3400 post script - Montana Owners Club

Wagonmaster · 06-01-2006, 01:40 PM

I would like to add a post script to the post about buying the 3400. What I would like to know is what is a reasonable per centage off of the msrp? We have a dealer here in Tucson that has quoted us a price that averages about 18% off msrp. Is that about average or low? Thanks. Jack

Mac · 06-01-2006, 01:53 PM

Jack,

You can go online to almost any dealer and get a quote so you have a better feel for the price you're being quoted there. Unless it was a GREAT price, I would probably recommend buying locally but I got three other quotes before deciding on my purchase.

mac

jrgwdenner · 06-01-2006, 03:12 PM

I think it is low, even 30% has happened.

Glenn and Lorraine · 06-01-2006, 03:26 PM

Although I only worked for an RV dealer as a salesman for a very short period the one thing I did learn is that the dealer mark up is in the neighborhood of 40% to 45%. If you haggle hard enough and long enough most dealers will go to 25% to 30% off MSRP. Depending on how well sales are going a dealer may even go to 35% off.
An 18% discount is an insult. As mac suggested go online and get some quotes and don't be afraid to let them know that you are shopping for the best price. When they know they have competition you'd be surprised how sharp their pencil becomes.

richfaa · 06-01-2006, 04:04 PM

I agree with Glenn on this also. we have been involved in selling Rv's and the numbers he quotes are very good. My reply to that dealer would be ..when you offer 25% we will start talking.... The MSVRP on my 3400 delivered May 06 was over 58K (no higloss, no fireplace, no dual pane windows and my discount was 32%. Now the MSVRP can be a moving target,I noted a 8K difference in MSVRP among the
dealers I requested a quote from. Dave(dsprik) may jump in here with some more recent advise as he has a 3400 on order now.

Bill Frisbee · 06-01-2006, 04:25 PM

Our dealer's initial discount on our 3400 was 22% off MSRP in the height of the season. We purchased from that dealer, at that price, and have been treated like royalty ever since in terms of service and general attitude. We have been given free passes to several RV shows even though we have no intention of buying another unit any time soon and have always received what seems to us to be preferential treatment by the Service Department (including two no-charge "house calls" by their service tech to the campground where we did our "shakedown trip" to fix minor problems). On top of the fact that the unit has so far been almost entirely trouble free, we feel that we made a reasonable deal with a reasonable dealer on a coach we really enjoy.

We have friends who got a better financial deal by going to several major RV shows in the winter and getting "best offers" from different dealers and then shopping them around. They managed to get a discount in the 27% range plus a whole bunch of add-ons thrown in for free ... MaxAir vent covers, extended warranty, etc. Even though they bought in the winter, they ended up with a brand new 2006 model 3475RL with all the latest upgrades and improvements. It was a terrific deal ... and they got it from the dealer they preferred. Happy campers, indeed!

Montana Sky · 06-01-2006, 07:23 PM

I have bought both of my Montana's during the Jan. RV shows. I have found this is the best time to get the best deal. I also found it cheaper to factory order mine with all the options I want, rather than taking out of dealer inventory. I got my coach with alot more options for much, much less that current inventory pricing. Might be worth looking into ordering and getting a price quote that way as well. Just an idea...

Driftwoodgal · 06-02-2006, 03:12 AM

We are buying one next week and with a MSVRP of $55,386. It does have the fireplace and the aluminum wheels. It doesn't have the gel coat but does have the king bed, the tables, dinette, lamp, desk chair,vacumn and prep for AC and WD. The dealer gave us 23% off and then our trade in off that.

I priced ordering one from a big Houston dealer and their rigs started at $59K but they had the window awnings but no fireplace. After dealing with them they told me that they couldn't beat the deal I was getting locally. I am not sure why the Stickers prices were $4K different but part of it could be this one would be ordered and it would be a 2007. I did look at their 3400 in their inventory and they were higher than this dealers starting MSVRP.

dsprik · 06-02-2006, 03:38 AM

Driftwoodgal, every dealer has their own MSRP. I have seen this figure (for 2006 3400RL's) as high as $72K and as low as $55K. RV MSRPs are not like the auto industry, where the mfrs actually set this price. You will not see any consistency between any dealers for the exact same model/options/year. Best thing I found is to shop around a 200-300 mile radius for dealer bids.

Buying local is a strong consideration, unless you run across something like I did - NO ONE, not even my local dealer could get with $4,000 of a bid 300 miles away. That's too much change to throw out the window, so we are taking our chances with warranty work resistance from our local dealer. A good, thorough pre PDI and PDI are a good insurance against any possible trips to your local dealer for work. Not a guarantee - just cuts down on possible confrontations.

Just remember - it's still YOUR MONEY. Don't ever let any dealer make you think you owe them anything.

Longwell · 06-04-2006, 05:21 AM

I just want to say that these are great posts with VERY useful information that probably couldn't be found any other way!
This forum is majestic!
Larry

rickfox · 06-04-2006, 05:41 PM

Good Evening All,

When we purchased our 3400 this past Nov. we were provided a MSRP sheet that included the various options. This list was identical to the one I obtained on this message board. Our final purchase price was 30% less from the MSRP list. This 30% discount was in line with the info also supplied on this site.

Interesting, I was told (by the dealer after the sale)that Keystone provides the same pricing to all dealers - with the exception of delivery charges. However, Keystone also provides quantity discounts to all dealers. The larger dealers (who purchase in higher quantities) can either shoot for a higher profit margin on the sale, or be able to provide a greater discount from MSRP and still make their profit dollars.

We got our best price from one of the largest dealers here in Texas. The smaller dealers within 500 miles could not touch their price. Had I known more about these quantity discounts, I could have worked yet a better deal - a fact I realized too late when the dealer quickly accepted my 30% discount offer without even bothering to counter.

Montana Sky · 06-05-2006, 07:23 PM

The most important thing to remember when buying a new Montana is, you are the ones who have to be happy with the deal. If you walk away happy and excited about your purchase, then you have made a great deal.

Driftwoodgal · 06-06-2006, 03:03 AM

One more thing to add into this mix is if you are trading one in on your purchase.

We were given more for our trade in than what was listed in the NADA. So with those figures we got more than 23% off. The dealership is taking care of everything and more about our concerns with the 3400. I have a friend that purchased a 2004 3475 from this same dealership and he has had great warranty service from them. The backing of the warranty work means alot to me.

Montana Sky you couldn't have said it better. I hope to be a happy camper by 5 PM today and have our 3400 in on its concrete pad.

dsprik · 06-06-2006, 03:23 AM

Driftwoodgal, keep us updated on your new "baby".

Montana Sky · 06-06-2006, 05:31 AM

Dave (dsprik)
I am curious as I have been away, what decor color did you finally end up choosing??

dsprik · 06-06-2006, 07:32 AM

Dave, we definitely went with the Venetian Gold - the non-published decor that they used to put in the Cambridge.

When they discontinued the Cambridge, they had some of this material still coming in so they decided to outfit some Montanas with this color scheme, and send them out to a few dealers. The customers of these select dealers stumbled across this decor at those dealerships and that's how orders were being filled. This was not publicized.

People have told me that if Cheryl wouldn't have seen this furniture on the plant floor, we would never have known and been happy with what we ordered. That's not exactly true... About the first time we came across (or heard about) this decor in another Montana AFTER we had already gotten ours, then I would REALLY have been angry. This would have been inevitable. Better this way, I assure you.

This is not the marketing direction I would have taken. Either make a decor generally available to everyone, or not at all. Having a "Secret Decor Pkg" is not wise.

richfaa · 06-06-2006, 07:46 AM

Dave..It is if you are trying to get rid of overstock or extra material you have laying around.. "secret decor package" is outstanding marketing. I can just hear the "around the table" discussion...Ok Guys we got all this material laying around how can we unload it and what can we call it when we do??? The someone way down at the end of the table says...I know..I know..let call it a secret decor package/// people will be fighting over it to get it and it will be gone in no time..

Montana Sky · 06-06-2006, 10:07 AM

Dave,
Funny thing, I have seen your new color decor in 4 different Montana's on my dealers lot. I figured it was a new color option and the "updates" for the brochures and website had just not been done yet. I am glad that you are able to get the decor you really want, Keystone is stepping up to the plate once again for their customers.

dsprik · 06-06-2006, 10:13 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

Dave..It is if you are trying to get rid of overstock or extra material you have laying around.. "secret decor package" is outstanding marketing. I can just hear the "around the table" discussion...Ok Guys we got all this material laying around how can we unload it and what can we call it when we do??? The someone way down at the end of the table says...I know..I know..let call it a secret decor package/// people will be fighting over it to get it and it will be gone in no time..

Then the rest of us who then discovered that we could of had this beautiful decor (person opinion) if they had known about it before they paid ~$50K for a "home" would have been organizing a "pitchfork and torch"

march to Keystone's door...

Seriously, though, I know Cheryl would have been very upset if she had not discovered this decor in time. She is absolutely in love with this material.

dsprik · 06-06-2006, 10:26 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Montana Sky

Dave,
Funny thing, I have seen your new color decor in 4 different Montana's on my dealers lot. I figured it was a new color option and the "updates" for the brochures and website had just not been done yet. I am glad that you are able to get the decor you really want, Keystone is stepping up to the plate once again for their customers.

I'm really not sure what their long term plans are for this decor... whether they are just trying to get rid of their remaining stock, or if they are just getting this material sproradically as Jim Edmundson said. Mark Krol was the one who mentioned the Cambridge connection in a later phone conversation we had. Jim did not mention this (during our factory tour).

Our dealer (owner of Town & Country) said he had seen a sample of this Venetian Gold material, but his impression was that it a sample of what Montana intended to have for an option for their 2007 models. Jim, during the plant tour, told me that they had been putting this decor in Montanas since January. So there seems to be some confusion as to what Keystone/Montana is doing on this issue.

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