Thank you very much for sharing this video Mr. Delaney! I wish that I watched this video before I purchased my RV. Everything you mentioned about your dislikes on the dealerships and/or salesman happened to me. I'm feeling huge buyers remorse! The reason why I'm feeling remorse is because, I believe the RV that I purchased was overpriced! The RV that I bought was supposed to be a 2023 model. I didn't find out until I looked at both chassis and coach VIN numbers and it were 2022's. Also when I was reviewing my owners manual, it was also a 2022! The National average for a brand new 2022 is $119,000.00! The dealership sold it to me for $143,000.00. With taxes and hidden fees totaled to $177,446.00, minus my down payment $14,500.00, leaves me with $162,946.00 to finance on a 20 year contract. I'm thinking about returning the $10,000.00, (7) year extended warranty plan and pay this toward the cost? There were a couple hidden fees that are non refundable, the enviormental protection package and crystal fusion for windshield. I tried to talk to the dealership and they insisted that it is a 2023 model. Not only was the RV overpriced for the year make and model, the resale value will also go down! This was the biggest financial error I've ever made in my 60 years! It's my own fault! I have to live with this and move on! Althought, I really like the RV, I love camping, it's a great floor plan, I can travel and visit my parents and children and most of all, I'm a snowbird so I'm traveling south with it's winter up north. I have nothing else to do but put this behind me and enjoy life with my RV. I figured if I make extra payments I can paid it off in 7 years? The RV is a 2022 Jayco Alante 27A. This was my second RV that I bought from Camping World. Wish me luck Sir!! I'll keep and share you video to family and friend! Take care and happy RV'in!!!
I did about 2 years of research while I got my finances together and bought a Chevy Silverado to tow my eventual travel trailer purchase. After numerous RV shows and dealer visits, I decided to purchase either a Rockwood Mini Lite 2509S or its twin, the Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BRDS. The local are dealers within 50 miles or so were not giving me a warm and fuzzy feeling. An internet search led me 152 miles West Northwest of my home in New Orleans to Rick's RV sales in Ville Platte, LA. As per their website, "We are and have been family owned & operated since 1986 when Rick & Judy Johnson opened out of a single wide mobile home on US 167 W in Ville Platte. Their two sons Gabe & Tyler now operate the dealership while the third generation learns by working during school breaks. Tyler is in charge of sales and is a no pressure, look all you want kind of guy, and his brother Gabe runs a first class service department. I bought my 2021 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BRDS for a great price, well below MSRP. They are so good, that I still drive the 152 milers each way for service, as I love to patronize them.
Interesting to see these comments. I may be in the minority, but I like when salespeople are paid on commission, I think it drives some of them to work hard, follow up and increase their knowledge. I also like it when they’re motivated to make a deal. Since I’m the only one who knows what I can afford, it makes my position pretty good.
I can definitely look into that. I am not sure if all dealers get the same prices from the manufacturers or not. I have a pretty good idea how much they are marked up so I can certainly work on that.
Unfortunately you didn't travel far enough north in lower Michigan to Brewbakers Housing and RV in Onaway. They are an Alliance dealership too. We have purchased our second RV in the last two years from them and by far they are worth the drive to Onaway. We were comparing two different brands of fifth wheel trailers on a particular day and one of the owners handed me his keys and said when you and your wife are done just lock the trailers up and return my keys to your salesman. It took us over two months to decide on a Reflection by Grand Design and in that two months they never pushed us to purchase the trailer. Will purchase our next RV from them again.
Welcome to Michigan! I didn’t by in Michigan either. I bought out of state as well due to high pressure sales pitch, not personable, no negotiations, and corporate BS. There is a reason why it is called the Wolverine state and it’s not sports related.
Excellent points to follow to save headaches and wasting money. I’ll never put a deposit down to negotiate on a deal - that’s cart before horse. Let’s reach a deal then money exchanges hands.
We are the same way. Once we have a deal in place, I am more than happy to put down a small deposit to hold the unit. Putting money down that is non-refundable during negotiations is ridiculous in my opinion.
Great video. A question for you is how do you get warranty coverage when you buy from a dealer far away? We have found that the dealer we purchased from gets us in while another dealer that we didn't buy from said it would be up to 3 months. Because of that, I would always buy from someone within at least a few hours away. We bought from Southern in Richmond, VA they were bought by R&L but we have been very happy with the buying process and service.
When I was looking for a new camper I knew exactly the features, price range, and size I was looking for. I emailed all my local dealers with my needs, waited a week and no one had replied. I made copies of my list and started going to all my local dealers. Not one of them took the time to even read my list, they just started showing me random trailers wasting both our times. Some of the brand new trailers they showed me where so poorly built there was drawer fronts falling off, buckled shower enclosure walls, water stains on the ceiling, saw dust everywhere. I told them no less than twice that this was an all cash sale, no trade in, all I want to hear is the out the door price, because within the first few min. of meeting him all he talked about was what do you want to pay a month?
Great video Patrick! We bought our 2020 Lance 2465 from a private seller who originally purchased it from Princess Craft. We went to Princess Craft and they were wonderful. They had all the info on the unit we purchased and set us up with an appointment for a routine service and inspections. It was a great experience for us and we have been very happy with the RV!
In general, avoid dealers that 50% or more of their sales are not RVs. Other trailers simply don't include the same handshake that RVs do. We walked away from our own local dealer for exactly this reason. They were completely unwilling to have a price discussion -- and it cost them money, I know it did.
Living in FL, I obviously have a lot to choose from and there is one local that has respected me, but a couple of my "just looking" tactics. A couple things I like to look at are the discounted posted price signs that they don't advertise, and when looking at Sprinters in particular, I like to take photo of the yellow OCCC sticker with a hand written label noting model and major options (theater seats vs dinette, etc). OK, now tactics to be left alone - buying a car or RV - don't park in "customer parking" where they are in the showroom 'eagles nest' watching you arrive. As a former Lexus salesperson, I hate to ruin a salesman's "up" when literally just looking and scoping the inventory as they then get relegated to the back of the line awaiting another customer. Always park next door, walk on (if fenced - back service gate?) and if they approach me as I walk about, I am suddenly in service and wanted to enjoy the nice weather rather than sitting in the customer area with stale magazines. Finally, when it gets down to negotiation "out the door" inclusive of their fees with only adjustment separately negotiated trade credit and subsequent set government tax/title adjustment. Finally, to keep them honest, have 2 or 3 internet quotes from dealers with the same models. Where I have run into difficulty is all units locked forcing me to deal with someone - and that varies but dealer even within the same parent company chain.
We bought our NuCamp Tab 400 from Apache RV in Everett, Washington in 2018. We had the “gold standard” sales experience you describe in your video. No pressure, our salesman was knowledgeable about the product, no funny business with the sales experience, and he let us take all the time we needed. Hopefully they are still a great place to do business.
I’ve only purchased two RVs. The first was out of province at the beginning of the pandemic. It was a bit funny. The dealership was quite nice, except for convincing us to buy the “starter package” of course mostly junk but it was included in our walk through of all the systems. I found that very rushed, plus it was in French so we had to pay extra attention. I only thought to record it partway through. I can laugh now, but it was a bit stressful then. The second rv was purchased used from a rental dealership and I actually knew more about the unit than the salesperson did. Thankfully one of the rv techs there had been working no ours over the years and was very knowledgeable. I’ve also sold a unit on consignment with my local dealership and that was very positive.
We thought about trying to sell ours on consignment but we'd need to wait until winter to do that as we need it now to travel while we are on summer break. It's never a good sign when you know more about the RV than the sales people do.
Thank you Patrick. I am headed from CA towards you to buy my first RV from Wana RV in Shipshewana. We bought a Rockwood 2442BS 5th wheel after a lot of research and a lot of positive reviews about Wana. All the best to you and Patty.
Congratulations on the new 5th wheel. We have not bought from Wana RV however one of our friends has and their experience was a very positive one. And we have looked there before and they were very nice, let us look and did not try to pressure us into buying on the spot. Make sure you take time to have a meal at the Blue Gate Restaurant right downtown Shipshewana....you won't be disappointed.
My wife and I went looking at RVs one time near our home in Alabama. The sales team at the dealership was SUPER nice and they had a number of units already locked as it was close to the end of the day. They gave us a universal key that would unlock any unit and allowed us to walk around un-attended. All we had to do was make sure to lock each one when we left the trailer. Absolutely no pressure. I would definitely buy from that dealership - great people, hometown feel, no pressure and good pricing - what more could I want? :)
Is this dealer round Huntsville? I went to one in Ardmore, TN and it was the complete opposite of high pressure. More like a vacuum. I told them the model I was looking for. The guy handed me a key and pointed to a general area across the road. Some lady on a golf cart drove up after I was inside for a few minutes, said she thought there was a problem, and drove off. Would have been nice to have someone to answer questions. I ended up walking around and finding a better TT. Went back to the office and handed in the key. No one asked if I saw something I liked. Ended up looking over the one I liked more thoroughly and went hunting for someone to sell it to me.
I’ve had the worst experience with A & S RV when I purchased my Lance 2075 in May 2021. First, I pointed out about 10 defects before I picked up my unit. They said they would submit the warranty requests but I needed to take possession “that day”. When I came back in August, they said there was nothing submitted even though that showed me the documents on the day of sale. They “resubmitted” that day in August. I picked up the unit for an October trip with no warranty work having been done. When I brought the unit back, they said I was now at the back of the queue because I took the unit off site. It sat in their possession until the following July! This time, upon reviewing the work, they had made a problem with the blinds worse, and never submitted the claim for the Refrigerator control panel lights. I have been trying to get that fixed since that time 2022! Still not fixed, and to make matters worse, Lance never received a work request for the fridge, and the RV dealership was bought out by RVOne and they claim they have no access to the records from before the sale. Lance also claims there was never a claim for the fridge, and Norcold has no record of it. Worse, the part I need is no longer available ANYWHERE! Next time, not only will I leave with all documents, I’m going to video record everything!
3 recommendations, GOOD on ya Patrick. Especially nice that you included/mentioned a nüCamp dealership in Indiana. Hopefully, others will continue to add their "experiences" comments later as I want to read/hear about 'em. Warm Regards from Reno, Nevada.
Great video however when my wife and I started looking for our rv we ran into the same problems you mentioned until we found a dealer that met all the criteria that you mentioned in your video and that dealer was in your home state of Indiana shout out to Wana RV in Shipshewana Indiana
We have never bought from them but we have looked there before. They were very nice and allowed us to look on our own. They were available to answer questions but not at all pushy. Our friends bought their last RV from them and had a very positive experience as well. Thank you for sharing.
Love your videos! Thanks for the information. I recently purchased a class A from National Indoor RV Center (NIRVC), Surprise, AZ and the experience was excellent, no sales pressure tactics, etc… their service department as well is excellent and would give them more than five stars. I highly recommend this dealership and will go back when I upgrade in the future.
@@TravelswithDelaney You are welcome & an addendum to my post... I recently had to have RV body work (fiberglass, etc...) done on my RV and NIRVC- (Surprise, AZ) has excelled in that department as well. They most certainly rock as a dealership in ALL areas of customer satisfaction.
I've always heard good things about Miller's and Princess Craft. I bought my nuCamp T@B 400 in 2020 from Beckley's in Maryland (they're also in PA)...and they were just exceptional. Completely straight forward sale, no surprises and their price was the best I could find, and that was without negotiating. D&H RV Center near my home in NC is also very good.
When Paul "The Air Force Guy" Chamberlain was still at Beckley's, we would recommend him personally. We know Paul and he was a good guy that really helped out his customers. It's good to hear that you recommend them as well.
What a good video......excellent topic and spot on with the perspectives given . I have been to several RV dealerships and for the most part, salespeople have understood the phrase, " I'm just shopping, not buying anything today..." and they back off. Like an automobile, if the sales tactics become too aggressive , then I'm just walking away, probably never to return.
Great video, if everyone would prefer a different sales experience why do we get so much of the opposite? I was wondering if you would do a detailed video on how to go through the process of changing RV’s from a financial stand-point. What if you purchase an RV and then realize , through experience, you have other needs/wants in an RV but are concerned about the money you would loose in the transition to a new RV? How can you do this intelligently and without loosing too much in depreciation? Thank you for the info you provide!
We went to one dealer with 14 locations and thought that was the place we’d go, but I looked online at the fine print and saw “Prices also exclude pre-installed CermaPlate Protection at $899 for units 25' and under or $1199 for units over 25' long”. That dealer franchise is now out of consideration.
Patrick, we want a dealership that also has a REALLY good service department. Every RV has things that bust or need good maintenance. When something needs attention, we'd appreciate good work done. Is that unreasonable ?
I think that is a really good one Susan! Many dealers are quick to help you during the sales process but will they be there for you when you’ve taken possession and things go wrong?
Had an awful experience at a Camping World. Salesman even brought the finance person out. He argued with me for about 30 minutes. (I wanted to see how far he would go.) They went too far. Needless to say, I did not & will not buy from that dealership and told them before I left.
I've had a fantastic experience at Vogel's RV in Ukiah, California. And a terrible experience at Reed's trailers in Petaluma. Reed's was one of those heavy-handed sales experiences. Vogel's, on the other hand, really listened to me and was very knowledgeable and has helped guide me through repairs or upgrades in a fair and non-pressuring manner. Vogel's has never made me feel like a stupid woman, which is sometimes a problem when shopping in a field dominated by male salespeople. Also, Reed's refused to service my Lance trailer because I didn't buy it from them. Vogel's has no problem servicing the T@b I purchased from a private party.
That is just so sad. How did he know you might not buy. We have bought trailers in Florida and Texas yet we live in Indiana. That is a very short sighted sales person. Thank you for sharing that experience.
I guess I never have 80% of the issues you described in the beginning. I'm a firm believer that we are in charge of our own destiny's and control of our buying situations. Do your due diligence up front. If you have absolutely no idea what you want, look to the internet, forum's, & youtube. Go to a couple of RV shows, most sales people will leave you alone, unless you call them. They know the lookie-lou's from the buyers. They do not have time to bother you in most cases. I've Rv'd for 45+ years and never had any major issues. If I do not like their 'program' I move on very quickly. I'm in the minority; but 2 RV's ago I had a great experience with Camping World. Great sales person. F & I guy was a little strong, but we held our ground. Learn to take charge & say no when needed and or walk away. Plenty of dealerships out there.
I would say we did do our “due diligence” upfront. We had watched endless UA-cam videos on the RV and had talked to an owner of the brand of RV we were looking at. We were at the point that we wanted to see the RV in person to see if it was as good as what we believed it wears. I’m not going to drop $50-$60K without seeing it in person.
@@TravelswithDelaney the comments were not directed to you personally; but to the masses who are having these issues. One must be accountable for their actions and not blame the process for their problems. If you let yourself be treated like a victim; then those are the results you'll experience. Vote with your checkbook & feet if you're not liking whats happening.
@@herb7877 That is very true Herb. Sadly certain segments of the population can be easy targets for businesses with predatory business practices. I just want to make sure people are aware that they don't have to be pressured into it.
Thank you for great information. As a solo female I am not looking forward to doing this in a few years.
Thank you very much for sharing this video Mr. Delaney! I wish that I watched this video before I purchased my RV. Everything you mentioned about your dislikes on the dealerships and/or salesman happened to me. I'm feeling huge buyers remorse! The reason why I'm feeling remorse is because, I believe the RV that I purchased was overpriced! The RV that I bought was supposed to be a 2023 model. I didn't find out until I looked at both chassis and coach VIN numbers and it were 2022's. Also when I was reviewing my owners manual, it was also a 2022! The National average for a brand new 2022 is $119,000.00! The dealership sold it to me for $143,000.00. With taxes and hidden fees totaled to $177,446.00, minus my down payment $14,500.00, leaves me with $162,946.00 to finance on a 20 year contract. I'm thinking about returning the $10,000.00, (7) year extended warranty plan and pay this toward the cost? There were a couple hidden fees that are non refundable, the enviormental protection package and crystal fusion for windshield. I tried to talk to the dealership and they insisted that it is a 2023 model. Not only was the RV overpriced for the year make and model, the resale value will also go down! This was the biggest financial error I've ever made in my 60 years! It's my own fault! I have to live with this and move on! Althought, I really like the RV, I love camping, it's a great floor plan, I can travel and visit my parents and children and most of all, I'm a snowbird so I'm traveling south with it's winter up north. I have nothing else to do but put this behind me and enjoy life with my RV. I figured if I make extra payments I can paid it off in 7 years? The RV is a 2022 Jayco Alante 27A. This was my second RV that I bought from Camping World. Wish me luck Sir!! I'll keep and share you video to family and friend! Take care and happy RV'in!!!
Thank you for sharing your story. Im so sorry to hear that this happened to you.
I did about 2 years of research while I got my finances together and bought a Chevy Silverado to tow my eventual travel trailer purchase. After numerous RV shows and dealer visits, I decided to purchase either a Rockwood Mini Lite 2509S or its twin, the Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BRDS. The local are dealers within 50 miles or so were not giving me a warm and fuzzy feeling. An internet search led me 152 miles West Northwest of my home in New Orleans to Rick's RV sales in Ville Platte, LA. As per their website, "We are and have been family owned & operated since 1986 when Rick & Judy Johnson opened out of a single wide mobile home on US 167 W in Ville Platte. Their two sons Gabe & Tyler now operate the dealership while the third generation learns by working during school breaks. Tyler is in charge of sales and is a no pressure, look all you want kind of guy, and his brother Gabe runs a first class service department. I bought my 2021 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BRDS for a great price, well below MSRP. They are so good, that I still drive the 152 milers each way for service, as I love to patronize them.
Interesting to see these comments. I may be in the minority, but I like when salespeople are paid on commission, I think it drives some of them to work hard, follow up and increase their knowledge. I also like it when they’re motivated to make a deal. Since I’m the only one who knows what I can afford, it makes my position pretty good.
Manteca Motorhomes fits this image
Patrick, Would you consider doing a video on sales markups for RV’s (what the dealers pay) and perhaps best negotiation strategies?
I can definitely look into that. I am not sure if all dealers get the same prices from the manufacturers or not. I have a pretty good idea how much they are marked up so I can certainly work on that.
@@TravelswithDelaney That would be awesome, thank you
Unfortunately you didn't travel far enough north in lower Michigan to Brewbakers Housing and RV in Onaway. They are an Alliance dealership too. We have purchased our second RV in the last two years from them and by far they are worth the drive to Onaway. We were comparing two different brands of fifth wheel trailers on a particular day and one of the owners handed me his keys and said when you and your wife are done just lock the trailers up and return my keys to your salesman. It took us over two months to decide on a Reflection by Grand Design and in that two months they never pushed us to purchase the trailer. Will purchase our next RV from them again.
Thats interesting….when i was searching for dealerships on the Alliance website, they did not come up. Now I know for hte future.
Welcome to Michigan! I didn’t by in Michigan either. I bought out of state as well due to high pressure sales pitch, not personable, no negotiations, and corporate BS. There is a reason why it is called the Wolverine state and it’s not sports related.
Great video, Patrick!
Thank you!
Excellent points to follow to save headaches and wasting money. I’ll never put a deposit down to negotiate on a deal - that’s cart before horse. Let’s reach a deal then money exchanges hands.
We are the same way. Once we have a deal in place, I am more than happy to put down a small deposit to hold the unit. Putting money down that is non-refundable during negotiations is ridiculous in my opinion.
We just bought a 2023 arctic fox truck camper at Boardman RV. Great experience
Congratulations and glad to hear you had a great experience with your dealer!
Great video. A question for you is how do you get warranty coverage when you buy from a dealer far away? We have found that the dealer we purchased from gets us in while another dealer that we didn't buy from said it would be up to 3 months. Because of that, I would always buy from someone within at least a few hours away. We bought from Southern in Richmond, VA they were bought by R&L but we have been very happy with the buying process and service.
When I was looking for a new camper I knew exactly the features, price range, and size I was looking for.
I emailed all my local dealers with my needs, waited a week and no one had replied.
I made copies of my list and started going to all my local dealers.
Not one of them took the time to even read my list, they just started showing me random trailers wasting both our times.
Some of the brand new trailers they showed me where so poorly built there was drawer fronts falling off, buckled shower enclosure walls, water stains on the ceiling, saw dust everywhere.
I told them no less than twice that this was an all cash sale, no trade in, all I want to hear is the out the door price, because within the first few min. of meeting him all he talked about was what do you want to pay a month?
Thank you for sharing! It’s so sad to hear stories like yours.. Some RV dealerships really need to do better.
For smaller trailers, Road Trip Camping in Orange, Virginia. Excellent customer service and good prices.
Thank you for sharing that with everyone! May help out someone in that area looking for a smaller trailer.
great topic. these same guidelines are also good for the vehicle buying experience.
Absolutely! We have had some bad experience with car dealers as well.
Well -I like a Motorhome and we bought our Dutch Star ⭐️ at NIRVC Las Vegas-They are fantastic 🎉
That is 3 positive comments on NIRVC already....sounds like a great place to buy a motorhome! Thank you for sharing your experience.
The lesson from this video is, "Don't go to Camping World."
Great video Patrick! We bought our 2020 Lance 2465 from a private seller who originally purchased it from Princess Craft. We went to Princess Craft and they were wonderful. They had all the info on the unit we purchased and set us up with an appointment for a routine service and inspections. It was a great experience for us and we have been very happy with the RV!
I am so glad to hear that Princess Craft took good care of you. I know that PJ strives to provide people with great customer service.
Thank you Patrick
Thank you!
Great tips and feedback! Dreading our next purchase. Even at the Rv show it’s a hassle just trying to look without pressure 😂
In general, avoid dealers that 50% or more of their sales are not RVs. Other trailers simply don't include the same handshake that RVs do.
We walked away from our own local dealer for exactly this reason. They were completely unwilling to have a price discussion -- and it cost them money, I know it did.
Living in FL, I obviously have a lot to choose from and there is one local that has respected me, but a couple of my "just looking" tactics. A couple things I like to look at are the discounted posted price signs that they don't advertise, and when looking at Sprinters in particular, I like to take photo of the yellow OCCC sticker with a hand written label noting model and major options (theater seats vs dinette, etc). OK, now tactics to be left alone - buying a car or RV - don't park in "customer parking" where they are in the showroom 'eagles nest' watching you arrive. As a former Lexus salesperson, I hate to ruin a salesman's "up" when literally just looking and scoping the inventory as they then get relegated to the back of the line awaiting another customer. Always park next door, walk on (if fenced - back service gate?) and if they approach me as I walk about, I am suddenly in service and wanted to enjoy the nice weather rather than sitting in the customer area with stale magazines. Finally, when it gets down to negotiation "out the door" inclusive of their fees with only adjustment separately negotiated trade credit and subsequent set government tax/title adjustment. Finally, to keep them honest, have 2 or 3 internet quotes from dealers with the same models. Where I have run into difficulty is all units locked forcing me to deal with someone - and that varies but dealer even within the same parent company chain.
Thanks Larry for sharing! Some great tips for everyone.
We bought our NuCamp Tab 400 from Apache RV in Everett, Washington in 2018. We had the “gold standard” sales experience you describe in your video. No pressure, our salesman was knowledgeable about the product, no funny business with the sales experience, and he let us take all the time we needed. Hopefully they are still a great place to do business.
I am so glad to hear you had a very positive experience on your purchase. Thank you for sharing it with us.
I’ve only purchased two RVs. The first was out of province at the beginning of the pandemic. It was a bit funny. The dealership was quite nice, except for convincing us to buy the “starter package” of course mostly junk but it was included in our walk through of all the systems. I found that very rushed, plus it was in French so we had to pay extra attention. I only thought to record it partway through. I can laugh now, but it was a bit stressful then.
The second rv was purchased used from a rental dealership and I actually knew more about the unit than the salesperson did. Thankfully one of the rv techs there had been working no ours over the years and was very knowledgeable.
I’ve also sold a unit on consignment with my local dealership and that was very positive.
Interesting way of selling an RV that I've always wondered about.
We thought about trying to sell ours on consignment but we'd need to wait until winter to do that as we need it now to travel while we are on summer break. It's never a good sign when you know more about the RV than the sales people do.
Thank you Patrick. I am headed from CA towards you to buy my first RV from Wana RV in Shipshewana. We bought a Rockwood 2442BS 5th wheel after a lot of research and a lot of positive reviews about Wana. All the best to you and Patty.
Doing business with the "same" RV dealership is THE bottom line.
Congratulations on the new 5th wheel. We have not bought from Wana RV however one of our friends has and their experience was a very positive one. And we have looked there before and they were very nice, let us look and did not try to pressure us into buying on the spot. Make sure you take time to have a meal at the Blue Gate Restaurant right downtown Shipshewana....you won't be disappointed.
My wife and I went looking at RVs one time near our home in Alabama. The sales team at the dealership was SUPER nice and they had a number of units already locked as it was close to the end of the day. They gave us a universal key that would unlock any unit and allowed us to walk around un-attended. All we had to do was make sure to lock each one when we left the trailer. Absolutely no pressure. I would definitely buy from that dealership - great people, hometown feel, no pressure and good pricing - what more could I want? :)
That is the kind of dealership that we like working with!
Is this dealer round Huntsville? I went to one in Ardmore, TN and it was the complete opposite of high pressure. More like a vacuum. I told them the model I was looking for. The guy handed me a key and pointed to a general area across the road. Some lady on a golf cart drove up after I was inside for a few minutes, said she thought there was a problem, and drove off. Would have been nice to have someone to answer questions. I ended up walking around and finding a better TT. Went back to the office and handed in the key. No one asked if I saw something I liked. Ended up looking over the one I liked more thoroughly and went hunting for someone to sell it to me.
I’ve had the worst experience with A & S RV when I purchased my Lance 2075 in May 2021. First, I pointed out about 10 defects before I picked up my unit. They said they would submit the warranty requests but I needed to take possession “that day”. When I came back in August, they said there was nothing submitted even though that showed me the documents on the day of sale. They “resubmitted” that day in August. I picked up the unit for an October trip with no warranty work having been done. When I brought the unit back, they said I was now at the back of the queue because I took the unit off site. It sat in their possession until the following July! This time, upon reviewing the work, they had made a problem with the blinds worse, and never submitted the claim for the Refrigerator control panel lights. I have been trying to get that fixed since that time 2022! Still not fixed, and to make matters worse, Lance never received a work request for the fridge, and the RV dealership was bought out by RVOne and they claim they have no access to the records from before the sale. Lance also claims there was never a claim for the fridge, and Norcold has no record of it. Worse, the part I need is no longer available ANYWHERE! Next time, not only will I leave with all documents, I’m going to video record everything!
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Sorry you had to go the this.
3 recommendations, GOOD on ya Patrick. Especially nice that you included/mentioned a nüCamp dealership in Indiana.
Hopefully, others will continue to add their "experiences" comments later as I want to read/hear about 'em.
Warm Regards from Reno, Nevada.
Me too Bill! I am interested to see both good and bad experiences from around the US and maybe Canada too.
great video ,we are first time buyers every dealer we have went to they just sell sell
Now you have a couple of RV Dealerships to visit.
Hopefully you can find a dealer that will care more about your happiness and less about them making the sale. Good luck in your search!
I think I did very well, buying my TAB, but wish I had known some of this before hand. This is a great video, packed with a lot of good advice! 👍🏻
Thank you Gail! We had a bad experience with a large RV dealership and I wanted to let people know they don’t have to be strong armed into a deal.
Eleven RVs...wow! You must have a favorite brand by now.
NuCamp is at the top of our list and honestly Lance is right up there as well.
@@TravelswithDelaney hmmm...Still need to go by Princess. They're about 15 minutes away.
Great video however when my wife and I started looking for our rv we ran into the same problems you mentioned until we found a dealer that met all the criteria that you mentioned in your video and that dealer was in your home state of Indiana shout out to Wana RV in Shipshewana Indiana
You & another comment both "recommend" Wanna RV dealership.
We have never bought from them but we have looked there before. They were very nice and allowed us to look on our own. They were available to answer questions but not at all pushy. Our friends bought their last RV from them and had a very positive experience as well. Thank you for sharing.
Love your videos! Thanks for the information. I recently purchased a class A from National Indoor RV Center (NIRVC), Surprise, AZ and the experience was excellent, no sales pressure tactics, etc… their service department as well is excellent and would give them more than five stars. I highly recommend this dealership and will go back when I upgrade in the future.
Thank you so much and thank you for sharing your experience at NIRVC. I have wondered how they were as a dealer.
@@TravelswithDelaney You are welcome & an addendum to my post... I recently had to have RV body work (fiberglass, etc...) done on my RV and NIRVC- (Surprise, AZ) has excelled in that department as well. They most certainly rock as a dealership in ALL areas of customer satisfaction.
I've always heard good things about Miller's and Princess Craft. I bought my nuCamp T@B 400 in 2020 from Beckley's in Maryland (they're also in PA)...and they were just exceptional. Completely straight forward sale, no surprises and their price was the best I could find, and that was without negotiating. D&H RV Center near my home in NC is also very good.
When Paul "The Air Force Guy" Chamberlain was still at Beckley's, we would recommend him personally. We know Paul and he was a good guy that really helped out his customers. It's good to hear that you recommend them as well.
Well done!
Thank you!
What a good video......excellent topic and spot on with the perspectives given . I have been to several RV dealerships and for the most part, salespeople have understood the phrase, " I'm just shopping, not buying anything today..." and they back off. Like an automobile, if the sales tactics become too aggressive , then I'm just walking away, probably never to return.
Thank you! Yes....we are the same way when are shopping. The high pressure sales tactics just turn us off immediately.
Great video, if everyone would prefer a different sales experience why do we get so much of the opposite? I was wondering if you would do a detailed video on how to go through the process of changing RV’s from a financial stand-point. What if you purchase an RV and then realize , through experience, you have other needs/wants in an RV but are concerned about the money you would loose in the transition to a new RV? How can you do this intelligently and without loosing too much in depreciation? Thank you for the info you provide!
Thank you Kris! I can definitely work on that video topic.
We went to one dealer with 14 locations and thought that was the place we’d go, but I looked online at the fine print and saw “Prices also exclude pre-installed CermaPlate Protection at $899 for units 25' and under or $1199 for units over 25' long”. That dealer franchise is now out of consideration.
I would add NIRVC for the class A buyers. Excellent experience with patient, knowledgeable sales people, good selection and no pressure.
You are the 2nd person now to comment positively on NIRVC for class A units. So glad you shared that information as it may help others out.
Good knowledge
Patrick, we want a dealership that also has a REALLY good service department. Every RV has things that bust or need good maintenance. When something needs attention, we'd appreciate good work done. Is that unreasonable ?
I think that is a really good one Susan! Many dealers are quick to help you during the sales process but will they be there for you when you’ve taken possession and things go wrong?
Had an awful experience at a Camping World. Salesman even brought the finance person out. He argued with me for about 30 minutes. (I wanted to see how far he would go.) They went too far. Needless to say, I did not & will not buy from that dealership and told them before I left.
Unfortunately I have heard quite a few stories about them similar to yours. Thank you for sharing.
I've had a fantastic experience at Vogel's RV in Ukiah, California. And a terrible experience at Reed's trailers in Petaluma. Reed's was one of those heavy-handed sales experiences. Vogel's, on the other hand, really listened to me and was very knowledgeable and has helped guide me through repairs or upgrades in a fair and non-pressuring manner. Vogel's has never made me feel like a stupid woman, which is sometimes a problem when shopping in a field dominated by male salespeople. Also, Reed's refused to service my Lance trailer because I didn't buy it from them. Vogel's has no problem servicing the T@b I purchased from a private party.
Thank you for sharing both of those experiences you had. It really shows the different experiences you can have at two different dealerships.
We were in San Diego and wanted to look few models . When the salesman found out we weren’t from the local area he refused to show us a single unit.
That is just so sad. How did he know you might not buy. We have bought trailers in Florida and Texas yet we live in Indiana. That is a very short sighted sales person. Thank you for sharing that experience.
I guess I never have 80% of the issues you described in the beginning. I'm a firm believer that we are in charge of our own destiny's and control of our buying situations. Do your due diligence up front. If you have absolutely no idea what you want, look to the internet, forum's, & youtube. Go to a couple of RV shows, most sales people will leave you alone, unless you call them. They know the lookie-lou's from the buyers. They do not have time to bother you in most cases. I've Rv'd for 45+ years and never had any major issues. If I do not like their 'program' I move on very quickly. I'm in the minority; but 2 RV's ago I had a great experience with Camping World. Great sales person. F & I guy was a little strong, but we held our ground. Learn to take charge & say no when needed and or walk away. Plenty of dealerships out there.
I would say we did do our “due diligence” upfront. We had watched endless UA-cam videos on the RV and had talked to an owner of the brand of RV we were looking at. We were at the point that we wanted to see the RV in person to see if it was as good as what we believed it wears. I’m not going to drop $50-$60K without seeing it in person.
@@TravelswithDelaney the comments were not directed to you personally; but to the masses who are having these issues. One must be accountable for their actions and not blame the process for their problems. If you let yourself be treated like a victim; then those are the results you'll experience. Vote with your checkbook & feet if you're not liking whats happening.
@@herb7877 That is very true Herb. Sadly certain segments of the population can be easy targets for businesses with predatory business practices. I just want to make sure people are aware that they don't have to be pressured into it.
What specifically are you looking for?
We have been looking primarily at 5th wheels under 30' and have also considered a Lance 2285.
Bad experience with service from Campers World
I, too, have felt uncomfortable in Campers World locations.
I have heard that from others.