About to take the big leap. Can you negotiate a better deal buying one off lot than if you order just exactly what you want? Thanks all..

I think it depends. In our case (see signature), our 2004 Mobile Suites 36RE3 was the last 2004 on the lot with the dealer's shipment of 2005s in transit, so he was anxious to move it.

On an order, however, the dealer doesn't have any floor plan expenses in the unit from sitting on the lot for months, etc. It's basically just receive it, prep it, do the walkthrough, collect the money and it's gone. The situation may be different if it's a high-demand RV and the dealer has an annual allotment, however. In that case, he won't want to use one of his valuable allotment slots on a low-profit sale.

So, as I said, it all depends.

Rusty

Rusty is right on, as usual. We ordered ours for early season delivery and got a very good deal by offering a substantial deposit up front and the cash balance on delivery. That allowed us to get exactly what we wanted and the dealer got a no risk profit.

Both of these posts are correct! Many dealers will try and use the special orders to build in extra profit by making it sound as though they are doing you a favor, but the only time a unit on the lot can be sold as low priced as on that is special ordered is when it is year end and the manufacturer has discounted it to the dealer, or when the dealer is at the end of the floor plan pricing and must sell it at any price to move it out before he starts to pay interest on it. The best deals are from the internet sellers who do not keep any stock at all.

I think the best way to buy is to shop around for the make/model(s) you want. Then go to the nearest dealer and test drive/etc. Then get online and find out all the dealers who sell the model you want. Then go price shopping on their 1-800 numbers and on line. If you have a trade-in, it a little harder, but it can still be done, I did it. IMHO s/Toby

docD, It all depends, usually left over models from a previous year and especially if the dealer as new models coming in, you normally can do better on price. Ed. S

Like the others, I don't think that you can generalize and say one will always produce a better deal than the other. Some dealers don't discount very deeply as a matter of policy anyway, but even then timing will affect what they are willing to do. The best thing you can do to get a good price is to shop around and let the dealers know that you are doing so. If there offer is not as good as another dealer elsewhere, tell them so. If there is a dealer you prefer to do business with, you can often get them to match another's deal, or at least come close to it.

The main reason to customm order is to et exactly what you want in a rig. It is too big an investment to accept one on the lot that is "almost" right. If the dealer has one he really wants to move, he will ofer you a price incentive to take what he has rather than order. Then you can decide if the difference in equipment or floor plan is worth the price difference.