How long on forecourt?? (1 Viewer)

[coullp]

We are looking to buy a motorhome. Today we put an offer in for a very nice van, which was turned down.
I have since found out that the dealer has the mh since at least May 2012. Now I'm not sure if I want it, even if he does accept our offer. Surely it can't do a motorhome any good sitting on a forecourt for over a year? Am I right or am I being over cautious??

 

[ShiftZZ]

He may be selling it on behalf of the owner.

 

[rainbow chasers]

Many motorhomes sit on forecourts for some time. Many cars sit on forecourts for many months, and they move far faster than motorhomes. A year for a stock item I would not consider unusual. Some will sell quickly, others will not. Depends on the size of the dealer really.

Another thing to consider whn thinking about motorhomes laying about. There are many owners who may only get away for a week or two a year some years due top things going on in their lives - makes no difference where it is sat. On a drive or forecourt - it is still sat there!

You can use the motorhome hanging about as a bargaining chip if the vehicle is good, and there is no glaringly obvious reasons for it being there for a while. He probably doesn't want to budge as the season is just beginning really. By say, August it will probably be managers special.

Also, another thing to consider - if the dealer is a national....how many branches has it passed through? You never know! Motorhomes hang around - they are large investments, and it has been during a recession. I wouldn't discount it totally - but do think smart and see what else you can get/discounts with it to sweeten the deal.

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[TheDogMan]

You can find brand new ones that are 10/11/&12 on sale all the time

 

[tofo]

We are looking to buy a motorhome. Today we put an offer in for a very nice van, which was turned down.
I have since found out that the dealer has the mh since at least May 2012. Now I'm not sure if I want it, even if he does accept our offer. Surely it can't do a motorhome any good sitting on a forecourt for over a year? Am I right or am I being over cautious??

our van stood on our drive for
over a year when i retired
due to illness

no problems so far
we are just beginning to use it again

:thumb::thumb::thumb:

 

[PP Bear]

You could consider the secondhand market. I did my homework and saved a small fortune in the process, enough to buy a warranty if needed for peace of mind and still have plenty left over

It's not for everyone as some people feel more secure with dealers, but it's an option

There's a good dealer on here as a Funster, why not check out his stock list and see what he's got and then chat to him, keeps it all inhouse and what better than to buy from a fellow Funster

John Cross, as advertised in the right hand column:thumb:

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[rainbow chasers]

Got one outside ready to go for MOT! Still has two years warranty on it and private sale due to ill health - very nice example too!

So they are dinfinitely out there!

 

[Ridgeway]

Actually this was my approach to negotiating a good deal. After we found out that our local MH supplier had 2 similar vans in stock and that one had been there since August 2012 (amazing what you can find out from the receptionist) it was just game of seeing how much they wanted to sell it. Also I got the VIN and sent it to the manufacturer just to make sure that it was this years model or that would have cost them a few more quid.....

Sadly they wanted to sell it too much and I now have no money as usual

Try to get as much data as possible and then decide what you're happy to pay. Last years model will go for a lower price as will any marks on the van itself if it were on display.

 

[coullp]

Many thanks for everyone's reply.
I'm slightly unsure of how to procede as he seemed to take great umbrage at my offer (which was within £2,000 of his asking price on a >£40k van) and didn't even ask for our details.

In any event there's plenty of other MH's out there!

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[TheBig1]

if you offered £2k less on £40k asking most dealers would bite your hand off. Walk away knowing that you can now narrow your search to that make and model or very similar from elsewhere. money talks as they say

 

[vwalan]

i would go back .make out your dead kean then offer 5 grand less . its all good fun .

 

[Ridgeway]

i would go back .make out your dead kean then offer 5 grand less . its all good fun .

I agree, 5% discount under such circumstances isn't enough.

Look around and only go back after some weeks, if it's till there then remind that your offer was for 2 wks only and it is now 4k less.

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[gradyp]

It's difficult to be firm with salesmen ,, next week I pick up my 1st van. The van was up for 27k and eventually I got it for 24k , full service for van and base vehicle , 12 month ticket , 6 month tax and a couple of cosmetic jobs.
It was hard to get the van for the price I was willing to pay. I carried a number of print outs for other vans at different dealers , I made sure the salesman saw the print outs , I kept the negotiations on a happy footing but keep in your head he is not your friend he is a salesman trying to earn money.
Do not be afraid to offer way below if they can not sell it for that then they will not sell it you if they can not then they will not there are plenty of vans out there it is a buyers market.
Next week you will see the perfect van for you
Keep looking and do not pay over the odds

 

[rainbow chasers]

Many thanks for everyone's reply.
I'm slightly unsure of how to procede as he seemed to take great umbrage at my offer (which was within £2,000 of his asking price on a >£40k van) and didn't even ask for our details.

In any event there's plenty of other MH's out there!

If he is being like that, I would walk! Seriously!

He obviously wants it more than you do - if he won't sell it to you for a 2k discount and it has been on the forecourt that long, it would ring alarm bells to me. He MAY have paid over the odds on trade-in. He MAY have spent alot of money on it preparing or repairing it, which means he cannot afford to discount.

Of course, he may just be and Ar**! If he cannot be bothered to sell it, then you have every right non being bothered to buy it.

Plenty more out there - when I bought mine, it was up for £26995. I managed to get the salesman to drop it to £25,000 ....i then got him to call his boss at home - about three of four times! £18,995 was the final price! One of my better and boldest haggling days.:thumb:

 

[Allanm]

We just bought a new Autosleeper from a dealer in Kent. It had been in the showroom for 4 days and was exactly what we wanted. We asked if we could buy that one and we got it, without even trying, for £3500 less than the ticket price, and that included registration, 12 months tax and a bottle of champagne.
I don't know where in Kent you were trying to buy yours, but we got ours from a dealer just outside Canterbury on the A28. Excellent service all round.
Allan

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[ourcampersbeentrashed]

if its a make and model you like, hunt around, there may be some being sold privately.

post what you are looking for on here, a funster somewhere is bound to see one for sale at some point.

 

[Ali n Tim]

We just bought a new Autosleeper from a dealer in Kent. It had been in the showroom for 4 days and was exactly what we wanted. We asked if we could buy that one and we got it, without even trying, for £3500 less than the ticket price, and that included registration, 12 months tax and a bottle of champagne.
I don't know where in Kent you were trying to buy yours, but we got ours from a dealer just outside Canterbury on the A28. Excellent service all round.
Allan

We bought ours from there as well. Very good service! :thumb: