Earl E has a good point: IF this is the trailer you want and the dealer where you would like to buy, I would not let a $1000 stand in the way. Sometimes we let "winning and losing" get in the way of things we want. Once you drive it off the lot, you will forget about the $1000. And 5 years down the, IF this the trailer for you, you will think of it as the best deal you've ever made.
Be happy that there are other dealers in the area. After trying another dealer you will find if the first was a fair offer.
Keep in mind that the dealer is not fair or unfair in his offers. He has the right to decide what he wants to let it go for and you have the right to offer what you think is fair.
I'll throw my 2 cents in... I'm usually a lurker, but...
I used to own a business, so, I see both sides of the "get the discount" drive, but, consider this. Your dealer has a wife. Probably kids, maybe one in college. He has employees, they have families and kids. They like vacations, too. Dream of retiring someday. All of that takes money...their "profit". Yes, when I was a proprietor, I would sometimes sell at cost, but, avoided it to the best of my ability. In fact, I would turn down some customers who were too adamant. What made them think that I owed some part of my livelihood to providing their gratification?
When you are dickering for price...bear in mind: what is a "fair" price, not necessarily the cheapest. What is it worth to you to have a local dealer? He won't be there when you need him if everybody goes to "cheap Sam's" 600 miles away. What value do you put on a business relationship of mutual respect as opposed to adversarial? If you "gouge" him to get the best deal and then have to have a repair done by him, do you honestly expect not to get gouged in return? He's certainly not going to do you any favors knowing you beat him out of a profit. Do you expect him to have top notch technicians when he can't afford top-notch because he has to cut corners somewhere for lack of profit? Remember, it is his "profit" that pays salaries, overhead, inventory, etc.
If you like the trailer, you've made what you feel is a fair offering based on your desire, the quality of the product and a reasonable profit for the seller, then write the check whether it is discounted 15%, 20% or any other "%". Everybody deserves to make a living. Bottom line, shop around, get the best "deal" you can, but, bear in mind that it is "dealing", not dictating
Don
2008 Jeep Commander
2008 FunFinder X210WBS
Wife, 3 cats and myself enjoying life
* This post was
edited 06/11/08 02:09pm by webslave *
Don
DW
3 Cats
2008 FunFinder X 210WBS
2008 Jeep Hemi Commander Limited
Beaker wrote: Earl E has a good point: IF this is the trailer you want and the dealer where you would like to buy, I would not let a $1000 stand in the way. Sometimes we let "winning and losing" get in the way of things we want. Once you drive it off the lot, you will forget about the $1000. And 5 years down the, IF this the trailer for you, you will think of it as the best deal you've ever made.
Be happy that there are other dealers in the area. After trying another dealer you will find if the first was a fair offer.
Keep in mind that the dealer is not fair or unfair in his offers. He has the right to decide what he wants to let it go for and you have the right to offer what you think is fair.
Good point, however it WILL be a mistake to settle on this one trailer at this one dealer without truly shopping around. He said he has several dealers within a less than hours' drive to him although he'd have to order it as it's not on the lot. Fortunately, since he's been IN the floorplan he liked he's not ordering blind and it could be he could get the other dealer to order it at a better price.
To the OP. I'd stick with a 25% off MSRP offer. IF they get close you can always walk or not. There is no shame in going back to the dealer and paying their price if you walk away and don't get a better price anywhere. However, make them work down to your offer - don't let them work you up to theirs like at the last dealer. Stay firm at your price of 25% off MSRP. If they get to 22% off and you are happy with that and want it then you can agree to it. If you start to sway and come up to meet them, they have no incentive to give you a good deal.
Another good way is to email the dealers and have them bid against each other for your business. Send an email to them with what your interested in, that your ready to come down and sign papers today if the price is right and what is their best price on your trailer (don't forget to list any options you want at this time). When you get the responses back, don't be afraid to tell the other two of a lower price you received from XYZ and could they beat that price? and just keep going till you finally get to a point where no one will move anymore. If that price is okay with you and you feel it's a fair deal, you can take it.
Remember too - your looking for a fair deal for both you and the dealer. They are in the business to make money and put food on the table for their families so there is really no honor in beating them down or trying to "steal" a trailer.
Above all, BEFORE you do anything else, you need to figure out what your top $$$ is that you'll pay for this trailer and don't budge from that. If your willing to pay 22% - hang tough at 25% and if they come down to 22% and you feel that this is the best you can get - then take it.
webslave wrote: I'll throw my 2 cents in... I'm usually a lurker, but...
I used to own a business, so, I see both sides of the "get the discount" drive, but, consider this
snip snip snip...
In fact, I would turn down some customers who were too adamant. What made them think that I owed some part of my livelihood to providing their gratification?
Don, I get what you're saying and agree to the idea of a fair price, but remember, they (the customer) have the cash, the've already earned it, sacrificed to get it, paid taxes to keep it. It's already their livelihood. The dealer is not entitled to it. It's a negotiation. If the dealer and customer can't come to terms, they the dealer should let that customer leave and bid them a good day. No heart burn needs to take place by either party.
Put it the other way, and why should any customer give a dealer their gratification based on the customers hard earned cash?
So we both can see it both ways.
I'm not trying to tick anyone off here, and understand and agree the principal that your putting across, that we should be satisfied with a fair price.
I see it this way. If dealers were HONEST and posted their true cost for a TT we would not have to deal with this BS. We all understand everyone needs to make a reasonable profit. We all do it all the time, groceries, sams, walmart, etc....
Dealers want to play this game then we should play this game. I can understand a profit margin but when they want too much profit margin then I have a problem. We, the consumer, have to feed our families, pay bills, and put kids through college just like they do.
If they were honest with us we would be honest with them. Period.
I bought a Jayco 1200 miles from home. Service would not have been an issue for warranty work. Some manufacturers will pay any reasonable facility to warranty service work.
2009 Jayco Eagle 324BHDS
2008 F250 King Ranch 4wd
2005 GLacier Bay 2670 Cat
Ohhhh, this is yet another subject you always get lots of discussion on. People love to 'brag' how they 'stuck it' to the dealer, and talk about how they got all kinds of discounts, so you should, also.
All I'll say is this: The BEST deal, is the one that you and the dealer can agree on, and YOU are satisfied and happy with. If YOU are happy with the unit and the price being asked for it, and you can afford it, then buy it. Period. Don't let someone claiming on an internet forum they got twice as much discount, sway your mind much. Only you can decide, whether or not the dealer's offer is close enough to what you want to pay. Its your $$.
Just 'cause someone you don't know from Adam on the internet *claims* they got a 80% discount on a brand new RV with everything but the kitchen sink thrown in for free (yeah, I'm exaggerating), does not mean you should get such also in order for it to be a good deal. Lots of factors enter into just how much discount a dealer will or will not offer. And, 'deals' people claim they got on forums like this, are kind of like discussions about fuel mileage with trucks. How does the ol' saying go, "First liar doesn't stand a chance". Hahahahaha.
Anyway, thats 'bout all I'll say. Good luck, and let us know what happens.
Will & Angela
2 wonderful children that love camping, Stephen & Allison
2003 Ford Excursion V10 4x4
2003 Thor Citation 33M, Hensley Arrow hitch, Brakesmart Brake Control
(wanna see? Here is a picture of it )
Didn't mean to stir the pot. I apologize to all, but, at the end of my post, I summed it up as "remember you are dealing" and that infers a two way discussion. I didn't say all dealers were honest, there are many that are not, but, those that are honest don't like to be lumped in with the others. Nor did I imply the customer owes the dealership anything - in fact that is the customer's biggest tool (notice I didn't say weapon), they can go somewhere else.
Far too often though, we treat the buying process as a battle. It isn't, it is a negotiation between two people that each has something the other wants...
Nobody tells you what their profit margin is... I'm sure it isn't the same now, but, when I had the bowling center a draft beer's *cost* was less than 20 cents. We charged $2.50 Fair? Outrageous? On the surface it sure looks that way, but, on the other hand I was losing money on every game bowled. You can't look at the "true cost" of a single part of a business... My overall profit margin was less than 5% (that's why I got out )
I'll quit now and go back to lurking.... I sure want to thank everyone for their knowledge in the RV field, keep camping and posting, even lurking I've learned a lot that has made my RVing much more enjoyable.
I don't like to haggle. I ask for one price and if I like it I buy it and if I don't I walk. I make sure they understand that before they give my their "best" price.
TV: Mint 1972 Ford F-250 XLT
TT: 1969 19' Excel; entertains 6, feeds 4, sleeps 2 You don't shoot to kill, you shoot to stay alive.
I don't carry because I have to, I carry because I get to. I like new things-
- when they're 40 years old! My pictures
I think by price shopping we are rewarding the dealer who can run his business in such a professional manner that he has can sell for less. I fully understand and support the idea that everybody needs to eat, and pay for 4.10 gas...but why can dealer A make money at 20k while dealer B turns down 21k and wants 22k? Both are in the same area, same state, pay same destination charges, and are each selling the exact same unit. If Dealer A has a proven track record and is in good standing with the manufacturer then he is the better businessman. It would be foolish to buy elsewhere.
Offline
 (5).JPG)
