Negotiating Price in the Covid Era

[LeppeL]

Hello everyone. I have been looking to purchase a new basecamp X for a while and I am finally negotiating with a dealer on a new 2019 model. My search began prior to the pandemic and I had a good idea of what the fair value for this particular year, make and model would have been. Things have seemed to change very quickly in this market and basecamps have become tough to get a hold of recently. I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations or experience for negotiating down from the MSRP in the covid era. I originally felt confident I could get the price down 10-15%. But now I am concerned with how fast the market is moving and that this might be unreasonable given the high demand. I've been searching long and hard for this particular trailer so I don't want to lose out - but I also don't want to pay the MSRP given this is a year old model.

Sidenote - the dealer is charging a $1000 prep fee and I think this is outrageous. Can anyone else confirm that it is reasonable to refuse to pay this?

Thank you for any feedback, insight or resources anyone can provide.

[brokeboater]

When the market is particularly brisk, such as right now with any RV and Airstreams in particular, it is usually better to stand aside and wait for things to cool down.

[Shiny16]

Colonial Airstream has 2021 16 and a 20 in stock. Call them now and ask for a price. The 1000 prep fee would be a red flag against the dealer.

[KK4YZ]

Originally Posted by LeppeL

Hello everyone. I have been looking to purchase a new basecamp X for a while and I am finally negotiating with a dealer on a new 2019 model. My search began prior to the pandemic and I had a good idea of what the fair value for this particular year, make and model would have been. Things have seemed to change very quickly in this market and basecamps have become tough to get a hold of recently. I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations or experience for negotiating down from the MSRP in the covid era. I originally felt confident I could get the price down 10-15%. But now I am concerned with how fast the market is moving and that this might be unreasonable given the high demand. I've been searching long and hard for this particular trailer so I don't want to lose out - but I also don't want to pay the MSRP given this is a year old model.

Sidenote - the dealer is charging a $1000 prep fee and I think this is outrageous. Can anyone else confirm that it is reasonable to refuse to pay this?

Thank you for any feedback, insight or resources anyone can provide.

Which dealer is asking for the $1000 prep fee? It doesn’t sound right.

[matthewk]

Call Patrick at Colonial. Great experience.

[Bill M.]

I think you are in better shape knowledge wise than many people buying now. You know the pricing. Now it is just a matter of deciding how much you are willing to pay knowing all that. Not much you can do about it but shop around and make a go/no go decision. If you can afford it and can get a price you can choke down somehow I am in the go ahead and get it when you can use it camp. Waiting until things are perfect does not always work out either. Do you need it now or do you have time to wait out the bubble? Total price is total price, no matter what tricky name the dealer calls the various parts of it. Prepping it might just consist of replacing the battery they stole out of it. Sorta like the car dealers making you pay extra for them doing the paperwork.

You know all this and I did not answer the actual question but it is fun posting.

[kpfate]

Is it Windish? Or Lazy Days? I know they are local's in Colorado. We by-passed the dealers and bought our's from a private seller in Denver. Granted to process in the title transfer was a bit of a pain going though a power of attorney, etc. but we got it all done and love our 22FB Sport!

[coasttocoast]

Call Patrick

[AFTER TAXES]

Originally Posted by LeppeL

Hello everyone. I have been looking to purchase a new basecamp X for a while and I am finally negotiating with a dealer on a new 2019 model. My search began prior to the pandemic and I had a good idea of what the fair value for this particular year, make and model would have been. Things have seemed to change very quickly in this market and basecamps have become tough to get a hold of recently. I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations or experience for negotiating down from the MSRP in the covid era. I originally felt confident I could get the price down 10-15%. But now I am concerned with how fast the market is moving and that this might be unreasonable given the high demand. I've been searching long and hard for this particular trailer so I don't want to lose out - but I also don't want to pay the MSRP given this is a year old model.

Sidenote - the dealer is charging a $1000 prep fee and I think this is outrageous. Can anyone else confirm that it is reasonable to refuse to pay this?

Thank you for any feedback, insight or resources anyone can provide.

tell them what ur willing to pay....do ur homework
not the dealer telling you

[jameskuzman]

I agree with the others here: Call Patrick at Colonial.

We ultimately decided to wait on buying an Airstream because I wanted to be in a better financial position overall (I had another expense pop up and decided I wanted to put more money down on the AS), but I did get a quote from him.

Considering it is summer (peak RV purchasing season), inventory is low, units ordered as inventory are being bought sight unseen before they're even built, and lead time for a build-to-order is 6 months, I expected the quoted price to be a long, long way from the 20% off MSRP that is generally regarded as a good deal.

To my surprise, that was not the case. Far from it. Had the other issues not popped up for me, I would have taken their deal on the spot.

I can't guarantee all units are going to be priced like that, but Colonial doesn't seem to be using high market demand and low inventory as an excuse for price gouging. That impressed me, as did Patrick's responsiveness by e-mail and by phone.

And that prep fee your dealer wants? Big red flag. Prep isn't an option or a bonus, it's part of what you are paying for when you buy the trailer. The manufacturers already pay dealers to do a PDI (pre-delivery inspection) and suss out and repair any issues that were missed during manufacturing or occurred during shipping. A prep fee is pure profit. Run away.

Jim

[ROBERT CROSS]

X2 on calling Patrick @ COLONIAL.

$1000 for a BC PDI is outrageous.
An unsold 2019 is not used but it's not really new either.
Take a step back and bargain with aplomb.

Bob
🇺🇸

[RickP]

Prices are not going to go down any time soon. The Airstream factory in Ohio was shut down due to Covid, so production stopped. It's a sellers market right now and will be for awhile.

[OTRA15]

Every single negotiation is a simple matter of supply and demand.

All the preconceptions about various factors and variables are secondary.

Be ready to commit to a price, and work your way toward that price.

Be ready to write a deposit check on demand, in case someone calls your bluff, or makes you an offer you can't refuse.

Clarity is power.

"Call Patrick at Colonial" is always good advice.

Good luck,

[Mikebrady62]

Originally Posted by LeppeL

Hello everyone. I have been looking to purchase a new basecamp X for a while and I am finally negotiating with a dealer on a new 2019 model. My search began prior to the pandemic and I had a good idea of what the fair value for this particular year, make and model would have been. Things have seemed to change very quickly in this market and basecamps have become tough to get a hold of recently. I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations or experience for negotiating down from the MSRP in the covid era. I originally felt confident I could get the price down 10-15%. But now I am concerned with how fast the market is moving and that this might be unreasonable given the high demand. I've been searching long and hard for this particular trailer so I don't want to lose out - but I also don't want to pay the MSRP given this is a year old model.

Sidenote - the dealer is charging a $1000 prep fee and I think this is outrageous. Can anyone else confirm that it is reasonable to refuse to pay this?

Thank you for any feedback, insight or resources anyone can provide.

I had a great experience with Al Panicucci at Windish RV in Denver. He is great to deal with IMO

[Acheron2010]

Call Patrick.

[TravisH]

Hi,

I don't think this is going to turn around any time soon. RV are as HOT as ever right now and with halted production and iffy future supply may stay low for a while.

If you're financing note the APR may be a lot lower now than it may be in a year too....

I got lucky back in March when I hesitated twice on my 2019 FC. Called up and said "give me back my deposit I don't like the numbers" and they reworked it twice to ~30% discount!!!

Re $1000 prep fee. I'd get that clarified. Perhaps part of that "destination" etc all rolled into that..If for just putting fresh air in the tires an obvious no go!

[Wazbro]

2021's are in stock now so that 2019 is already considered 2 years old. Even with current conditions your 10-15% off seems like a minimum on a 2 year old "new" trailer.

[Hittenstiehl]

The new (coming) models also have the new floorplan .

Yes by then it will be a almost 2yr old trailer. Make sure you get a new Battery not the one it's been sitting on the lot with.

Does it have the problematic fridge or newer.

[switz]

2019 model could also have the built in feature callied a leak that was an active issue then.

[KK4YZ]

Originally Posted by matthewk

Call Patrick at Colonial. Great experience.

Yep. We made the trek from GA to NJ twice to buy from Patrick. It was worth it.