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shimmy · 08-04-2008, 11:42 AM

I’ve been looking around for our first Airstream and have noticed many new leftover trailers. I’ve found a few going back to 2006 with several 07 models. What kind of discount would you expect on something that is now 2-3 model years old seeing that the 2009 models are hitting the dealers now?
I’ve seen in one of the posts here I see that discounts are often in the 20-30% range. What would a range be for a 2 year old leftover?

Thanks,
Peter

Foiled Again · 08-04-2008, 12:32 PM

We all want the best deal.

We also need an expert and reliable dealer who is going to be around to give us service - so he's got to make money too.

I recently asked myself "Can I afford one?" The answer after much gnashing of teeth was "NO; at this time I really CAN'T afford another new Airstream." I lust for a 27' CCD FB - I have a 25' Safari FB SE, so that's got to be a serious case of aluminitis.

Right now I need to live within my means - and that means putting off another major purchase. Truth is that the rush of having a new unit will fade. The payments however could go to infinity and beyond. In another 12 months with planning and savings - watch out!

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My advice - look at this thread very carefully. Lots of folks selling those 2006-2007 units because of health and financial problems... and then look at this forum to see how many rather dedicated funloving Airstreamers are out there.... find out where you fit in the continuum. Buy one frugally but without worrying about every nickel and dime once you're sure you have the interest, time and money to enjoy it. Do something else if you're skating close to the edge of thin ice!

Paula

hampstead38 · 08-04-2008, 01:43 PM

In my real job, I have to haggle, negotiate, arm twist, red tape cut, etc. all day long. In private life, I really don't enjoy the haggling process much.

The economy is sour right now. Foreclosures are sky high. Some people have negative home equity (have borrowed against an inflated house value). Unemployment is up to 5.7 percent. Gas prices are insane. All in all, it's a hard time for anyone selling anything that uses disposable income. Right now, many Americans are wondering how they are going to pay heat, electricity and gas bills... not about buying a new boat or RV.

Airstreams will probably feel the economy less than some other models of RV... but there's no question that inventories will build up. Then it just a matter of supply and demand and the market finding a new equilibrium.

Back to haggling, in real life I don't always want the "best" deal. I want a fair deal, one where everyone walks away satisfied. If a person has an inflated or unrealistic idea of what an AS is worth, I'm not going to haggle him or her down on the price. I'll just wish them "good luck" and move on. With so many great people in the AS community, I think finding "good eggs" is easier than finding bad ones. (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory flashback).

pmclemore · 08-05-2008, 10:39 AM

10-4 on the fair deal. I believe in a square deal whether buying or selling. I think it is good for the soul knowing that you can meet your seller or your buyer a year later and be glad to see them, and know that they are glad to see you.

Pat

hampstead38 · 08-05-2008, 12:54 PM

Amen, Pat. While I'm not a Hindu, I like the think something like "karma" exists. I trust that the good we do in this life comes back to us... as does the ill. Besides, this is the Airstream community. If you can't trust folks with aluminitis, who can you trust?

Jaxon · 08-05-2008, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmclemore

10-4 on the fair deal. I believe in a square deal whether buying or selling. I think it is good for the soul knowing that you can meet your seller or your buyer a year later and be glad to see them, and know that they are glad to see you. Pat

Boy! I'll second that! We end up better people with that attitude.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hampstead38

Amen, Pat. While I'm not a Hindu, I like the think something like "karma" exists. I trust that the good we do in this life comes back to us... as does the ill. Besides, this is the Airstream community. If you can't trust folks with aluminitis, who can you trust?

Certainly not "the man who wears the big, red Texaco star"...

(... sorry... just an old gasoline TV commercial...

)

I agree with you on the karma - what goes around, comes around. A great personal philosophy to hold.
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Soyboy · 09-13-2008, 08:28 PM

When I purchase an item, bit ticket or smaller (camera's, computers etc.) I try to do as much research as possible. Of course, now days with the internet, it us much easier to shop around.

When I go into a dealer to purchase a vehicle or RV for that matter, I am always willing to "haggle" and make rather aggressive low ball offers (based on my research of what I think I should pay). However, I am always polite ad I am alwasy will to say that I understand you cant' sell me this item at this price, thank 'em, shake hands and walk away. As said earlier, the ability to walk away is your biggest bargining tool. It will also help you avoid buyers remorse by keeping you within your budget. Generally when I do walk away, I usually get a phone call with in a day or so with a better offer. If not, I just move on. There is always plenty of cool vehicles/RVs to buy.

When I purchased my Jayco, I bought it new off of ebay. i knew what I wanted to pay and that was my max bid. I was the high bidder but I did not meet the reserve (heck I didn't think I really came close!). However, right after the auction ended, the dealer contacted me and made me a "second chance offer". It was just a couple of hundred over what I bid, I was really surprised, and I jumped all over it. The next weekend I left MD for MI and picked up my new trailer! Purchasing it "right' made me feel a whole lot better about buying it. BTW the dealer was great, not that it matters on here (SOB dealer) but it was Terrytown in Grand Rapids. They treated me right we we arrived, we did a VERY agressive preinspection (my wife takes care of that

, I do the haggling) and things could not have worked out better other than I could have purchased the AS that I really wanted at the time, but I am working on rectifing that now. Must say the however that the Jayco has served us well and we have lots of great memories (that's what RVing is about no matter what brand you have). But we are ready to move on in the near future.

Toronto_Guy · 09-25-2008, 10:20 AM

I don't know how much the RV market varies from the new car market, but it is possible that AS offers sales incentives, discounts, or bonuses that are tied to volume sales to each dealership. So, a dealer may not mind taking a bit of a bath on one particular unit if it allows him/her to reap a greater reward from AS.

Also, if a dealership is financing their own purchases from AS, then a trailer is costing them money by sitting on the lot and they may need to sell it at a certain point just to cut their losses.

All in all, that sort of inside information is relatively easy to find out about in the new car market, but not so much for RV sales that I'm aware of anyway.