# When Is The Best Time To Buy From A Dealership?



## SaveFerris (Sep 19, 2009)

We are on the lookout for a 21RS / 210RS. Our first choice is a gently used 21RS, but since they are hard to find out west, we may end up springing for a new 210RS.

When is the best time to find the off-season clearance deals at the dealerships?


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Think you're going to get the same price from Lakeshore 365 days a year. There prices are so low, there can't be a better time then NOW.


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## col. Sanders crew (Sep 28, 2007)

SaveFerris said:


> We are on the lookout for a 21RS / 210RS. Our first choice is a gently used 21RS, but since they are hard to find out west, we may end up springing for a new 210RS.
> 
> When is the best time to find the off-season clearance deals at the dealerships?
> 
> Too bad you're not close to Kentucky, we just traded our 2003 21rs in on a new 300 BH, it was in excellent condition and the dealer even commented on how well we took care if it, they've got it on their website for $8995.00.


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## proffsionl (Feb 19, 2005)

I'm a big believer in buying at the RV show. They bring out their best stuff and are usually willing to deal on the units at the show (our Outback Sydney and new Open Range were both bought at the RV show...they were the units actually at the show). I find that you can generally drive the price down lower at the show than usual. It also helps that the factory reps are there (we have had the factory reps throw in incentives to get us to plunk money down on a unit at the show).

I also like the fact that if the unit can withstand a few hundred people marching through it, then it should be able to hold up for my family.

Remember, NEVER take the first offer ("the show special")...I usually make 'em work a few times on the price until I'm happy.


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

Iwould check the price at lakeshore and use that as what the price should be plus shipping. Where I live it cost over $3000 to get one shipped here so unless I had the time to drive there and get one it was not worth it. I ended up getting my trailer $800 less tham what Lakeshore + shipping. Since you live a lot closer to Mich then me it would be a lot cheaper for shipping and just driving there and picking it up would be easier for you also. Good luck with the search.


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## leaderdogmom (Feb 14, 2009)

proffsionl said:


> I'm a big believer in buying at the RV show. They bring out their best stuff and are usually willing to deal on the units at the show (our Outback Sydney and new Open Range were both bought at the RV show...they were the units actually at the show). I find that you can generally drive the price down lower at the show than usual. It also helps that the factory reps are there (we have had the factory reps throw in incentives to get us to plunk money down on a unit at the show).
> 
> I also like the fact that if the unit can withstand a few hundred people marching through it, then it should be able to hold up for my family.
> 
> Remember, NEVER take the first offer ("the show special")...I usually make 'em work a few times on the price until I'm happy.


I agree--twice we have bought at an RV show. Prices there were much better than the rest of the year. Make sure you know your prices though. We brought along a quote from Holman and asked our local dealer at the show if they could meet it, and they did. Saved us a road trip!


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

A real quick google search netted these all west of the mississippi. I done this very quick, so a few ads could be old.

Simply go to google, and type in "keystone Outback 21rs" And put the price youd like to pay "$10000" (example) and youll see eveything on the internet in that price range, or simply leave out the price to see them all.

If you find one you like here, simply call them up and ask the cash out the door lowest price to get a ballpark figure. If one sounds good, have em hold it for ya for 50 bucks. Go see and and look for things wrong and double the cost of each repair that it needs. Then offer them a price.

Losing a few 50 dollar hold fees is nothing in the scope of an rv purchase.

Get your own loan thru a credit union and have it done and ready to be applied to the rv of your choice. That way the dealer doesnt make a profit off of you on the financing that they find and use. They will make from 1000 to well over 20000 on an rv deal when they find the finacing for you.

Here is a quick search engine for craigslist.
http://www.jaxed.com/cgi-bin/mash.cgi?itm=
I use this search in every city as I travel thru them looking for deals on tires and parts for my truck. I deliver rvs for a living so I put like 150k miles a year on my dodge dually. I use this search all the time. I love it!

The folowing is from a speedy google seach:

http://www.rvtraderonline.com/find/listing/2007-KEYSTONE%20RV-Outback%2021%20RS-92268512

http://magnolia-texas.olx.com/2004-keystone-outback-21rs-iid-37231246

http://www.buyusedrvforsale.com/rv/keystone-2433.html This one is in post falls Id, so its close to you.

http://www.rvt.com/rvdetail4184046.htm

http://www.usedrvsforsale.com/65429/used/outback/travel-trailer/default.aspx

http://www.automobilesupersite.com/rv/view_rv_details.php?MID=22847

http://www.buyusedrvforsale.com/rv/keystone-2438.html

http://www.harpercamperland.com/Home/testpage/InventoryDetails/tabid/10827/invid/488679/Default.aspx

Here is 7 of them mostly in florida, but the last one is in Wa.
http://www.globalrvtrader.com/browse_rv_make_res.php?MID=KEYSTONE&MDLID=OUTBACK%2021RS

Here is one at the Bakersfield Camping world.
http://www.stiersrv.com/travel-trailer/2006/keystone-outback/98145

http://www.buysellcommunity.com/sale/LTEHUTGO/

Here is an 03 26rs for 9k in Texas. Just thought it was a good deal for someone looking for a 26rs. One could buy this baby for prolly 75-7800 cask out the door. 
http://www.rvsearch.com/findrv/index.cfm/a-d/tc-36263/vid-501974/affiliateid-1908/

Here is a new at one of my favorite rv dealerships to deliver to. http://www.rvtraderonline.com/find/listing/2009-KEYSTONE-RV-OUTBACK-210RS-94296301 Tarpley RV in Durango, Co.

If they treat a delivery driver this nice, I can only imagine how they treat there customers. this dealership is a no bs place. One of the links above has one of theres also. 
Carey


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

We save some money from Holman and Lakeshore's usual low prices by buying a previous years model in the middle of winter (from Holman). I picked it up Dec 26, 2006 and it was a 2006 model, so it had probably been on their lot for 9+ months. They had a pretty good dicsount over the 2007's that both Holman and Lakeshore were currently stocked with. The dinette changed between those years, but the $1500 we saved payed for itself.


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## Fanatical1 (Jan 9, 2006)

Nathan said:


> We save some money from Holman and Lakeshore's usual low prices by buying a previous years model in the middle of winter (from Holman). I picked it up Dec 26, 2006 and it was a 2006 model, so it had probably been on their lot for 9+ months. They had a pretty good discount over the 2007's that both Holman and Lakeshore were currently stocked with. The dinette changed between those years, but the $1500 we saved payed for itself.


There's a few ways that dealerships can purchase trailers for less and pass those savings on to the customer.
Most manufactures offer a volume incentive agreement that lowers the price of the trailers based on the number of units sold. This is one
reason that the larger dealerships like Lakeshore and Holman can offer lower prices than your smaller local dealer.

Dealers have also been able to negotiate better pricing from the manufacurers by commiting to purchasing a large number of units during the
middle of the winter. This allows the manufacturers to continue to operate their facilities with some amount of stability during the slow
winter months. Lakeshore had been able to do this in past years and offered even lower pricing during this time if you commited to purchasing
before spring. Not sure if this practice continues now with the current economic conditions.


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

That deal works all year. If a dealer will buy 100 units at once they get one heck of a price break. They even get a cut off of the shipping.

I deliver rvs from the factory to the dealer. We get these deals all the time. We just took 100 to Reno and took 150 to Oklahoma City. The rates are like 10 cents a mile less when they do a volume deal. Our bosses will allow us to dedicate to the run, so we can learn where the cheapest fuel is. We can max our daily miles which in the end can make the deal more on an equal with doing all points runs. We had one dealer buy 500 last year. We set them in an empty lot he leased, so the savings must have been good.

The amount they save over just buying one at a time could be in the 10% range after all the savings are factored in. That could net you a 15% or so savings if the dealer is willing to pass the savings on to you. Many dont. They feel if they got the big bucks to play this game, then they should be able to make even more money off of the sales. We all know the game. Those with all the money make all the money.

This is becoming very popular with many dealers. I live out west, so I stay away from those deals as much as I can. The guys who live around the factory love those deals as they can be home several times a week, so I let em have em.

I try to stay with the "hot" ones. Trailers that are ordered on the spur of the moment for customers wanting a trailer and dealers who need to use them for shows or demos. I also do quite a few to a city and meet a sales rep that has flown in. We go around to all the dealers trying to sell a new model line to them. I get my time and motels paid for this way. All I have to do is pull up to the dealer and set up the unit and go set in my truck. The sales rep does the rest. Each stop is about 2 hours till a dealer bites. Then the rest of the day is spent there while they make a deal for the intitial number of units to be sent to the dealer. I end up leaving the unit there once the deal is made.

I have had runs to LA. Ca. from Elkhart, In. that have to be done in 48 hours. I will leave like wednesday morning and have to be in LA fri morn so the trailer can be delivered to the customer on fri afternoon. That way the customer can spend the weekend in there new camper. The rate is better on those so I do them. But the customer also pays for this service making the rv more expensive.

A few weeks back I picked one up at the factory at 7am mtn time and had to be in Denver the next morning to meet a sales rep. I can tell ya that 1200 miles in 24 hours will put the pressure on me. I like pressure. Ive driven my whole life, so I love that kind of thing.

There is alot of behind the scene stuff that can affect the cost of the unit to the dealer that few know about.

Carey


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## SaveFerris (Sep 19, 2009)

Thanks for all the great advice, everyone.


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## clarkely (Sep 15, 2008)

we got ours at a show........for like 4000 less than the show price.....

I had already checked lakeshore, holman, & couch rv nation........ went to the show and got with in 5oo of their pricing at the time..........with out the travel.....

Good Luck!!!


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