Pricing expectations

DLoy1324 · 02-10-2013, 07:46 PM

DW and I attended a RV show this weekend and found the perfect (our first) RV; 2013 Winnebago Vista 30T. MSRP $117,000; show price, $99,000.

I am not green when it comes to negotiating but have never negotiated the purchase of a vehicle when so little dealer invoice information is available.

Let me just say, although we believe it to be the perfect RV, if we don't believe we are getting a fair price we can and will walk away. We enjoy the hunt as much as the kill.

I am not embarrased to make a very low offer but the importance of that offer is that the dealer is still making a profit. How much of a profit I don't care but at least a profit.

So MSRP $117,000; how much off of that is a fair offer? I have read in other post that 25-30% discout is not unheard of. Would that be a starting offer, an expected purchase price or even a fair offer for a current year unit?

I look forward to your advise.

Thank you....Dirk

Kazoo Tom · 02-10-2013, 08:07 PM

We bought ours last spring, although ours was used. I didn't hesitate to offer 35% below the asking price. We settled at about 27% under asking. If I were in your shoes I think I'd offer 35% below MSRP and see where that leads. Hopefully you will settle somewhere between 25% and 30%. If this is your first motor home purchase tell the dealer to throw in thngs like a sewer hose, water hose, electrical converter plugs (50 to 30 amp, 30 to 15 amp) so you can hook up almost anywhere without hassle.

In our case I was able to talk the dealer into throwing in a 5 year extended service contract (extended warranty policy) and one year of Coach-Net on top of the negotiated discount. I think we got a fair price and a good unit. Obviously the dealer made a profit or they would not have made the deal.

Start with a low ball offer, you can always go up.

George Lewis · 02-10-2013, 08:15 PM

Follow Tom's advice...25-30% most places. Many dealers in Texas (you don't list your location) will offer 25% off as first price. However, this is with no trade, and you say this is your first MH....offer 30% off and then walk away when they laugh and dig their toes in the dirt. Oh, yes, leave your phone number so they can call you with a 26-28% offer, not much more as this is a popular entry level unit....enjoy your new motorhme.

p.s. Winnebago lists the 30T at $109,589 so your price must include shippng, etc or extras....

CampDaven · 02-10-2013, 08:27 PM

Make an offer low enough for them to look at you like you have 3 heads.
I did.
They took the deal.
Best of luck!

tderonne · 02-10-2013, 09:24 PM

Winnebago will email you the Retail Price List. Good to be sure the dealer isn't misquoting you (known to happen....). It'll show the base price, and all the options.

denochs · 02-10-2013, 09:42 PM

Don't know if this is still the norm, but 7 years ago the typical new MH had a 35-40% margin on the MSRP. My brother worked at a dealership. Manufacturers have gone through some major changes since then. But based upon the quality I see in the new units, they are likely still making those margins.

So, if that is still true, I would expect at least 25-30% off. Most of the RV shows we have been to the past two years we have seen 25% discounts on the posted prices laying on the counter tops.

Dave

reubenray · 02-11-2013, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tderonne

Winnebago will email you the Retail Price List. Good to be sure the dealer isn't misquoting you (known to happen....). It'll show the base price, and all the options.

How would I go about getting the Retail Price List?

rream · 02-11-2013, 10:03 AM

Always an interesting topic including advise from someone whose experience is 7 years old and on another manufacturer, I would say 25%

John Hilley · 02-11-2013, 10:25 AM

Contact Winnebago

Winnebago Products

dlovitt · 02-11-2013, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DLoy1324

DW and I attended a RV show this weekend and found the perfect (our first) RV; 2013 Winnebago Vista 30T. MSRP $117,000; show price, $99,000.

I am not green when it comes to negotiating but have never negotiated the purchase of a vehicle when so little dealer invoice information is available.

Let me just say, although we believe it to be the perfect RV, if we don't believe we are getting a fair price we can and will walk away. We enjoy the hunt as much as the kill.

I am not embarrased to make a very low offer but the importance of that offer is that the dealer is still making a profit. How much of a profit I don't care but at least a profit.

So MSRP $117,000; how much off of that is a fair offer? I have read in other post that 25-30% discout is not unheard of. Would that be a starting offer, an expected purchase price or even a fair offer for a current year unit?

I look forward to your advise.

Thank you....Dirk

Advice heard at a full-timers seminar: Don't buy an RV at a show, Don't even think of buying at a show: the ones the dealer brings to the show are the ones he couldn't sell off the lot. Don't know if always true, but something to think about.

John Hilley · 02-11-2013, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Advice heard at a full-timers seminar: Don't buy an RV at a show, Don't even think of buying at a show: the ones the dealer brings to the show are the ones he couldn't sell off the lot. Don't know if always true, but something to think about.

I don't think that is necessarily true. At most shows, they want to show off the newest and greatest. If they are a ways from their dealership, like at FMCA or Good Sam rallies, they may discount a lot so they don't have to drive them back to a dealership. Another thing you can do is get an agreement on the show price to last for a period of time. This allows you to possibly get a good deal and yet still have the time to make sure you didn't make a rash decision.

Trekkers · 02-11-2013, 12:55 PM

Consider: is this the exact rig you want, features and color schemes? Is this the time you want to buy or does waiting a few months make any significant difference? How much will it cost to buy essentially the same elsewhere, possible time, airfare and other travel expense or to order to your specifications from a dealer near by. Sounds like a not unreasonable deal to me if the other things line up. You might sweeten the deal by asking for extras if you want something, (like we had extra solar panels added at no extra charge.) But it never hurts to offer less, in fact I probably would, unless, of course, if they sell to someone else in the interim. If that happens, I usually think, well it wasn't meant to be and I hope someone else enjoys.
I might try something like $88,000 plus two extra solar panels (or whatever else you amy want.) See what they say. They can say, no, they can laugh, but maybe they will say yes or come back with a counter.
As far as buying from a show, we did that and have no regrets. As far as the deal, we may not have gotten the best deal but we got a deal we can live with and are happy with. I prefer that someone not make me unhappy by saying, "you could have done better."
Let us know what ultimately happens

doit2010 · 02-11-2013, 04:36 PM

I am guessing you are in the Seattle area, do not buy form Poulsbo, but instead buy from Roy Robinson RV Sales, in Marysville WA., a more honest RV deal, although still a dealer, that is just my thoughts on who to buy from in the greater Seattle area.

And yes shoot for at least a 30% discount and play one dealer against the other to get your best deal. I do hear the RV sales are picking up again though.

Tom N · 02-12-2013, 08:51 AM

The dealer has about $84000 in his 2013 Vista 30T less any Winnebago sales incentives. Add what you consider a fair profit for the dealer and make that your offer.

RV shows are not the best venue for negotiating because of the almost unlimited amount of potential customers. If you won't buy for $99K there are 100's of potential customers roaming the show.

-Tom

buzz_85 · 02-12-2013, 08:05 PM

I can relate what my experience has been recently (I took delivery of a 2013 Itasca Meridian last week end). I oringally saw this unit at the Tampa Rv show in January. The price was 20% off the msrp now and they did not negotiate down from there. But I did have a trade in and that is where they did negotiate. Had I not had the trade I could have gotten and additional 3-3.5% off the msrp. i believe that is a fair price.

Remeber you are negotiating on a new model and the dealer is probably less likely to go deep into his margin early in the season...here in FL this is prime rv buying season.

Also you need to determine what is the price you are willing to do the deal at and stick to that (forget how other define "good deal" - how do you define it). If you have to get 35% off to make the deal happen - so be it..you probaly will not be able to get there this early in the year but 12 months from now you will be able to get a 2013 at 33-35% off.

Good luck in your negotiations.

tomrx1 · 02-13-2013, 05:56 AM

I just purchased a 2013 Vista 30T last September,my MSRP was $122,400 (approx.) and I wound up paying $94,500. I purchased my unit just before the Hershey,Pa. RV show,where the "show price" was $99.*** FIRM !
I'm happy with the deal,the rig is LOADED with options,thermo windows,inverter,buffet table,full body paint,outside entertainment center,etc. I now have 12,000 + miles on it,and it has been great...I'm headed to Alaska for 71 days this summer and can't wait!!!
I would check with more than 1 dealer,just to compare pricing...unless this rig is absolutely THE ONE ...if you know what I mean! The 30T is currently Winnie's most popular floorplan from what I understand, best of luck to you,you will LOVE the 30T!!!..........Tom & Eileen

Gerald Duerr · 02-13-2013, 06:21 AM

It all depends on the dealer.Make your offer at what you feel comfortable with.Remember we are not all the same when it comes to negotiaions.You have to start at a price somewhere and then you go from there. Like buying a house. Cheers Gerald

DLoy1324 · 02-13-2013, 01:51 PM

Thank you all for your insights. With all this talk of 25%, 30% and even 35% discount I cannot wait to step up to the plate. We will probably wait until we get through the 'buying' season and start actively negotiating this fall or winter (maybe between Thanksgiving and Christmas). But the whole process begins now as we go out for test drives and start asking all sorts of questions of the salesman.

I will re-post once we buy to let you all know how it went.

Thank you again....DL

tomrx1 · 02-13-2013, 04:30 PM

Dloy,
I forgot to mention the 42" tv mid coach,as well as a 22" tv in the bedroom,and am/fm/cd/dvd player with surround sound !.........Tom

dsbike · 02-15-2013, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DLoy1324

Thank you all for your insights. With all this talk of 25%, 30% and even 35% discount I cannot wait to step up to the plate. We will probably wait until we get through the 'buying' season and start actively negotiating this fall or winter (maybe between Thanksgiving and Christmas). But the whole process begins now as we go out for test drives and start asking all sorts of questions of the salesman.

I will re-post once we buy to let you all know how it went.

Thank you again....DL

I think your plan is a good one especially if you have just started to look at motor homes.
Jump back about 14 months, the wife and I walked into a 2011 40' Journey. She immediately said this is the one. I feel like I'm at home. We already had a Coachman 36' mh. We have stopped in at several dealers in the past 4 years just to look. This was the first time she had expressed this feeling. Jump ahead to the Tampa RV show last month. We were ready to upgrade so all we looked at were comparable models to the 40 ' Winnebago's. This included 38-42 ' we ended up finding a Journey 42e at a dealer in NC the following week that we liked better than the 40 .

We negotiated a price at 27% off msrp + a 2 vehicle trade in. We are very happy with the deal and the new unit. We also negotiated 20% off the 5 year extended warranty. The dealers original offer before negotiating was at 25% off msrp.