Lowest price dealer for new rigs - Montana Owners Club

dandt · 08-29-2011, 04:31 AM

A while back a MOC member posted about a dealer with great deals on new rigs. Have searched the archives and nothing coming up. Does anyone remember the name of this dealer. Thanks for all your help.
Teresa

restez · 08-29-2011, 07:03 AM

We found when we bought ours that Aaron Doud at Thompson Family RV's in Davenport Iowa gave us the best deal. We saved over $20,000 off the price that our local dealer wanted.

bncinwv · 08-29-2011, 07:43 AM

I think a low cost alternative for purchase is in Michigan, Lakeshore RV Sales. I think they are sales only, not sure about trades. One thing to consider as well as price is the availability of service. I have always used the local dealers, but do research other options to use as an incentive for them to lower their price. If they get relatively close, then I am happy. Bottom line for us is that the sales price is only about half of the equation, the other half is service experience and availability.
Bingo

restez · 08-29-2011, 09:10 AM

This is true, you have to consider service but any Montana dealer will do service on them and for the limited time of the warranty (1 year) I think a savings of $20,000 is good. We did have a problem with our ref. under warranty and the local dealer was more than happy to fix it. JMHO

seahunter · 08-29-2011, 09:12 AM

+4 on the service after the sale.

I am trying to work a deal right now. I did get quotes from Lakeshore and Lloyd Bridges and it is incredible the difference at my local dealers. We are talking 10-12k difference even including shipping from Indiana or wherever. I am definitely using those long distance bids to take to my dealer however, to let him know I know what I can get it for, but also that we both know having a local dealer is important to us for service. I am even hearing now that if you go to a non-dealer for repair, and the manufacturer will only allow x amount like a car repair, and it costs more to repair, they look at you to come up with the difference, even under warranty. Keep hearing that warranty repairs are a loss a lot of times for the dealer, so a non-customer is definitely not going to be high on their list of priorities for making it right where hopefully your dealer will do everthing they can to help you out.

HOOK · 08-29-2011, 09:59 AM

If you read the warranty closely, they are at best vague. Magic Chef warrants MC, Dometic warrants D, Atwater warrants A, etc, etc. The dealer must be a representative for all of the above. Additionally, the dealer is paid a certain amount to do adjustments and small repairs, before and after the sale. Do not miss the fact that a dealer is authorized to put you at the end of the service line or refuse as long as he has units that he sold to repair. IMHO I would barter for the best deal, without question, but I also would be embarrassed to ask my local dealer to take up the slack for some backstabbing sales only dealer who wanted my money and never wanted to see me again. Especially if the local dealer had made investment to be there for the long haul.JMHO I suggest you look around and take notice of the closed RV dealers. In our locale there were 6 at the beginning of the econ. downturn. Yes we may refuse to come to "that last bottom dollar deal" of those kinds of businesses, yet we are the last one here and are working hard in this very difficult time to be here for our loyal customers and are trying also to help "orphans". We don't want to see anyone in the RV community get mistreated, including good reliable dealers. I was not an employee of our local dealer when I purchased our Monty. It was priced at about 76000 and I ended up paying 52000. I am well pleased and have had very little difficulty with it.

Captain Joe · 08-29-2011, 12:11 PM

I posted my experience with Couchs Campers in Ohio. They significantly beat every quote I received from a half dozen dealers and their service, PDI, and post sale service was great. While my local dealer could not beat the deal, they have treated me as if I did purchase from them. They are true professionals. They are Mid-America RV in Carthage, MO. Our friends recently got a great deal on a SOB at Couchs and also experienced the same sales and service that we received. Good luck!

HOOK · 08-29-2011, 02:16 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Captain Joe

I posted my experience with Couchs Campers in Ohio. They significantly beat every quote I received from a half dozen dealers and their service, PDI, and post sale service was great. While my local dealer could not beat the deal, they have treated me as if I did purchase from them. They are true professionals. They are Mid-America RV in Carthage, MO. Our friends recently got a great deal on a SOB at Couchs and also experienced the same sales and service that we received. Good luck!

I'm glad to see you mention the name of the true professionals at Mid America, they are raising the standard of the RV world and probably deserve a great pat on the back.

Snowbirds · 08-29-2011, 03:30 PM

You might check with Northgate RV in Ringgold, Ga. We bought our 2011 3465 Montana there last year at a real good deal. Good folks to deal with....

CORattler · 08-29-2011, 04:44 PM

Unfortunately, this is not universally true. Case in point... Dee's RV in Colorado Springs, CO will only do warranty work for you if you bought the RV from them. If you didn't, they tell you point blank to take it back to where you bought it to get warranty work done. Nice, 'eh?

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by restez

.... any Montana dealer will do service on them and for the limited time of the warranty (1 year)

seahunter · 08-29-2011, 05:30 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by CORattler

Unfortunately, this is not universally true. Case in point... Dee's RV in Colorado Springs, CO will only do warranty work for you if you bought the RV from them. If you didn't, they tell you point blank to take it back to where you bought it to get warranty work done. Nice, 'eh?

This is what I was told by a dealer as well. They will not work on it if they didn't sell it to you, because they often have to eat some of the repair so I was told. They are not going to do that if they did not sell you the trailer, and even then they're probably not too happy but try to help you out.

ols1932 · 08-30-2011, 01:35 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by restez

This is true, you have to consider service but any Montana dealer will do service on them and for the limited time of the warranty (1 year) I think a savings of $20,000 is good. We did have a problem with our ref. under warranty and the local dealer was more than happy to fix it. JMHO

You're absolutely right that any Montana dealer will do service on them. But when will they do it? Usually they will put you at the bottom of the list -- they're booked up for three weeks! We've found that it really doesn't pay to go to the "lowest bidder" because they're the ones who will give you the "lowest service" also. My dealer has to put up with this all the time. People go 100 miles out away from him, buy a rig and then demand immediate warranty repair from him. He never refuses but they don't get in right away. I go in with a problem and my rig goes right into the garage and is serviced. I may have paid a little more but I'm still getting royalty service 11 years after purchase.

I've run into a lot of people who have been sorry they bought from the lowest priced sales unit.

Orv

trustymopars · 08-30-2011, 01:35 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Snowbirds

You might check with Northgate RV in Ringgold, Ga. We bought our 2011 3465 Montana there last year at a real good deal. Good folks to deal with....

Ditto on Northgate in Alcoa, TN. Great guys and great prices. Their website has units at both locations.

Champ_49 · 08-30-2011, 03:37 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by bncinwv

I think a low cost alternative for purchase is in Michigan, Lakeshore RV Sales. I think they are sales only, not sure about trades. One thing to consider as well as price is the availability of service. I have always used the local dealers, but do research other options to use as an incentive for them to lower their price. If they get relatively close, then I am happy. Bottom line for us is that the sales price is only about half of the equation, the other half is service experience and availability.
Bingo

Lakeshore Rv in Mi is also owned by the same dealer as Gillette Sales in E. Lansing, Mi. There deals are great. Can't argue the point at all with that. But Gillette service leaves a lot to be desired. Out of control service shop that doesn't know what each other is doing. Took a full year to get a ceiling fan replaced and I had to do the install because they had me in there at least 4 times and they kept getting the wrong fan, or they forgot to order it. Excuses they are great for.

I really don't like to talk down a dealer but this was not a good experience at all. I don't want someone to get caught by them, so it must be told.

Dave

PSFORD99 · 08-30-2011, 02:25 PM

Lot of mention for Lakeshore in Michigan , I talked to Montana Bob there, and he could not match the price I was quoted, and got at Walnut ridge Family RV in New Castle, Indiana when I purchased my 2008 in November of 2007. Things may have changed, but back then they were the best deal I could find, with the exception of Tiara RV in Elkhart , Indiana, but went with Walnut Ridge for a couple reasons, and the price was not enough to worry about. Walnut Ridge was excellent to deal with. I did the ordering, and purchase by phone, and faxes.

I had no problems with the couple warranty items that were repaired by a local dealer here in Utah. Problems may happen elsewhere, but not here.

seahunter · 08-30-2011, 05:52 PM

I was wondering on the Costco purchase program as far as warranty service too. The closest program dealer is 200 miles from us. This is too far to go for warranty work if it is small. Any thoughts on this? We had our last trailer in the shop many times in the first few years while under warranty, and driving 200 miles each time would be quite inconvenient or possibly impossible depending on the issue. Would Keystone cover any certified RV repair place so you could go to someone who is not a dealer and won't put you at the bottom of their service list?

HOOK · 08-30-2011, 06:17 PM

[quote]Originally posted by seahunter

I was wondering on the Costco purchase program as far as warranty service too. The closest program dealer is 200 miles from us. This is too far to go for warranty work if it is small. Any thoughts on this? We had our last trailer in the shop many times in the first few years while under warranty, and driving 200 miles each time would be quite inconvenient or possibly impossible depending on the issue. Would Keystone cover any certified RV repair place so you could go to someone who is not a dealer and won't put you at the bottom of their service list?

[/quote

Keystone might cover any or all, but also might not. You must choose what you think is best for you and GO!!! Montys are as good as you can buy for the money. Go on and enjoy your Monty and stop stressing. RVing is about enjoying the trip, and the fellowship of others who have chosen to take the trip. Larry

HOOK · 08-30-2011, 06:23 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by ols1932

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by restez

This is true, you have to consider service but any Montana dealer will do service on them and for the limited time of the warranty (1 year) I think a savings of $20,000 is good. We did have a problem with our ref. under warranty and the local dealer was more than happy to fix it. JMHO

You're absolutely right that any Montana dealer will do service on them. But when will they do it? Usually they will put you at the bottom of the list -- they're booked up for three weeks! We've found that it really doesn't pay to go to the "lowest bidder" because they're the ones who will give you the "lowest service" also. My dealer has to put up with this all the time. People go 100 miles out away from him, buy a rig and then demand immediate warranty repair from him. He never refuses but they don't get in right away. I go in with a problem and my rig goes right into the garage and is serviced. I may have paid a little more but I'm still getting royalty service 11 years after purchase.

I've run into a lot of people who have been sorry they bought from the lowest priced sales unit.

Orv

HOOK · 08-30-2011, 06:25 PM

[quote]quote:Originally posted by ols1932

Quote:

Originally posted by restez

This is true, you have to consider service but any Montana dealer will do service on them and for the limited time of the warranty (1 year) I think a savings of $20,000 is good. We did have a problem with our ref. under warranty and the local dealer was more than happy to fix it. JMHO

You're absolutely right that any Montana dealer will do service on them. But when will they do it? Usually they will put you at the bottom of the list -- they're booked up for three weeks! We've found that it really doesn't pay to go to the "lowest bidder" because they're the ones who will give you the "lowest service" also. My dealer has to put up with this all the time. People go 100 miles out away from him, buy a rig and then demand immediate warranty repair from him. He never refuses but they don't get in right away. I go in with a problem and my rig goes right into the garage and is serviced. I may have paid a little more but I'm still getting royalty service 11 years after purchase.

I've run into a lot of people who have been sorry they bought from the lowest priced sales unit.

Orv
[/quote

Well said. Larry

seahunter · 08-30-2011, 07:55 PM

[quote]quote:Originally posted by HOOK

Quote:

Originally posted by seahunter

I was wondering on the Costco purchase program as far as warranty service too. The closest program dealer is 200 miles from us. This is too far to go for warranty work if it is small. Any thoughts on this? We had our last trailer in the shop many times in the first few years while under warranty, and driving 200 miles each time would be quite inconvenient or possibly impossible depending on the issue. Would Keystone cover any certified RV repair place so you could go to someone who is not a dealer and won't put you at the bottom of their service list?

[/quote

Keystone might cover any or all, but also might not. You must choose what you think is best for you and GO!!! Montys are as good as you can buy for the money. Go on and enjoy your Monty and stop stressing. RVing is about enjoying the trip, and the fellowship of others who have chosen to take the trip. Larry

Thanks Larry,

I think my question was not written well. I am wondering if I can go to a RV repair place (like Camping World) instead of a dealership that sells Montanas and get something fixed while still under warranty. In other words if I'm on the road, or my dealer is 200 miles away if I can just go to a repair facility.

Thanks,
Greg

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