# Pricing Questions



## BruceR (Feb 11, 2007)

Do the prices of comparable vehicles vary much by region of the country?  How about by season?  
I am interested in my first Class A, and was wondering if there is much to be gained by picking the right season of the year, and possibly looking in other geographic areas.  
It would seem if the price varied much by region, I could fly to the vehicle, drive it home, and still be money ahead.


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## hertig (Feb 12, 2007)

Re: Pricing Questions

Well now, at a minimum there would be the cost of a 1 way plane ticket and the trip home.  Don't forget to factor this into the relative prices.

And this assumes the vehicle is fully functional.  Once you get there, you would need to do a complete inspection and negotiate to get the fixes handled.  Then actually get them handled, which could take days or even weeks, depending on how busy they are and parts delivery.  Then outfit the unit with the minimum stuff you need to use it (probably can't take it with you on the plane, so would either have to ship it ahead, or buy it there) unless the seller provides a 'starter pack'.  Or stay in motels on the way back, with that additional cost.

Once you leave that city, it is unlikely that you will be able to get any further support from the seller.  So, any problems on the way home are your problem, unless they are covered by a warrantee.  But even if the cost is covered, that could be more days or weeks.  And once you get home, then you have to search for a service location near to you for any future repairs or service.

So, shopping 'long distance' just to save a few bucks or even a $1000 is of questionable value.  Make sure that the savings will more than compensate you for the cost and time of getting it from there to home.  And that your schedule is flexable enough that you can deal with most reasonable hold ups.  

The ideal situation is to find a local dealer with excellent service, and work with them to get the best value.  

Now if there is no such dealer nearby, or they won't provide anywhere near the customary discount off of list price/ignore 'blue book' value or there is a desirable dealer but they don't have what you want, then going afield may pay off.  In this case, you might pick a unit you like and compare the Blue Book/NADA Guide values for the various regions.  But I'll bet the differance in most cases will be negligible.  You will probably be better off by looking at the 'distance' and/or 'accessablility' of the selling location more than the 'relative price' of that region.

Speaking of dealers and Blue Book, I actually had one dealer insist on getting 25% over average retail on a nice unit with over 100K miles on it.  When I pointed out the overprice, he said  "we don't pay any attention to Blue Book.  We price them for what we think we can get".  Well this might be a nice policy for the dealer, but it absolutely sucks for the buyer.  Because no matter how close the book is to the 'actual value', when you go to get a loan or resell it, the odds are good that the book value is the value that THEY will use.  So unless you are willing and able to eat the difference, it will likely pay you to use the book value as at least a guide to the price to pay.  In my case, there was a dealer right across the street who was much more accomodating. 

As for the time, I'm pretty sure there are 'better' times to buy, but don't know what they are.  In fact, they might be different based on location.  For instance, in Tucson, January through April is when the dealers seem to hold their sales events.  Do they hold them because sales are slow then and they want to boost them?  Or do they hold the events because that is when they buyers are most ready to buy?  So this time could be the best time to buy or the worst.  I think I'd look for what I want and bargain for the price I think I should pay.  If the bargaining process takes months, so be it, and if someone else buys the unit out from under me, oh well.


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## utmtman (Feb 12, 2007)

RE: Pricing Questions

I dont know that areas would make a difference except maybe for taxes paying when you buy.  If your looking for a little discount try looking for a demo model, they are usually a good drop in price and still get a new RV.  You might have to shop around and probably look just before they start ordering the new year models which would usually be during the summer months.


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## DL Rupper (Feb 12, 2007)

Re: Pricing Questions

Hey Utah Mountain Man.  I like the desert down by Price.  Went camping in "72" down a little NorthEast of Ferron.  Born and bred in SLC.
utdsrtmn :approve:


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## John Valley (Feb 12, 2007)

Re: Pricing Questions

Saw on your topic on pricing.  Have been shopping for my first Class, prefer the Allegro Bays from what I have seen.  When you talk to the various dealers regardless of the brand or model, they all start at 8% to 10% off MSRP.  What can one really expect when you get down to the nuts and bolts of a deal.  Any shared experiences would be appreciated.  Thanks, John V


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## DL Rupper (Feb 12, 2007)

Re: Pricing Questions

I've always shot for 10% off MSRP when I buy a new car/truck.  I would imagine $10K off of a $100K Class A would be acceptable.  Just my opinion. :evil:


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## hertig (Feb 12, 2007)

Re: Pricing Questions

I've heard that you should be able to get 20-25% off of MSRP (for a RV that is).  Cars/trucks are a different story.


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## DL Rupper (Feb 12, 2007)

Re: Pricing Questions

Could be, my 5'er was stickered at appoximately $42000 and we paid about $37000.  That is about 12% off.  The more the MSRP the more they can take off.


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## BruceR (Feb 13, 2007)

RE: Pricing Questions

I appreciate all the input.  
One thing that I failed to make clear was that I am probably going to buy used.  
I thought there might be more variation on price of used vehicle with geographic area and season.  

Between going to a couple of RV shows locally and doing some research, I had assumed that the real starting price for negotiation was around 20 to 25% off list if I was looking for a new vehicle.  With that in mind, I thought I could get a used vehicle from a private buyer that was a couple of years old at somewhere around 40 to 50% off list, if I was willing to shop around.


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## sunco (Feb 24, 2007)

RE: Pricing Questions

My toyhauler is new, 07' & I'm gettin 27% off msrp, I'm traveling 700 miles to get it ,but the trip will also be seeing family


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## utmtman (Feb 25, 2007)

RE: Pricing Questions

My RV was stickered at $149K but because of having 10K miles on it and being a demo they sold it to me in the mid $90K's, with extended warrenties and other things I bought to go along with it I paid an even $100K.
A couple of years ago I bought a new atv that was also a demo, that had 75 miles on it and they gave it to me at 1000 under book too so I think I have stumbled onto something.  LOL

Hey DL theres a great resevoir down by ferron.  Got some nice fish in it.  I go into that area also to hit the san rafael swell for atving.    I am going to dinosaur national monument this summer to work as a volunteer host so we can get out of dodge and not have to pay any money.  Hope to pay enough bills off to hit the high road next year by doing that.  Figure I can do some fishing and site seeing around the gorge and browns hole while we are there too.


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## DL Rupper (Feb 25, 2007)

Re: Pricing Questions

utmtman, sounds like a good summer.  The road  from Price to Duchesne on the way to Dinosaur Nat'l Mon is great.  We pulled our 5'er over it from Duchesne to Price with our 95 Dodge Cummins, after camping at Strawberry Res.  The fishing at Steinaker Res (Vernal) was great when we stayed there a few years ago. You can be there within a hour on your hosting days off.  You will enjoy the hosting gig.  We hosted in Capitol Reef Nat'l Park in 2001.  If you get a chance to host there you should jump at it.  The campground in Fruita, UT is an oasis in the red rock country.  Really nice.


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## Your Old Dog (Mar 30, 2007)

Re: Pricing Questions



> hertig - 2/12/2007  8:18 PM
> 
> I've heard that you should be able to get 20-25% off of MSRP (for a RV that is).  Cars/trucks are a different story.



That's what I got off my new Sprinter.  I made the offer at 25% off MSRP and they didn't take it, the SNAPPED IT UP!  Made me wonder if I should have tried 35% first.  I'd have preferred it if they had squirmed around in the seat first.  That would have let me know I was into a more reasonable price range.

If buying used, you might ask if they'll garuentee it just until you get it straight home.  That will get you by the concerns made by the first response you got.  If they won't garuentee it for at least 1500 miles without major malfunction I'd run away from the deal.

Good luck.


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