Cost of a Walkthrough? $800

travelingjw · 11-14-2016, 11:11 AM

Went to purchase a trailer yesterday. Salesperson agreed on the price. Then he tried to charge me $800.00 for a walk-through. Is this something new, anyone else ever experienced that. Needless to say he didn't get to say much to my back as I walked out the door.

dalebra · 11-14-2016, 11:13 AM

Never! Never! Run away from this guy!

DanNJanice · 11-14-2016, 11:16 AM

X10!
By the way, post the name of the RV dealer so others can avoid them too!

oldmanAZ · 11-14-2016, 11:17 AM

I guess calling it 'Extra dealer profit' didn't work with some folks.

travelingjw · 11-14-2016, 11:18 AM

I've been a business owner before and want to have a chance to let managment respond. Too many people get hurt by negative posting; could just be one salesperson as this dealership seems well respected by most.

**norty1** · 11-14-2016, 11:49 AM

Before I start making judgements,
What did he say a "walk thru" means?

I can't imagine agreeing on a rv price before looked at it and walked thru it.

Do they charge for walk thru's in California real estate?

sirrealone · 11-14-2016, 12:21 PM

I would have left and canceled the sale. Even if he would've backed off and lowered it to $0, I wouldn't believe that he was scamming me on something else along the way.

The only other communication I'd have would be a written letter to the sales manager copied to the owner.

Jagiven · 11-14-2016, 01:10 PM

Does not sound right! Could he have been talking about a PDI? Some dealers add that as a line item, some just include it in their price.

No matter what I would call Jayco and file a complaint.

Lady Fitzgerald · 11-14-2016, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelingjw

I've been a business owner before and want to have a chance to let managment respond. Too many people get hurt by negative posting; could just be one salesperson as this dealership seems well respected by most.

All employers are responsible the hiring, training, managing, and actions of their employees. If this was the action of a single salesman and not the policy of the dealer, then the dealer has failed every bit as much as if this action was dealer policy.

Hohenwald48 · 11-14-2016, 01:58 PM

Whole things sounds odd to me. I'd like to hear more details before jumping to a "bad dealer" conclusion.

Who knows, maybe a "walk thru" includes a WDH, installation, sway control and a brake controller. If that's the case it might be worth it. Who knows since the OP didn't go into any detail as to what a "walk thru" is at that dealership.

wed100105 · 11-14-2016, 02:00 PM

We talked with several dealers when we were looking to buy our travel trailer. One dealership was willing to see the unit "as is" or we could pay an additional $800 for them to "prep it." "Prepping it" included making sure things worked.

I laughed and said, "I'm not going to drive 7 hours only to arrive and find that the appliances don't work or something is wrong with the unit." The salesperson said, "Well then you should pay the $800." I laughed (again) and said, "Thanks, but no thanks." Turns out that I made a good decision; the unit they were selling was a rental unit.

We were able to find a great LIKE NEW unit at a local dealership the next week. No haggling and they winterized and checked everything for us. I'd keep looking if I were you.

mike837go · 11-14-2016, 02:17 PM

As far as I am concerned, any fees charged after the price is agreed upon, is subject to cancelling the deal.

CW didn't try that on the TT. But the dealer for my last new car tried it. $75 document processing fee. I balked that it is part of their doing business and should be incorporated into the price (gross profit on the car). I relented because I really wanted that car. 6 months later I got a check for just shy of $50.00, seems another customer took a bigger exception that I did.

**Crabman** · 11-14-2016, 03:59 PM

Well some will hide it in the MSRP and you will never know you are paying it, or they just do not come down as much off MSRP and you are paying it that way. There are all kinds of shell games played, and it can get real interesting if you have a trade and mention that before getting a firm price on the new one. You could be thinking you are getting a good allowance on your trade but are really losing it in the inflated price. They are in business to understandably make as much possible on each sale and we are buyers looking to buy for as little as possible. So its a tug of war.......

spoon059 · 11-14-2016, 04:22 PM

I'm of the opinion that you are paying for this "Service" one way or the other. Employees don't work for free, there is a cost to have an employee walk through and check things, there is a cost to have an employee fix things. No matter where or how the dealer describes this service, it is costing them money... which means that it is costing YOU money.

Personally, I might prefer an optional $800 charge. I would decline the charge and do a thorough walk through myself... test the systems myself... find broken/cosmetic issues myself. Warranty pays for those items and I just saved that $800.

Gman1372 · 11-14-2016, 04:29 PM

Mine was a separate line item listed before negotiations. They called it dealer prep for $775. For that I got two guys working on my TV welding and wiring, one guy at the desk finalizing paperwork and one guy doing our PDI and road test. This whole process took 3 1/2 hours.

Atlee · 11-15-2016, 02:29 AM

I'd say the dealer/owner failed only if he didn't respond positively once informed of what the salesman did.

If this is SOP at that dealership with all salesmen, then RUN, don't walk from that dealer.

If it's the action of a rogue salesman (which I really, really doubt) then let the owner fix it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

All employers are responsible the hiring, training, managing, and actions of their employees. If this was the action of a single salesman and not the policy of the dealer, then the dealer has failed every bit as much as if this action was dealer policy.

fochman · 11-15-2016, 07:28 AM

Did you ask the owner of the dealership if this was their standard practice to charge for walk throughs?

hboy · 11-15-2016, 07:48 AM

I've shopped where the sales person used that PDI fee as a negotiation tool. "If you buy from me I'll try to get that PDI fee waived".....

It's bologna. In my opinion I would not want to do business with them, even if the out the door price is cheaper.

Shop your deal. Call dealers regionally and I think you will get a better deal for you.

RAurand · 11-15-2016, 07:52 AM

$800.00 for a walk thru????? I would walk away laughing.

RyRoRyan · 11-15-2016, 08:37 AM

Here is my 2 cents...

On a used unit, I would have no problems paying this. I totally understand the dealer having to spend time making sure everything works, refilling all tanks, changing out batteries if needed, etc so that it is ready for you to take it. I understand that they are prob making money in the trade anyway, but there is a lot more involved with an RV than just a tank of gas and an oil change like on a car.

On a new unit, I would refuse it. My dealer tried to tell me that the extra cost was to have them inspect it and fix any problems that are with it before I get it. Well, thats why I bought new, and have a warranty. If you want to charge ME $800 to inspect and repair a new unit, well then I will just take delivery today as is, bring it back tomorrow and have the warranty fix it all for free. I am not going to pay what Jayco (or whatever manufactures) Quality Control department should have caught in the first place.

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