# Not Outbacking Yet. Sigh.



## socialstudiesmom (Nov 1, 2005)

Thanks for the warm welcome from everyone. Unfortunately, we found out this morning our trade in deal for a new Outback may not go according to plan. We're trading in our motorhome, and were happy with the price for the Outback and the trade in amount for our mh. We swapped all the numbers, got the financing, etc. We were to do the PDI on Thursday and take it home asap. This morning my husband got a call from the sales person asking what chasis the mh is on as he had neglected to ask. He had figured it with the wrong make and now wants to subtract four grand from our trade in. We just can't do that. We're grabbing a copy of the NADA to get a better feel for the numbers. 
Anyways, we're very disappointed as the entire family was looking forward to being Outbackers. We were sold, sold, sold on this travel trailer as being perfect for our family. Still hoping it works out, but we're very wary.
Thanks again for the welcome and please send good thoughts our way that it will all work out. 
Mary (aka socialstudies mom)


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## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

You've put out the call to the right place!!! ALL good Outbacker-energies will soon be focused on Michigan !! Good Luck!


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## Crawfish (Sep 14, 2005)

It sounds like to me that a verbal contact has already been made.







I think I would hold thier feet to the fire.







What ever happens our thoughts are with you. Good luck, and like they always say something good always comes out of something bad. sunny

"*Let's Go Camping*"

Crawfish


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## glennsteers (Apr 25, 2005)

socialstudiesmom said:


> He (the salesman) had figured it with the wrong make and now wants to subtract four grand from our trade in.


I agree with Crawfish, sounds like a breach of a verbal contract...


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## Ghosty (Jan 17, 2005)

Let me put my work hat on ...

NO SUCH THING AS A VERBAL CONTRACT.... UNLESS BOTH PARTIES IN COURT STIPULATE THAT THEY BOTH AGREE THAT SAID CONTRACT WAS INPLACE, AGREED UPON AND BOTH HAD THE POWER TO EXECUTE... I truly doubt the salesman is going to say anything in court except "I don't recall"... plus at $200 a hour legal fees you may win your 4K argument but the legal fees will be about 4K easily...

BUT -- with that said -- this is the typical slaesperson angle of bait and switch... do you really think that he "forgot" to get the chassis number -- NO!! -- he knew that you would get all excited about the new trailer and start going down the road to purchase and then start allowing him to erode the actual offer he had proposed...

my free advice -- tell the salesman that you are sorry for the misunderstanding and that you will have to get back to him IF you decide to purchase but right now the extra 4K is a deal breaker ... but be nice to the dealer -- he may acually help you BECAUSE he is seeing his commission also walk!!!

Then i would get on the phone and call some of the larger places like LakeShore in MI and FunTimeRV in TX and ask them what you could get for your motorhome just for a ballpark estimate ...

Stay unemotional and base your decison on the numbers and not your heart -- also your dealr may be right .. your MH may be 4K less -- or he may be playing a game -- you wont know unitl you call....

If we were talking 400 dolalrs I could see the dealer bending some -- but 4K I don't -- and the negtive word of mouth probably won't affect him much and if it does he will simply sue you for slander...

Unfortunately this is probably a simply mistake on the dealers part that will be cheaper for him to walk away from then to make right... if not -- then this was a cold calculated course that the salesperson/owner devised and its best to get the heck out of there while you can!!!

The great thng about OUTBACKS -- there are plenty of good dealrs that will work wiht you ...

PS -- A little surprised that you did not have the NADA numbers with you going into negotiations!!


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

Try calling his manager. Sometimes they just have to eat their mistakes. You did not mislead them, its his error. My uncle had the same thing happen and they stood by there original deal for customer satisfaction. Bad rap here will cost them more in the long run


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## ee4308 (Aug 23, 2005)

Hope the deal can still be worked out for you. Sounds strange to me that as far as you have gone with everything, that this would come up now. Rest assured that the salesperson didn't approve all of it by himself. I am sure that a sales manager would have had to approve the deal to go as far as you have gone with it. I know that mistakes can be made, but you would think someone in that type business would know motor home chasis before they put the deal together.







Anyway, Good Luck!! You are still an Outbacker!! sunny


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## Castle Rock Outbackers (Jan 18, 2004)

Ghosty said:


> Let me put my work hat on [snapback]61742[/snapback]​


Always nice to have an attorney in the group.

Randy


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## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

socialstudiesmom,

Hang in there. I agree wtih Ghosty.....make some calls and check around; then, being armed with the info you need, call your salesman and go from there.

There are other dealers, you know.









Mark


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Mary,

Sorry to hear about your problems.








Certainly sounds like the old bait-and-switch to me!









Hang in there, if they see you are not a chump, they may come around!

Good luck, and...









Happy Trails,
Doug


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

A lifetime of bad experiences has left me pretty cynical when it comes to auto sales persons, and I would generally lump RV sales into the same group as the game is played the same way. This doesn't pass the smell test with me.


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

Hopefully you'll get it worked out. If they were pulling a fast one on you I think you should go somewhere else anyway. Why deal with someone who is going to treat you like that.

Mike


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## Grunt0311 (Aug 23, 2005)

Sorry to hear about your troubles Mary







. What dealership are you dealing with? My mom just recently purchased a 23RS from General RV in Wayland and I found them to be very professional and helpful! I hope this isn't who you are dealing with! If not, you may want to give them a call. I don't remember our saleswoman's name, but could dig it up if it would be of help to you. Good luck!!


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

My BS meter would have went off as soon as I got the call and I would have asked them to tell me what they thought was the correct MH information. I assume that the MH was on their lot for them to see and inspect before they gave you the trade in number.

Walk away and say thanks but no thanks. If they are not competent to appraise the trade what will the rest of the transaction be like.

Do as Ghosty suggest and say it is a deal breaker and start calling around to see what other deals you can get.


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## SmkSignals (May 2, 2005)

wow, sorry to hear this. hopefully the manager at the dealer can help. eatting 4 grand does not sound right. worse comes to worse, sell the MH private party.

Good Luck, Kurt T.


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

Well all I can say is I would agree with Ghosty
Good luck with which ever coarse you decide to take.

Don


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## Devildog (Sep 8, 2005)

I hate to hear that, good luck with everything, all I can do is say I "2nd" everything said. I would definitely get some more quotes on yours, and probably walk on this dealer.


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## nonny (Aug 14, 2005)

Hi Mary. I'm sorry you're going through a difficult experience but I believe it may be a blessing in disguise. I don't think your 05 Durango can safely pull an 06 Outback 28rsds. I have the 06 Durango with the hemi and tow a 23RS. I recently towed the TT about 80 miles on a windy day and I'm trying to figure out how to get rid of my Durango so I don't have to get rid of the Outback! It was a truly frightening experience and I have the Equalizer and Prodigy systems to handlel sway difficulties. My TT is much smaller than what you're trying to buy. Just my 2 cents worth but it seems like the Lord may be preventing a tragedy via a frustrating sales tactic. You may want to take a little time to read the discussion thread Expedition vs Durango and others relative to the towing capacity of the Durango and like vehicles. I'd hate for you to face what some of our Outback families have when they crashed. We even had one family lose a child. I'm stunned that noone mentioned this in previous posts and particularly shocked that my son, Grunt0311, didn't address this issue. Whatever you decide, I pray that your family will be SAFE and happy! Good luck!!


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## bweiler (Sep 20, 2005)

I would have to agree with the Nonny's post. I'm currently towing with a 2005 Durango Hemi, and I am purchasing to a hensley hitch (made here in Michigan) because I am so concerned about sway with our Outback and cannot trade vehicles. We have a single friction sway now and it just doesn't cut it.... this is with a 25RSS. Look at the bright side, maybe this is an opportunity for you. I have 2 children and would love to have a 28RSDS, but it is a big camper for such a short wheelbase Durango to lug around. All the folks here have been absolutely great in providing some good real world info.... more than most any dealer can give you. Seems like I have read it 100 times on the site "what the dealer says you can tow, and what you should tow (and will be confortable with) are two very different things....We all wish you the best and hope you can work it out!


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## drobe5150 (Jan 21, 2005)

mary action

i most definately have to agree with nonny, i was going to say something yesterday, i did not want to ruin your excitement. but that is just to much trailer for your durango imho. 
please do not take this the wrong way, we,re all here to look out for each others safety.
that being said
this site will do it's very best in helping you with any questions you have, any advice you want. 
i think you have found that out already though.

darrel


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Mary,

I had a 2000 Ford Expedition that was on the edge of being able to tow a 28RSS (table/dinette swapped from 28RSDS) and after all the help on this board decided to get a rig that could REALLY pull the trailer.

Local dealer told me "oh..that Expedition will do just fine". Everyone hear gave me the real info!

Things will work out...you have all Winter to sell the MH and then get a TV to pull the 28RSDS.


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## BoaterDan (Jul 1, 2005)

If you "swapped numbers" and "got the financing" wouldn't that constitute more than a verbal agreement Ghosty? I guess a lot of that stuff is just done over the phone until you ink the deal, so maybe you're sunk, but it seems like the deal had progressed WAY beyond just throwing numbes around if they had the financing all lined up - or did you get your own financing based on the original numbes they gave you?

Please name the dealer. I'm guessing it's General RV since someone mentioned Michigan and someone else implied it's not Lakeshore. You can read my tome about my horrible experience with General - but I'll just say whatever you end up doing you should just look at this as a financial transaction - nothing more nothing less. Like Ghosty said, separate yourself from the emotions. The bottom line is that dealer is probably the best place for you to buy this trailer if you accept that's all they are. They're not your friend, they don't give a rat's patooty about you or your family - they just want your money and you want the trailer.









Also, on a side note - maybe Ghosty can chime in here and correct my gaps - but I investigated a few years the "bait and switch" laws, and it turns out it's very specific and wouldn't have anything to do with something like this. There has to be an advertisement of a product that the store never had... it's how they can get away with the loss leader "while supplies last" ads in the newspaper. All they have to do is sell one at that price and it's not bait and switch, even though their intent is obviously to entice 200 people into the store looking for that deal and sell some of them something else.


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