Buying New. Dealing with dealers...Need Advice Please.

[gigguy]

I am buying a new (2022 or 2023) Class A Forest River Georgetown 36K7. When a dealer has a sale price on their website and throw out an offer, what is the average I can work them down? For instance a 2022 listed for $179 and the guy writes me back and says he want to move it for $176 not counting taxes & tags. Strange question but I am new to this. I know they need to make a living and I don't want to take that away from them, but I also want to get the best I can for myself. Any advice?

 

[LarsMac]

I am pretty sure that you don't have to worry about the dealer getting his due.

No matter how you play it, taxes and tag are usually the buyer's responsibility. But, do the math and protect your purse.

And consider getting it inspected. I would bring up the inspection question, just to see how they react.

 

[gigguy]

I am pretty sure that you don't have to worry about the dealer getting his due.

No matter how you play it, taxes and tag are usually the buyer's responsibility. But, do the math and protect your purse.

And consider getting it inspected. I would bring up the inspection question, just to see how they react.

Would it be fair to shoot back $169? As for tags & taxes yes I do understand that is on me Good idea as to an inspection.

 

[Skookum]

RV sales in general have slowed considerably compared to 2-3 years ago. With interest rates on an RV super high right now (most people finance), compared to the last 15 years of relatively low rates, that's really impacting the inflated pricing that came out of the pandemic. It's pushed a lot of people out of the market. There are deals to be had, however, temper that with the springtime sales bump when people want to buy a rig and get out on the road for the summer. But I think you're still in a good spot.

RV's don't have monroney labels which dictate an MSRP be listed like cars do. But if you find an MSRP for your rig (sometimes MFR's will list them on their website, or on the rig itself), it really wouldn't be completely unreasonable to slide an offer across for 25% off, or more. I would only ask earnestly for that discount, in person, and I'd be ready to commit to a purchase that day. If they say no, thank them, and then offer it again when it's still sitting on the lot 2 weeks later

You said the dealer had it advertised for $179k, but what discount does that currently represent if you're able to find the original price/MSRP for your rig?

 

[Laura & Charles]

Welcome to the forums! Lots of friendly and knowledgeable folks here!

I assume this is your first motorhome? I’m in the ‘never buy new’ camp.. especially if it’s your first coach. The manufacturing of RVs is notoriously bad. The dealerships have zero incentive to fix any problems presale and generally don’t even look for problems issues until the unit is sold. Once you sign and are the owner, the dealership will do warranty work BUT, their shop is much more profitable making non-warranty repairs. There are horror stories aplenty about buying new and having a good deal of the first year with the rig parked at the dealer.

Buying new or used, a professional inspection, as LarsMac suggests, is always a good idea.

 

[gigguy]

Welcome to the forums! Lots of friendly and knowledgeable folks here!

I assume this is your first motorhome? I’m in the ‘never buy new’ camp.. especially if it’s your first coach. The manufacturing of RVs is notoriously bad. The dealerships have zero incentive to fix any problems presale and generally don’t even look for problems issues until the unit is sold. Once you sign and are the owner, the dealership will do warranty work BUT, their shop is much more profitable making non-warranty repairs. There are horror stories aplenty about buying new and having a good deal of the first year with the rig parked at the dealer.

Buying new or used, a professional inspection, as LarsMac suggests, is always a good idea.

Thank you for your advice. How does one find an inspector? What kind of an inspector? I have never heard of having a rig inspected.

 

[Kirk]

Would it be fair to shoot back $169?

Absolutely it would be but if it were me I'd make an offer of $160. They will counter and if you start too high you won't be able to drop down,

Good idea as to an inspection.

If you are totally new to RVs and RVing it might be worth the cost but you need to expect to pay between $300 & $500 for a good one There are check lists that you can use. A good source of certified inspectors is the NRIV training group or NRVTA training school, or just do a search for one.

I’m in the ‘never buy new’ camp.. especially if it’s your first coach.

I have bought both new and used RVs several times and I can't agree with this philosophy. Neither way is perfect and if you get qualified help you can do OK with either new or used. Keep in mind that your choice of a dealer is just as important as the choice of make & model.

 

[Laura & Charles]

Absolutely it would be but if it were me I'd make an offer of $160. They will counter and if you start too high you won't be able to drop down,

If you are totally new to RVs and RVing it might be worth the cost but you need to expect to pay between $300 & $500 for a good one There are check lists that you can use. A good source of certified inspectors is the NRIV training group or NRVTA training school, or just do a search for one..
I have bought both new and used RVs several times and I can't agree with this philosophy. Neither way is perfect and if you get qualified help you can do OK with either new or used. Keep in mind that your choice of a dealer is just as important as the choice of make & model.

As I said, buying used is the camp I’m in. There’s another camp, of course. If nobody bought new, there’d be no used rigs to choose from. And Kirk, having experienced buying both new and used, makes valid points. I only buy used cars and houses as well. His link to certified inspectors is what I’d suggest as well.

 

[Contributor]

Buying new vs used depends where the glut is, that's where the biggest discount is. I would think that, today, with the interest rates what they are, there is a glut of new ones. On the other hand, there are many Covid buyers that decided that RV'ing isn't for them but they bought high and don't want to take a loss. I think that maybe 5 year old RVs are the best deals as those owners did not pay a premium and may be more willing to deal.

 

[Skookum]

On new versus used, yes. I've had both.

The used unit we bought was excellent and we put a ton of miles and use on it in a very short time, virtually without major issue, and the engine/chassis "truck" never let us down. It was 15 years old when we bought it but we also put a lot of work into it up front - all fluids, filters, and major maintenance intervals.

The first new one we bought was a complete disaster, and we circled with dealers and manufacturers until we hired a lawyer to handle it for us. I think we owned it for less than 6 months, all in.

The one we bought to replace that one has been nothing short of wonderful, and would highly recommend, but that's Newmar for you. Sure, it's needed a few things. They took care of a bunch of it while we were vacationing in California. They flew some techs with parts out there for the winter, and came right to our site in the resort.

 

[DutchmenSport]

If you REALLY are interested at $169 and his starting price was $179, then offer him $159 ($10 less than your desired price).

He will come down a little, you will come up a little and then you just might meet at the $169 mark and you'll both be happy.

It's called "bartering." And sometimes, it still works. It all depends upon if the dealer has the wiggle room and how desperate he is to sell the camper. It's a fine balancing act to figure out what THEIR final bottom dollar really is.

 

[LarsMac]

Thank you for your advice. How does one find an inspector? What kind of an inspector? I have never heard of having a rig inspected.

Home - NRVIA is a good place to find an inspector near you, or near the RV you are interested in.

 

[Boat Bum]

If you are totally new to RVs and RVing it might be worth the cost but you need to expect to pay between $300 & $500 for a good one There are check lists that you can use. A good source of certified inspectors is the NRIV training group or NRVTA training school, or just do a search for one.

I paid $1,000 in NC this past July.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I am buying a new (2022 or 2023) Class A Forest River Georgetown 36K7. When a dealer has a sale price on their website and throw out an offer, what is the average I can work them down? For instance a 2022 listed for $179 and the guy writes me back and says he want to move it for $176 not counting taxes & tags. Strange question but I am new to this. I know they need to make a living and I don't want to take that away from them, but I also want to get the best I can for myself. Any advice?

Forget everything you may think you know about based on car-buying expereince. None of it applies to RV dealers & RV purchases. N.O.N.E. I doubt if you even know the MSRP of the RV (there is no federal "Monroney" MSRP sticker like on cars) and you should not assume that whatever the dealer claims as "list" or "factory" price is in fact the actual MSRP. And you probably don't know the destination (delivery) cost either. For that reason, any discount percentage you may expect is meaningless. The dealer asking price can be more or less than the factory MSRP and may include various extras that may or may not be valuable to you. Examples might be "appearance protection" or "pre-delivery prep" (which should be included in the price) anyway. Some dealers price high and then volunteer steep "discounts", but it's all a masquerade. Some few will give their best (or near best) offer right up front and won't (can't) budge from it.

As others have explained, the only way to establish a mutually agreeable price is to bargain or barter. If your offer is less than the dealer is willing to take, he will just decline it and either counter-offer or just reiterate his previous price. You, on the other hand, have to have learned enough by shopping around to judge whether the price is competitive. Seldom easy to do, but the only way to evaluate whether the price is reasonable for that model & time.

 

[Joenew61]

Absolutely it would be but if it were me I'd make an offer of $160. They will counter and if you start too high you won't be able to drop down,

If you are totally new to RVs and RVing it might be worth the cost but you need to expect to pay between $300 & $500 for a good one There are check lists that you can use. A good source of certified inspectors is the NRIV training group or NRVTA training school, or just do a search for one.

I have bought both new and used RVs several times and I can't agree with this philosophy. Neither way is perfect and if you get qualified help you can do OK with either new or used. Keep in mind that your choice of a dealer is just as important as the choice of make & model.

I completely agree with the comment about the importance of choosing the right dealer. After researching the dealers here in the northeast for the brand I am looking at, I have decided there is no way I would ever purchase a coach from any of them, and will likely buy something from a dealer on the other side of the country who has a customer service philosophy much more in line with my expectations. The same is true of the reputation of the manufacturer. Those two considerations preempt virtually any other factor for me, way more important than the price that I am able to negotiate.

Regarding your pricing and counter-offer, it's hard to calibrate that without knowing the MSRP. However as one reference point, the opening offer for the coach I am looking at was a little over 20% off MSRP.

As to the decision whether to buy new or pre-owned, I know there are very strong opinions on that, but I have always come down on the side of buying new, buying smart, buying up, and holding it for a long time. Yes, there will be shakedown issues, but see the above dealer/manufacturer point! And you are just as likely to buy someone else's problems with a pre-owned coach, since you have no idea how it was treated, and there is no warranty to cover that. Inspections are a must, but they are not infallible.

While you may not know exactly what you want in the coach on the first time buy, it is easier and cheaper in the long run to adapt it and live with a few minor "gaps", than it is to trade up a couple of times. Transactions costs on that can be 12% or more (sales tax, commission, etc.), and that is a lot of dead-weight loss in the purchase process that can cover a lot of other shortfalls.

Absent any information about MSRP, I would counter between 160-165k.

 

[Onyrlef]

The #1 rule from your perspective is "don't fall in love with it", have a plan B. If they detect you're desperate for this unit, the negotiation is over. Always be ready to walk, you don't have to tell them that, they do this everyday, if you're serious they'll know.

 

[LarsMac]

I paid $1,000 in NC this past July.

I was going to say that 300- 500 is probably the bottom end for a simple inspection.
When you get into the big units, with lot's of bells and whistles, 450 - 700 is not unusual, and if it's used and you want to get oil, Tranny oil and coolant analysis you can tack on another couple or three hundred. And a lot of inspectors are asking big bucks for mileage if they need to travel. For some inspections, I travel a couple or three hundred miles each way, and have to spend a night.
That adds up.

 

[Boat Bum]

I did have to pay some additional for mileage as I was beyond his normal area. I also declined the oil analysis as there was 21K on the engine and I feel that oil analysis is best served on diesels.

 

[A Traveler]

Given the abysmal level of “quality control” in RV manufacturing today, I would NEVER buy a new motor home.

You will spend the first year fixing all the things that were not built right at the factory. During that first year your coach will spend 6 to 9 months sitting somewhere waiting to be fixed. And in that process, the dealer will tell you to contact the factory for the repairs, and the factory will tell you it is the dealer’s responsibility. The effort expended by these charlatans to duck responsibility is amazing.

Combine this with the HUGE depreciation hit you take in the first year of ownership and suddenly buying “new” doesn’t make sense any more.

Do yourself a favor. Find a good used coach that is 2 to 4 years old. By that time, all the initial problems have been fixed and someone else took the big, first-year value hit.

 

[LarsMac]

The #1 rule from your perspective is "don't fall in love with it", have a plan B. If they detect you're desperate for this unit, the negotiation is over. Always be ready to walk, you don't have to tell them that, they do this everyday, if you're serious they'll know.

True enough. And BTW, I ran across two of the same model type that were at that price, already on RV Trader.