Showed the dealer a thing or two!

[Joezeppy]

Helping friends search for a new TT. Went to the Central NY RV show at the NY State fairgrounds yesterday. They had some selections narrowed down and were looking for me to help with weights. They looked at models they liked and I headed for the weight label on each one. On one unit I said "this one weighs X" (GVWR). Sales person counters with "no, it's Y" (brochure/empty weight). I said "you have to consider the gross weight - no one pulls an empty trailer" to which she countered "I'm going to challenge you on that". My wife just sat on the couch and waited for the show! Suffice it to say I put the salesperson in her place.

 

[RedForeman]

How was the show? I used to run weekly freight into Syracuse a couple years until those offers petered out last summer. I delivered and picked up at a few places in the vicinity of the fairgrounds. It seemed to be quite a venue, although I never had an occasion to stop in for any events. I also noticed several large RV dealers right in that area as well.

 

[gwinger]

Most RV sales people have never owned one. They just repeat what is written in the manual and the manufacturers specs. Not much different than car and truck sales people. Ask them how to set the clock on the radio and wait for the blank look.

 

[Joezeppy]

How was the show? I used to run weekly freight into Syracuse a couple years until those offers petered out last summer. I delivered and picked up at a few places in the vicinity of the fairgrounds. It seemed to be quite a venue, although I never had an occasion to stop in for any events. I also noticed several large RV dealers right in that area as well.

I thought it was pretty good. 5 buildings (we only visited 3) with a variety of units. We bought our current 5th wheel there last year (3rd camper from the same dealer (Oliver's Campers in Norwich NY)). We picked up a few accessories this year.

 

[Ex-Calif]

I said "you have to consider the gross weight - no one pulls an empty trailer" to which she countered "I'm going to challenge you on that". My wife just sat on the couch and waited for the show! Suffice it to say I put the salesperson in her place.

Well done for you but the next client got the same "empty weight" spiel so during your 10-15 minutes of "educating" the salesperson was getting paid and you were wasting your time - LOL....

 

[Onyrlef]

Kinda like informing a TV Preacher he's a hairball, he knew that before you.

 

[xrated]

Helping friends search for a new TT. Went to the Central NY RV show at the NY State fairgrounds yesterday. They had some selections narrowed down and were looking for me to help with weights. They looked at models they liked and I headed for the weight label on each one. On one unit I said "this one weighs X" (GVWR). Sales person counters with "no, it's Y" (brochure/empty weight). I said "you have to consider the gross weight - no one pulls an empty trailer" to which she countered "I'm going to challenge you on that". My wife just sat on the couch and waited for the show! Suffice it to say I put the salesperson in her place.

Well, you could have pulled the "age card" on her and told her that you've been pulling trailer since she was pooping yellow.......or maybe even before she was born....whichever applied.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Don't conflate expertise in selling RVs with actual knowledge about RVs & RVing. I've heard some folks summarize that rather pithily by saying "Selling ain't Using".

 

[Kirk]

Don't conflate expertise in selling RVs with actual knowledge about RVs & RVing.

A lot of dealer/owners don't have any experience using what they sell either. Getting advice on most products from the salespeople is like asking a wolf to guard your sheep. The commission system is designed to reward workers for getting the most money for the cheapest products.

 

[Oldgator73]

When I had a truck I went to a local RV dealership. A salesperson asked what I was looking for. I told him I wanted something a bit larger than our current Winnebago. He looked at our truck and mentioned a tow rating that was consistent with the sticker on the door jamb. He then commenced to finding something within my trucks range.

 

[Tulecreeper]

When I had a truck I went to a local RV dealership. A salesperson asked what I was looking for. I told him I wanted something a bit larger than our current Winnebago. He looked at our truck and mentioned a tow rating that was consistent with the sticker on the door jamb. He then commenced to finding something within my trucks range.

Gator, nothing on the sticker tells you anything about how much a truck can tow. The most you get is payload capacity, and maybe axle ratings. My sticker just says 3913# payload cap, 6000# rear, and 5500# front GAWR. All that indicates is that I can carry a small car in the bed, nothing about how much I can pull.

 

[Oldgator73]

Gator, nothing on the sticker tells you anything about how much a truck can tow. The most you get is payload capacity, and maybe axle ratings. My sticker just says 3913# payload cap, 6000# rear, and 5500# front GAWR. All that indicates is that I can carry a small car in the bed, nothing about how much I can pull.

He was really close. I did the math at home before visiting the dealer. I was impressed with him. No hard sell. Shame I didn’t buy anything.

 

[olesonb81]

Gator, nothing on the sticker tells you anything about how much a truck can tow. The most you get is payload capacity, and maybe axle ratings. My sticker just says 3913# payload cap, 6000# rear, and 5500# front GAWR. All that indicates is that I can carry a small car in the bed, nothing about how much I can pull.

2020 and newer GM trucks have a sticker that displays payload as well as towing capacity for travel trailer and gooseneck/fifth wheel. Very helpful IMO. I wish the other two manufactures would follow.

 

[Ray-IN]

What it will tow is meaningless, I once watched a short movie of a 2-cycle washing machine motor pulling a locomotive, although it's hard to walk that slow.
What it will safely handle is most important.

 

[Oldgator73]

What it will safely handle is most important.

Where is this info found?

 

[Ray-IN]

Where is this info found?

This is just one of many websites: RV Interactive Calculators - Changing Gears

 

[Ray-IN]

This is just one of many websites: RV Interactive Calculators - Changing Gears

This towing calculator even has the option of selecting the standard Escapees.com full-timers 20% safety factor for the tow vehicle.

 

[Tulecreeper]

2020 and newer GM trucks have a sticker that displays payload as well as towing capacity for travel trailer and gooseneck/fifth wheel. Very helpful IMO. I wish the other two manufactures would follow.

They would need to do that separately for each truck coming off the line as tow cap is dictated by engine displacement, rear axle ratio, GVWR, and GCVWR.

 

[olesonb81]

They would need to do that separately for each truck coming off the line as tow cap is dictated by engine displacement, rear axle ratio, GVWR, and GCVWR.

Yep, the sticker also displays the GVWR, GCWR, RGAWR and curb weight as well as the VIN number

 

[Tulecreeper]

Yep, the sticker also displays the GVWR, GCWR, RGAWR and curb weight as well as the VIN number

Wow, that's interesting. I have never seen that on the pillar sticker of any truck.

You GCWR is the number to start with, and a lot of people think that all you have to do is subtract your GVWR from your GCWR and that gives you the tow cap, but that isn't an exact way to do it. My GCWR is 22,000#, and my max GVWR is 10,000# which would make one think that my tow cap is 12,000# but that's not correct. That is actually my minimum tow cap.

My actual tow cap is 15,540#, but that only applies if I keep my true GVWR below ~7000#. Once I go above 7000# it starts subtracting from my tow cap because that GCWR number never changes and I have to stay below that.