new RV list price = too much

[mdmike]

Hi all

I'm about to finally pull the trigger and buy my first RV.      I'm looking at the Winnebago Aspect (or the Itasca Cambria, which is the same thing)    for my family.      The dealer I visited was quite forthright, and told me the "list" price of most RVs is WAY overpriced.  Nobody buys a new RV at list, and some think the "fun" is in the negotiation.  He tells me he doesn't want to bargain, and will give me his lowest price --- take it or leave it.  His price is 76% of list.   

I like the "no-haggle" approach, but I wonder:

---is 76% of the "list" price reasonable?

---do dealers consider offers less than what they quote?

---it appears much of the markup is in the optional equipment.    I noticed the cost of "instrument panel applique" was  $245, .....  $665 is the listed cost of an awning  (??!)  ......and there is one "extra" called  "Material Surcharge"  which is $736.    This appears to be a fudge factor which changes quarter by quarter to right size the price to where they want it to be.


My question is ......  given all the fudging and inflating that's apparent in the "list price" of a new RV, how much of a discount from that list price is appropriate?

 

[Tom]

Most folks seem to get around 25% off the sticker price. We occasionally hear of someone getting 28-30%, but they appear to be rare.

 

[Woody]

One of my closest friends was an RV salesman for over 20 years. His opinion is that you can get between 20-35 percent reduction off of the list price, depending on what time of the year you are buying. Obviously, in the northern US, most people shop for RV's in the spring. Late January and February would be the best times to buy since they are not selling many units during those months.

 

[Smoky]

25% is a fair middle of the road discount.? I haggled hard over an 8 month period and ended up at about 29%.

I found no seasonal effect at all.? With the top motorcoach lines they schedule their assembly line very carefully.? They never have any left over chassis and simply cut over to the next year model whenever they please.? Meaning when they have built their last prior year chassis.? Of course there is always a price increase when the new year comes out.? So my plan was to finish my research near the end of the model year which is usually the April order period since they usually cut over in May or June.

Now I have been talking about purchasing by ordering from the factory.

I guess if you buy a coach that is already on the dealer lot, you might get some seasonal effect since the dealer wants to sell that coach as fast as possible.

Initially I insisted on buying a coach off the lot, hoping to catch the dealer in a bind.? My "Admiral" protested greatly, wanting to order from the factory to insure getting exactly what she wanted.? Over a period of several months I slowly got converted to the order process.? Having learned what I learned, I will never again buy off the lot.

 

[BernieD]

Having learned what I learned, I will never again buy off the lot.

Smoky

I thought you bought your coach for the ages, you weren't going to have to buy another ;D ;D ;D

 

[Smoky]

Good point Bernie.  Let me rephrase.  "If I could ever afford to buy another coach, I will never buy another one off the lot." 

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

In that price range I would say that 76% of list is an excellent price.  You might be able to do a bit better on a high dollar rig, but a 24% discount is good.  If its the rig you like, I would jump on it.

 

[Ron]

My "Admiral" protested greatly, wanting to order from the factory to insure getting exactly what she wanted.  Over a period of several months I slowly got converted to the order process.  Having learned what I learned, I will never again buy off the lot.

See you do get the last two word in and you have learned what the two words are. ;D ;D