Thor Forums

[wefsda]

Nearly three years ago we were finally ready to buy our full-time coach. We had done our research and had a list of 5-6 motorhomes that met our needs and were somewhere close to our price. Naturally, they were scattered all around the country, so we made an appointment to see the one that was only 300 miles away. We got up early on a Saturday morning, drove down to see it, and then headed home. On the way home Jo Ann said, "I'm unhappy." I asked why, and she said, "I didn't want to like it, and I love it." We talked about it for a couple of days, and finally called the seller with an offer that was what we could afford, but quite a bit less than what they were asking. It took them about two seconds to accept our offer.

Keep in mind, though, that this was a used coach from a private seller, with no trade-in involved. In our case, the sellers really needed the coach gone, and didn't need the money. They could have given us the coach for free and still not suffered. A dealer may not have the same needs, and certainly can't afford to give away a coach, but that doesn't mean that they don't have room to deal. A coach that has been on the lot for several months may well be cheaper than an identical one that just arrived. The salesman may be willing to sacrifice some of the commission because it will be replaced by a bonus. As I said before, make an offer that you are comfortable with, and let the dealer decide whether or not to accept it.

One bit of advice I was given years ago was to not fall in love with a particular item. Be prepared to walk away if you aren't happy with the deal. Chances are that you can find a similar item elsewhere. Remember that if you choose to buy some distance away from home you have to add the costs of the trip to the cost of the coach.