beemerphile1
NE Ohio
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dbarnett66 wrote:I was going to finance a new $20k trailer next year...I just don't feel comfortable adding more debt.
I have been putting away some money in our "cookie jar" and I have $600 saved after 3 months...
Good for you! You have made a wise decision. If your employer offers it, a great way to save money is to have it deposited into a savings account by your employer before you ever get it.
As for depriving your children, you can always buy a cheap tent and head for the woods. If you check on Craig's list you will probably find a pop-up (PUP) for that $600 or even less. The memories you create for your children with that PUP will be as good or better than with the $20K trailer.
Tim
"Okay, I admit it, the only thing I'm really good at is being me."
Support the "No Child Left Inside Act"
2006 Weekend Warrior FK1900
1998 Ford E150 4.6L
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1995 Burley tandem
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aadam56
Santa Maria, Ca
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Joined: 11/07/2005
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My Granpa used to say... "Good Deals keep you broke"
Id Wait till you feel better about the purchase. By the way I think everythings going to be fine in the economy (if you can afford higher taxes).
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GETnBYE
SouthEast
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Joined: 07/11/2008
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sweetrobar wrote:Here in California I live within 5 mins. any which way from a major RV dealer. As I drive by I see thier electronic billboards offer 50% on all thier Rvs ,and thats not "up to" but "beginning at" pricing. So it is a buyers market right now. So BUY BUY BUY!!! lol
HI, I am fairly new to this forum. I wish we had those deals in the Southeat. I thought it was a buyers market also, but I have looked and perhaps it is that I am not good at "making the deal" as I have never bought a new rv before. But I am having no luck even getting a "fair" in my opinion price on anything from highend to mid level fivers.
I guess I will just wait and see if some of that pricing comes my way. As of now I have looked at so many campers in the last 60 days I can't even see or think clear anymore. This is so hard. Any advice on buying from a dealer would be wonderful.
 GETnBYE
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smkettner
Southern California
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Joined: 03/21/2005
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GETnBYE wrote:I guess I will just wait and see if some of that pricing comes my way. As of now I have looked at so many campers in the last 60 days I can't even see or think clear anymore. This is so hard. Any advice on buying from a dealer would be wonderful.
GETnBYE
If you have found what you like and will work for your camping style for ten years then you need to make an offer. A low offer. Tell them straight out you are waffling but you are ready to make a deal right now at that price. If they will not come close then give them your number and see if they call.
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havedreamwilltravel
Southern California
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Joined: 08/15/2006
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GETnBYE wrote:sweetrobar wrote:Here in California I live within 5 mins. any which way from a major RV dealer. As I drive by I see thier electronic billboards offer 50% on all thier Rvs ,and thats not "up to" but "beginning at" pricing. So it is a buyers market right now. So BUY BUY BUY!!! lol
HI, I am fairly new to this forum. I wish we had those deals in the Southeat. I thought it was a buyers market also, but I have looked and perhaps it is that I am not good at "making the deal" as I have never bought a new rv before. But I am having no luck even getting a "fair" in my opinion price on anything from highend to mid level fivers.
I guess I will just wait and see if some of that pricing comes my way. As of now I have looked at so many campers in the last 60 days I can't even see or think clear anymore. This is so hard. Any advice on buying from a dealer would be wonderful.
GETnBYE
I will give you a link to an article that will give you some insight on the buying process. The article does deal with buying cars but the same process works with RV's and it might help. It's a long article but an entertaining read so grab a cup of coffee and clicky to read Confessions of a Car Salesman
Reality is, a "fair" deal in a decent market economy is 25% off MSRP of the trailer.
If your financing, have your financing done ahead of time and now basically, to the RV place, your a cash buyer. Don't advertise that fact (we had some issues with being cash buyers - several times the salesman would walk away when they found out. They make more $$$ on financing with fees and what not.) This economy that might not be an issue but feel it out and see. find several dealers in your area that carry the same trailer you like or same floorplan/different manufacturer that you like. Go and look at the trailer. Make the guy show you around other trailers. Basically take up his time. The more time he's invested in you the more he'll want to make a deal go through. 1st time, go look. Have him show you different trailers. Shake his hand and thank him and say you need to come back with your husband/wife to look. 2nd time - bring the SO with you and do it again - have him show her/him all the different trailers. Tell them you need to go home and discuss what plans you liked. Take a camera and notebook and take notes and pictures. Ask if he has brochures so you can read about the trailers you just saw. Go home and look at your photo's/notes. When you've "picked" the one you like, go back yet again. This time spend about 1 1/2 hours camping in it. Have the sales guy show you stuff (storage space, neat options it has etc) basically, let him "sell" it to you. Now ask him if your and your husband/wife can spend some time inside by yourselves to get a feel for it. Now figure out if it will work - where will you put pots, pans etc? towels, camp chairs, food, hoses etc? This is also the time to check out EVERYTHING about it - look at construction, doors aligned? any gaps in cabinetry? If you satisfied with this trailer and how it looks write down both the vin # and the sales #. Find your salesman and tell him to sell you that trailer. They will come with a rediculous offer. Tell him you'll think about it and leave. If they don't come after you asking what it will take to get you to buy this trailer today, then keep walking - they are not interested in selling. Offer them 30% off MSRP and say you'll buy today at that price. They'll balk, you walk, they call and give you another offer and so it goes. Make them work down to your price, do not let them bring you up to yours. In the meantime, scour the internet for a 1-2 year old same trailer, other dealers and have them bid on selling you the same trailer. If you get several or even one to two bids you can start working them against each other and keep making them beat each other's price. When it hits a price you've put in your mind that is what you want to pay, then you've bought yourself a trailer.
If no other dealers, you will just have to deal with the one dealer and be patient.
Good luck. We look at this process as fun, and we've been known to have a deck of cards on hand. When the sales guy walks out we pull them out and start a card game. Kinda throws them off 'cause we're not waiting on pins and needles to make the deal. When he comes back we say "hold on" and finish our game (we play short type card games). This keeps US from getting overwhelmed with the process and the waiting. we also try not to get attached emotionally till we've bought it (makes it easier to walk away) and we've walked away plenty of times only to be called in a week or so with a price we wanted. I know it sound complicated, but it only took about a week for our trailer - to be fair the dealer we went to was amazing and really was easy to work with. But we still got 33% off MSRP and we've yet to pay even invoice price for any of our cars - always below.
Good luck. sorry this was so long. But you did ask....
2007 GMC Yukon Denali - 6.2L 380hp/417ft-lbs,0-60 in 6.2 seconds
2007 Jayco Jayflight 27BH
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Visited a lot of states, haven't camped in many...yet. 
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GETnBYE
SouthEast
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Joined: 07/11/2008
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Thanks so much for all of the information given. I really appreciate it. And I am going to keep trying. Perhaps I am already attached to the fiver that I want and I am afraid to make a low offer in fear he will till me to leave and I won't get. I'll just have to get over that or "fake it". I think it may be that my husband leave all the bargain talk to me, but with him with me, I don't think they take me serious. I will try a new approach and get unattached to the unit and try again.
Thanks again.
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Zeppi-Popette
Dayton, OH
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Joined: 08/25/2005
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wayne_tw wrote:Benntexas wrote: MY retirement fund is stable and insured, and my cash is fine. But right not I just don't know what is going to happen , and neither does anyone else.
You are puting your dream, maybe life on hold when you are OK? You are right, no one knows what is going to happen, but that was true when you ready to buy, and will be true if you are ready to buy sometime in the future.
I never want to be in the position to say, "I wish I had." You are putting yoursef in that position.
I do not believe that the U.S. is declining. I think this current mess will get corrected. This country has been through troubling times, economically, security wise, and other problems as well.
Actually, now is a great time to buy, as prices are depressed. Everything is on sale. People are taking money out of the stock market, I am putting money in! In fact, I am thinking of buying a rental house. Prices are that cheap. I can get real estate 60% off.
Curious, how can you not believe the US is declining. We are spending more then we have, what happened to the mind set of saving and working to save BEFORE we buy something. The whole banking decline is because loans were given to people who could really not afford it and did not put in any blood sweat and tears to save for it. Just curious how and why some people are not understanding that. We are in financial troubles as a country and realizing it is the first step in making changes.
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texasbaskets
Frisco, TX
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Joined: 10/06/2003
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Benntexas, it sounds like you have secured your future OK so this is an opportunity to buy and have fun. Some of the poor devils that waited from 2005 now can't get financing to save themselves even though they are a good credit risk. We thank ourselves that we took the plunge when we did in 2005. We're responsible people as are millions of others who refuse to let the risktaking of a few spoil our party. 
Lots of quotes going around, but my father always said that you can gauge a person's attitude on life by throwing a sack of gold at their head.
The successful guy is the one who does something constructive with the gold instead of complaining that his head hurts. Unfortunately, he held onto that mantra and never did things he was capable of doing before his name was called. (See my profile).
It's your choice to make the best of every opportunity.
Take away from that what you will. 
Michael, Kay, Hans (our Mini-Schnauzer co-pilot) and Prissy (Hans' Malti-Poo co-pilot)
'05 Coachmen SportsCoach SE 372DS a.k.a. "Mana's Cabana"
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Sunshineinal
Alabama
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GETnBYE wrote:Thanks so much for all of the information given. I really appreciate it. And I am going to keep trying. Perhaps I am already attached to the fiver that I want and I am afraid to make a low offer in fear he will till me to leave and I won't get. I'll just have to get over that or "fake it". I think it may be that my husband leave all the bargain talk to me, but with him with me, I don't think they take me serious. I will try a new approach and get unattached to the unit and try again.
Thanks again.
We are in the car business and you can trust me on this, they will not tell you to leave. If you do leave and they have you phone number they will call you and try to get you back in.
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Dustytuu
Colorado USA
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Joined: 03/16/2004
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haveDreamwilltravel wrote:Good luck. We look at this process as fun, and we've been known to have a deck of cards on hand. When the sales guy walks out we pull them out and start a card game. Kinda throws them off 'cause we're not waiting on pins and needles to make the deal.
Are you for real? If people did this..... I am sure the dealer would think you are not serious or think these people are wasting my time.
We have bought four 5th wheel trailers. 2 of them new. Last one ordered special from factory. We got excellent deals on all of them. And never ever played a card game at the dealers!
2008 dodge 5500, diesel,Laramie cab, pressure pro tire.
2008 Carri-Lite 36SBQ, 4 slides,dishwasher,washer/dryer,2 fireplaces
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Two Schnauzers, & cat
http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/Dustytuu/
Criminals prefer unarmed victims!
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