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| Van towing 18' Cuddy |
The houseboat, called Big Duck,
The downside of Big Duck is that at 12,000 lbs, she requires concentration on the road, and even though we have addressed getting my handicapped wife aboard while camping it's getting to be more and more of a chore for me.
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| There's a hand ratchet that raises her up to deck level on land or in the water. |
While some folks like to go big, my goal has always been to find the smallest item possible to get the job done. One result of this small directive was a 27' sailboat that we lived aboard for 3 years -but that's another story.
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| We spent hurricane seasons working and cruised the rest of the year for 3 years |
I checked out a couple local RV places, canvassing the inventory myself to get a feel for what was available. I found a used trailer at the first place that was the right size but really didn't speak to me. I dug up a salesman and told him what I was looking for and what I'd found. He quickly advised that this was the only unit that was available in my configuration and they couldn't keep them on the lot.
"What are you towing with?"
I told him a one ton van that we used for our second Alaska trip that we were currently using to tow a 12,000 lb houseboat.
"You'll need a brake controller."
I have one.
"You'll probably want an equalizing hitch."
Really, with a one ton van - I didn't need one with my 12,000 lb houseboat?
"Also sway control, marine battery, have the propane tank filled and and and."
He hadn't heard a word I'd said, he was just gong through his routine.
At the second place while I was looking at a couple trailers a yard hand asked if I needed help. He said although he was not a salesman he would be glad to show me a couple trailers and even sell me one if I was ready to buy. I told him that it appears all the trailers I was interested in are open and I'd just poke around. He said there was a very nice used one, but it was kept locked.
As we approached the used one, he pulled out a key and I found out why it was kept locked. The lock was jammed - looked like someone tried to get in with a screwdriver. Thanks anyway.
The third place was larger and specialized in motorhomes. A salesman was on me before the door behind me had time to close. "What can I help you with today?"
I said I was looking for a trailer 20' or less and...
He stopped me at that point and as the dollar signs disappeared from his eyes he said, "I've got a phone call in 15 minutes so I'll hand you off to another salesman."
The 'low dollar' salesman was friendly, knowledgeable, honest and sincere. He introduced me to the Wolf Pup which turned out to be exactly the trailer I was looking for. I needed to do a little more research before I was willing to pull the trigger so I went home and priced them online. This guy was right in line with a couple places that posted prices for the same unit. My wife Suzy had not yet seen the trailer (she's in a wheel chair and we need to orchestrate her outings) so I returned a day later and had the salesman fill out all the paperwork, including the loan papers, so we'd be ready when I could finally get my wife to the dealership to see the trailer. The next day I was advised that everything was in order and all I had to do was come in and sign a few more papers - the payments would be $130/mo.
Before I could get my wife to my local dealership I got an email from a salesman 440 miles away offering me the same trailer for $2,700 less. My first reaction was that it was a bogus offer and the 'extras' would put the price right up to what I'd been quoted locally.
I responded to the 440 mile away offer asking them to write up the trailer showing the 'drive it off the lot' price. The response still showed a savings of $2,700. This made me kind of mad that my local dealer was trying to fleece me. I sent the 440 mile quote to my local guy and told him if he could beat it by $100 I'd pick up his trailer as soon as he could have it ready. The local dealer responded that he couldn't come near that price and I should be wary of remote deals like the one I was considering.
Still a little mad at my local guy, I told the 440 mile salesman I'd like to send a deposit. He told me not to worry about sending money, the trailer already had my name on it. Just show up with a drivers license and an insurance card in about 3 days and I would be able to take the trailer home. The salesman said a guy from the service department would call me to make an appointment for a 'Walk Thru" of the trailer prior to signing the papers. I thought to myself, "This is going to be easy."
The service guy called, suggesting he had appointments available Friday (in 3 days), one at 1pm and one at 3pm. Thinking about the drive up which I anticipated at about 9 hours, I opted for the 3pm appointment but told my wife we needed to be there by 1. This would mean we'd need to be on the road by 4am, so I told my wife we'd be getting up at 3:00. To my amazement, we were on the road by 4:30.
We made one stop for potty for my dog Merlin and one stop for gas on the way up. Suzy was an absolute trooper on the road requiring minimal stops. The trip took only 7 hours, not the 9 I had planned. We arrived at noon because I forgot to figure the time zone hour we'd gain. I knew our arrival would be early but because I hate phones, I decided we'd just take what lay ahead when we arrived early.
Suzy stayed in the van while I went in the dealership to advise of our arrival. This place was huge, I might have guessed a square mile of and GM 's, and RV's of every nature.They had Vets and Jaguars on the showroom floor. As I entered I didn't see a 'Welcome Desk', so I had to interrupt one of the 7 or more salesmen milling about. This salesman didn't recognize my salesman's name but did point me in the direction of the Service Dept where the fellow who had arranged my appointment for the Walk Thru had a desk. I had to ask again for directions when after what seemed to be a quarter mile walk, it appeared I'd run into a dead end. Eventually I did find the Service Dept and was told that my Service Guy was the one on the phone at desk 5 of 6.
I stood in front of my 'service guy' for abut 10 minutes while he negotiated with the person on the other end of the phone in regard to dissatisfaction about the service they'd received. Finally the service guy hung up and asked what I wanted. I told him I was actually 3+ hours early, but was here for a "Walk Thru" of my trailer. He said, "No problem, I'll call the Walk Thru guy, you're his only appointment today."
The Walk Thu guys phone went directly to voicemail - his phone was off, so the Service Guy told me to take a long lunch, fill my truck and leisurely return. The Walk Thru guy would surely be back in an hour or so. In the meantime, I called my sales guy and it went right to voice mail so I left a message that I was here to pick up my trailer.
After lunch and a trip to the gas station (about 1.5 hrs) , I returned to the Service Guy. Still no word from the Walk Thru guy, but the Service Guy would ring my cell when the Walk Thru guy turned on his phone again...
I waited in the Service area for my phone to ring or my name to be called, listening to several folks complaining about the service they'd received. Finally the Walk Thru guy showed up about 45 minutes later telling me his phone had gone dead but was now about 70% charged.
On the walk to the Walk Thru, I decided that they probably needed a guy who knew the ins and outs of all the different trailers, motor-homes and vehicles that were being offered by this dealer. I was very impressed by this Walk Thru guy as he introduced me to my new trailer. He was knowledgeable, efficient and precise, providing all that I needed to know about my new purchase. His talk ended in the parts/accessories store, but he was not at all pushy when I told him there was nothing I needed. The Walk Thru guy escorted me back to the sales floor - "Now all you need to do is sign the papers."
There was some himming and hawing when we went to my salesman's office. He wasn't there - so the Walk Thru guy found someone else who I assumed was the Sales Manager.
The sales manager sat me in front of the fireplace in the lobby and told me he'd get me into an office right away. About 20 minutes later, another salesman came by and asked for my drivers license and insurance card. Then he too left me at the fireplace.
Ten or fifteen minutes later a different salesman appeared and took me to his office. This guy was unbelievably efficient. He shoved paper after paper in front of me describing what/why I was signing. At one point he had a sheet of options that he might have ordinarily pushed but after a very quick once over was content that I wasn't buying. He then asked for my deposit and I handed him my credit card. "Sorry," he said, "We don't take credit cards. Do you have a check?" I don't carry checks anymore, but he did settle for a Debit Card. Then I was taken back to the fireplace.
About 15 minutes later, yet another salesman came by with my temporary plate. He drove me to the new trailer, then waited while I went back to get the van. He directed me as I backed the van up to the hitch and we got the new trailer all coupled up and ready for the road. Then he put on the temporary plate. I asked him if this was a specialty, putting on the plate like the special Walk Thru guy's job, but he said he was just helping out my absentee salesman.
I did my regular walk around to make sure everything was in order before hitting the road and was just getting into the van when another salesman showed up. Well, I'll be! He introduced himself as the original salesman who had given me the quote. He hadn't been available because his garage door wasn't working right. We shook hands, he wished me well and I was on my way.
We're pros at spending the night in Walmart lots on our adventures and figured that's what we'd do if I got tired on the way back home. In addition to reclining seats in the van, we also have a cot in back (which is preferred by Merlin) so we wouldn't need to use the new trailer if/when I pulled over.
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| Merlin on the cot. It was 40° when we left, 19° at the dealer and 45° when we got home...thus the pile of coats. |
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| We didn't actually drive for the whole 20.9 hrs -- the van idled the whole time I was in the dealership. |
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| Merlin keeping watch on Wolf Pup and Big Duck. |
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| Niko and Merlin on a previous trip to Florida |
It turns out that my trailer isn't exactly like the local guy was offering - mine is actually a 2016 and minus an option or two but is sold as a 2017. So, would I buy from a dealer 440 miles away again to save $2,700; the difference being $20/mo? No, next time I'll buy locally. Here's why.
After having the trailer in the back yard for over a month, I was ready to hit the road. This meant dewinterizing and familiarizing myself with the systems. During this process I found many little things that need attention - doors that don't close properly, woodwork that is cosmetically cracked, outside fittings improperly caulked, an electric water heater I didn't understand, a water system pump that wouldn't shut off - to name a few... I'm handy, so I'll just deal with these things myself, but I'd prefer to take it 10 miles down the road and have the dealer do it. There's also the registration and plates - I had to do those myself 'cause the paperwork they gave me was all out of state. Also - it would be nice to have a friend in the business - the folks who sold me mine at discount profess to be 'wholesalers' - that means I'm the dealer and responsible for all these little annoyances...but they said, "You can always take it to a dealer near you for service."
