| If you are like me, you are not comfortable | | | | RVs goes down, with less demand, the RV dealers |
| negotiating or haggling over prices. Sorry, it is just not | | | | are going to do everything they can to get rid of |
| in my nature to do this. You need to do what I do, | | | | those RVs (in other words they will accept less |
| find another member of your family or a friend that | | | | money for them). Depending on what type of RV |
| is an expert at negotiating and have them perform | | | | you are going to buy, the money you save on the |
| this important task for you at the RV shows or | | | | purchase price could pay for your fuel for the next |
| dealerships. | | | | couple of years. |
| In our household, my dear wife is the family's Chief | | | | Negotiation Tip 4: Before you start negotiating with |
| Negotiator. Why? Because she is good at it. I mean | | | | any RV dealer, you need to do a background check |
| really good. When it comes to buying a house, car, | | | | on them. That's right, check them out before you |
| RV or major appliances, she is the one that does it. | | | | waste your time negotiating with them. Believe it or |
| Our whole family is in awe of her haggling abilities. | | | | not there are some unscrupulous (shysters, crooks, |
| You have heard the phrase that "you can't get blood | | | | thieves or just plain bad) RV dealers out there. |
| from a Turnip". I guarantee you that my wife could | | | | Luckily, they are very few and far between. |
| get at least a half a gallon of blood from any Turnip. | | | | The best place to check them out is with the Better |
| When it is time to make a major purchase in our | | | | Business Bureau. Go to the Better Business Bureau |
| household, we unleash my wife on the unsuspecting | | | | website and put in the zip code of the dealership and |
| salesperson. I also go along on these purchasing | | | | then on the next screen put in their name. The BBB |
| journeys. My main role during these negotiations is to | | | | has different rating codes in different states. If they |
| sit next to my wife, keep my mouth shut while | | | | are rated good then you are on the right track. If |
| smiling and nodding in agreement with whatever she | | | | they have a bad rating, stay far, far away. |
| says to the salesperson (I might add that I am | | | | Negotiation Tip 5: Be prepared to hear the following |
| excellent at performing this task). | | | | statements from the Salespeople at the RV shows |
| I have literally watched salespeople crumble within a | | | | or dealerships:. "This is our last best and final price on |
| matter of minutes of her beginning the negotiations. | | | | this RV". "The show price we have on this RV is as |
| At the end of these sessions, the salesperson's eyes | | | | low as we can go". "We are barely going to make a |
| are usually glazed over and they have no idea what | | | | profit at the price we are giving you". "My sales |
| just hit them. | | | | manager says we can't go any lower". "Because |
| The end result for us has always been that we have | | | | you're nice people, our sales manager decided to give |
| gotten a great discounted price on these major | | | | you the best deal". "WOW, I can't believe we actually |
| items. | | | | decided to give you this price". "We have never sold |
| A good example of how good my wife is at | | | | one of these units at the low price we are giving |
| negotiating is the purchase of our most recent RV. | | | | you". "Come on folks, I got eight kids to feed" |
| We took our three kids to one of the RV shows in | | | | (sorry, I just had to throw that one in). What do all |
| our area and by the time my wife got done | | | | of these statements mean? They don't mean you |
| negotiating, we came back with only two kids and a | | | | are at the lowest price. It means you need to dig in |
| great Class A Motorhome (OK calm down it's only a | | | | and start negotiating harder. |
| joke, we didn't trade in one of our kids for a | | | | You may also hear this statement from your |
| Motorhome, really we didn't!). | | | | salesperson. "The price we are giving you is good for |
| Anyway, who better to give you some Tips on | | | | today only". That means, I really want to make a |
| Negotiating than our family's Chief Negotiator my | | | | sale today. If they really want to sell you an RV (and |
| wife. Here are my Wife's 8 Negotiation Tips For | | | | they do), you will still be able to get the same price |
| Buying A RV. | | | | on the same unit within a reasonable amount of time |
| Negotiation Tip 1: If you are going to have to finance | | | | after that day. |
| the purchase of the RV, arrange your financing in | | | | Negotiation Tip 6: Treat the salesperson with |
| advance of the actual negotiating. This way you will | | | | respect, don't talk down to them, don't berate them, |
| know exactly how much you can spend on your new | | | | remember they are just doing their job. On the other |
| RV. | | | | hand don't get intimidated by them either. They |
| Negotiation Tip 2: When you have found the RV | | | | cannot force you to sign anything or buy anything. |
| make and model you want, just don't buy it from | | | | You have to remember that when you are buying a |
| the first dealer you talk to. If you are at one of the | | | | RV, you are in the driver's seat. They really want to |
| RV shows that take place around the U.S. check all | | | | sell you the RV and you really want to buy it (don't, |
| of the dealers that are there and see if they also | | | | come out and tell them that you really can't live |
| have the same make and model you want. If they | | | | without this RV) but, the bottom line is you want |
| do, you can now play one dealer against the other. | | | | your price. |
| Especially if they are the type of dealer that says | | | | Negotiation Tip 7: Be prepared to walk away and not |
| that they will beat anybody else's price. The more | | | | make a deal that day. If you feel that you are not |
| dealers that have your make and model the better. | | | | getting the sale price you should, be prepared to |
| Remember the bigger RV shows will have more | | | | pack it in and leave. Sometimes when the sales |
| dealers. | | | | person actually sees you walking out that door they |
| Negotiation Tip 3: If fuel prices are high when you are | | | | have an epiphany and can actually get a little better |
| ready to buy a RV, don't let that stop you from | | | | price. If not, continue walking and actually leave. This |
| buying one. It is to your advantage to buy an RV | | | | next part is optional; you can give them your phone |
| when fuel is high. Why? A lot of people let the fuel | | | | number and ask them not to call you unless they can |
| prices scare them off from buying a RV. That's good | | | | come closer to your price. |
| for you. With less people in the market to buy an | | | | Negotiation Tip 8: Most of all be realistic in your |
| RV, you will find RV dealers more willing to sell you | | | | expectations. If you are negotiating the purchase of |
| an RV at a lower price, so they don't have to keep it | | | | a tent trailer, you cannot expect to get a massive |
| on the lot and pay the holding costs. | | | | discount. On the other hand if you are looking at a |
| Remember the basic concept of Supply and Demand | | | | Class A Diesel Pusher, you can rest assured that the |
| (also known as price and demand) you learned in | | | | dealer has more wiggle room to reduce the price. |
| your Economics class in high school (if you are like me | | | | That's it, that's how my wife does it. Believe me |
| you probably can't even remember high school). To | | | | when I tell you that if you stick to your guns you |
| put it in RV terms, when fuel is high, the demand for | | | | are going to get an excellent deal on your next RV. |