How much did you pay for your PDI?

[z06]

And this is the only figure that matters. Makes no difference how the dealer gets to that number.
If dealer A is 10000 for the unit with no charge PDI and Dealer B is 9500 plus 300 for PDI, who has the better deal?

When I was shopping for a new trailer I told the salesman just give me the bottom line price. I used that price when shopping at another dealer.
Don

 

[windviewer]

And this is the only figure that matters. Makes no difference how the dealer gets to that number.
If dealer A is 10000 for the unit with no charge PDI and Dealer B is 9500 plus 300 for PDI, who has the better deal?

The only difference may be due to taxation (you still pay the same amount, but the tax treatment may be different depending on circumstances).
E.g. PDI is considered a SERVICE and the trailer is a capital good. In some places, SERVICES are not taxed. Capital goods (capital gains - although I find it hard to believe purchase of any trailer will appreciate over time ) would be based on the SELLING price of the trailer on the sheet. Overall, you paid the same bottom line; just how the items are treated for taxation may differ.

Not a big deal in most cases.

 

[z06]

To be clear bottom line is just that. Includes everything, even taxes. That is the only way to compare cost that matters to me.
I guess my example was a little too simple. Trying to make the point that sometimes buyers get hung up on wrong issue.

The only difference may be due to taxation (you still pay the same amount, but the tax treatment may be different depending on circumstances).
E.g. PDI is considered a SERVICE and the trailer is a capital good. In some places, SERVICES are not taxed. Capital goods (capital gains - although I find it hard to believe purchase of any trailer will appreciate over time ) would be based on the SELLING price of the trailer on the sheet. Overall, you paid the same bottom line; just how the items are treated for taxation may differ.

Not a big deal in most cases.

 

[ncc1701e]

If you are adked to pay for a PDI or to fix anything found at the PDI, find another dealer.

 

[mlburst1]

Our PDI took 3+ hours with a dealership service tech - everything was inspected and tested - bottom line price was 39% off MSRP - pays to shop in November in a cold climate (VA at that time).

 

[JohnD]

Our PDI took 3+ hours with a dealership service tech - everything was inspected and tested - bottom line price was 39% off MSRP - pays to shop in November in a cold climate (VA at that time).

We bought our previous 2013 Heartland Trail Runner in September (at the end of the camping season) . . .

Eight months of the manufacturer's warranty was already wasted before we even used the trailer on a real campout.

Big mistake . . .

 

[pegmikef]

Three Heartlands and never heard of such a charge. In fact Phil, owner of place I have bought mine told me he paid his techs 25 bucks extra to do the walk throughs when I complimented him on how thorough the PDIs were. He said it gives them an additional incentive to be thorough. The only warranty work I have had done on any of the rigs was on an aftermarket A/C I had them add and that was a factory defect.

 

[justafordguy]

I paid nothing for our last PDI and that is exactly what it was worth. The kid only spent about 10 minutes showing us around and I knew way more about the new unit then he did.

 

[Westwind]

Sometimes a dealer will take advantage of the fact that the purchaser has owned RV or RV's in the past and is familiar with how they operate and do a minimal walk through at purchase time and let the new purchaser do the PDI. I would not sign any paperwork until you have finished the PDI and gone over the problems you might have found with the dealer. It might prevent some heartache, the problem is that that's when dealers get really antsy. They want that signature and the check.
I have nothing but good things to say about my 1st dealer but he did pull a fast one and got my signature and check before PDI - the second didn't, I knew better, but by then I had owned a RV for 10 years and knew the ropes.

 

[JohnD]

It is like I said above . . .

We all probably paid for the PDI whether we realize it or not . . . it just wasn't itemized on the invoice as such.

 

[danemayer]

If a dealer wants to add a line item to your bill, breaking out a charge for PDI, he might as well call it "ADP". I first ran into that acronym in the early 1970s gas crisis. Honda Civics were in high demand and some dealers had a $1500 ADP line item on the sticker. It stood for Additional Dealer Profit.

The bottom line price is what matters. Dealers adding a charge for PDI may be doing so in order to advertise a lower price for the RV. They get you in the door with the low price but the drive off the lot price is higher.

If the bottom line price is better than the dealer who doesn't charge extra for PDI, it seems like walking away would be biting off your nose to spite your face. Why would you feel better paying more somewhere else? If the dealer wants $500 for a PDI, adjust your offer to take that into account.

 

[Bob&Patty]

I would call HL and ask if they pay the dealer for the PDI. It has always been my understanding that HL pays the dealer for it.

 

[OEFVET]

It just doesn't seem right.

 

[Mburtsvt]

Team:

I’ll keep everyone up to date as I go along. I have been in email contact with 4 dealers so far. The first one I will be making personal contact with is the closest, (160 miles away), this Thursday. Unfortunately its also the one who wants $1379 for the PDI. It’s also, when I requested the Landmark 365 MSRP sheet, they sent me one from 2012! Now I know this would turn off a prospective buyer, but their stupidity is my fuel. It helps when you know more than the dealer.

I have been researching my upcoming purchase for the last two years! This and a few other forums have been a big help in establishing the understanding of whats involved in purchasing an RV. It’s been over five years since my last one. I never felt I ever got a good deal. That ends now.


Our goal is to order a new Landmark Madison - site unseen! I know - risky move, but we, (wife and I), have seen so many Bighorn 3750FL’s and GD 379FL’s in the last 2 years that moving up to the Landmark Madison was just a simple extension of the upper end RV spectrum.


Our goal is for an end of year delivery. I do agree with a few other post - not buying “off the lot” will lower the over all percent off of MSRP, ( now that I have the correct sheet). All I need is a fulfillment dealer who understands that.

 

[Gaffer]

Ditto

Correct answer!

 

[Mburtsvt]

Our PDI took 3+ hours with a dealership service tech - everything was inspected and tested - bottom line price was 39% off MSRP - pays to shop in November in a cold climate (VA at that time).

That’s my thought as well. I project delivery in late December. Hopefully the dealer gets the additional sale before end of year. I sure they understand why thats important. We will be moving it down to California after a 1-2 week "break in”.

 

[rxbristol]

If a dealer wants to add a line item to your bill, breaking out a charge for PDI, he might as well call it "ADP". I first ran into that acronym in the early 1970s gas crisis. Honda Civics were in high demand and some dealers had a $1500 ADP line item on the sticker. It stood for Additional Dealer Profit.

The bottom line price is what matters. Dealers adding a charge for PDI may be doing so in order to advertise a lower price for the RV. They get you in the door with the low price but the drive off the lot price is higher.

If the bottom line price is better than the dealer who doesn't charge extra for PDI, it seems like walking away would be biting off your nose to spite your face. Why would you feel better paying more somewhere else? If the dealer wants $500 for a PDI, adjust your offer to take that into account.

I like it, Dan, I've always negotiated based on the bottom line. I've noted that dealerships move numbers around for tax advantages.

 

[danemayer]

not buying “off the lot” will lower the over all percent off of MSRP, ( now that I have the correct sheet). All I need is a fulfillment dealer who understands that.

You know, I never understood the argument that buying off the lot should get a lower price than ordering. With an order, the dealer has zero carrying cost. His cost of placing an order, receiving and prepping the unit, etc. should all be the same. But with a unit sitting around, someone has to pay the cost of an expensive item sitting around waiting to be sold.

I do understand the idea that dealers are motivated to sell the unit that's on the lot and might be more willing to sell at a lower price. But it always seemed to me that once they understand that you're not buying the unit off the lot, no matter what, you can move on to having a discussion about dealer costs. That should result in agreement that it's less costly to them to place an order.

By the way, I've had a similar discussion with car dealers many times. Cost of a car at the beginning of the model year is the same as the cost at the end of the model year. Sometimes there are distributor or manufacturer discounts added at end of year. But apart from that, it always made sense to me to buy at the beginning of the model year and pay as though it was the end of the year.

 

[pegmikef]

and one thing Dan didn't mention is that the dealer has no "floor plan" expense and in the case of both the units I ordered, my dealer wanted 10 percent up front so he really had no skin on the game. This was after we had negotiated the price and my trade in. My dealer indicated that he could be more liberal on special orders because of this. I have always dealt with the owner so that cut his sales expense as well. I know both were considerably less than the MSRP. I once heard that the definition of a good deal is when both parties walk away happy. I was happy.

 

[Mburtsvt]

You know, I never understood the argument that buying off the lot should get a lower price than ordering. With an order, the dealer has zero carrying cost. His cost of placing an order, receiving and prepping the unit, etc. should all be the same. But with a unit sitting around, someone has to pay the cost of an expensive item sitting around waiting to be sold.

I do understand the idea that dealers are motivated to sell the unit that's on the lot and might be more willing to sell at a lower price. But it always seemed to me that once they understand that you're not buying the unit off the lot, no matter what, you can move on to having a discussion about dealer costs. That should result in agreement that it's less costly to them to place an order.

By the way, I've had a similar discussion with car dealers many times. Cost of a car at the beginning of the model year is the same as the cost at the end of the model year. Sometimes there are distributor or manufacturer discounts added at end of year. But apart from that, it always made sense to me to buy at the beginning of the model year and pay as though it was the end of the year.

Agree- There could be a theoretical limits when “lot buy” are better than “special orders “- of course - not many.

Any manufacture could throw down an additional rebate to the dealer to move the unit. MDF, CO-OP, Pack, and other programs add dealer dollars to the unit which in turn lower the dealers (landed) cost. Some of it is passed on to the customer, but not all of it.