RV salesman and tow capacity

[richfaa]

We sold Rv's for several dealers at a large Rv show in Ohio for a few years in the mid 90's. Most sales people were knowledgeable about weights truck or Rv, some were not. We carried the Trailer life tow guide on our clip board and went over it with every buyer. A couple of dealers we worked for insisted on it.

The buyer is even worse and most knew absolutely nothing about weights and never heard of Carry capacity or Pin weight. When I would let a buyer know they did not have enough truck what I usually got back was..Oh so you guys sell trucks also and want me to buy a new one. If they did not like what I said they would just go down the isle and buy from another dealer.


IMO the average buyer is far less knowledgeable than the average salesperson.

[Irlpguy]

quote:Originally posted by richfaa



IMO the average buyer is far less knowledgeable than the average salesperson.

The sad part is that because the buyers far outnumber the salespersons, a great number of buyers are sold units by someone who knows no more than those buyers, when this happens the looser in the end of course is the buyer.

[richfaa]

You got that right Ed but the buyer that goes out looking for a RV without doing the homework is a fool waiting to be taken. I really enjoyed the knowledgeable buyer but they were few and far between. I have said before the two most common questions were..."can my truck pull this" and "what are the monthly payments."

[DQDick]

In fairness, folks who've pulled TT's for years may feel that moving up the next step in truck is enough to cover a 5th wheel. Not at all so, but folks who've camped a lot but don't have any real vehicle knowledge tend to trust the folks they think should know.

[mhs4771]

And, look in any campgrounds at the number of HUGE RVs I mean heavy DRVs, triple axle 42' THers, etc.) being pulled by 250/2500 series TVs. And also the BIL factor, been pulling that huge monster for years with no problem.

[richfaa]

It is really difficult to talk a fool into recognizing he has the wrong truck for the job. Data, specs, etc. make little or no impression. We have heard all the "alibies "at the shows. "We see it all the time on the road." "My friend, uncle, brother, next door neighbor says it will pull it fine." the salesman in the next isle said it would be fine." why this unit only weighs 1,000 lbs more than the one I have now, It can pull the extra 1K easy" And of course 'you are just trying to sell me a new truck. Do you get a commission for selling trucks. I almost 100% disagree that the salesperson is uneducated although there will be a few that are or the sales means everything. The salesperson that sells a camper that the buyer can not pull will in most cases hear about it and will be out of a job.

[Flymutt]

Don't get me started guys. Most (I say most) salespeople don't care a "wit" about the technical specs of their product. If they can tell a good joke and "close the sale" they are hired and make a lot of money. IMO, that is why some (I say some) people do not trust what a salesperson tells them. Because the history of salespeople is that they don't know their product.
I hate it when the first thing out of a salesperson's mouth is "how you doin' today?"