Can we comment on speific dealers on here... I have a couple comments and questions concerning an experience at a dealership..I was wondering IF this is the place or should I just bite my tongue and move on.. I thought I had better ask first
Posted 2010-02-26 7:35 PM (#117054 - in reply to #117040) Subject: RE: comments concerning dealers
Veteran
Posts: 231 Location: Illinois
THANK YOU...
I will refrain from mentioning a name.
Ok, I have a friend who is looking for a trailer..we looked on here at a few, found one within 1.5hours and took a drive Thurs morning to go look at it...it is a dealership..this was a used trailer...The ad says VERY CLEAN. Ok, I under stand these are used trailers..and most have been sitting there for quite some time. We can tell because the snow is piled up around them and obviously no one had walked around them in quite a long time ( no tracks) This trailer was disgusting..filthy floor in side, bathroom had post showering "gunk" on the floor, frig was moldy, w/ dryed food. The horse area had manure and bedding piled in corners..obviously it had been there for quite some time.. We looked at a few other trailers..mostly used...same thing, dirty, dusty, one even had a couple items of clothing in one closet..another smelled of the holding tank...we were in it about half a second. EEWWwww
SO, is this standard practice for dealers...do they clean them up when you buy prior to driving off the lot...IF they are serious about selling don't you think they would do all they can to make them presentable to the public They had probably 50 trailers on the lot...2/3 were probably used..several differnt brands, the newer ones were C&C brand...
I have not visited alot of trailer dealerships..but I would think this cannot be the norm...we left and have no desire to ever go back again..
Posted 2010-02-26 7:48 PM (#117055 - in reply to #117040) Subject: RE: comments concerning dealers
Location: KY
Don't think that is the norm. I have looked at many trailers, used and new, and have not seen what you saw. Hope the dealer cleans up their used trailers so they can get some sales.
Posted 2010-02-26 8:30 PM (#117057 - in reply to #117040) Subject: RE: comments concerning dealers
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
TMT... That dirty trailer may have been a trailer taken in on consignment. The dealer probably won't do alot of cleanup on those, just for the owner to change his or her mind about selling and take it back home... All cleaned up!!!
Posted 2010-02-27 3:57 AM (#117062 - in reply to #117040) Subject: RE: comments concerning dealers
Member
Posts: 11
Location: centra,l Illinois
I am shopping for my first lq trailer and have few dealers I want to check out here close to home. Would you please send me a (pm) so I don't waste an afternoon going to that dealership. thank you,
Posted 2010-02-27 8:22 AM (#117067 - in reply to #117040) Subject: RE: comments concerning dealers
Veteran
Posts: 231 Location: Illinois
I had considered the idea of consignment trailers..but everyone of the used trailer were that way..not a single one was cleaned up in anyway shape or form..honestly, everyone was a mess..
Posted 2010-02-27 8:50 AM (#117068 - in reply to #117040) Subject: RE: comments concerning dealers
Veteran
Posts: 214 Location: lyle,mn
When we were trailer shopping I only remember 1 used trailer that smelled like the holding tank. The rest of used trailer were clean. We looked at dealerships in 3 states. It was fun to look at some of the homemade LQ. I remember one trailer when you opened the door to the LQ you had to step/crawl over a couch to get in.
Posted 2010-02-27 9:28 AM (#117069 - in reply to #117040) Subject: RE: comments concerning dealers
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 534 Location: Zionsville, Indiana
There is a new program available to dealers who are members of NATDA. It is called "Certified Pre-Owned" and puts a 90 day warranty on the used trailer. In order to qualify the trailer for this program, the dealer must thoroughly go over the used trailer, repair as needed, and in an LQ trailer, check out and guarantee that all appliances and equipment is in good order, functioning properly. The dealer signs off on the trailer and also pays a premium for this warranty, which is not to be charged to the customer. It should give a buyer of a used trailer some peace of mind. Ask about it when you search. I think it would be safe to assume that if everything was checked out, it would be cleaned too. Maybe not.
Posted 2010-02-27 10:44 AM (#117071 - in reply to #117040) Subject: RE: comments concerning dealers
Location: centrally located amongst the "NUTS"
I have looked at several used trailers at dealerships, never ran into that. Even if it were a consignment, why would you not avoid the opportunity for someone to be able to go around telling of their bad experience. Certainly it is going to cost them more money, in the long run, than paying someone 100 bucks to clean it up, or just not take the consignment. That very well could give someone the impression that you dont take much pride in what you allow to sit on your lot.
Word of mouth is the cheapest advertising you can "buy", if it is good.
Posted 2010-02-27 12:14 PM (#117072 - in reply to #117040) Subject: RE: comments concerning dealers
Member
Posts: 19
Location: Ramona, CA
We are a dealership in southern California. Although we are not a member of NATDA, we always, and I mean ALWAYS, pack the bearings, check the tires and replace if necessary, clean and polish the trailer inside and out and make any minor repairs that should have been done before the trailer came to our dealership. My customers expect a used trailer to look like a new trailer. That's what we give them. And even then, there are people who are hard to please. And the customers don't have to bring it back for problems after they leave.
Posted 2010-02-27 1:04 PM (#117074 - in reply to #117040) Subject: RE: comments concerning dealers
Veteran
Posts: 231 Location: Illinois
You would think that wouldn'tyou...I am just amazed at the whole situation..the odd thing is, they have a fairly decent size building there to pull them into to work on them..you would think that with the midwest weather being what it is they could start pulling them in and getting the ready for the upcoming riding season...Go figure!
I am considering shooting off an e-mail to them and asking / commenting on the whole experience ...any thoughts on that idea..think it would do any good?
Posted 2010-02-27 3:59 PM (#117077 - in reply to #117040) Subject: RE: comments concerning dealers
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
You may be overlooking an ideal situation. Obviously the dealer or consignee has little regard for what he is selling. Other people have disregarded any purchase because of its condition. With no possible sales looming, nor any interest in making the trailer even suitable for sale, it might be an excellent opportunity to find a diamond in the rough.
If mechanically the trailer is in good shape but dirty, some "sweat equity" can change the physical appearance relatively easily. I have purchased automobiles, boats, tools, even a house, that looked less than ideal, and refurbished them to better standards, less expensively than new equivalents.
Offer the dealer a low ball figure, $5K or more under his asking price. After he stops ranting and posturing and considers his options, which up to now are nill, he may consider your offer. You and your best friend, can turn a working weekend of cleaning and polishing, into a very lucrative employment.
Not everything has to be spit shined to be a good product. Check the mechanicals, and imagine the rest. Turn the trailer into whatever you want of it.
Posted 2010-02-27 11:30 PM (#117083 - in reply to #117077) Subject: RE: comments concerning dealers
Expert
Posts: 2614
That's good advice,Gard.If they don't have too much pride in how it looks sitting on their lot,then,they shouldn't be too proud to consider that lowball offer on one of them.That's just my opinion,but,it's obvious that nobody else is looking at those rigs too much.We bought a nice 4Star,as you know,at the right price,FOR SURE.she said she would clean it up before we came to get it.That wasn't my idea,it was hers.I guess her idea of cleaning isn't what mine is,however.The back looked like she'd just unloaded 4 horses out of it,and,had never cleaned out the sawdust.(yes,SAWDUST.) About an hour with a pressure nozzle on the end of the hose took care of that,and,I was just as glad to get this nice trailer that was dirty as I would have been if it were clean.For the money,heck,I didn't mind!
Posted 2010-02-28 8:47 AM (#117091 - in reply to #117040) Subject: RE: comments concerning dealers
Member
Posts: 9
Location: texoma, ok
If you think that the fee charged the dealer for being certified pre-owned is free and not passed on to the buyer, you are dreaming. It has a value if you want a warranty, but to stay in business, the dealer cannot eat it.
Posted 2010-02-28 1:46 PM (#117101 - in reply to #117040) Subject: RE: comments concerning dealers
Veteran
Posts: 231 Location: Illinois
Oh so true Gard...thanks for the advise on dealing with this particular business...my friend has decide to move past it..find something else..even if it means traveling further. and I couldn't agree more.
There is no such thing as FREE...the money involved in doing a "pre-certified" anything is going to be tacked onto the purchase price.. and I would guess , the time and cost involved in the clean up also is added to the price...
Thanks to all who commented, I appreciate the opinions from a different view point
Posted 2010-03-01 8:17 AM (#117124 - in reply to #117040) Subject: RE: comments concerning dealers
Regular
Posts: 69 Location: NW Florida
In the quality world, there is also the concept of the "coffee stain." The idea goes something like this - you get on an airplane (let's make it the first flight of the day), you lower the food tray, and there's a big, old coffee stain that no one has cleaned up. You wonder what else was overlooked in the maintenance of the aircraft just as you are about to take off....I, too, was surprised by some of the used trailers I saw. Nothing that filthy, though!
Posted 2010-03-03 9:07 AM (#117202 - in reply to #117040) Subject: RE: comments concerning dealers
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 534 Location: Zionsville, Indiana
Long before the "Certified Pre-Owned" concept came along, we routinely put used trailers in our shop, whether they were consigned or belonged to us, and brought them up to the standards that we required - clean, everything working. Adding a mere $50.00 fee (living quarter units are a bit higher)to the expense incurred in doing this does not significantly affect the selling price of the trailer, and it adds a degree of comfort for both the buyer and the seller.
Posted 2010-03-03 2:07 PM (#117214 - in reply to #117202) Subject: RE: comments concerning dealers
Veteran
Posts: 123 Location: Indiana
It would make sense for any dealer to go through their used units, especially this time of year when there is a lot of down time. Its a good way to keep the service department busy and any charges can just go into the cost of the unit. Just curious, have you gone back and made a low ball offer? What was the result?
comments concerning dealers
Can we comment on speific dealers on here... I have a couple comments and questions concerning an experience at a dealership..I was wondering IF this is the place or should I just bite my tongue and move on.. I thought I had better ask first 
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