irvsiegel
Well-known member
? ?My wife and I are in the market for a new entry level Class A motorhome.? We have only had a Class B RV in the past, and we didn't use it that much because it was too small for us (I bought it when I was single).? In our search for our new RV, we've found one that we really like, but something has come up with the dealer that makes me think that he's not completely trustworthy.? I'd like to get opinions from more experienced RV people.
? ?At another dealership, the dealer was happy to provide us with the MSRP on the letterhead of the manufacturer (Fleetwood).? It showed the suggested retail price of the particular model, what items were standard at no extra charge, and optional equipment installed on the vehicle (with a total price of all of the options), a destination charge, a dealer prep charge, and an "other" charge for $4.05.? However this unit is not our first choice.? We prefer one that we saw at another dealer, but this other dealer told us that he did not have a copy of the manufacturer's sticker price.? Instead, he gave me an MSRP on the dealer's letterhead that showed a combined "base and options" MSRP.? I asked for a breakdown of what came standard and what was an option, and the salesman just took a brochure and checked off those optional items that were on the unit (he did this from memory, and made at least one mistake that I know of).
? ?I didn't like that, so when I got home I called the manufacturer and asked them if they had a breakdown of the base cost and the cost of the options on this unit (I had the serial number).? The manufacturer faxed me the information I needed, and when I added everything up, it came to a price that was about $13,000 less than what the dealer said the MSRP was.? There's some margin for error here, for a couple of reasons that I won't go into, but there's no way that it could come to $13,000!? I don't want to mention the name of the manufacturer or the dealer on a public forum, but I will be happy to discuss it privately.? In the meantime, what do other people think about this situation?? Is this as weird as it seems to me?? How can a salesman at a fairly large dealership possibly remember every piece of optional equipment on all of the units that he has for sale?? That's apparently what salesmen at this dealership have to do, since they don't have access to the manufacturers' stickers.
? ?My feeling is that they have jacked up the MSRP by $13,000 or so in order to make it appear that they are offering much larger discounts than other dealers.? If that's true, then they are certainly acting unethically (and possiblly illegally), and if I find that to be the case then I certainly will "out" them publicly.? But for now I want to give them the benefit of the doubt, since I'm not absolutely sure about what's going on.? What do you think?
Sincerely,
Irv Siegel
? ?At another dealership, the dealer was happy to provide us with the MSRP on the letterhead of the manufacturer (Fleetwood).? It showed the suggested retail price of the particular model, what items were standard at no extra charge, and optional equipment installed on the vehicle (with a total price of all of the options), a destination charge, a dealer prep charge, and an "other" charge for $4.05.? However this unit is not our first choice.? We prefer one that we saw at another dealer, but this other dealer told us that he did not have a copy of the manufacturer's sticker price.? Instead, he gave me an MSRP on the dealer's letterhead that showed a combined "base and options" MSRP.? I asked for a breakdown of what came standard and what was an option, and the salesman just took a brochure and checked off those optional items that were on the unit (he did this from memory, and made at least one mistake that I know of).
? ?I didn't like that, so when I got home I called the manufacturer and asked them if they had a breakdown of the base cost and the cost of the options on this unit (I had the serial number).? The manufacturer faxed me the information I needed, and when I added everything up, it came to a price that was about $13,000 less than what the dealer said the MSRP was.? There's some margin for error here, for a couple of reasons that I won't go into, but there's no way that it could come to $13,000!? I don't want to mention the name of the manufacturer or the dealer on a public forum, but I will be happy to discuss it privately.? In the meantime, what do other people think about this situation?? Is this as weird as it seems to me?? How can a salesman at a fairly large dealership possibly remember every piece of optional equipment on all of the units that he has for sale?? That's apparently what salesmen at this dealership have to do, since they don't have access to the manufacturers' stickers.
? ?My feeling is that they have jacked up the MSRP by $13,000 or so in order to make it appear that they are offering much larger discounts than other dealers.? If that's true, then they are certainly acting unethically (and possiblly illegally), and if I find that to be the case then I certainly will "out" them publicly.? But for now I want to give them the benefit of the doubt, since I'm not absolutely sure about what's going on.? What do you think?
Sincerely,
Irv Siegel