Howdy, all. As my DH and I consider options to purchasing a 5th wheel, a question that's come up is whether it might make sense to visit an RV show with the intent of buying a new (or late model) unit offered as a show special. We've done a lot of research and have a pretty clear idea of what we're looking for in a 5er. So, buying under the proverbial gun wouldn't be an issue for us. What would be a problem would be to buy something at a show because we thought we were getting a "deal" only to find out later that we might have been able to negotiate a similar bargain elsewhere.
That said, I'm writing to ask: are there any real advantages when it comes to buying an RV show special over negotiating a deal with a seller (manufacturer, dealer, or other)?
kb0zke said
11:39 PM Oct 8, 2012
Good question. The short answer is "it depends."
I'd suggest that you do a bit of research before you go, or have a computer with you to check once you get to the show. If you can find out in advance what dealers will be at the show you can check their web sites prior to the show. If they have something that might be of interest to you, check NADA, PPL, etc. to find out what that coach is worth. Then when you see it at the show you can have some idea about what you should pay for it. If that coach isn't at the show, often dealers will still offer "show pricing" anyway.
If you can't check prior to the show, take a computer or smart phone along that will let you do the checking from the show. In that case I'd not say much until after you've been all the way through the show. Make notes to yourself about coaches that might interest you, then go to the food area, get a cup of coffee and search.
From what I've seen at the Springfield RV show, very few coaches are actually sold there. Rather, prospective buyers get a better idea of what they want and can talk to the sales people later with less pressure. Last month we went to the Springfield show and found one coach displayed on a photo board that interested us. Nothing at the show caught our fancy. Later on we went to the dealership and looked at the coach. It wasn't what we wanted, but seeing the picture at the show got us to the dealership.
Remember that there is no hard and fast pricing rule. A dealer can stick a "show price" sign on the coach that is actually the same price he had it listed for on his lot the previous week. Other dealers have been known to inflate the list price by 20%, then offer 25% off for the show. That way they can sell a $100,000 coach for $90,000 and the customer thinks he got a good deal.
GENECOP said
12:51 AM Oct 9, 2012
Dave hit the nail on the head. The advantage that we have today as consumers is this little machine that I am typing on right now. Do most of your research on line, get familiar with pricing of a specific brand and model you like, then go to the show educated. Dealers will say and do most anything to close a deal, the knowledge you go in with will really determine the type of deal you get.....good luck.
Terry and Jo said
02:28 AM Oct 9, 2012
Sally and Leonard,
You are getting good advice. Research for what brand/model you want and then research the dealer. We may have been lucky, but we've shopped dealers back for several years and found one where we felt everyone was friendly, helpful, and really interested in helping us. If one goes into a dealer and gets the sense that the salesman is looking for the "easy" sale, I would advise leaving after you have spent the time to see what may have "seen" online. Also, if a salesman DOES NOT ask you about how you want to use the RV or what you want in one, also look for a different salesman, if not another dealer. If they don't ask questions, they can't get you into the "right" RV.
In our case, we have purchased three different RV's from the same dealer with good results each and every time. We've NEVER bought at the shows, because I use the shows only for the opportunity to look and compare the units themselves. Hey, it's easier to just walk around an RV show to see different brands/models than it is to drive many miles to the dealerships.
If you've done your research online, you will have an idea of what a particular dealer has done. For instance, is his price for "X" the same as "X" at another dealer that sells the same brand/model? (Keep in mind that they may not be equipped the same, so look closely.) We've never had a dealer "mark up" so as to give a discount to bring it back down to the original price. With our choice of dealer, his price has always been discounted off of retail for the units.
One other thing I've done for research. Whether going to shows or going to a dealership to see the units, I take pictures with a digital camera. I alway start out by taking a picture of the coach so I can see the brand, then I take a picture of the model number on the side. That way, I always know that what pictures follow a model number/name will be pictures of that model. This tool for shopping helps in that one can go back later and see things that they might not have seen when looking in person.
Whatever you do, look at each one with an idea of how you would do normal everyday things in it like showering, cooking, making the bed, etc. You might be surprised that you notice that one floorplan may work better for you than another. In addition to interior looks and floorplans, pay close attention to the frames, axles, suspension and wheels because those are the foundation for your RV.
Terry
flyone said
06:33 PM Oct 9, 2012
An rv show is a good place to make a deal, most are ready to deal and can talk to the factory rep for a better price if he is on site. The biggest thing that I have come up with in negotiating is to not get your heart set on one particular model (be it car, RV, Boat, House, whatever) You must be willing to get up and walk away, if you don't get what you think is a fair deal. Do your research as others have said, and try and come up with a reasonable MSRP, and figure out what you are willing to pay. Remember there are always other dealers other shows and other models. As a rule of thumb, for something to go by (the way I did it) if they don't come 20% off of MSRP then get up and walk away, (I think you can get that almost anywhere), when they get to 25% off MSRP start getting interested, if they get to 30% off MSRP they want to make a sell, anything more than 30% off MSRP they really want to sell and you might want to think pretty serious about jumping on it. That is the mind set that I went to the RV show with and it worked out well for me, don't be in a big hurry that is what they want --you making a decision without thinking rationally about it--in other words making an impulse buy. Of course this is general advice, some manufactures have more mark up than others and can deal more, so please take this all with a grain of salt. Have a price set and then negotiate to get it or real close to it. If your satisfied, and the dealer is satisfied, it's a good deal. Good Luck, (remember this is all my opinion so take it for what it's worth).
Flyone
kb0zke said
11:14 PM Oct 9, 2012
Terry's advice about "trying" various activities is right on. We kind of thought that one particular 5'er would be ideal for us - until I tried to "make" the bed. I couldn't. That coach was scratched from our list right then. Be sure to get into the shower and close the door. Also sit down on the toilet. I know of a couple that didn't do that test until after they bought the coach. The toilet wasn't the right size for one of them, and they ended up trading the coach sooner than planned (after checking the toilet height).
Frac999 said
03:54 AM Oct 10, 2012
Do your research and then buy in the off season if all possible, find the coach or trailer you want. Dont be afraid to make an offer that will make him think your crazy, cause i gurantee they are making a profit on you that would make you say bad words. Once your past that you can work back alittle with him or her. One of my favorite things is to argue with salesmen. Also dont be afraid to walk away from the deal if your not happy with the numbers. He will come back or lose the deal. Theres plenty of RV's in the lake.
TheHarveys said
02:07 PM Oct 10, 2012
Lots of good advice here. The only thing I might add is, if it is at all possible, try to work with more than one dealer. If there is more than one competing dealership (not two "branches" of the same company), in your general area that can sell or order the trailer you want, then get them both involved. Do not be afraid to let both dealers know that you are working with more than one dealership to get the best price. Here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area that is easy as there are several competing dealerships that sell the same brands. I imagine it is not so easy in smaller towns.
lindy said
02:12 PM Oct 10, 2012
Personally the prices I've seen at RV shows i.e. Tampa were inflated. There was one unit the DW was really interested in. The dealer at the show listed it as MSRP $102,000 sale price $86,000. I'd seen the very same unit equiped the same on line listed at MSRP $84,000 sale priced at $69,000. So for what it's worth SHOP SHOP SHOP, and dont' take what the dealers say for price as gospel.
cdat said
03:29 PM Oct 10, 2012
As others have stated above, find the lowest price advertised ANYWHERE in the country on the unit you want. Bookmark or download that page on your laptop or smartphone, go to the RV show on the last or second to the last day of the show, offer them 10% below that advertised price, see what they do. When they complain about your "ridiculous" price show them the price you found on line, ask them if they want to drive the unit back to where they brought it from or not. You may or may not get them to come down to the -10%, but if they want to sell the unit you should be able to get pretty close to that low advertised price.
thebearII said
07:48 PM Oct 10, 2012
Our experience was that we found the 5th wheel model we wanted at a local dealer. We priced it and then several weeks later went to an RV Show and priced the same model with a dealer at the show. Supposedly we were getting the "show price".
Now that I write this I realize this was the first time where a mobile phone was helpful. We had our first mobile phone in the car (one of those big heavy brick portable phones). We called the local dealer and gave them the show price we were quoted and told him we would be willing to drive the hour to buy the 5th wheel if he would better the price. He knocked $1000 off of the other dealer's show price.
It was worth the drive and the $0.50 mobile phone call.
RunsWithScissors said
12:24 PM Oct 11, 2012
Thanks to all for your replies. Lots of good information and suggestions.
Our plan is to attend the Tampa show this January so we can scrutinize the models on our "short list." We're not necessarily set on buying something while there but want to be in a position to take advantage of any offers that might be worth considering. As suggested, we'll go in armed with current, thorough research on the models that interest us and will be prepared to walk away from the negotiating table if we decide to try to buy a show special but can't get what we consider a fair deal.
Howdy, all. As my DH and I consider options to purchasing a 5th wheel, a question that's come up is whether it might make sense to visit an RV show with the intent of buying a new (or late model) unit offered as a show special. We've done a lot of research and have a pretty clear idea of what we're looking for in a 5er. So, buying under the proverbial gun wouldn't be an issue for us. What would be a problem would be to buy something at a show because we thought we were getting a "deal" only to find out later that we might have been able to negotiate a similar bargain elsewhere.
That said, I'm writing to ask: are there any real advantages when it comes to buying an RV show special over negotiating a deal with a seller (manufacturer, dealer, or other)?
I'd suggest that you do a bit of research before you go, or have a computer with you to check once you get to the show. If you can find out in advance what dealers will be at the show you can check their web sites prior to the show. If they have something that might be of interest to you, check NADA, PPL, etc. to find out what that coach is worth. Then when you see it at the show you can have some idea about what you should pay for it. If that coach isn't at the show, often dealers will still offer "show pricing" anyway.
If you can't check prior to the show, take a computer or smart phone along that will let you do the checking from the show. In that case I'd not say much until after you've been all the way through the show. Make notes to yourself about coaches that might interest you, then go to the food area, get a cup of coffee and search.
From what I've seen at the Springfield RV show, very few coaches are actually sold there. Rather, prospective buyers get a better idea of what they want and can talk to the sales people later with less pressure. Last month we went to the Springfield show and found one coach displayed on a photo board that interested us. Nothing at the show caught our fancy. Later on we went to the dealership and looked at the coach. It wasn't what we wanted, but seeing the picture at the show got us to the dealership.
Remember that there is no hard and fast pricing rule. A dealer can stick a "show price" sign on the coach that is actually the same price he had it listed for on his lot the previous week. Other dealers have been known to inflate the list price by 20%, then offer 25% off for the show. That way they can sell a $100,000 coach for $90,000 and the customer thinks he got a good deal.
Sally and Leonard,
You are getting good advice. Research for what brand/model you want and then research the dealer. We may have been lucky, but we've shopped dealers back for several years and found one where we felt everyone was friendly, helpful, and really interested in helping us. If one goes into a dealer and gets the sense that the salesman is looking for the "easy" sale, I would advise leaving after you have spent the time to see what may have "seen" online. Also, if a salesman DOES NOT ask you about how you want to use the RV or what you want in one, also look for a different salesman, if not another dealer. If they don't ask questions, they can't get you into the "right" RV.
In our case, we have purchased three different RV's from the same dealer with good results each and every time. We've NEVER bought at the shows, because I use the shows only for the opportunity to look and compare the units themselves. Hey, it's easier to just walk around an RV show to see different brands/models than it is to drive many miles to the dealerships.
If you've done your research online, you will have an idea of what a particular dealer has done. For instance, is his price for "X" the same as "X" at another dealer that sells the same brand/model? (Keep in mind that they may not be equipped the same, so look closely.) We've never had a dealer "mark up" so as to give a discount to bring it back down to the original price. With our choice of dealer, his price has always been discounted off of retail for the units.
One other thing I've done for research. Whether going to shows or going to a dealership to see the units, I take pictures with a digital camera. I alway start out by taking a picture of the coach so I can see the brand, then I take a picture of the model number on the side. That way, I always know that what pictures follow a model number/name will be pictures of that model. This tool for shopping helps in that one can go back later and see things that they might not have seen when looking in person.
Whatever you do, look at each one with an idea of how you would do normal everyday things in it like showering, cooking, making the bed, etc. You might be surprised that you notice that one floorplan may work better for you than another. In addition to interior looks and floorplans, pay close attention to the frames, axles, suspension and wheels because those are the foundation for your RV.
Terry
An rv show is a good place to make a deal, most are ready to deal and can talk to the factory rep for a better price if he is on site. The biggest thing that I have come up with in negotiating is to not get your heart set on one particular model (be it car, RV, Boat, House, whatever) You must be willing to get up and walk away, if you don't get what you think is a fair deal. Do your research as others have said, and try and come up with a reasonable MSRP, and figure out what you are willing to pay. Remember there are always other dealers other shows and other models. As a rule of thumb, for something to go by (the way I did it) if they don't come 20% off of MSRP then get up and walk away, (I think you can get that almost anywhere), when they get to 25% off MSRP start getting interested, if they get to 30% off MSRP they want to make a sell, anything more than 30% off MSRP they really want to sell and you might want to think pretty serious about jumping on it. That is the mind set that I went to the RV show with and it worked out well for me, don't be in a big hurry that is what they want --you making a decision without thinking rationally about it--in other words making an impulse buy. Of course this is general advice, some manufactures have more mark up than others and can deal more, so please take this all with a grain of salt. Have a price set and then negotiate to get it or real close to it. If your satisfied, and the dealer is satisfied, it's a good deal. Good Luck, (remember this is all my opinion so take it for what it's worth).
Flyone
Now that I write this I realize this was the first time where a mobile phone was helpful. We had our first mobile phone in the car (one of those big heavy brick portable phones). We called the local dealer and gave them the show price we were quoted and told him we would be willing to drive the hour to buy the 5th wheel if he would better the price. He knocked $1000 off of the other dealer's show price.
It was worth the drive and the $0.50 mobile phone call.
Our plan is to attend the Tampa show this January so we can scrutinize the models on our "short list." We're not necessarily set on buying something while there but want to be in a position to take advantage of any offers that might be worth considering. As suggested, we'll go in armed with current, thorough research on the models that interest us and will be prepared to walk away from the negotiating table if we decide to try to buy a show special but can't get what we consider a fair deal.
Safe travels!