Actual Vs. MSRP

[davcarv]

I know I’m a trouble maker. But I’d like to pose a question to the forum.

For any NEW Airstream purchased from a dealer we all know there’s the MSRP that’s always listed.

I know most folks don’t pay MSRP.

For those of you who have purchased NEW what was the % difference you paid vs. MSRP, (UP or Down).

I’m going to aggregate the answers to try to extrapolate ave. from MSRP and I believe this forum is the most appropriate place to do it.

Thanks Guys

[dkottum]

The real trouble is not all dealers use the same MSRP. If one marks MSRP up 10%, then gives you a 15% discount its sounds pretty good. Meantime another may be using original MSRP and only giving you a 10% discount; doesn't sound as good but you actually are paying less.

Another trouble is trade-ins. This is the dealers' game to make folks think they did pretty well, and value's can be all over the place.

Another trouble is how long the trailer has been on the dealer's lot. For some months, usually depending on how many units the dealer sells, the dealer pays nothing to Airstream for them to sit on the sales floor. After time it Airstream will want something, so the dealer can sell to you for less to save it.

Some units sit on the lot for a year or two, lots of tire-kickers and door-bangers coming through it. Components age. Your deal may sound great, and you will still get a two year warranty, but it has the signs of age and loss of resale value due to older model.

All this must be considered, so it's pretty hard to get useful percentages

doug

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, too many variables and no real answers. Ask for 50% off and get rejected. You need to do your own bargaining. In my case, I received a discount, free hitch, free body molding, free brake controller, and no sales tax. So what was the percentage off MSRP? Who knows. But it was by far the best deal [bottom line] that I could find. I didn't pay for any extras, no trade in, and no financing. Once you get into the finance office the dealer usually gets most or all of it's given discounts back.

[murreywalker]

Originally Posted by davcarv

I know I’m a trouble maker. But I’d like to pose a question to the forum.

For any NEW Airstream purchased from a dealer we all know there’s the MSRP that’s always listed.

I know most folks don’t pay MSRP.

For those of you who have purchased NEW what was the % difference you paid vs. MSRP, (UP or Down).

I’m going to aggregate the answers to try to extrapolate ave. from MSRP and I believe this forum is the most appropriate place to do it.

Thanks Guys

The internet has become the great equalizer in pricing.

This holds true with Airstream to the extent that your perception of a good deal is a GOOD deal.

There is no such thing as a free hitch, a free this or a free that. The retailer is interested in only one thing; their bottom line.

Do your due diligence online, then go to a dealer(s) and let the process begin.

Simple when you really think about it (and try to stay away from the dealer's finance officer)

[davcarv]

I understand the issue about MSRP and dealer throw ins.
I'm still keenly interested in what everyone paid from MSRP.
It's in no way perfect but what the heck.
There is, 'No Obligation', to contribute.
(like the way I use sales vernacular?)
heh heh

[Protagonist]

MSRP means nothing. At all. You don't "win" by getting 20% off MSRP rather than 10% off, and you don't "lose" by getting 10% off MSRP rather than 15%. You win by getting the Airstream you want, at a price you can afford.

To make sure you win, by the definition above, try this…

Before you go to the dealer, write down a dollar amount on an index card. The dollar amount to write is the absolute most you're willing to pay, all-inclusive (tax, title, license, everything). Then, when you're negotiating, look at that index card from time to time as a reminder, but don't show it to the salesman.

As long as you negotiate a price that's lower than the number you wrote, consider it a bargain. When you can honestly say, "I would have paid more if I had to," then that's the very definition of a bargain.

But if you can't negotiate a price lower than the number you wrote on the card, walk away and try again somewhere else. NEVER pay more than you can afford. Putting yourself in a financial hole would suck the fun right out of Airstream ownership.

Side note— I paid $1000 less than the number I wrote on my card. That's a win. I won't tell you how much off of MSRP that was. Like I said, MSRP means nothing.

[m.hony]

MSRP does mean one thing...

It is a starting point for the haggling.
I might not have gotten the best discount, but I got a beautiful trailer.

Work the deal.
Whatever it takes.

[davcarv]

Protagonist, ... I'm putting you down for 8.5%.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by murreywalker

The internet has become the great equalizer in pricing.

This holds true with Airstream to the extent that your perception of a good deal is a GOOD deal.

There is no such thing as a free hitch, a free this or a free that. The retailer is interested in only one thing; their bottom line.

Do your due diligence online, then go to a dealer(s) and let the process begin.

Simple when you really think about it (and try to stay away from the dealer's finance officer)

Hi, I disagree with this statement. If you didn't have to pay extra for these items [which have their own list prices] and it came out of the dealer's profit margin, then it is free to the buyer.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by davcarv

Protagonist, ... I'm putting you down for 8.5%.

Ha! Ha! And again, Ha!

Put me down for anything you want, anywhere between 0% and 101%. I'm still not telling. Not even a hint.

[murreywalker]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, I disagree with this statement. If you didn't have to pay extra for these items [which have their own list prices] and it came out of the dealer's profit margin, then it is free to the buyer.

Okay, you say tomatoes and I say tomahtoes. I guess some dealers like to give stuff away.

You like to parse words, don't you?

[PharmGeek]

I simply called 5 dealers, told them I will be considering best prices of competitors in the next few days, and the best price will get my business.

I ended up based on the MSRP I had retrieved both from the dealer and another pricing sheet that an airforum member forwarded to me...got 18% off MSRP for new 2014 bunkhouse unit...either way, that was less important...

What was important was ensuring the dealers knew I was willing to accept offers at other dealers and that this was a competition.

I ended up doing pretty good I think...im skeptical of the MSRP...it seems so inflated that it seems irrelevant anyway...so really, best you can do is get folks to compete and push them as low as possible?

I think it would perhaps be possible that I got someone lower if I took more time and focused my efforts more...

I think accidentally I showed a couple folks closer to my home my hand in that I was hoping they would give the best deal...and both of these two dealers seemed to give the identical offer...

I started to settle with the dealer that I thought had been more cordial and helpful and that had a decent rep as far as I could tell...but in retro spect I think I could have shopped around a bit longer and perhaps got a bit better.....but I doubt much better...once we reached this point..I tried to bounce back to the other dealer and they seemed resistant to move much at all so I moved on...I figure that since they did not send me another offer after that, that they were unwilling to go down any further.

But I guess that could be one approach....get the best deal possible in a competitive situation and if it fits your budget just accept the reality and move on.

Be sure to ask right up from when given each offer for price out the door which includes all forseeable costs - taxes, fees, hitch + installation, or any thing in addition...then only compare THAT number across the dealers...

One dealer hated that I was haggling and shopping around...ignore such provocations...he said "I dont want to be in a price war with colonial"...

I told him then I suppose he presumes then he will sell that unit to someone else, because competing with his competitors was exactly what I was asking him to do...
an odd tactic I thought....

He then made the point to say that his dealer was closer than colonial...I told him that I realize that, but how far I am willing to drive and how that plays into my calculus is for myself to consider...not so much for him...he then provided me with a competitive estimate after initially fumbling it up....

Anyway - point being - get a competitive estimate I suppose? I never ever ever told them what I think I should pay..ever...two folks asked me to do that...I told them I have no idea...but I would be accepting the best offer because I cannot know how this pricing stuff really works...

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by PharmGeek

I think accidentally I showed a couple folks closer to my home my hand in that I was hoping they would give the best deal...and both of these two dealers seemed to give the identical offer...

When working out what kind of deal you're getting, don't forget to factor in the sunk costs; what you have to pay that doesn't go to the dealer or the State.

I'll use my own case as an example. I did pretty much what PharmGeek did. Five quotes. The closest dealer was in Gulfport. Next closest was in Little Rock. Others were farther away.

Suppose the dealer in Little Rock came in with a price $300 cheaper than the dealer in Gulfport. I'd still buy from the dealer in Gulfport. Gulfport is an hour's drive away. Little Rock is a day's drive. I would spend more than $300 just to go to Little Rock and back to pick up my Airstream, that I wouldn't have to spend to go to Gulfport, which would bring the total price paid back up to parity.

As it happens, in real life, the dealer in Little Rock did have the best price. But when I offered the dealer in Gulfport a last chance to match that price, they agreed, and thereby "stole" the sale. If two dealers have the same price, it only makes sense to buy from the one that's closest, just because I have fewer sunk costs that way.

Lesson here is, add in your travel expenses to go do the deal and pick up the trailer, to find out whether you're really getting the best deal.

[PharmGeek]

Indeed - this was in my calculus as well - great point

[dkottum]

Indeed, I got a good price quote in New Jersey. But so what, it's a 2,700 mile round trip to go get it.

doug

[idroba]

And don't forget that we as Airstream users need to keep our dealers in business, so they have to make some money. I think I got a very fair deal on my 2014 FC 20' considering that the dealer has to stay in business and be there when I need them for service or the next purchase.

[m.hony]

In 20/20 hindsight I wish i would have bought from Foley in Gulfport even though it is about an hour further from home. If I had bought at Foley I might have gotten home sooner.
Buying at Crain RV was an absolute nightmare. The salesman was not there when I picked up the trailer, but showed up for some reason on his day off. Everyone there smelled like stale cigarettes and the salesman smelled like booze. They hadn't prepped my trailer although I told them Monday afternoon I would be there to pick up my trailer at 8 o'clock Friday morning. We were there until 5 o'clock. That was the worst day of my life. I even suggested to Jackson Center that they were not fit to be an Airstream desler.

[Endodoc]

Originally Posted by dkottum

The real trouble is not all dealers use the same MSRP. If one marks MSRP up 10%, then gives you a 15% discount its sounds pretty good. Meantime another may be using original MSRP and only giving you a 10% discount; doesn't sound as good but you actually are paying less.

Another trouble is trade-ins. This is the dealers' game to make folks think they did pretty well, and value's can be all over the place.

Another trouble is how long the trailer has been on the dealer's lot. For some months, usually depending on how many units the dealer sells, the dealer pays nothing to Airstream for them to sit on the sales floor. After time it Airstream will want something, so the dealer can sell to you for less to save it.

Some units sit on the lot for a year or two, lots of tire-kickers and door-bangers coming through it. Components age. Your deal may sound great, and you will still get a two year warranty, but it has the signs of age and loss of resale value due to older model.

All this must be considered, so it's pretty hard to get useful percentages

doug

As to not all dealers not using the same MSRP, would not asking to see the actual "window sticker" of a unit solve that issue? One of the Missouri dealers actually posts the window stickers for their trailers on their web site. It is a good source for base prices as well as option prices.

[switz]

Actually, the factory has a MSRP order sheet for each product line that is filled out and sent up line with a signature on it. It lists all the options for that specific trim line and ones desired are checked off. The dealers all pay the same shipping charge per model whether they are in California or Ohio.

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by switz

Actually, the factory has a MSRP order sheet for each product line that is filled out and sent up line with a signature on it. It lists all the options for that specific trim line and ones desired are checked off. The dealers all pay the same shipping charge per model whether they are in California or Ohio.

That may be different than the "window sticker" MSRP sheet that I think some dealers are reprinting with alterations, then leaving on the dinette of their floor models.

But don't get too caught up in the best deal; put your efforts in getting a nice Airstream you really want that suits your long-term needs best. These things can last a long, long time if you take good care of them.

doug