TrailManor Owner's Forum - View Single Post

**Bill** · 03-07-2004, 07:05 PM

If I were in your shoes - and I'm not - I would talk it over quietly with my wife, decide on some guidelines, then go alone to look at it. That way, you don't have the pressure of a family looking over your shoulder and yelling "Yes, Daddy!" and expecting you to make an instant executive decision. Salesmen love that scenario! If Daddy comes home with a new TM, hooray! If Daddy doesn't, then Daddy had a nice drive that day, and is glad to be home. The quest will continue.

Whatever you decide to do, you should arrive at the dealer with a list of questions and things to be demonstrated to your satisfaction. If you don't get answers - or you get the wrong answers - you should be prepared to lower the price you are willing to pay. You might even have a dollar figure in mind for expected problems mentioned in this thread. If the refrig doesn't work, you want $500 off or a replacement refrig. If the furnace doesn't work, you want $250 off or a new furnace. If the tires are dry-rotted, you want new tires. If there is rot in the frame, you want $1000 off. If the vent cover is broken, you want $75 off. And so forth.

Try to choose reasonable numbers that make him want to fix the problem, rather than hand it to you - you don't want the hassle. For example, if the refrig is broken, and a new one retails for $500, tell him you want him to install a new one, or you want $550 off the price. He can get a new one for $350, and install it for $50, so he is money ahead to take care of it. You can be polite about it - you don't have to be as abrupt as I just was. But be prepared to stick to your guns - because you will pay the same money for repair after delivery if you don't.

If the guy says (and he undoubtedly will) "we already took that into account in the price, so we can't reduce it any more" - well, you have to decide on the spot if that is true. It might be, or it might not. The idea is to make the guy work for you and understand where you are positioned. Don't allow him to bulldoze you, but don't try to thingy him to the wall, either. Be fair, but firm.

Bill

03-07-2004, 07:05 PM	#5
Bill Site Team Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine Posts: 10,098	Re:1989 trailmanor 28 If I were in your shoes - and I'm not - I would talk it over quietly with my wife, decide on some guidelines, then go alone to look at it. That way, you don't have the pressure of a family looking over your shoulder and yelling "Yes, Daddy!" and expecting you to make an instant executive decision. Salesmen love that scenario! If Daddy comes home with a new TM, hooray! If Daddy doesn't, then Daddy had a nice drive that day, and is glad to be home. The quest will continue. Whatever you decide to do, you should arrive at the dealer with a list of questions and things to be demonstrated to your satisfaction. If you don't get answers - or you get the wrong answers - you should be prepared to lower the price you are willing to pay. You might even have a dollar figure in mind for expected problems mentioned in this thread. If the refrig doesn't work, you want $500 off or a replacement refrig. If the furnace doesn't work, you want $250 off or a new furnace. If the tires are dry-rotted, you want new tires. If there is rot in the frame, you want $1000 off. If the vent cover is broken, you want $75 off. And so forth. Try to choose reasonable numbers that make him want to fix the problem, rather than hand it to you - you don't want the hassle. For example, if the refrig is broken, and a new one retails for $500, tell him you want him to install a new one, or you want $550 off the price. He can get a new one for $350, and install it for $50, so he is money ahead to take care of it. You can be polite about it - you don't have to be as abrupt as I just was. But be prepared to stick to your guns - because you will pay the same money for repair after delivery if you don't. If the guy says (and he undoubtedly will) "we already took that into account in the price, so we can't reduce it any more" - well, you have to decide on the spot if that is true. It might be, or it might not. The idea is to make the guy work for you and understand where you are positioned. Don't allow him to bulldoze you, but don't try to thingy him to the wall, either. Be fair, but firm. Bill