Buying online from Elkhart dealer. What should I watch out for.

[Tumble Weed]

IM buying 2014 3370RK online from dealer in Elkhart.
I did confirm thru Heartland sales that they are a dealer and who they are.
Have never bought this big of item online.
So what should I watch out for.
They are giving me such a really great unbelivable deal it’s worth the drive.
I always heard if it’s to good to be true probaly isn't, so watch out.
I have tried BBB but nothing.
So please help.

 

[TandT]

I would suggest Googling the dealers name to see what kind of information is out there, good and bad.

You can also PM me with the name and I will tell you if I know anything about them. If HL says they are a dealer, they are probably okay.

I would be reluctant to send any deposit $$ until you know they have a good history. Are you ordering the unit, or buying off the lot?

If you are buying off the lot, it should not require any $$ until you see the rig. IMHO Trace

 

[Tumble Weed]

There ordering it. I think the deal don't seem right.
So IM not going to do it. The numbers don't add up..

 

[danemayer]

If it's RV Capitol Wholesalers, they also have a physical presence in Elkhart and are legit. We bought from them in Sept 2010. $1000 deposit by credit card, cashier's check for the balance when we picked up the unit.

We stayed 2 days on their back lot to make sure everything worked.

They were reliable and easy to work with, and yes the price was very low compared to the local guys.

Their other name is Great Lakes RV.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[TravelTiger]

If it's RV Capitol Wholesalers, they also have a physical presence in Elkhart and are legit. We bought from them in Sept 2010. $1000 deposit by credit card, cashier's check for the balance when we picked up the unit.

We stayed 2 days on their back lot to make sure everything worked.

They were reliable and easy to work with, and yes the price was very low compared to the local guys.

Their other name is Great Lakes RV.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

If this is who you are dealing with, I can attest, they were Heartland's first dealer. We visited them just last week. They have some great deals on rigs in stock right now, and said more are coming soon. They have their own transport company, so maybe they can control that cost that other dealers cannot. I saw their tote board, they had about quite a few PDIs for new units scheduled. They said the majority of their business is online, and they were a little surprised to see real people (us) wanting to look at units when the temp was in the 30s and a 20mph wind blowing!

Erika

 

[vakthund]

I have a very different experience with them and I highly recommend anyone else. Also, Indiana's consumer protection laws are not the best. I'll be happy to share details in private.


---
One day I'll put something clever in here.

 

[Tumble Weed]

Well it is Capital I didn't know if I could give a dealer name.
Ask for final price and didn't get a final price till we started
credit app. Not saying they did any thing wrong.
Just when I say whats it going to cost me totally if
I write you a check, I want the total.
But still wanting to probably buy from them, had a few other
dealers that where almost as low, Lazy Day.
When I say total I want total or bottom dollar.
Thanks every one we really like the floor plan.

 

[rjr6150]

Well it is Capital I didn't know if I could give a dealer name.
Ask for final price and didn't get a final price till we started
credit app. Not saying they did any thing wrong.
Just when I say whats it going to cost me totally if
I write you a check, I want the total.
But still wanting to probably buy from them, had a few other
dealers that where almost as low, Lazy Day.
When I say total I want total or bottom dollar.
Thanks every one we really like the floor plan.

As you can see in my signature purchased one last March. Great people to deal with and when arrived to pick up all was as promised.
If we were to purchase again would definitely go with them.

 

[DW_Gray]

No matter what dealer you choose, know that you are the buyer and you are the one in control. Be straight forward and up front. Tell them what you expect if they want to continue business with you. Be ready to walk away if you're uncomfortable with the deal or they won't meet your out-the-door price.

Now, one other important point. Don't listen to the salesperson who tells you "That truck will pull that with no problem." There is a good chance he or she is wrong. To ensure you're getting a good match, consider using the free Before You Buy RV app.

 

[Tumble Weed]

That's probably who I'd go with also.

 

[sengli]

We also looked there when were in the market for our big horn. They did have lots of inventory to look at. DW checked their profile wih the local BBB, and they were a poor rating. They had multiple unresolved issue's with sales, which soured us. This was for the RV capitol, and the sister store which is great lakes RV. The other reason we didnt deal with them is that they didn't want our 1 year old trade.

 

[porthole]

IM buying 2014 3370RK online from dealer in Elkhart.

Great Lakes - Capital RV?

IM buying 2014 3370RK online from dealer in Elkhart.
So what should I watch out for.

For me - a good deal, straight dealings and no surprises, and saved enough to justify the 1500 mile round trip. Actually saved enough to add a MOR/ryde pinbox, disc brakes and independent suspension when I picked it up and still was under by 8-9000 than the closest other offer.

I did all my research by email, and when I had the bottom line price I called and gave a credit card deposit for the order, $1000. 6 weeks later I picked it up with a bank check for the difference listed on my sales contract - no surprises.

The other reason we didn't deal with them is that they didn't want our 1 year old trade.

I think this relates to their bottom line pricing. When I was looking to trade the Cyclone into the selling dealer, and dealing with the owner of RV Capital, I got less then the superb results/treatment I got with the first purchase.

Not that we couldn't come to an agreement - I could never get a bottom line trade in and cost of new amount.

I'll still start there for the next one.

 

[scottyb]

If you have a local dealer with whom you are satisfied and would like to do business, try using your best internet quote to your advantage. I was able to get my local dealer to meet the price of my best internet quote + shipping. I was able to look at, hitch it to my truck, and test load my Kawasaki Mule to see if it would fit (which it barely did by only 2" to spare) before I bought. I could not have done that if I had purchased it from one of the internet dealers.

 

[TXTiger]

I see that you are from TX. I live in Calif but purchased from a dealer in TX and saved thousands from what my local dealer wanted. PM me and I will give you the info.

 

[Tumble Weed]

Amazing how far we can travel and get good deals but not in this neck of woods...lol

 

[mrrocko]

i am a new member to the forum. i have been doing alot of reseach online about buying a 2013 bighorn 3570. just bought a 2012 dodge ram 3500 got a really good deal on that one so i was looking to get a deal on the big horn. went to many dealers in houston and got some prices which seemed high. got alot of prices from online dealers. i found that lakeshore rv sales in mi had the best price on what i wanted. got a contract with price listed, everything was what the salesman said it would be i put a depoist down and i will drive to pickup it up on april 15. even with the cost of driving to mi i saved a alot of money. so after the deal i went to other sites to see what they oftered such to be sure. so one could beat the price i got and some said they would buy it for the price i got. lakeshore has good reviews, and the salesman are very helpful. so i hope everything will so well when i pick up the big horn.

 

[MaryandSteve]

We bought our 2011 3455 from them. Great service and good price.

 

[Tumble Weed]

I talked to a guy from Lake Shore RV Sales in MI one day ask him to send some info
couldn't talk then ,my dad's sick(chemo) and then nothing.
called his cel phone no answer no reply.
They stopped responding never would send me
any email and when they finally did I had to contact them.
Then it was, "where going to send you a build list" never go that.
So I just told I wouldn't buy from them!

 

[Tumble Weed]

I want to buy this RV,
they keep giving me a price that's cheap and then they say.
We go to roll over what you owe on your old 5th wheel back
into the new note.
So there wanting me to pay off my old one for them to re-sale.
Then the new one will have what it cost and also my old ones pay off.
Don't sound right to me.

 

[porthole]

I want to buy this RV,
they keep giving me a price that's cheap and then they say.
We go to roll over what you owe on your old 5th wheel back
into the new note.
So there wanting me to pay off my old one for them to re-sale.
Then the new one will have what it cost and also my old ones pay off.
Don't sound right to me.

If you owe on your trade in, the dealer will take what you owe and add it to the financing you get so that they can pay off your original loan.
You are always better off either paying it off or selling it rather then trading it in with a mortgage still running.

If your old trailer is paid off then you may have tax saving if you trade it in.

New car dealers work the same way.