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Old 03-28-2014, 11:45 AM   #1
Trailsport07
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Had to say somthing, let peolpe know

I went to a local RV place, not where I purchsed mine. I like the RV wash they sell. Well it always takes forever to get help here, unless your buying somthing big. So Im looking and I see some obvious newbies talking to a salesman, new himself sounded like. They are looking at a 26 to 28 foot travel trailer. I heard them say they have a chevy colorado. Then I hear the salesman say they would be fine towing one of those trailers with ther truck. So I listen alittle more they have two small chilren and like to bring the family pet. I am not sure of the brand trailer they are looking at or the tow rating of a colorado but from my towing experience that is to much trailer for there truck. They were getting excited as they discussed options and color and that they really liked the 28 foot. So the salesman says well let me go see what kind of deal we can do for you today. Well me being me took the oppurtunity to strike up some casual conversation with them. I told him I think that is a big trailer for his truck. He said he wasnt sure if his truck could tow it ethier, but the salesman said he could. Well I told him ,ask the salesman what the tounge wieght of the tailer is, the dry wieght of the trailer, then figure your family and all your gear. I then asked him if he had a brake controller, his reply, what is that. I told him that I know it is overwhleming and exciting ,but think of his familys safety. I saw the salesman coming I said good luck, they thanked me. The salesman came back all happy, then the guy asked some quetions I told him, then I saw the salesman take out a book. I am not sure if they bought anything or not because I left. But that made me mad the salesman would do that. Hope I did the right thing.
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Old 03-28-2014, 11:46 AM   #2
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JUst make sure your truck can tow what your gonna buy, Safely, thats all I mean.
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Old 03-28-2014, 12:00 PM   #3
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Congrats...you did exactly the right thing and something any experienced rver should do. I'm sure they will thank you . Safety first.
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Old 03-28-2014, 12:47 PM   #4
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These salesmen seem to say whatever it takes to make the sale. Personally, I think they should hold some of the responsibility. In order to be able to complete the sale there should be some sort of a requirement about having a truck that will tow that weight, or a bill of sale for the plot of land you are going to be putting it on.
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Old 03-28-2014, 02:50 PM   #5
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When at the time of buying my first rv from a major rv centre if I had some one like you to offer real world experience instead of what I know now about salesmen and how very little they care about human safety .As he sent me off 3000 lbs over weight for my TV .Finding out after and needed a larger truck. The world needs more people like you.
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Old 03-28-2014, 03:07 PM   #6
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Thank guys , was worried I did wrong, but the sales guy was doing wrong.
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Old 03-28-2014, 04:45 PM   #7
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You did exactly right. Newbies should never have to believe everything an RV salesman tells them. Most get so excited that they don't do their homework.

We once had a salesman tell us that a TT with a dry weight of 8800 pounds could be towed with our Dodge 1500 with "no problem". I told him I doubted his veracity, so he said to just hook up the truck to the trailer and drive it around town for a bit. I walked out.
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Old 03-28-2014, 05:23 PM   #8
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Good job, if a buyer has a clue then most salesman will do it right but unfortunately when they see a newbie they are licking their chops...
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Old 03-28-2014, 06:19 PM   #9
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Thumbs up Good Job!

I have owned 2 other campers prior to my new purchase. Both my other ones were used from friends. I have some knowledge of travel trailers but still felt a little overwhelmed when I went to the dealer. I cant eveb think of how pissed I would be if I spent that much money when I could not use it thanks to a not so knowldgeable dealer. Good Job!
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Old 03-28-2014, 06:22 PM   #10
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Good for you. That salesperson needs a slap upside the head.

According to this chart, Chevy Colorado has tow capacity ranging from 2100 to 6000, depending on version, with most versions having a very low capacity http://www.onlinetowingguide.com/gui...apacities.html So yeah, way overweight for their tow vehicle.

Speaking of such things - last place we bought a trailer never asked what sort of tow vehicle we have, never asked if we had weight distribution hitch, never asked if we had a sway bar, nor if we had a brake controller! Not only did he leave it up to us to safeguard ourselves, he could have made an add-on sale because at the very least I need new trunnion bars and am thinking of a complete upgrade of the weight distribution hitch.
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Old 03-31-2014, 06:46 AM   #11
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So I noticed this weekend it is not just campers people try to pull with anything. As the electrical contractor who is gonna work on my brother house rolls up with a Nissa frontiier, pulling a 24 foot box trailer. Worst yet I saw a round to flat four pin being used, so yea no brakes on trailer. I have also been boating for awhile so I have seen some people pull crazy boats with anything. They usually arent going far but still. The little nissan was sqauting pretty good. The trailer was pretty loaded with tools. Why do people think it OK to risk there lives and innocent people. Is it the lack of knowledge or just ignorance. Something more needs to be done about this. Its just out of control.
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Old 03-31-2014, 07:04 AM   #12
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I JUST GOT TIME TO READ THIS POST GOOD JOB ON GIVING THE NEWBE THE HEADS UP I WISH SOMEONE HAD DONE THAT FOR ME THE FIRST TIME I GOT TAKEN.
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Old 03-31-2014, 08:44 AM   #13
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I posted on an other RV site a while back my experience with a low life sales type and got slammed pretty hard. I'm now wondering if it was the salesman who replied to me. Whatever.
We were at the Toronto RV show prior to purchasing our 23RB. At the time we were planning to tow with our '08 Grand Cherokee diesel rated to tow 7200 pounds. We were wandering around looking at the various TT's. We stepped inside a 26 or 27 foot trailer from Rushton's in Burlington, Ontario. Nice unit but we both knew it was too large for our TV. In walks an old man, late 60's, with super sales written all over him. He says to us, "you've been in this trailer for more than three minutes so that tells me you are interested." We tell him our TV won't handle it to which he asks what we have. Told him what we had and what it was rated for to which he immediately replied, "this unit weights 6800 pounds, so you are good to go." My wife knows I tend to play with salesmen who I think are full of sh*t. She got up and walked out giving me the "don't start" look. Well, we got into a discussion as to why my GC would or would not tow this thing with no problems. He at one point told me he had been in the business for 50 years and we were definitely good to go. At that point I told him he should have quit years ago because he doesn't know f-all. It got a little dicey after that.
It's sad to say that there are salesmen out there that prey on and take advantage of the lack of knowledge that newbies unfortunately have. They should be hanging their heads in shame!!!! In reality this is a direct reflection on the dealership which employs them.
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Old 03-31-2014, 06:21 PM   #14
Ken / Claudia
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The listed trailer is my 8th RV, 5 pull trailers, 3 truck campers. The salesman, we tell him what we are looking for and he asks right off, what are you using for a tow vehicle. (We drove the explorer to the lot, not F350). Alittle while later he asks where are you going to park the trailer, do you have enough driveway. I felt this is a guy I would buy from and did. Besides being able to pull or buy the biggest thing he had, he did not pressure us.
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Old 04-01-2014, 02:51 AM   #15
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Ken, it is nice to hear there are still salesmen out there with integrity!!
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Old 04-01-2014, 08:17 AM   #16
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By no means am I making excuses for any salesman (especially ones that may not tell the truth), but it still comes down to buyer-beware or buyer-be-smart.

To ask the general question of "will my truck pull it?" is so wide open of a question and can't be answered without a lot of further details.

Anyone making major purchases, such as a new camper or fifth wheel, had better take the time to get educated or find someone that is knowledgeable and can help them out.

I wouldn't expect many camper salesman to be experts on every tow vehicle made and every engine/rear end combination that is produced and available for sale today (and over the past ten years or so). Perhaps a general knowledge may be what most will have, but that is all I would expect.

I will take personal responsability for learning/calculating what I take with me and what vehicle will fit my needs. The camper manufactures provide all the specs and details on every camper they make and do not try to mislead purchasers in order to sell more product.

Lets quit bashing salespeople and be more realistic of the questions we expect them to be able to answer. I wouldn't buy fertalizer off the Walmart shelf for my garden without first educating myself as to what the product is best used for, just as I wouldn't purchase a camper without educating myself as to what I am going to need to get it down the road.

Travel smart / travel safely!
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Old 04-01-2014, 11:13 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by windy2day View Post
By no means am I making excuses for any salesman (especially ones that may not tell the truth), but it still comes down to buyer-beware or buyer-be-smart.

To ask the general question of "will my truck pull it?" is so wide open of a question and can't be answered without a lot of further details.

Anyone making major purchases, such as a new camper or fifth wheel, had better take the time to get educated or find someone that is knowledgeable and can help them out.

I wouldn't expect many camper salesman to be experts on every tow vehicle made and every engine/rear end combination that is produced and available for sale today (and over the past ten years or so). Perhaps a general knowledge may be what most will have, but that is all I would expect.

I will take personal responsability for learning/calculating what I take with me and what vehicle will fit my needs. The camper manufactures provide all the specs and details on every camper they make and do not try to mislead purchasers in order to sell more product.

Lets quit bashing salespeople and be more realistic of the questions we expect them to be able to answer. I wouldn't buy fertalizer off the Walmart shelf for my garden without first educating myself as to what the product is best used for, just as I wouldn't purchase a camper without educating myself as to what I am going to need to get it down the road.

Travel smart / travel safely!
I agree with this
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Old 04-01-2014, 11:28 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by windy2day View Post
The camper manufactures provide all the specs and details on every camper they make and do not try to mislead purchasers in order to sell more product
Travel smart / travel safely!
Trailsport07
Good you spoke up and just the right amount...having been here a while I realize not all advise is welcome so I would hope to temper my feedback to the buyer and then leave it up to them...
@ windy today
though I agree with much you say in this post here is a thought. There are many honest salespeople out there and it is a pleasure doing business with them. They are too often painted with the same broad stroke brush as the unscrupulous ones that deserve to be smeared.
An honest sales person may not know about every TV out there but can certainly say "I don't know about that vehicle let's look it up".
Yes it is Always buyer beware.
Now as the manufacturer giving honest data and not misleading purchasers to sell more product...well Not True! Just do a search here on "polar package, 4 season, glacier and any other name they choose to market it under and start reading.
Or subtracting the tongue weight from the gross vehicle weight for axles.
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Old 04-01-2014, 05:49 PM   #19
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You did a good deed. A salesman's job is to sell. As a consumer it is our responsibility to know if and how to use the product safely.
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Old 04-01-2014, 06:17 PM   #20
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Not nosy

Good for you! You should go and make the rounds to dealerships - you may have caused more stress for this buyer but it was a necessary and good stress-'it's buyer beware out here.
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