Sales person/RV dealership recommendations?

[JandVcruise2018]

I have a busy work schedule and limited time. I live in Santa Rosa, CA. My wife and I are looking at 5ers. With so many RV places, most at least 2 hours away, it will take a long time for us to see lots of selection. And I can already tell how shady the business is. I have been in the auto body business 10 years and have worked for several auto dealerships so its not an unfamiliar experience. I just don't want to waste our valuable time going to the wrong places. I'll talk to anyone good. Even out of the area or state. Any suggestions?

[seagrace]

I recommend Rowley-White in Arizona. Not shady.

[bikendan]

IBcarguy wrote:

bikendan wrote:

IBcarguy wrote:
I also recommend going to the RV show in Pleasanton. Figure out what features you want, do your homework to select the make and model you are interested in. As far as dealers go, you'll be a lot better equipped to deal with them if you know exactly which rig you want. I've bought from 3 different dealers in northern CA and believe me, it wasn't a great experience at any of them, especially Best RV in Turlock. Terrible dealer.
Like others have said, this takes time and effort.

Yep, Best RV has some of the best prices on the West Coast BUT they have a terrible after the sale reputation.
I also didn't like their sales tactics.

If you're comfortable doing your own warranty work, then you might want to check them out.

Their sales tactics are a product of the manager's sleezy, slam dunk way of doing business. Everything you read about this jerk in the reviews is correct. In spite of this guy, people seem to still do business there.

it's because they have the best prices on Rockwoods, on the West Coast.

when we shopped there, back in 2006, i asked if they would come within $2k of a Midwest dealer's price.
the sales manager refused and dared me to go ahead and drive to the Midwest, if i wanted a better price.

so i did and saved over $4k even after trip costs.
and FR found me local dealers willing to do warranty work. one didn't even sell FR products.

[IBcarguy]

bikendan wrote:

IBcarguy wrote:
I also recommend going to the RV show in Pleasanton. Figure out what features you want, do your homework to select the make and model you are interested in. As far as dealers go, you'll be a lot better equipped to deal with them if you know exactly which rig you want. I've bought from 3 different dealers in northern CA and believe me, it wasn't a great experience at any of them, especially Best RV in Turlock. Terrible dealer.
Like others have said, this takes time and effort.

Yep, Best RV has some of the best prices on the West Coast BUT they have a terrible after the sale reputation.
I also didn't like their sales tactics.

If you're comfortable doing your own warranty work, then you might want to check them out.

Their sales tactics are a product of the manager's sleezy, slam dunk way of doing business. Everything you read about this jerk in the reviews is correct. In spite of this guy, people seem to still do business there.

[JandVcruise2018]

jplante4 wrote:
Your best bet is to hit a show. Lots of models to compare all in the same place. There's one in Pleasanton this week.

Cal Shows

Thank you! Yea, we went to that show last weekend. Its a good one. I am leaning towards a Grand Design Solitude. But I want to see some used units. Not much around for inventory in the area. Everything is in the "snowbird" areas.

[JandVcruise2018]

malexander wrote:

JandVcruise2018 wrote:
I have a busy work schedule and limited time. I live in Santa Rosa, CA. My wife and I are looking at 5ers. With so many RV places, most at least 2 hours away, it will take a long time for us to see lots of selection. And I can already tell how shady the business is. I have been in the auto body business 10 years and have worked for several auto dealerships so its not an unfamiliar experience. I just don't want to waste our valuable time going to the wrong places. I'll talk to anyone good. Even out of the area or state. Any suggestions?

I don't mean to sound sarcastic, but. If you've "been in the business" and know how shady people are, you should be able to see this right away in a dealer/sales person.

And, if you're that short on time, how are you going to have time to use an RV?

So whats your problem? Nothing better to do then be negitive on peoples fourm posts? Why don't you think of a positive way to help people instead?

[Lwiddis]

OP on Jan. 11 - “I have a busy work schedule and limited time.”

OP on Jan. 6 - “We will be traveling as much as possible and possibly moving around a lot. We will at leat go to various national parks on the weekend. Over Thanksgiving we drove to Vagas and Bryce Caynon in Utah. We drove for 14 hours home the last day. Another 3 day weekend we went to Reno and Bodie. We tent camped near Bodie and spent the last day driving through the mountians. In June we were living in Florida. I got a job offer here in Santa Rosa. We sold everything we couldnt fit into a Tacoma (short bed) with a cap. We drove to Mesa Verde in Colorado, Then to the Grand Caynon, then to Seattle which was about 8 days on the road. Then we hopped on a 7 day cruise to Alaska, then drove 2 more days down here to Santa Rosa. We just got back from 10 days in Costa Rica on Monday. We also went to Mexico and Honduras last year before we moved... we are planning on going everywhere!!!”

Busy and limited?

[windinmyface2]

mobeewan wrote:

malexander wrote:

JandVcruise2018 wrote:
I have a busy work schedule and limited time. I live in Santa Rosa, CA. My wife and I are looking at 5ers. With so many RV places, most at least 2 hours away, it will take a long time for us to see lots of selection. And I can already tell how shady the business is. I have been in the auto body business 10 years and have worked for several auto dealerships so its not an unfamiliar experience. I just don't want to waste our valuable time going to the wrong places. I'll talk to anyone good. Even out of the area or state. Any suggestions?

I don't mean to sound sarcastic, but ...

... And, if you're that short on time, how are you going to have time to use an RV?

Yes you do mean to. He has limited time and is looking for suggestions, none of which you gave. Yes, he should be able to identify shady sales people, but that could only be done after meeting them in person, so therefore wasting time he doesn't have. And lastly, finding time to use an RV, it's called vacation.

-where is the LIKE BUTTON

[mobeewan]

malexander wrote:

JandVcruise2018 wrote:
I have a busy work schedule and limited time. I live in Santa Rosa, CA. My wife and I are looking at 5ers. With so many RV places, most at least 2 hours away, it will take a long time for us to see lots of selection. And I can already tell how shady the business is. I have been in the auto body business 10 years and have worked for several auto dealerships so its not an unfamiliar experience. I just don't want to waste our valuable time going to the wrong places. I'll talk to anyone good. Even out of the area or state. Any suggestions?

I don't mean to sound sarcastic, but ...

... And, if you're that short on time, how are you going to have time to use an RV?

Yes you do mean to. He has limited time and is looking for suggestions, none of which you gave. Yes, he should be able to identify shady sales people, but that could only be done after meeting them in person, so therefore wasting time he doesn't have. And lastly, finding time to use an RV, it's called vacation.

[bluie5]

Like kerrlakeRoo mentioned use the internet and search dealer inventory from home. That way you have an idea about what units dealers have on the lot to look at before driving a long way. You can probably find reviews about sales and services provided by the dealers.

[bikendan]

IBcarguy wrote:
I also recommend going to the RV show in Pleasanton. Figure out what features you want, do your homework to select the make and model you are interested in. As far as dealers go, you'll be a lot better equipped to deal with them if you know exactly which rig you want. I've bought from 3 different dealers in northern CA and believe me, it wasn't a great experience at any of them, especially Best RV in Turlock. Terrible dealer.
Like others have said, this takes time and effort.

Yep, Best RV has some of the best prices on the West Coast BUT they have a terrible after the sale reputation.
I also didn't like their sales tactics.

If you're comfortable doing your own warranty work, then you might want to check them out.

[IBcarguy]

I also recommend going to the RV show in Pleasanton. Figure out what features you want, do your homework to select the make and model you are interested in. As far as dealers go, you'll be a lot better equipped to deal with them if you know exactly which rig you want. I've bought from 3 different dealers in northern CA and believe me, it wasn't a great experience at any of them, especially Best RV in Turlock. Terrible dealer.
Like others have said, this takes time and effort.

[donn0128]

If your interested in Northwood products, call Thunder RV in LaGrande,OR. They over the years have gotten good reviews. Also Apache Camping center in Portland has been good.

[Lynnmor]

Of course if you read reviews on the internet, they will always give great information. I did that and bought the best trailer from the greatest dealer around. The purchase turned out to be the absolute worse purchase decision of my life. You need to do the work and find the product that has the best possibility of meeting your expectations.

[jplante4]

Your best bet is to hit a show. Lots of models to compare all in the same place. There's one in Pleasanton this week.

Cal Shows