Earnest $ before negotiations? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Grannadi · RV-Dreams Community Member

Earnest $ before negotiations?

bigredoes · RV-Dreams Family Member

Move on.....

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

I agree with Greg and Jean. Tell this salesman that you're going on the the next dealership. This tactic is nothing but nonsense. I've purchased three different RV's and priced a number at a number of other dealerships and have never encountered this tactic. If they have to "get your earnest money" in order to negotiate, you might find yourself in a situation where they wouldn't return your earnest money, thus possibly causing you to feel like you had to trade so as to not lose your money.

I don't normally try to be tacky very often, but in this case, I believe I'd call him a used car salesman and walk out. Just don't give up any of your keys. (I've had to deal with that one as well.)

Terry

SnowGypsy · RV-Dreams Family Member

We've bought 6 of our RVs at dealerships and never had this happen. I think Terry is right and although you may get your money back, it won't be easy. Once they see "green" and get their hands on it, you'll have to have it surgically removed from their hands. In a way, this seems familiar but I do think it was with a used car once the "to show my manager you're serious". Now, if I were calling at a distance and they wanted some sort of deposit to hold it, that would be a different story. The old take it to the manager and how the salesman is working for you, trying to get you that deal like the two of you are best friends, a ploy older than dirt.

Grannadi · RV-Dreams Community Member

Thanks for your comments. That sounded "fishy" to me, also. They just lost themselves a couple of great customers!

el Rojo and Pam · RV-Dreams Family Member

For me the quality of the dealership is as important as the sales price, unless its a "as is" deal and you wont be going back after the sale. With that said I'd take the title with me at closing and do the paper work myself. I have to feel good about a deal to close on it.....this would make me run.

Now if it's the perfect rig and the price is right just deal with the sales mgr.

GENECOP · RV-Dreams Family Member

What the heck is Earnest $.......Am I the only one who has no idea what the dealer is talking about?

Dog Folks · RV-Dreams Family Member

Two words for the salesman: Bye, Bye.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Gene,

Earnest money is more likely to be involved with purchasing a home. If one puts an offer on a home based on a listing in the real estate listings, then one may be required to put down a "deposit" called "earnest money" to show that one's offer for the home is "earnest."

In a "previous life," I was even a car salesman for a few months and was involved with sales for a lot of years and I've never heard of this being done with an RV or other vehicle.

Many times, the "earnest money" doesn't have to be much more than a few hundred dollars on a home, so if the seller refuses the offer, the buyer gets their earnest money back. With car sales, I have had an occasion when I almost had to threaten to call the police if the "sales manager - or whomever had them" didn't get me my car keys back after they had evaluated my trade-in vehicle. I even heard a story of a salesman at a car dealership throwing the customers keys up on the roof of the dealership in an effort to "force" them to trade for the new car. That is why I expressed concern that the RV dealer might be "reluctant" to return any earnest money.

Terry

BVC · RV-Dreams Family Member

I think this is an old car salesman trick. Many years ago (25) I was buying a brand new Dodge Dakota and the salesman offered a super price and then wanted a few bucks from me to show the sales manager I was a serious buyer. Well, it was a scam to get me to not leave since he had my cash and he could push real hard to sell me at a higher price. I had to get very upset before they finally handed my money back. I did go a couple of towns away and bought one at a different dealer. They were eventually sued by the Illinois Attorney General for their sales tactics and finally went out of business. My suggestion is also to run!

Hdrider · RV-Dreams Family Member

Are you sure it's not a deposit to hold the RV until you get there? I could see that but it should be 100% refundable if you don't like the rig. We in fact have a deposit on a rig to hold it right now until we get there in about three weeks. We also had a deposit on one a few weeks back that we walked away from and got our deposit back.

Grannadi · RV-Dreams Community Member

Thanks everyeone for your input. The $ was not a deposit to hold the RV since we think it's overpriced for a 2013 model. We were trying to get the salesman to get back to us on an offer for our trade-in as a starting point. We hadn't even begun to talk price on the RV. The salesman told me they don't do business that way- well, we don't do business their way, either. Guess they lost a sale!

Hdrider · RV-Dreams Family Member

Grannadi wrote:
Thanks everyeone for your input. The $ was not a deposit to hold the RV since we think it's overpriced for a 2013 model. We were trying to get the salesman to get back to us on an offer for our trade-in as a starting point. We hadn't even begun to talk price on the RV. The salesman told me they don't do business that way- well, we don't do business their way, either. Guess they lost a sale!

Then I guess I would give a little chuckle and walk as well.

two 4 the road · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hdrider wrote:
Are you sure it's not a deposit to hold the RV until you get there? I could see that but it should be 100% refundable if you don't like the rig. We in fact have a deposit on a rig to hold it right now until we get there in about three weeks. We also had a deposit on one a few weeks back that we walked away from and got our deposit back.

3 weeks?! Wow! I have yet to come across a dealer who would hold for longer than 7 days! I called RVs for Less in TN, because I had been told that they have a great reputation and even they have a NON-REFUNDABLE $1,000 deposit to hold a unit. I do not understand this sort of policy. I would never place a non-refundable deposit on something sight unseen.

Hdrider · RV-Dreams Family Member

two 4 the road wrote:
Hdrider wrote:
Are you sure it's not a deposit to hold the RV until you get there? I could see that but it should be 100% refundable if you don't like the rig. We in fact have a deposit on a rig to hold it right now until we get there in about three weeks. We also had a deposit on one a few weeks back that we walked away from and got our deposit back.
3 weeks?! Wow! I have yet to come across a dealer who would hold for longer than 7 days! I called RVs for Less in TN, because I had been told that they have a great reputation and even they have a NON-REFUNDABLE $1,000 deposit to hold a unit. I do not understand this sort of policy. I would never place a non-refundable deposit on something sight unseen.

Well in this situation the deposit is on a rig they have coming in on trade that is not even on the lot yet. In fact it still isn't there so they may only be holding in for a matter of days.

SnowGypsy · RV-Dreams Family Member

I can understand requiring a non-refundable deposit to hold something since there is the possibility of losing a sale to another individual. They want to know you are serious about coming because I'm guessing a lot of people never show up. Highly desirable units go quickly.

Usually when making a trade on another unit, passenger or RV, I don't think they have a value on your trade so much as the package of the unit you are buying and the one you are trading. If a unit is more difficult to get rid of, that definitely plays into the values.