What's a good percent off MSRP?

[LeisureTime]

Hi folks, I'm looking at buying a 2009 FC 27FB, my first AS (and first trailer period). So far I have two quotes from dealers, one was 10% off list, the other 20%.

What should one expect to get percentage wise off MSRP?

What dealers have the reputation for providing the best deals?

Thanks!

[CanoeStream]

Originally Posted by LeisureTime

What dealers have the reputation for providing the best deals?

Don't overlook convenience for warranty work. I chose the 2nd closest dealer available but it was still 260 miles away. That was okay for me. But understand that not all warranty issues show up until you run it through it's paces for a year+.

Look at reputation for customer service. There are some good ones in your area -- but a hellish one two states east...

The factory probably is producing 2010 models right now. You'll find more discount if the unit is sitting on a dealer's lot unsold. A distant dealer has nothing to lose by moving a unit / taking a little profit for a bit of work over email/phone on a coach he'll never see again.

[jcanavera]

At one time when business was decent, 25% or more would have been considered a good deal. With today's economy I'm not sure where you can go. Obviously if the trailer has been sitting on the lot a long time, you might be able to extract a better deal. You also have to take into account what the value of that trailer will be once you walk off the lot. We are real close to model year change over and that might have some bearing on the price you pay. It somewhat depends on the price of the new model year offerings. Dealer are sometimes paying finance charges for those vehicles in their lot. Obviously slow sales might mean that the dealer has less to play with since he's not turning the inventory as fast.

The other issue is consider the service side of the business. My dealer is not the lowest price but he makes up for that in service and the compentancy of his service staff. He also knows his customers and he will go to lengths to get you in for last minute service if you need a tight turn. Buy it somewhere else and you might not get that last minute consideration.

Jack

[SteveH]

I know it's not the same thing, but I heard on the radio today there is a Dodge dealer here discounting all 2009 trucks 40%. If I needed a truck, I'd buy a Dodge on a deal like that.

[Mexray]

I believe it's still a 'buyers market' out there...I'd be inclined to take the dealer's quote and give them a counter-offer, maybe low-ball...the worst they can say is no, and you can continue on from there...

Most every dealer I've ever dealt with, had a certain amount of 'wiggle room' to play with, and in these days of slow RV sales, most will be willing to deal to get their inventory moving again...

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by LeisureTime

Hi folks, I'm looking at buying a 2009 FC 27FB, my first AS (and first trailer period). So far I have two quotes from dealers, one was 10% off list, the other 20%.

What should one expect to get percentage wise off MSRP?

What dealers have the reputation for providing the best deals?

Thanks!

Ask and ye shall be given.

I'd concur on all of the posts preceding mine. Maintenance reputation is king! Any dealer will reward his loyal customers by putting them in the front of the line. So find out where the best dealer is within a reasonable trip from you (one day) then ASK. I know you got quotes, but don't count on them being "best possible deals". Oh, and now is the time to remember that there is a small technical difference between "lying" and "negotiating" so try something like this, "I've checked your reputation with other Airstream owners and I'd really like to do business with you but frankly another dealer (unnamed) has offered me one equipped with (fill in the blanks) for (an amount equal to 27% off).

Make sure you get exactly what you want, it's a lot cheaper than adding a second fantastic fan or switching out a conventional oven for a convection microwave after the fact. Of course if you don't care which oven you have because you think it's only the place where you store aluminum foil, glad bags and paper towels... be flexible.

Paula

Oh, and most of all refrain from doing this while negotiating! In a sales course a fellow attendee and former Navy Seal said - of a prospect like that - "When you have them by the balls their hearts and minds will follow!"

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by SteveH

I know it's not the same thing, but I heard on the radio today there is a Dodge dealer here discounting all 2009 trucks 40%. If I needed a truck, I'd buy a Dodge on a deal like that.

They may be one of the Dodge dealers getting the axe, and they want to get rid of their inventory ASAP.

[smeltersmoke]

LeisureTime,

You mention, in your post, that you are in So. Oregon, so I'm assuming that one of your quotes was from Sutton's RV in Eugene. Last July, I purchased a 2008 Safari SE 20 from Suttons at 19% discount. Oregon does not have a sales tax so, to me, my savings were in the 24% range.

[Foiled Again]

In theory the smaller ones have a smaller DOLLAR amount of profit. So again, in theory, the dealer MAY give a higher percentage off on a bigger unit.

Every sophisticated retailer will have "need to make" figures expressed both as dollars and percentages. In this economy if the dealer's bottom acceptable amount is $3000 profit and you offer him $2999 profit... will he hold out for the next interested party?

Well it ain't relativity, but it's a theory.

[monkeypants]

Don't know what it's worth, but we got a 2009 cl fb for about 18 % off MSRP. So far, the dealer has been very helpful. Sometimes, I gotta wonder if the future help you get from the dealer is impacted by the negotiating at the beginning. I don't have alot of experience in negotiating RV's, but in the rest of my life I have found that if you really grind down the people you're buying from, you can't expect them to go out of their way for you when you need them down the line. Just a thought.
They told me their best offer and we wrote a check. Sometimes you just have to jump in and accept that getting what you want is more important than holding out for another $500.

[Gene]

I'm gathering from various posts around the Forum that 15-19% off MSRP is fairly common. I haven't seen all that many numbers, so I may be way off.

My impression is auto and truck dealers usually make their money from service, not sales. Whether the same is true of RV dealers, I don't know, but they certainly want you to come back regardless of the sales negotiations. Their best customer is probably Airstream because of all the warranty claims. Most any dealer will welcome you and your money (or Airstream's) for service regardless of where you bought it. It's likely the sales people and service people don't talk to each other that much either even if you were obnoxious in the purchase process (I am not recommending obnoxiousness, but firmness is important).

Since some dealers use service writers to get the information on what you need, you have no chance to develop a relationship with the people in the service dep't who do the work. You are anonymous at those dealers. In my experience at any kind of dealership, those that used service writers often provide the worst service. Service writers are not mechanics or they would be doing that—it pays better. I have explained things to these people who completely botched it and gave the wrong information to the service dep't. I would avoid that type dealer if you can. If you buy an Airstream, be prepared to do a lot of driving for service.

To purchase Airstreams people go all over the country looking for deals. There aren't a lot of dealers and some have terrible reputations, some very good ones. I notice some good marks for Sutton, Airstream of Arkansas and Colonial in NJ, but there are others people like. I'm sure every dealer has someone who doesn't like them too.

Gene

[poems&songs]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

I'm gathering from various posts around the Forum that 15-19% off MSRP is fairly common. I haven't seen all that many numbers, so I may be way off.

My impression is auto and truck dealers usually make their money from service, not sales. Whether the same is true of RV dealers, I don't know, but they certainly want you to come back regardless of the sales negotiations. Their best customer is probably Airstream because of all the warranty claims. Most any dealer will welcome you and your money (or Airstream's) for service regardless of where you bought it. It's likely the sales people and service people don't talk to each other that much either even if you were obnoxious in the purchase process (I am not recommending obnoxiousness, but firmness is important).

Since some dealers use service writers to get the information on what you need, you have no chance to develop a relationship with the people in the service dep't who do the work. You are anonymous at those dealers. In my experience at any kind of dealership, those that used service writers often provide the worst service. Service writers are not mechanics or they would be doing that—it pays better. I have explained things to these people who completely botched it and gave the wrong information to the service dep't. I would avoid that type dealer if you can. If you buy an Airstream, be prepared to do a lot of driving for service.

To purchase Airstreams people go all over the country looking for deals. There aren't a lot of dealers and some have terrible reputations, some very good ones. I notice some good marks for Sutton, Airstream of Arkansas and Colonial in NJ, but there are others people like. I'm sure every dealer has someone who doesn't like them too.

Gene

Thanks, Gene. I'm going to get an Airstream for full time retirement (first year, anyway) and am just starting to learn about them. (There's much to learn, but these forums are invaluable). I live in SC but my searches seem to lead me to Florida (Bates) or Out-of_Doors Mart in NC most often. Maybe they're just the largest.