Buying from a dealer questions & negotiating questions

[Graycat]

We found a trailer we would like to buy. It's new and at a dealer which will be a first for us.

1. Once we agree on a price, what other fees will there be?

2. What comes next? The walkthrough? Do they hook it up to power and water so we can check it out? How thorough do we need to be? If we miss something, is it not going to be fixed? Will they explain how to work everything?

3. Is a trailer generally taken home that day or do they need time to fix everything? How much time if it's just a bunch of minor things? The question here is, do we take the truck or save gas by taking the car for the buying part?

4. When do you start talking price? If we make our first offer too low, will they get mad and refuse to negotiate? How do you know where to start?

[jorge1958]

Buy from a reputable dealer. When I bought my brand new TT back in 2010 the dealer delivered it to my house. It was a filthy mess inside and out. They also charged me 400 dollars for a pre delivery inspection. Never going back there again.

[Graycat]

Lwiddis wrote:
Select TT first, then buy adequate TV, then buy that TT. IMO you shouldn't be buying anything now..having too much to do.

Right now we are fulltiming in a 21' TT with no slide. We will be in a trailer at least another 9 months. Getting a bigger TT right now is priority. If we don't have enough PU to get an empty one home, we know people with bigger pickups. We also have the farm truck but dh doesn't want to risk being caught pulling a TT with it.

[afidel]

darsben1 wrote:
So a 3/4 ton will allow a payload of about 1500 lbs. In all practicality that means you will be looking at a max hitch weight of 1000lbs this leaves you only 500 lbs for you and any other passengers plus any gear you plan to put in the truck.
1000 lbs hitch weight means a max trailer weight of about 7000 pounds as 15% 0f trailer weight is usually transferred to the hitch.

Did you mean half ton?!? Ford half tons range from ~1,300 to 3,300lb payload. 3/4 tons have a wide range but in general can pull pretty much any bumper pull as they're designed for the half ton market (ok there are some >10k pound beasts that really need a 3/4 or F150HD, but they're fairly rare)

[wowens79]

I hate doing the back and forth deal with dealers. With out camper the second place we looked had extremely low internet prices, and does not negotiate. I'd compared their prices to other dealers, and they were about 38% of of msrp, and lower then prices I got from the big wholesalers in Indiana. They had what we wanted, at a price below what we expected to pay so we bought on the spot. They and I started going over it at that point and 4 hours later we were on the road with it.

on cars and campers I always figure the out the door price I'm willing to pay. I don't really care how they divide it up with doc fees etc, it's all about the final price. I've gone in with a check made out for the amount I'm willing to pay, and watched them squirm as I started to tear the check in half.

The last 2 cars I've bought I've done it totally by email, and just showed up with a check, signed a couple of papers and walked out.

There are different ways to do it, just make sure you know your max price, and are willing to walk away

[darsben1]

So a 3/4 ton will allow a payload of about 1500 lbs. In all practicality that means you will be looking at a max hitch weight of 1000lbs this leaves you only 500 lbs for you and any other passengers plus any gear you plan to put in the truck.
1000 lbs hitch weight means a max trailer weight of about 7000 pounds as 15% 0f trailer weight is usually transferred to the hitch.

[Lwiddis]

"Right now we have an 8cyl F150. I haven't checked all the numbers on the door but will tomorrow." First sentence is irrelevant. Second sentence means a bunch. You have NO idea about your TV's capabilities.

"it's just too much to do it at the same time." Select TT first, then buy adequate TV, then buy that TT. IMO you shouldn't be buying anything now..having too much to do.

[Graycat]

darsben1 wrote:

still want to know what kind of a tow vehicle.

Right now we have an 8cyl F150. I haven't checked all the numbers on the door but will tomorrow.

We plan to buy a 3/4 ton soon but it's just too much to do it at the same time and right now the trailer is the priority. If it is too much to tow with our p.u. we'll have someone else bring it here and park it until we can change p.u.

We also have a Chevy 2500. It's a farm truck but we could probably use it just to get a trailer home. Dh doesn't want to risk it though.

[Bumpyroad]

Walaby wrote:

I've yet to see a dealer who doesn't charge a doc fee... Although I haven't bought a ton of trailers. I've heard in California, at least for cars, that doc fees are standardized but everyone pays them.
.

all MD dealers I have been to charge a processing fee for CARS. My daughter tells me the state limits it to $400. the dealers I have been to charge $300. I get the deal worked out, then take $200 off the bottom line to make fee $100. the last sales man said he wouldn't let $200 kill a sale, and that the owner wants $300 on that line which is fine with me, just take it off the base cost.
the dealer I bought my TT from did not charge such a fee, nor PDI etc.
bumpy

[darsben1]

Graycat wrote:

Walaby wrote:
Start off somewhere around 30% below MSRP. Depends on the market in your area. Don't worry about pissing them off with a low offer. If they get ticked off, time to walk anyways.

You likely will not drive home with it the same day. Take the car, not the truck. In fact, that will give you an out if they try to pressure you into buying now and haul out today (they probably wont do that).

Negotiate the out the door price. Lots of dealerships have doc fees and some even try to charge you part of the prep cost. Figure out the bottom line you're willing to pay, and tell them that's out the door price.. no adders. If they want a doc fee, tell them it's got to be in the bottom line price.

Once you settle, they will have to prep it for delivery. Before you leave, do your own walk through and at least document all the obvious things. Give them that list. They will make an appt for you to come pick up. On the appt day they will do the PDI and walk through, and show you how everything works.

You should get everything fixed before you take delivery, but it is not the end of the world if you don't. Something will break, or something will be overlooked and you will be back. It is the nature of new trailers. Having said that, it is best to have it done before you take delivery. They want it sold and out the door, so you will be the priority. After that, take a number and wait in line.

Take your time on the PDI. Check everything out. You can video the tech while he's explaining everything so you can look back if need be.

Hope it helps... good luck.

Mike

At what point do you pay them? The first day or at pickup? Sorry to ask so many petty questions. This just seems so different than buying a car.

YOU leave a deposit and bpay balance after all defects are fixed It is your only leverage.
still want to know what kind of a tow vehicle.

[Gulfcoast]

I bought a new TT just last week, I paid a deposit on it. Then when I went back to pick it up, I paid the balance of the deal. I wouldn't pay thousands without taking it home.

[WNYBob]

I saw a car I wanted once, went home did my homework, came up with a price I thought was fair. Went to the bank and got a certified check made out to the dealer for that price! When the manager saw it, (cash in hand) he didn't want to let it go! I got it for that price.

So don't give them any money or sign anything until it's fixed and ready to go out the door. If you do you loose all your leverage.

If possible stay a night in the camper at the dealers lot to really make sure it works and you can work it.

Good luck, remember you do not have to buy that camper now.

[Graycat]

Walaby wrote:
Start off somewhere around 30% below MSRP. Depends on the market in your area. Don't worry about pissing them off with a low offer. If they get ticked off, time to walk anyways.

You likely will not drive home with it the same day. Take the car, not the truck. In fact, that will give you an out if they try to pressure you into buying now and haul out today (they probably wont do that).

Negotiate the out the door price. Lots of dealerships have doc fees and some even try to charge you part of the prep cost. Figure out the bottom line you're willing to pay, and tell them that's out the door price.. no adders. If they want a doc fee, tell them it's got to be in the bottom line price.

Once you settle, they will have to prep it for delivery. Before you leave, do your own walk through and at least document all the obvious things. Give them that list. They will make an appt for you to come pick up. On the appt day they will do the PDI and walk through, and show you how everything works.

You should get everything fixed before you take delivery, but it is not the end of the world if you don't. Something will break, or something will be overlooked and you will be back. It is the nature of new trailers. Having said that, it is best to have it done before you take delivery. They want it sold and out the door, so you will be the priority. After that, take a number and wait in line.

Take your time on the PDI. Check everything out. You can video the tech while he's explaining everything so you can look back if need be.

Hope it helps... good luck.

Mike

At what point do you pay them? The first day or at pickup? Sorry to ask so many petty questions. This just seems so different than buying a car.

[Gulfcoast]

Come to Alabama, I just bought a brand new TT last week with NO document, nor any extra fee's. I did pay local and state taxes though.

[Walaby]

Gulfcoast wrote:
DO NOT PAY $800 (or anything) for the seller to do the paperwork on the deal. If they charge to do 15-min of paperwork, run out the door to another dealer.

You will have to pay state and local taxes though.

I've yet to see a dealer who doesn't charge a doc fee... Although I haven't bought a ton of trailers. I've heard in California, at least for cars, that doc fees are standardized but everyone pays them.

Regardless, that's why I say include in my bottom line price. If I agree to pay 25K for the trailer, I don't care if you want to call 5000 of that a doc fee, it just better not be a penny more than 25000 or Im out the door.... and I include my state tax in my bottom line. Not hard to do the math for the tax.