Am I paying too much?

[Greycie1101]

Hi everyone,

We are set to close on a TT tomorrow & I cant shake the feeling that I am paying too much. With cars you can look up so much information (ie; kbb) to feel informed but I feel pretty lost on this trailer, so I decided to ask here.

The TT is a 2017 Rockwood Ultra Lite 2702WS. Dealer showed MSRP of $36,624 and has the unit on "sale" for $25,995 (so 28%ish off MSRP) due to their "anniversary being in October." I have read that 30% off MSRP is typical for dealers to discount to & the MSRP seems legit/not inflated because I get a very similar one from RVW when I build a similar unit. We have to add in a WD hitch, brakes, & back up camera which was driven the price up to $29,100 OTD. My emailed price from RVW is within $100 if I take out the cost of the backup cam since it isnt an RVW option.

So, is the dealership truly offering something right off the bat that is a good deal? We have no trade in.

Thank you for any feedback,
Greycie

 

[statichead]

How long have you been looking for a new RV,  and how many have you looked at?  I  have never bought a new rv, and likely never will, but every one is different and thinks differently, so buying anything, is only a good deal if you are comfortable, when you drive or tow it away, it will be worth less, once you drive it off the lot.  I see that your posting is at 3am, in the morning so maybe your not sleeping well thinking about this unit and the price!!  Any deal or so called deal, will be there next week, so just don't get too caught up in the buying, dealers do tend to try and make you believe its a deal of a lifetime, never to be offered again, a salesmans job is to sell, and he will tell you anything to make the sale--his paycheck depends on it.  Just make sure you look at as many, as possible, in the time frame you have, and keep asking questions,  there are many on this forum with much more experience than myself, do enjoy the hunt, there is many more out there, so take your time.  George

 

[Greycie1101]

Actually, I have an 8 week old who is responsible for my middle of the night posting 

We've been researching for around 8mo and have been to a show and 3 dealers. DH is dead set on aluminum frame, I'm deadset on bunks (2 kids), and our TV is a Ford f150 v6. We feel like we need to buy new because we have zero faith in our ability to tell if a used one is in good condition beyond some very obvious issue.

Im ok if we pass on this TT as there are others to be found, but ill still feel lost on the mark up on these things new.

 

[SeilerBird]

I too would never buy a new RV. Pay a few hundred bucks and have a pro inspect it before buying. It will save you thousands of dollars in the long run. I think you may be buying too much trailer for your 150 to safely pull. I bet all the salesmen are stroking your ego telling you what a great truck you have and that you can pull anything. You need to get the numbers checked. I am not a trailer expert so someone else will have to do it. Rockwood doesn't even publish the GVWR on it's website. You need to post the exact model of your truck so someone here can figure it out.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Putting the new vs used question aside, it seems you have done your homework on the pricing. If you are comfortable that the MSRP is not overstated, then that discount price seems a good one. A typical dealer discounts about 15%, but high volume sellers may go as high as 30%. As statichead says, they always have a "special" of some kind and the price will still be available next week if you want to do some further price shopping.

Make sure the price you have is an "out the door" price, with no add-ons except state taxes and licensing fees. Some dealers quote a low sale price but then charge for "delivery preparation" or similar that adds $1000+ to the price. Also make sure the "MSRP" doesn't include high dollar options such as "paint protection" or "interior protection" services. These are little more than boosters for the dealer profit margin.

Once the price gets into the reasonable range, I would not worry much about a few hundred dollars of additional discount. Instead, focus on dealer reputation (ethics, after sales service, etc),  their willingness to provide extensive walk-thru and owner familiarization, etc. As a new RV owner, you need more than a 20 minute look-see to get familiar with the where and how of everything.  Also, ask if you can stay on their premises or in a near by campground for a few days and get priority action on any problems you discover. Most new rigs have some issues that "escape" the factory and dealer prep, so spending a few days nearby to identify and fix those (hopefully minor) glitches is a good idea.

 

[Larry N.]

I don't think 30% could be called "typical." I'd say it's closer to 15-20% being typical, but it's going to vary by a lot of factors, including what the factory charges the dealer, what the demand is (and the common practice is) in the immediate community, and probably other factors. I'd say the price (not the reason) is quite reasonable, and may even come in as a "good deal."

With a GVWR of 7788 lbs, it'll be marginal pulling that with an F-150, but no problem if your tow vehicle is a 250 or better.

I see Gary beat me here (no surprise) -- he's got excellent advice, as always.

 

[JX2Fields]

You can look the model up on RV Trader and get an idea of what that model is going for. When I ask for an otd price that is what I am making the check out for no add on not even license or tax. I would check other places for the hitch, brakes and camera.

 

[Greycie1101]

I suppose I shouldnt be surprised after all the forum browsing I've done, but man, y'all are very very helpful! Thank you!

I'm going to put the brakes on the deal so that DH & I can discuss/take a look at used. It never occurred to me that we could hire an independent mechanic to evaluate a used TT 

Thanks Gary for the great tip on making sure the MSRP doesnt include frivolous extras I'm not aware of.

JX2, I tried getting a quote from a local trailer place & they said only "rv dealerships do WD hitches."... does that sound like a line? I can extend my search to other major towns an hour-two away to compare the dealer install cost/getting it done as a stand alone thing so we can get a used unit.

Regarding what the truck can tow, it is a 2015 F150 V6 4x4 super crew. The Rockwood catalogue lists the 2702WS's "dry unit wt" as 6053 and "hitch wt" as 788. Though in an effort to reconcile the wt that Larry posted with what the catalogue shows I realize we have a 2016 catalogue for a 2017 unit. Crud.

 

[Alfa38User]

Look on the yellow tag on the B pillar of your truck for the CCC. This tag shows exactly what your numbers are for YOUR truck as it left the factory. That super-crew cab, among other options will reduce the load capacity published anywhere other than on that yellow tag. Should you need help interpreting all this number, just ask here!!!

 

[donn]

Pure bunk!  I bought and sold my last WDH on craigslist.  Sold in one day.
Never spend that much money on a first RV.  Chances are extremely good one of two things aremgoingmto happen.  First you absolutely hate RVing and wind up selling it at a huge loss, or two, you love RVing but find that "ideal" floorplan just does not fit your needs.  Prompting you to sell, again at a huge loss just to buy another one.  Buy used, keep the price low, learn what you do and do not like for the next used one.  Let some other poor soul absorbe the depteciation.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Regarding what the truck can tow, it is a 2015 F150 V6 4x4 super crew. The Rockwood catalogue lists the 2702WS's "dry unit wt" as 6053 and "hitch wt" as 788. Though in an effort to reconcile the wt that Larry posted with what the catalogue shows I realize we have a 2016 catalogue for a 2017 unit. Crud.

Add trailer carrying capacity (CCC) to it's dry weight to get GVWR if the brochure doesn't show it. Estimate hitch (tongue) weight at 10% of GVWR and you won't go wrong. The Forest River Rockwood website shows 6309 + 1493 = 7802 lbs.

Then look up your truck in the 2015 F150 Towing Guide and see what it can pull. Get the CCC/payload (max weight it can carry) from the yellow sticker on the door pillar. I think you will find that a F150 Supercrew 4x4 V6 is overloaded trying to pull a 7800 lb trailer, even without any passengers and gear in the truck.

 

[Greycie1101]

Thanks everyone! Looks like we have a LOT more homework to do! Good thing we havent signed anything

 

[sadixon49]

... Chances are extremely good one of two things are going to happen. First you absolutely hate RVing and wind up selling it at a huge loss, or two, you love RVing but find that "ideal" floorplan just does not fit your needs.  Prompting you to sell, again at a huge loss just to buy another one.  Buy used, keep the price low, learn what you do and do not like for the next used one.  Let some other poor soul absorb the depreciation...

I suggest that 1 other thing can happen, you find the trailer you want, at a price that is decent, you love the floorplan, learn to love RVing, and live happily ever after. Don't let the "you got to buy used crowd" talk you out of doing what's right for you. When I looked for RVs, I found several 2, 3, 4 year old units, that dealers were asking new, or nearly new, prices on. The units that were depreciated, were closer to the scrapyard than a campground. I bought new and couldn't be happier. Will I take a hit if I sell to soon, sure, but I didn't have to deal with no warranty, and constantly wondering if I was buying someone else's headache.

 

[Greycie1101]

Thanks for the other point of view, Steve. 

 

[SeilerBird]

Thanks for the other point of view, Steve. 

That's the beauty of this forum, you will get lots of different viewpoints. Most important viewpoint is not to rush into it.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Gotta agree with sadixon. You can get your knickers in a twist over new vs used, or trying to wring out the last dollar of discount. Or you can buy at a reasonable price, in your comfort zone, and start enjoying your RV. I've bought both new and used and prefer used, but I'm comfortable with evaluating my purchases. You need to be happy with your situation, not mine.

"Don't rush it" is sage advice.

 

[marcortez]

FWIW.........

Quoted 28K for a NEW 30' travel trailer without any negotiation by me.

For the same model from another dealer.....21K..again no negotiation.

I failed math miserably so run the percentage.

I too have a F-150 4x4 SuperCab with the 5.0 V8
It will be a goner if and when I decide to put over 6000# on the hitch....I don't care what other people say.

 

[scottydl]

We are set to close on a TT tomorrow & I cant shake the feeling that I am paying too much. With cars you can look up so much information (ie; kbb) to feel informed but I feel pretty lost on this trailer, so I decided to ask here.

Great idea to ask here, as you have discovered!    I got so much awesome advice from this forum when I first joined (now over 10 years ago) that I never left, and eventually became one of the many volunteer staffers.  It's a fabulous collection of all RV things and people.

I'll also mention that there is a KBB equivalent for RV's... www.NADAguides.com and follow the prompts for RV's and any particular year/make/model.  Do NOT add in Options when pricing a used RV.  You get two figures, Low Retail and Average Retail... and in most cases, there's little reason you should be paying much over (and preferably under) the Low Retail option.

Buying gently used from a private party is (in my opinion) the best way to purchase an RV, once you have educated yourself and know what you are looking for/at.  It's how I bought both of our RV's (and sold the first one) and what we will likely do for any more in the future.

 

[JX2Fields]

I think to become a dealer you should have to pull an oversized trailer with a 1/2 ton pickup then maybe you would stop pushing people to the limit. I drove truck for years and pulled heavy very heavy loads ,the thing I worried most about was stopping them not pulling it.

 

[Greycie1101]

So DH & I have discussed all of the fantastic advice y'all offered. Thanks to everyone! We did decide to stick with new because we feel like it is the right choice for us and our newbie knowledge level.

That being said, DH & I are still not on the same page on his truck's towing capacity/ability to tow the 2017 Rockwood Ultra Lite 2702WS we are intetested in. DH says according to the specs from Ford (screen shot attached) he can haul 10,700 lbs. Using the weight Gary estimated above of 7802.. is that not enough TV for the TT?

DH isnt trying to be all "big & bad" about his truck, he just says his research shows we are fine. I trust he has researched but I also know we are beginer RVers & haulers & am SUPER concerened about safety.