Finding an honest dealer; the saga continues

[Wendy]

Not you, Tom, but in this thread others said there is "no such thing as an Honest Dealer PERIOD" and "RV dealers are some of the nastiest liars in sales." If all RV dealers are dishones liars, why did any of us ever buy one of the dang things??? No profession should be painted as being totally dishonest and rotten.

You make several good points when you say, as ALL lawyers say, to get it in writing and "it's your money and you can do exactly as you please with it."

 

[Tom]

Not you, Tom....

Wendy, I knew that neither you nor Betty were referring to me. But, given the fact that some of my prior writings have been misunderstood, misquoted and used to make me out to be a bad guy by a very small minority, I figured I'd better clarify what I'd written.

 

[Ned]

If the buyer is happy with his purchase, and believe he paid a fair price, then it's irrelevant how much the seller made.  A dealer will never lose money on a sale, so if you're not happy with a deal, walk away.

 

[motojavaphil]

I used to think I was a good car buyer until I realized these guys are professionals and have skills far beyond my own.  The RV Dealer is even more uncertain for me as it is not as easy as picking a V10 vs a diesel.  A good salesman will know you within 5-15 minutes and provide appropriate product for your viewing.  A good salesman will will flex numbers and even the dealership will do that.  The trick is learning your product, getting the salesman to use his strengths to find the rig and convince him you are only willing to spend so much.  Sales and dealers are there for one purpose...sell.  Use that to your advantage, offer low and negoiate a little.  Use the NADA and if a new element is thrown in you will need to research it to make a counteroffer.  Slow, methodical purchasing will trump impulse buys any day.  Just some thoughts, hope I did not ramble on this...Phil 

 

[Shayne]

Absolutely Ned and Phiol  you said the same thihg I've been saying all along.  Thes salespeople go to school,  Yes school, to learn how to get into your pocket.  I know been there, done that.  Even taught a couple of classes.  They are taught to tell you what you want to hear, or think you want to hear.  There is no such thing as scrupples in the business of RV's and autos.  Sure you can make a deal and be satisfied, doesn't mean somewhere along the line you weren't led to believe something other than the truth.  Dealing over the phone or net and dealing strickly price, yest everything may go smoothly.  Yet had you been there in person and dealing directly, you may have gotten more for your money.  Why? Because sometimes things are grouped in packages and are less expensive to buy that way.  But when you specify what you want,  all the bargins are out the window.  Got out of the business cause of the Hall Dobbs system of selling, which is,  Do what you can and say what you need to do to get it on paper,  Now ist's up to the rest of the sales crew to get it to the price we want.  If you think I'm wrong  go to a dealer and get a job selling.  Soon as you've gone thru you relatives and friends, they will send you to school to learn to Cheat, that's all it boils down too.  When You walk onto a lot, they know your want to spend money.  Now their job is to get as much as possible and quickly as possible and send you on your way, hoping you feel satisfied and will send your friends to them for the same treatment.  Any thing other than this, the salesperson could really care less, cuz all he's looking for is his or her next paycheck and how much.  They do work on commission and the more they get to more they make.  All in all it's quite simple.  Best  solution is know what you want and know what you want to pay for it and don't listen to mummble jumbo.  Each time a Salesperson opens their mouth, that's exactly what comes out  Mummble Jumbo.  And yes a lot of people are very very naiive.  Sorry but that's the way it is.  From a former salesman and Sales Mgr    JMHO

 

[BernieD]

I guess we've been pretty lucky, bought 2 new motor homes and both dealers were exceptional and honest. We were pure virgins when we bought our 1st coach, never owned an RV before. Knew a little from some reading and seminars, but not much. The coach we bought had no patio awning or ventilation fan. Those two items were listed on the PO without specification for dealer installation. When we picked up the coach, a fully automatic Fantastic fan had been installed as well as the then current top of the line Carefree awning. I wouldn't have known the difference for quite a while if they had installed lower quality units.

We bought our current coach at an FMCA convention where it was a display coach. Once we agreed on a mutually satisfactory deal, the coach was locked up until the convention was over. The last nite of the convention, we transferred everything from our old coach and moved into the new and had a walk thru with the factory rep. We didn't sign a sales contract until the next morning and it was exactly as we agreed verbally. Some dealers won't even let you step into the coach until you've given them the check.

 

[buckle823]

Shayne, what do you mean when you say, "Soon as you've gone thru you relatives and friends.."? By the way, I think your 100% on point with your comments. I had a feeling these RV dealers tended to be scumbags.

 

[Shayne]

After you've sold to all your friends and family that you can ,  your personel leads have dwindled, so the send you to school to learn how the develop leads.  Once you get an inkling of a sale they want you to put things into play.  Also, if you show any interest in a unit they will pursue that interest until the sale is completed or exhausted.  Sure many people get treated with respect and there are ways to tell if you are experienced at it.  I can talk to a salesman and immediately I know what he's trying to do.  Been there done that.  Even on the phone there are ways to communicate long distance.  To a novice it's buyer beware.  Also there are profit days in a dealership and also move it at any cost and let's get the volume out the door.  John Doe doesn't know this.  When I deal I will know more about the dealership than the salesman does and more about him than he does me.  I spent 20 yrs in the buisness and 15 of that as a Sales manager for both Auto and RV dealers.    Salesman's greatest accomplishment is selling someone something he doesn't want and is satisfied with it.  Sounds strange but true.  That give the salesman another opportunity to sell or upgrade you and a later date.  When I say salesman, could be male or female.  Most reps or not salesman they are ordertakers and know nothing but rattle on.  A Saleman knows the true facts on each and every unit and will take your desires into account and go from there.  Very few really good salesman out there.  The Salesman is stricly a go between you and the salesmanager.  Even the Sales Mgr has to report to the dealer and that too can always be a stumbling block.  JMHO