Ordering a travel trailer

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Carin

Carin

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 19, 2017
Posts
53
Location
Arizona
Has anyone just not quite found exactly what they want and therefore ordered one from the factory?

I'm finding not quite what I want in my travel trailer and found that I can order what I want from the factory. Don't know the prices yet but I am removing furniture (theater seats and mattress - replacing booth dinette to table and chairs) so should be cheaper.

Has anyone done this and could give me some advice?  Thank you!!


Carin and Toby the dog
 
I am not sure if this helps, but we custom ordered ours from the dealer. We had to wait for it, but it was well worth it, since he is close
We got it with a regular table and chairs, with a full size recliner bed in fabric, (not fake leather), with a 50 amp service (instead of 30) and with two AC units (instead of one).

Jack L
 
Just to be clear, you order from a dealer, who then has the factory build the configuration you want, i.e. a set of options on a base model.  Most dealers will handle that kind of order, though many prefer not too for some reason. Working with a salesman, you select features and options form the factory order form. Rarely will a travel trailer manufacturer do any custom modifications, so you select from his menu of features. You negotiate the price with the dealer, just like any other.

Special orders take anywhere from 6-12 weeks and are subject to changes in factory procedures & specs, often without any notice to the buyer. If the factory changes the specs for the base model or the available options, that's what you are gonna get. You will be expected to make a firm order and a down payment, possibly a very substantial one. The dealer is stuck with the RV once he places the order, so he isn't going to let you change your mind later.
 
Thank you all for the info.

I found a TT I really liked and found that they discontinued it!  So now have switched manufacturers and found one I liked albeit not the dinette, couch or mattress.

Thank you again!!


Carin and Toby the dog
 
I ordered my Columbus 5th wheel from RV Wholesalers and had a good experience.  Like you I could not find exactly what I wanted plus the local dealer was a little too proud of his merchandise.  The salesman said I was paying for service after the sale and would not get that if I bought from RVW.  I then asked the salesman if he would come to Florida if I broke down there and he had no answer for that one.  Bottom line is buy where you can get what you want AND get the best deal.  I saved about 5K on mine by driving to Ohio to pick it up in March of 2015.  I ordered exactly what I wanted, colors, etc.  I guess I got lucky as I never had an issue that needed warranty work.  The few small things that happened I fixed myself. By the way, a friend of mine bought from the dealer I turned down.  Had an issue with the entry door and is having it replaced.  As of today his camper has been at the dealer for over four months waiting on the repair.  So much for customer service.  Good luck and have fun.
 
Thanks for all the answers!  Very helpful. I live in Oregon so not sure if I want to drive all the way to the Midwest to buy a travel trailer. But, then again........
 
The savings have to be substantial to be worth traveling far.  Figure the expense (both your time and $$) of both the travel and spending 3-5 days onsite while you check out and then "field test" the new RV before leaving the dealer's locale.

The local dealer service factor shouldn't be a deal breaker, but has to be considered.  If you will be traveling extensively in the RV, you are probably going to get service "on the road" anyway, but if you are mostly using the RV near your home base, staying on good terms with a local dealer has some value. In my locale there are three dealerships within 30 miles that have large service operations and don't care where you bought the rig, but in some places that will not be the case.  Smaller dealers tend to be parochial, mostly because their shops are small and have their hands full with their own customers, but even that is not universally true.
 
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