Buying from wholesale dealer
- Thread starter rono
- Start date
We bought from a "discounter", local. We have had no problems with warranty work but we only had one small problem. Your warranty is only for one year and there is no need to go back to your original dealer so I wouldn't over obsess about the dealer, the money you save easily makes of for most additional costs(if any). Your warranty isn't from the dealer but from Heartland and it is only for the first year. With Heartland there is no "requirement" that you go back to your dealer. Just contact Customer Service and they will work something out with you. In the one instance we thought we had a problem(in the end did not) we were told to get it fixed and send the bill the customer service and if it was a Heartland problem they would pay for it. They will not pay for a Mobile Tech to come out though.
ultrafarmer
Well-known member
You might as well buy from a whlesale dealer. I bought from a local dealer and they would not do any warranty work. The warranty is out now and so are my dealings with the local dealer.
ihsolutions
Well-known member
I bought from a wholesaler in Elkhart. I would recommend you plan to spend a night or two at the dealer, or at least close by, to have any infant failures addressed by the selling dealer.
In my case, the local megadealer was willing to service my rig but has demonstrated a complete inability to fix even the simplest things. After several trips there, I have given up, and been working with Heartland directly to get the parts sent right to me. I'll install them myself and know that it's been done right.
In my case, the local megadealer was willing to service my rig but has demonstrated a complete inability to fix even the simplest things. After several trips there, I have given up, and been working with Heartland directly to get the parts sent right to me. I'll install them myself and know that it's been done right.
GOTTOYS
Well-known member
Your local dealer may or may not want to perform any warranty work..I wouldn't worry about it. I brought mine to my local selling dealer and was pretty disappointed. Heartland will work with you to get any issues resolved. I priced one out through a "wholesaler' and after a little arm wrestling my local dealer came to within a few hundred of that price. It was still worth it to me to save a long drive. Good luck...Don
DMitch
Well-known member
Rono, in my opinion it all depends on the rep. of your local dealer. Check him out very very well, if he is reputable it may be worth a few extra dollars.
I have done both. Bought from a local dealer and it was an absolute nightmare. So my thought was buy at the best price I can and for the many thousands of dollars I saved I could pay for a lot of work if need be. Fortunately I have had only minor problems with my Big Horn and have had no trouble getting the work done. Just my opinion.
I have done both. Bought from a local dealer and it was an absolute nightmare. So my thought was buy at the best price I can and for the many thousands of dollars I saved I could pay for a lot of work if need be. Fortunately I have had only minor problems with my Big Horn and have had no trouble getting the work done. Just my opinion.
danemayer
Well-known member
We're in Texas and also bought from the Internet dealer in Elkhart. The nearest local dealer selling Landmarks is an hour away and wouldn't come anywhere near the price from Elkhart. We were going to a wedding in Minnesota, so we drove up to Elkhart, picked up the rig, and saved a bundle. Savings on just the shipping cost paid for the whole trip. There are two other dealers in our area who are authorized Heartland servicers and one of them has been doing our warranty work.
We bought from Great Lakes RV (RV Capital Wholesalers) in Elkhart, IN and were very pleased. Not only was there a great savings in price but we stayed at the Service Center Campground for 3 days and they did any and all repairs and upgrades that we requested. They even took it back to the factory twice for us. Delivery is available if you request however we do not know the charge. We felt we were treated very well by everyone involved.
SouthernNights
Past South Carolina Chapter Leader
We also bought "long distance" from an internet dealer. Not sure if they would qualify as a wholesaler though.
We are in SC and bought in MI after seeing the trailer in person at the local dealer. Local dealer could not even come close to the internet price even when you throw in shipping for 1000 miles. In fact, the local dealer became very rude when he learned he was bidding against the MI dealer.
Never considered who would do the warranty work, any thing wrong I would take care of although the local dealer did tell me that if I bought a HL from some other dealer-do not bring it to him for warranty work. Yeah---ok---whatever.
We did have a problem after the sale when the trailer showed up without one of the options that it was listed with. I did not consider it to be a HL problem but rather a dealer problem because the option that was missing was not even an option offered on our model. The dealer, 1000 miles away,who had our money at that point, refused to help-or at least were really dragging their feet. However HL called me (unbelievable isn't it to see that level customer service) after learning about the missing option from Jim B.
Problem solved in less than 1 minute.
Would we buy again from an internet dealer-yup. For what we saved I can take alot of aggravation.
We are in SC and bought in MI after seeing the trailer in person at the local dealer. Local dealer could not even come close to the internet price even when you throw in shipping for 1000 miles. In fact, the local dealer became very rude when he learned he was bidding against the MI dealer.
Never considered who would do the warranty work, any thing wrong I would take care of although the local dealer did tell me that if I bought a HL from some other dealer-do not bring it to him for warranty work. Yeah---ok---whatever.
We did have a problem after the sale when the trailer showed up without one of the options that it was listed with. I did not consider it to be a HL problem but rather a dealer problem because the option that was missing was not even an option offered on our model. The dealer, 1000 miles away,who had our money at that point, refused to help-or at least were really dragging their feet. However HL called me (unbelievable isn't it to see that level customer service) after learning about the missing option from Jim B.
Problem solved in less than 1 minute.
Would we buy again from an internet dealer-yup. For what we saved I can take alot of aggravation.
Thanks all for the input. I have found a dealer in SE KS willing to get within $2800 of one of my best wholesale numbers. So I think I will buy from him and save myself the drive to IN or MI with fuel prices going up I think I'll spend Close to 1k on fuel plus what we spend on food going that far. It also gives me the ability to work with my local dealer since they appear to have no problem with this approach. Also saves me from TB driving that far in 1 day.
I am just curious, do the wholesale dealers in Indiana specialize in just models from a certain manufacture ( I.E. regular dealer) or do they sell anything and everything from all manufacturers? I am also wondering if they take in tradeins and if they do I can't imagine they give you much on it, is this true?
branson4020
Icantre Member
They are not really "wholesale dealers." They are just large retailers that also do sales through the internet. They have dealer relationships with specific manufacturers, just like your local dealers do.
danemayer
Well-known member
From the RVCapitalWholesalers FAQ:
Do you take trade-ins?
RVCW was designed not to take trades at these wholesale prices. However we have many wholesalers at our disposal and can get you a buy bid for any type of unit you might have.
My view: high trade-in values are often combined with small discounts on the new rig, making you feel good about the residual value of your old RV. A dealer offering steep discounts on the new rig can't also offer a great trade-in price. You can get a great discount, or a great trade-in, but not both.
NADA has high and low retail values available if you care to see what your old RV might be worth. I think the prices shown would be the private party sale price for different condition levels. Trade-in or sale to a wholesaler would obviously be a a much lower price to allow them room to carry the inventory cost and make a profit.
So you can get a quote for the new rig, and a buy bid from a wholesaler on your old rig, and compare that set of offers to a combined deal at your local dealer. Or you can try selling your old RV on your own and once sold, buy the new one.
I got as much trade-in from my "wholesale" dealer as I was offered from a few local dealers! Didn't have to drive to IN or MI either!
Just returned from our maiden voyage (weekend campout at a nearby state park), and very few problems! Really just aggravating window shades.
Just needed to tighten the strings a little and they work great!
Just returned from our maiden voyage (weekend campout at a nearby state park), and very few problems! Really just aggravating window shades.
Just needed to tighten the strings a little and they work great!
