Buying a new AS

[Deerhunter1]

Hello Folks....

I am thinking about buying a 2015 FC 20 rear kitchen AS. The MSRP. is 63,345. So I asked the sales person over the phone if this price is negotiable? He tells me yes, but his manager is not in today, but we are looking at mid 50's so he tells me. Is this is a fair price to pay for a new unit? I am open to all of your opinions.

Thank you in advance,

Kennedy >

[khollister]

On a leftover 2015 you should be at $50K or so. 55K would only be about 13% off - several of us have done considerably better than that on 2016 models. You should be close to 20% (or a little more even) on a 2015. Airstream is also offering cash back to buyers on 2015's through the end of the year.

I recently purchased a 2016 via special order at 19% off MSRP. There have been a few that posted they beat that a bit depending on the dealer. A 2015 is one model year old and should be discounted even more.

[AnnArborBob]

A good discount on a current year model is about 20% (bigger discount on more expensive and less desirable models, smaller discount on more desirable models.)

A 2015 is technically a one year old model (new model year starts on the spring) but discounts on smaller models are also smaller so if you got 20% or a little more off the MSRP on that particular 2015 I'd call that a pretty reasonable deal.

Good luck.

[dkottum]

We got 25% off a two year old new2007 FC 20' in 2009. But it had issues. The batteries and converter/charger were shot from being plugged in to long. The tires were over two years into their five year career. The interior had some wear from shoppers looking and slamming things. The exterior shell had a good start of filiform corrosion from being parked outside next to a busy highway well-salted in the winter months.

Airstream built a good trailer but the extended time at the dealership damaged it. And we soon became unhappy with the lack of the 20's living room, because it had none.

Our present Airstream was fresh from the factory, we were the first to see it and bought it on the spot. Made some customizations and couldn't be happier with it.

[idroba]

In June of 2013 I got a brand new, just off the truck 2014 FC 20 with optional inverter and Ultraleather for under $49500, or 20% off MSRP at the time. You should be able to do at least 20% off MSRP on a 2015. The 2016's came out in May 2015.

[Mrjkq]

20 percent not a penny more & make sure they install you WD hitch ( the one you're going to buy on line at a significant lesser price) at no charge. The buyer controls the deal, never forget that. Merry Christmas!

[paiceman]

A fair deal is one which you are happy with. If you are satisfied with a price of say $55,000 than that is a fair price for you. I spent a good part of my career on the other side of deals like these and almost to a person the negotiations became antagonistic from their point if not at times down right hostile. The basis of any deal is the seller has to make a profit of about 17% just to pay the bills, anything over that is to replenish inventory and pay his or her salary and stockholders if in fact they exist. Further, your objective is to get the best deal you can and also afford. So, take what posters have given you, ranging up to 25% off, then plug in YOUR budget number, the number you can live with, and go for it. These Airstreams are far and away not a "need" they are purely a "want" and as such pay what you want and again can afford.

I approached our deals on three Airstreams after research such as you are doing with a 20% discount in mind and that was achieved with very little negotiations. I fully realize the dealer is grossing about 25%, which is no big deal "to me", as I want him or her to make money so they can stay solvent and the 20% number was my budget number. Then once that is settled I start picking - ie. Throw in a hitch of my choice, sewer hoses, etc.

What ever you decide when you are done and own the Airstream be happy, don't look back and enjoy.

Merry Christmas to all

Bud

[Joe Palmieri]

Originally Posted by Deerhunter1

Hello Folks....

I am thinking about buying a 2015 FC 20 rear kitchen AS. The MSRP. is 63,345. So I asked the sales person over the phone if this price is negotiable? He tells me yes, but his manager is not in today, but we are looking at mid 50's so he tells me. Is this is a fair price to pay for a new unit? I am open to all of your opinions.

Thank you in advance,

Kennedy >

I have a garage kept 2013, near mint, with less than 1000 miles on it for sale. it also has 160 watts of solar dealer installed. PM me if you are interested. Includes Reese dual cam hitch. I was asking 45K but it's negotiable

[dkottum]

It's nice to shop for a discount, but don't set aside the importance of getting the exact Airstream you want (and not too long sitting uncared for on the dealers lot).

For example if it has a different interior decor or floor plan than you like but is a better discount, you will probably get over the price difference quickly while the compromised interior scheme will stay with you.

[Rgentum]

This past fall, after my local AS dealer effectively refused to bargain with me over the price of a new AS, I started calling AS dealers throughout the US & especially on the west coast & asking them for their low-ball price. Several of them asked me back, "How much are you willing to pay for the AS that you want?" That was when I learned not to ask for a dealer's price but, instead, to tell them how much I was willing to pay & let them respond. Around half responded, "I can't sell you the AS for anywhere near that" & they typically stuck with around 15% off. Others came back with "I can't sell you one for that, but I can sell it to you for $xxx (at modestly more than I had offered)." Several of those came back with an effective discount of 18%. Lucky me, one came back with a discount of 20%, so, last November, I got a 2016 FC 27 FB with extra awnings for 20% off, at a cost of having to drive from Seattle to central CA to do the deal. Given that 2016 ASs are available at 20% off if you're willing to shop for them, if I were now looking to buy a 2015, I would hope to do better than 20%. Lastly, I encourage you not to give the dealer your power by asking the dealer for a quote --- keep your power & tell them what you are (reasonably) willing to pay for one & let them respond. There are lots of AS dealers out there, & to the great majority of them, selling an item out of their inventory is more important than the actual price they receive for the sale. Furthermore, as numbers of dealers have told me, they want to turn over their inventory as fast as they can, so they are willing to heavily discount an item that's been on their lot longer than average, simply to cut their carrying costs and ongoing losses. Good luck at finding the AS you want at the price that's right for you.

[tjdonahoe]

Originally Posted by Joe Palmieri

I have a garage kept 2013, near mint, with less than 1000 miles on it for sale. it also has 160 watts of solar dealer installed. PM me if you are interested. Includes Reese dual cam hitch. I was asking 45K but it's negotiable

If I were wanting one, this is the one I would check out....

[Ray Eklund]

dkottum... has great advice. Get what you want if you have to pay the price, otherwise it has to be a really good deal, otherwise.

Once you have recovered from "sticker shock", you are ready. I enjoyed our 23 foot Safari, but our current 25 foot International is everything we ever want or need. Kept the 23 footer for nearly 8 years and the 25 footer will do us until we are too old to step up into it!

I would prefer to buy a year old model of a longer model and pay the discounted new 20 foot price. New is new. Now... Joe Palieri in New Jersey could be an interesting consideration. Check on Craigslist what your local used Airstreams are "asking". In the Denver, CO area the USED Airstreams for sale were not much less than a NEW model!

I did not like the "improved" ceiling venting system in the 2015's and the extra height needed for them to fit. Our RV entry was getting too tight and within 3 inches of maximum. The fit was not that good for the hardware. Also... a new 2014 or a new 2015 in ten years is not much of a big difference in resale.

Shorter trailers sell easier because of the used price versus NEW. The basic equipment works the same. The finishes change, but the uses do not.

Once you and the dealer are at a stalemate on price... then ASK for the hitch and a solar package tossed into the deal... and, you get the idea. They do this every day and there is no shortage of trailers... although a shortage of qualified buyers. If they go one about how hard it is to GET an Airstream on the lot... it is much harder to GET THEM OFF THE LOT.

Good luck in your negotiating. Your choice in trailer is as good as you can get!

[Gene]

Now you can negotiate online with some dealers. That is less pressure for you and you can compare prices at leisure. But a used one several years old will be very similar to a new one, have a big discount and have been tested and warranty items taken care of.

All new vehicles have a fake (MSRP) price. But except for exotic luxury vehicles and extremely popular new vehicles, there is always a discount. It seems new Airstreams go for 15-20% less than MSRP, but a 2015 is a leftover. The dealer has to finance it while it sits there and his costs are going up and he should be willing to discount more to get it off the lot. Or, you can buy one from a dealer thousands of miles away and either go pick it up or have it shipped. Figure those costs into the price too. And check the classifieds on the Forum for deals.

Don't be afraid to push the dealer (or private seller) hard. Never take the first offer. I am fine with the seller telling me his price because the seller is testing you. The art of sales is to make the other guy state what he wants or is willing to pay and keep him guessing what you will do. Dealers always try to get you to tell them what you'll pay. I make an extremely low offer to set the negotiating numbers lower and make the dealer move down. If they say, "what kind of profit do you think I should make" I tell them "i don't care if you lose money, that's not my problem". Keep 'em guessing and you don't have to take the first deal. Someone else will probably sell it cheaper. A good negotiator at a dealer respects a tough buying negotiator because that's what they think they are.

It can get tense, even a bit nasty (keep smiling though it all), but after the deal is made, you shake hands, and move on. Don't let emotions get in the way of thinking—a wise sales manager doesn't and if he respects you for making a tough deal work, you'll be friends afterward. If you have problems being tough (and a lot of people do), bring a friend with you and have the friend do the negotiating. If your spouse, companion or other co-buyer is uncomfortable with tough negotiations, make them sit outside somewhere because the seller will focus on them and try to keep you out of the negotiations. My wife knows when it is time for her to take a walk and leave me to do a deal. We have agreed beforehand no what we'll do and she trusts me to make a good deal (I always check with her anyway before signing anything—keeps us married). Make sure you know just how much you can spend so you don't spend more, and try to get it for less than you would pay. Have financing in order before you get to negotiating—you can probably get a better financing deal from a bank or credit union in your own than the dealer will offer you.

To me, negotiating is fun, but I did it for years as part of my profession, so I realize I'm more comfortable with it than many other people. If I were a billionaire, I could buy a car every week just for the fun of negotiating, but I wouldn't be a billionaire for very long that way (although I'm willing to try it).

Gene

[dames7]

You should get a 25ft for that price,

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by dames7

You should get a 25ft for that price,

That's another story and what we did two years after our 20'. Much more space and comfort, the important benefits of two axles, larger storage tanks, as easy to tow, all in 3' 1" more length. We can and do live in this one many months of the year, not so in the 20.

Buy for the long term the first time. Hoping that has been considered.

[Tarcoola]

So where do you get the MSRP from. Interested in a 2016 26U twin bed but not sure what the MSRP is to star negotiating from. Dealer offered a $2000 rebate to buy before Christmas but that sounded pretty lame. Is there a price list online?

[n2916s]

Colonial usually posts MSRP.

Mike

[Mrjkq]

Originally Posted by paiceman

A fair deal is one which you are happy with. If you are satisfied with a price of say $55,000 than that is a fair price for you. I spent a good part of my career on the other side of deals like these and almost to a person the negotiations became antagonistic from their point if not at times down right hostile. The basis of any deal is the seller has to make a profit of about 17% just to pay the bills, anything over that is to replenish inventory and pay his or her salary and stockholders if in fact they exist. Further, your objective is to get the best deal you can and also afford. So, take what posters have given you, ranging up to 25% off, then plug in YOUR budget number, the number you can live with, and go for it. These Airstreams are far and away not a "need" they are purely a "want" and as such pay what you want and again can afford.

I approached our deals on three Airstreams after research such as you are doing with a 20% discount in mind and that was achieved with very little negotiations. I fully realize the dealer is grossing about 25%, which is no big deal "to me", as I want him or her to make money so they can stay solvent and the 20% number was my budget number. Then once that is settled I start picking - ie. Throw in a hitch of my choice, sewer hoses, etc.

What ever you decide when you are done and own the Airstream be happy, don't look back and enjoy.

Merry Christmas to all

Bud

Well said!

[gr.austin]

I bought a left over for about 26% off MSRP but I did a lot of shopping and finally bought from a very large dealer 1200 miles away. Saved over $25,000. Registered in South Dakota and saved an additional $5,000 in sales taxes for new truck and 27' Classic Limited from Michigan. It is now cheaper to renovate my trailer and fix everything that is wrong (full page worth of problems) than it is to but a new trailer with top trade-in value of 2009.

Plan on spending at least a week camping next to your dealer so that he can fix all the start-up problems that you are going to find.

Happy streaming

GRA

[NY24]

Have you checked AS prices on RVTrader.com: RV Sales - Class A, B, C Motorhomes, Travel Trailers, & Pop Up Camper RVs For Sale ?