things in the package. Some dealers can cut prices by not upgrading A/C or furnace, no oven on gas range, no microwave, no spare tire etc. Other dealers just want to stick all that profit in their pocket and tell you to buy local because they'll be your friend and probably over charge for repairs too. LOL.
I shopped local in NW WY, then bought in Central WA state. Not only save $7,000 my TT was loaded with just about every option available. Plus had a fun trip out to WA to purchase the TT.
2013 Monaco Monarch motorhome
2012 Jeep Wrangler toad
AC6CV/7 ex-W8RUR since 1954
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wandering1
Texas
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Joined: 06/18/2002
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Its your money your decision.
HR
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restlesswind
Fulltime
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Joined: 10/13/2007
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We flew from CA to Arkansas to buy our Hitchhiker.As it worked out we did not need any warranty work done.One good thing about buying at the factory,if anything needs to be done when you complete the PDI the factory can take care of it without a long wait time.
I would choose the 9 hr drive.
* This post was
edited 05/03/12 08:07am by restlesswind *
'04 33.5 CKQG Hitchhiker Discover America
04.5 Dodge 3500 CTD SRW
Pac Brake,Max Brake
Fulltimers since '06
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ljr
Pennsylvania
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Joined: 03/22/2006
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IF the nearby dealer will do the warranty work and do it well, its worth a lot. I never found a dealer like that and drove 20 hours for my last purchase.
Larry
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chuggs
Florida
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Joined: 06/16/2010
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We were in a similar situation...
My DW and I took a road trip. Visited my folks on the way thru Atlanta. Got to Ohio...met our PDI guy at the designated time. Parked overnight on the dealer lot...and gave the camper a good looking over. The next morning...their maintenance folks took a look at our hitch geometry. We did a couple of confidence maneuvers in the parking lot...and hit the road. Stayed at a place about half-way home...and my older son and his wife joined us for the night.
It was a beautiful trip...great scenery...and we enjoyed using the money we saved for outfitting the camper. Blue tank, hoses, extension cords, portable grill, two burner stove, zero gravity chairs...and on and on. We spent about $500 in diesel and a campground site for the night on the way home.
Keystone's warranty is for a whole 1 year. Honestly...we had nothing that needed replacement. I had to make a battery cable that was long enough to close the battery compartment properly. Other than that... I've repacked bearings, flushed tanks, had a nail in a tire patched, and I'm about to replace the anode in the water heater. Nothing that would require a warranty repair. The dealer that we purchased our unit from gave us a "Priority RV" card...they belong to a network...so you can get repairs at many locations across the country. I mean...why have an RV if you can ONLY service it in your hometown?? Many people go great distances in their RV's...and should be able to expect warranty work wherever they go.
When I go to buy our next RV...I'll do the same thing without hesitation.
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CakeHenn
Temple, TX
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Joined: 01/28/2012
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Well for 6 hours and 40 minutes more of driving you save like $1000 an hour...haha. Then again it's really like 13 hours and 20 minutes if you are counting both ways. I think that's the way to go but I'd go back one more time to the closer dealer and tell him the exact deal you got and that you will be making that drive unless he can match it. I'm not sure what you asked for when you were making the deal and this might already have been done but I think it's worth a shot.
If you do go with the one that's a long way away I'd plan on camping that night somewhere close to that dealer. The walk through should catch most things but if not you are close enough to take it back for repair without dragging it all the way home and back.
TT: 2013 Jayco Eagle 314
Truck: 2006 GMC 2500HD Duramax
Duck Gun: Benelli Super Black Eagle II
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