Added costs to price of trailer

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by gepaine

If you have identified the trailer you want, the only thing that matters is which dealer has the lowest bottom line price. If the dealer with the lowest bottom line price has itemized $1100 for PDI, why should you care?

As far as "bottom line price" goes, you're correct. But there are a lot of other issues that should be considered as well. How close the dealer is to your home, what reputation the service department has, whether they even have a service department just to name a few.

As stated previously, buying a $29,000 RV for $15,000 with a $1100 PDI charge making the total cost $16,100 (plus tax) and walking away from that deal to buy the same RV for $19,500 (plus tax) in order to save the $1100 is kind of foolish, I'd think. Assuming all other aspects of the deal are essentially the same.

I'd suggest finding dealerships you think will treat you fairly after the sale as well as during the sale. Talk to previous customers and see how they feel, do your own assessment by watching how the service writer handles customers in their department (you know, the "fly on the wall" approach) and just look out over the service bay area. If it's a mess with workers looking angry and not busy vs a clean work area with busy workers, that should tell you something. Also consider the dealership's parts inventory. Having to leave your RV with the dealer for 3 weeks while he orders screws to install molding should not occur. Waiting for a special, unique part is different, but basic things like water pumps, plumbing, faucets, etc should be on hand for use.

Once you find the dealerships you feel comfortable with, then get the final, all inclusive price for the RV you want. Go to several "acceptable" dealerships and then compare the prices from each. The lowest price may not be the best price, you may find that the dealer's abiltiy to provide the "rest of the package" is just as important as the bottom line.

As for the added cost for the PDI, it really doesn't matter how the contract is written up, as long as the final cost on the last line is what you're considering as the "cost" of the RV. How many entries go on the lines above and what they are called doesn't really matter. Those entries are just a roadmap to the bottom line.

Remember though, the cheapest bottom line is not always the best buy. You will most likely be in some sort of relationship with this dealer at least through the warranty phase.

[Randy_K]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

As far as "bottom line price" goes, you're correct. But there are a lot of other issues that should be considered as well. How close the dealer is to your home, what reputation the service department has, whether they even have a service department just to name a few.

As stated previously, buying a $29,000 RV for $15,000 with a $1100 PDI charge making the total cost $16,100 (plus tax) and walking away from that deal to buy the same RV for $19,500 (plus tax) in order to save the $1100 is kind of foolish, I'd think. Assuming all other aspects of the deal are essentially the same.

I'd suggest finding dealerships you think will treat you fairly after the sale as well as during the sale. Talk to previous customers and see how they feel, do your own assessment by watching how the service writer handles customers in their department (you know, the "fly on the wall" approach) and just look out over the service bay area. If it's a mess with workers looking angry and not busy vs a clean work area with busy workers, that should tell you something. Also consider the dealership's parts inventory. Having to leave your RV with the dealer for 3 weeks while he orders screws to install molding should not occur. Waiting for a special, unique part is different, but basic things like water pumps, plumbing, faucets, etc should be on hand for use.

Once you find the dealerships you feel comfortable with, then get the final, all inclusive price for the RV you want. Go to several "acceptable" dealerships and then compare the prices from each. The lowest price may not be the best price, you may find that the dealer's abiltiy to provide the "rest of the package" is just as important as the bottom line.

As for the added cost for the PDI, it really doesn't matter how the contract is written up, as long as the final cost on the last line is what you're considering as the "cost" of the RV. How many entries go on the lines above and what they are called doesn't really matter. Those entries are just a roadmap to the bottom line.

Remember though, the cheapest bottom line is not always the best buy. You will most likely be in some sort of relationship with this dealer at least through the warranty phase.

[Bob Landry]

Dealer prep should be included , the same as when you by a vehicle. Shop around, get a price you can live with and go back to your dealer armed with that if you want to do business with him. Bottom line out the door is what matters. Let them worry about their internal accounting practices.

[LittleJoe]

I agree with Bob. Its the final amount that matters, regardless of how they get to it.

This big PDI charge or extravagent freight charge or blank???? Is often a way to get you in the door by offering you a "lower" list than the competition.

Another favorite one is advertising trailer eg 16000.00 but fine print says with no trades. When you arrive with your trade price is magically 24000.00.

Bottom line is if dealer does not make resonable profit, dealer does not stay in business

[SAD]

Originally Posted by Bob Landry

Dealer prep should be included , the same as when you by a vehicle. Shop around, get a price you can live with and go back to your dealer armed with that if you want to do business with him. Bottom line out the door is what matters. Let them worry about their internal accounting practices.

Bingo bingo

[Bushman512000]

That place tryed to sting Me for replacement slide toppers.The crap they tryed to add on was a joke $50.00 to remove old topper 2min.gone with a sharp blade.X2 was 2 toppers .I said what next ?to wash the slide roof was extra so I said thanks no thanks and left.They dime You to death.with $50.00 dimes lol Bushman

[robo]

Originally Posted by jbsmith

When we purchased our first trailer from a dealer in Cincinnati, OH there were no additional charges for the PDI. They even washed, waxed, and detailed the inside and outside before we left. We bought our 5er last December from the same dealer's Dayton, OH location. Again, near wholesale price with no additional charges for the PDI. They checked everything with us using a very thorough check list, walked us through the complete trailer, covering specs and operation of special features, and even demonstrated winterization of the trailer before we left. It took almost 3 hours, but we left knowing everything was ship shape.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

d and d rite.

[jbsmith]

Originally Posted by robo

d and d rite.

We bought our first trailer, a 2011 Coachmen 23GSX hybrid, from Colerain RV in Cincinnati and the second, 2012 Keystone Cougar 331MKS, from Midwest RV in Dayton. The dealer prep at Colerain was more thorough since we purchased in the fall when it was still warm. Midwest spent more time with us on our PDI, but it was cold and nasty the day we picked up the trailer so wash/wax wasn't really an option.

So far the only thing I've found on the Cougar that I missed during PDI was some debris under the roof membrane, including a staple along the front cap. The power plug also wasn't screwed in securely which I fixed myself with four new stainless steel screws. I also had to re-caulk one seam along the front cap, it had separated and was too cold to caulk the day we picked it up.

[SGardiner]

Our dealer charged a combined freight and pdi of $1100.

The total cost was still $3000 less than the next nearest dealer.