Don’t let the “sweet” deals from far away dealers fool you. If something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Out-of-state dealers and RV shows promise the same RV for a lower price, but often they’ll hit you with hidden fees that will drive the price out of your budget range. Even if you get off the lot without breaking the bank, getting maintenance for your RV will be a pain. In-state RV dealers won’t give priority service to your RV. Unless you plan on driving back to where you bought it, you’ll be at the bottom of the list for every Maryland RV dealer.
Beckley’s Camping Center will never charge you hidden fees. Come down to our Maryland RV dealership today and check out our extensive selection of RVs!
Pitfall No. 1: Financing Out-of-State RVs
Financing an RV at an RV show can be a headache. Often, dealers will attempt to lock you in to a binding contract, giving you little flexibility to pay for the RV the way you want to. At Beckley’s Camping Center, we offer flexible financing plans to satisfy your needs. At an RV show, dealers are just trying to flip as many units as possible.
Pitfall No. 2: Maintenance Struggles
When you buy out-of-state, you’re taking a risk with the future maintenance of your new RV. Sometimes, things break. But in-state dealers won’t give you priority service for out-of-state RVs. Unlike car dealers and manufacturers, RV dealers only give priority service to their customers. Buying out-of-state means your RV will be sitting in disrepair for a long time before it gets serviced. Don’t stay at the bottom of the waiting list in Maryland because you bought from an out-of-state dealer.
Pitfall No. 3: Poor RV Prep
When you buy from an RV show, they have to prep the unit on the spot. Often, dealers at RV shows don’t have the necessary supplies, equipment, or technicians, and will end up doing a poor prep job. Without a proper prep before you drive your RV off the lot, you’ll end up with a poorer product. This will end up costing you more money in the future. And with the difficulty getting maintenance in-state for your out-of-state RV, you could be driving more than 500 miles away to fix an issue that wouldn’t have happened in-state.
Pitfall No. 4: Hidden Fees
Two words you’ll never hear at Beckley’s: “processing fee.” All this fee does is line the pockets of sneaky dealers. They’ll also try to stick you with “freight” fees—charging you for bringing the RV to the RV show and prepping fees. RV shows promise low prices because they know they can make it up in additional fees.
Five Questions to Ask a Dealer at an RV Show
If you decide to go to an RV show to purchase your next RV, there are some things you need to ask the dealer. If not, you could end up dealing with some expensive repairs on your new investment.
- Do they provide a complete unit walkthrough if you pick up the unit at the RV show?
- Can you test drive the unit at the show?
- Did the dealer check to see what your tow vehicle was and properly gauge whether you can tow the RV you just bought?
- Did the dealer wash the underside of the unit prior to selling it to you? If they didn’t and it was delivered from the manufacturer during winter or through areas where they salt the roads for ice, there may be irreversible damage done to the frame and underside of your unit. Good luck asking the dealer to cover that after you drive it off the lot.
- Has anyone prepped the unit for you before you drive off the lot with it? And who did the prep? You need certified technicians doing your RV prep before you drive it off the lot. Often, the sales rep at the RV show will try to cut corners and do the prep himself. This is not up to standard.
When you buy an RV from an RV show, your new unit will only be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. While this will replace broken or faulty parts, it won’t cover adjustments that your RV will need over time. Trying to get these adjustments done at local dealerships will be difficult and rack up large labor fees. At RV shows, big dealers only want to make you happy enough to close the sale. At Beckley’s Camping Center, we care about our customers for years after they buy one of our RVs.
Let Beckley’s Take Care of You
At Beckley’s Camping Center, we offer low prices without hidden fees. Our certified maintenance team will prep your RV the right way, making sure it’s ready to go as soon as you drive it off the lot. Don’t trust the RV shows with out-of-state dealers. Let us take care of you.
Contact Beckley’s Camping Center today, or come down to our Maryland RV dealership to check out our selection of RVs.
