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Dealers cost

Yahoo Message Number: 8794
Just a little input from a retired car dealer: The actual dealer cost has little to do with what you pay. Of course it is a nice thing to know, but isn't it more important to know what you have to pay after comparison shopping several dealers for the same product?
If you plan to trade, then your exercise is meaningless. The trade difference is the only figure you can use. I've seen lots of folks buy from the car dealer who gave them the most for their trade...daaaa! Inflated MSRP is a great way to give big trade in allowances.
So let me understand this: Do you care what Safeway pays for a box of soap before you buy it? I suppose not. My wife always comparison shops and uses the grocery store that has the best service and price.
Bottom line is all that counts. I don't care if the dealer got the vehicle for free because he sold so many last year. Would that mean that you should buy it for nothing?
Also. One important thing to remember is to have a great experience buying your new rig. It should be one of the happiest and the most fun time you will have.
Dealers who turn it into a bargining hassle and make you feel like you have just won a boxing match will not get my business.

Larry
Intrigue
10762

Re: Dealers cost

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 8803
--
Larry:

Thank you for your response on the above subject.
We had some prospective customers that professed to know all about our business and how much we should charge. Enough said and I hope the last.
James M. Green Intrigue 11021 "Rollingghetto"

- In Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com, "Larry Hanson" wrote:

Quote
Just a little input from a retired car dealer: The actual dealer
cost has little to do with what you pay. Of course it is a nice thing to know, but isn't it more important to know what you have to pay after comparison shopping several dealers for the same product?

Quote
>

If you plan to trade, then your exercise is meaningless. The trade
difference is the only figure you can use. I've seen lots of folks buy from the car dealer who gave them the most for their trade...daaaa! Inflated MSRP is a great way to give big trade in allowances.

Quote
>

So let me understand this: Do you care what Safeway pays for a box
of soap before you buy it? I suppose not. My wife always comparison shops and uses the grocery store that has the best service and price.

Quote
>

Bottom line is all that counts. I don't care if the dealer got the
vehicle for free because he sold so many last year. Would that mean that you should buy it for nothing?

Quote
>

Also. One important thing to remember is to have a great experience
buying your new rig. It should be one of the happiest and the most fun time you will have.

Quote
>

Dealers who turn it into a bargining hassle and make you feel like
you have just won a boxing match will not get my business.

Re: Dealers cost

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 8862
From: "Larry Hanson" larry.hanson@...>
Quote
Just a little input from a retired car dealer: The actual dealer cost has
little to do with what you pay. Of course it is a nice thing to know, but isn't it more important to know what you have to pay after comparison shopping several dealers for the same product? (snip) I'll give an example when it did make a difference. We bought our previous motorhome ... a new Class C ... at a dealership 1/2 hour from our home. We wanted to buy it there 'cause the dealership has a good reputation and is convenient for service.

The motorhome was in stock on the lot and optioned virtually the same as we would've ordered it. After checking it out closely, I told the sales guy we were ready to buy it ... for cash, no trade in ... right then and there, for approximately 75% ($52K) of the $70K MSRP, since I "knew" they paid ~72% of MSRP, and this would give them a fair profit and a quick sale. He did a little calculating, came up with the right price, I shook his hand, and it was a good experience for all of us. They didn't make a bunch of money on my sale, but they also didn't have to work hard to make the sale.
And I've since sent customers to them who also were satisfied with the sale and service.

I didn't do the same with our CC Intrigue 'cause we bought it private.

Dick (& Geri) Campagna
'98 36' Intrigue #10571
Mfd: 11/97

(in Key West, FL)

Re: Dealers cost

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 8868
Quote from: Dick Campagna"
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I told the sales guy

Quote
we were ready to buy it ... for cash, no trade in ... right then

and there,

Quote
for approximately 75% ($52K) of the $70K MSRP, since I "knew" they

paid

Quote
~72% of MSRP, and this would give them a fair profit and a quick

sale.

Quote
>

Dick (& Geri) Campagna


Dick,

I guess the question I have is..how do you know the dealer paid 72% of MSRP? If they told you, or even went as far as showing you their invoice (with is extremely rare), how do you know that's what they actually paid? There may have been several hidden incentives passed along to the dealer from the manufacturer not reflected on the Invoice. I'm not sure anyone, expect the dealer, really knows what they paid for a vehicle.

Jim

Re: Dealers cost

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 8889
From: "Jim" mhguy1@...>
"Dick Campagna" wrote:

Quote
I told the sales guy

> we were ready to buy it ... for cash, no trade in ... right then > > and there, for approximately 75% ($52K) of the $70K > > MSRP, since I "knew" they paid ~72% of MSRP, and this > > would give them a fair profit and a quick sale.

Dick,

I guess the question I have is..how do you know the dealer paid 72% > of MSRP? If they told you, or even went as far as showing you their > invoice (with is extremely rare), how do you know that's what they > actually paid? (snip)
I *didn't* actually know what they paid for it, which is why I wrote "~72%" ... meaning "approximately" 72% (dealers' cost for gas Class C's (~72%) is reportedly more than for gas Class A's (~70%)). I've not heard of many before, or since, who paid less than 75% of MSRP for a sort've equivalent motorhome. And, as I said, ours was virtually exactly the way we would've ordered it and that meant a lot to us. Also as I said, we paid 75% ($52.5) for a $70K MSRP motorhome. If I got it down to 74%, it would've only dropped $700. And I got at least that much from them in great after-the-sale service and support.
I doubt that anyone other than maybe one person at the dealership truly knows how much $$$ the dealership has "in" any new motorhome.
Bottom line ... buy a new motorhome for approximately 75% of MSRP and you're not getting screwed.

Side point: If someone buys a $70K Lazy Daze Class C motorhome, $70K is what they must pay. No break off MSRP. Lazy Daze motorhomes do hold their value pretty well, though, so this may be a moot point. After all, the cost of a motorhome isn't what you pay for it ... it's the difference between what you paid and what you eventually sell it for.

Dick (& Geri) Campagna
'98 36' Intrigue #10571
Mfd: 11/97

(in Key West, FL)