They do not have a good reputation.

Yes...snowgypsy gave me a link to their reviews on another thread.

So what does one do, if one finds a rig at one of their dealers? Just pass them by or be on guard and be shrewd...hire an inspector, etc.?

Yes, you could approach it that way IF you see this unit and IF it meets your expectations. In the "olden" days, a picture was worth a million words but anymore, you cannot tell what a unit is like by looking at the photos online. The units they had in AZ showed wear and tear and were not very clean. It does help to be forewarned always, in every situation and that can help a lot especially when dealing with the lesser of evils. Keep in mind that units priced exceptionally well are sometimes used in "bait and switch" which is illegal but done. I believe the unit we went to see was no longer available even though it was advertised in the newspaper, current issue. Since they didn't have that one, we were paraded first through units in our price range and when we were disappointed in them, they moved us on to the higher priced units, new ones, then, they switched salespeople on us yet another tactic. Some people can and do succeed under these conditions though. We chose to walk when they went to check a price since at that point, I don't think they deserved common courtesy. It is not uncommon for large dealerships to be a real pain and best bet if you are lucky enough to find it are the smaller family owned dealers or, of course, working with an private owner, generally older and getting out of the lifestyle would be a first choice for me.

Craiglist for one. Also, have you looked for units on www.oodle.com? What about the newspaper classified for a larger city near you, even smaller ones? Try the library for newspapers. Not everyone operates through the internet especially some older people and also those further out in rural areas where internet can be pricey. What about the owner's forum for the manufacturer of the unit you are interested in, do they have a place where you can post that you want to buy a certain unit? Sometimes, people don't like advertising one for sale but if they find out someone is looking, it is easier for them to just approach that individual. Gotta' shake the bushes!

Haha....you have no idea how rural an area our little town is. No libraries of any substance for 30 miles. We could make a trek to check out the libraries...but this area is not good for nice RVs. I have seen more RV dealers in FL than anywhere else, so I think that we will go to FL and check around there in the libraries and papers.

Thanks for the tips, SnowGypsey!

We're with BillJoyce, not a good reputation. Also stay away from McMahons RV in Mesa - for you legal eagles I can back this all up with documentation! Read BB reports and google complaints.

Sherry

If you have an idea of what you want you can check the classified section of those brands' owners' forums. You should already be a member of those as part of your research. Check PPL and the factory for your brands. If you are looking for something fairly new, you might find that the factory knows of a trade-in that will be coming. If the brand you are considering sells through dealers they can sometimes check their dealer network.

Thank you!

For sales I would recommend the dealership we purchased from.....BUT their service department is CRAP.....