Would You Buy From This Dealer

[Murff]

We have RVed since 1983. Probably purchased a dozen rigs over that time. I have not seen a dealer like the one that started this thread topic.

Worst dealers include:

When we first started looking for a trailer 33 years ago, we had a nice used one picked out at a local dealer. We headed toward the office to find a salesperson but SWMBO needed to use the lady's room before we started negotiations. As I sat on the front step waiting for the Mrs. a salesman asked me, "how's it going young man?" I replied I was doing okay. He then told me to "hang in there young fella, some day you may be able to afford one of these RVs."

When the wife returned, and the salesman was still within earshot, she said, "are you ready to start talking to a salesman?" I told her, "that i already talked to one and that if 'we hung in there, we might be able to afford one' someday. Too bad we have enough money to buy one now, but we will have to go buy it somewhere else." Stupid sales jerk, he would have had an easy sale but decided to judge this young buck's book by it's cover.

Second case in point, we were at a CW location near the Jayco dealer that we bought our White Hawk. Before buying the WH, we wanted to check the competition for product and maybe a better deal. The CW salesman told us that he was semi-retired and just liked to sell and that was why he was working.

I asked him the usual questions to see how knowledgeable he was and would he lie to me or not. We discussed my then tow vehicle and what it could an could not tow. After showing us a number of units that he told me not be exceeding the tow limits of my Explorer Sport Trac, I knew he was after a sale and he either didn't know he was pushing rigs that were too big for the Sport Trac or he didn't care.

When he showed us a rig that was about 28 foot long with a GVW of close to 8000 pounds, I told him the Sport Trac was only able to tow 7200 lbs, he said no one ever loads a trailer to the maximum. Needless to say, we left.

I guess the old adage of how you can tell a salesman is lying is when his lips are moving.

A wee bit of advice, if you go to an established dealer, ask for the salesman that has worked there the longest. If he has been there a long time, and I'm talking years not months, the dealer is probably somewhat honest and would like to have your repeat business. If the salesmen are all short timers, they are only interested in a sale and not what happens to you in the future.

Murff

[BigJohnD]

I've dealt with one like that as well Murff. All their sales people refuse to leave, love it there, and have been there for years and years. The only one that left that dealer recently was the sales manager, and he went to be a national sales manager for the Forest River Riverstone fifth wheel line. Couldn't blame him for that offer. This dealer's salesmen have a set salary and don't work for commission, so there's no competition amongst them. They all do their fair share and help each other. I love the way they run their business.

[GRUU]

Originally Posted by DanNJanice

When we are looking at a trailer the last thing I want is a high pressure salesman walking around the lot with me. I want to go into the trailers, look around, kick the tires, complement/criticize, etc.
Ditto for a new car. The dealers/salemen I like are the ones that say "Here is my card, feel free to walk around, and let me know if you want to take something for a drive"

same thing for car dealers, if their cars are locked, I WALK AWAY.

[Crabman]

Heck yes I would if he was knocking 70% off MSRP!

[BigJohnD]

70% off of Msrp would definitely make you deal with a little more BS for sure. That kind of changes things to say the least Crabman.

[RAurand]

I wouldn't give them NUTTIN!
At the dealer where we purchased out 2012 26BH and later our 2016 28BHBE with thermal and elite package. We had to go thru the office to get to the lot as there is a fence around the lot. Greeted by a cheerful receptionist and she asked if she could help us. We told here we were here to look at trailers. She promptly went and got a sales person. He asks if we had any idea if any specific unit we wanted to look at and we said no, just would like to look around. He went and got his keys and just followed us. When we saw something we would like to look inside, if the door was locked, he would open it and just stand outside while we looked around inside. If we had any questions, he would come inside and answer the questions. Otherwise, he waited outside until we wee done. No hassles, no pressure. When we found something we were really interested in, we started asking even more questions. Sales person was very helpful.
This dealer was such a pleasant experience, we went back to get our 28BHBE with elite and thermal packages 3 years later. Traded the 26BH in.
It was NOT at a CW. Didn't like the sales people there. We got the impression we were wasting the sales persons time.

[BigJohnD]

I'm sure a lot have guessed it by now, but this dealer is in fact a Camping World. I'll be going by there Friday to get a first hand take on how they do business. Not buying a new rv for sure, but I need a few other things and need to visit with my friend. Hadn't seen him in a couple of years.

[TimHolt]

there is a dealer near El Paso that does something similar: They won't let you out on to the lot without a salesperson escort and you have to drive around in the little golf cart.

They said it was to prevent vandalism of the units..but I didn't like it at all..

It was almost like they were screaming out: We don't trust you.

[BigJohnD]

This one I know has had a LOT of stuff stolen out of the rigs on the lot, but still doesn't make it pleasant for the honest rv buyers. Some other dealers I visit remove most all valuable stuff (Tvs and such) before it goes on the lot, and reinstall once it's sold. I understand that too. Sad we live in a world like this.

[jaycojay]

never read thru all the replies, so i'm not sure if this was brought up ..... after reading the post, and thinking ..... Just how many RV salesman / sales managers are actually campers. From my experiences .... very few. Case and point, friends of ours who we see all the time camping showed up this spring with a nice new Jayflight, i forget the model. Very nice layout, 2 recliners, big windows on the side, nice rear kitchen and a slide for dinette sofa. Now, understand something, this couple has adult kids, and quite a few friends who visit..... and they all like to eat, to the point it seems like all the wife does is cook all weekend, but she enjoys it. Now if i'm the salesman, i would have steered them to a unit that has the outside kitchen, and there are some nice units with outside kitchens. They had even ordered this one, not one that was sitting on the lot. RV salesman (most, not all ), don't know what to ask, because they've never done it! Same could be said about the guys who run these RV companies too

[Larry G.]

My goodness...if most RV dealers operate like a few here say the RV business would be in real trouble wouldn't it. Of course this is just a Forum where folks share information which includes some venting.

Thankfully the majority of RV dealers are not like some suggest and the RV business in 2016 was one of the best ever.

RV Industry Exceeds Expectations in Robust ’16

Next time you stop at a dealer take a look at the investment that was made in property, infrastructure, inventory....the list goes on. Then think...wow security to keep things safe here must be huge!

Sure there are some dealers that maybe one doesn't like the way they do things but there are many many more people that understand.

Safe travels.

[Witt74]

We have 2 RV dealers in town. Both dealers keep their units locked until they are going to show them. I can understand this, as they both have large lots that are difficult to monitor. One of the dealers put up a fence a couple of years ago, the local cops found a guy living in the back lot, sleeping in various trailers, and cooking crack in the undeveloped lot next to the dealership.