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r-pod pricing?

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NY r-pod'r View Drop Down
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    Posted: 17 Aug 2009 at 4:47am
I stopped in at my local r-pod dealer this weekend to pick up some camping supplies and get a replacement hose. My dealer asked where I got my r-pod from and I told him couchs in ohio. He asked what I paid for it and when I told him $13,295 out the door for my rp-174 he laughed and said those days are over.
 
I asked him what he meant and he said forest river has a new internet policy where dealers can not publish the price of their campers on the internet. He called it MAP pricing? I told him that the internet genie is out of the bottle and any manufacturer that thinks they can 'protect' dealers that want to charge a premium (we were standing next to their r-pods - the 171 had a big $16,500 sticker on it - plus $600 for the screen room.) will not be around.
 
Has anyone else heard this - why would forest river want to do that? From what I see here the smart dealers are competing over the internet - the guy in WI, couchs, the guy in utah, etc ... hey, if someone wants to buy locally and pay more but have the security of a local dealer more power to them.
 
Anyway, just in case this stupid policy (btw: General Motors will be allowing their dealers to sell on eBay - they are getting it) is true - I want everyone to know that I paid $13,295 - including a free 'starter' kit for my r-pod from Couch's RV Nation in Ohio.
 
I would be interested to know what did you pay for your r-pod and did you get it locally?
 
BTW: I left there and went to Walmart and picked up my supplies .. LOL.
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geneowens View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote geneowens Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Aug 2009 at 5:14am
I got mine at Couch's too and the 171 was a great price. Only a few local Forest River dealers even had the Pod at the time I ordered and the ones that did wanted $2000 more for the same thing. We hear a lot of talk about "free enterprise" and "competition" - I say, if you can't/will not compete then go .... Out of business!!!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote admin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Aug 2009 at 5:45am
MAP pricing is nothing new.. many suppliers try to protect their brand value by not allowing an internet dealer to post a price well below what the local or brick-mortar location runs it at. Internet dealers can usually sell MAP restricted items for any price they choose, but they may not display in any print or online advertising, a price below the MAP figure.

What is does is require that the consumer take 1 additional step - usually entering their email, or click on a 'online chat/help button' to engage a retailers sales person to get their price. There are also review and forums that will have consumers talk about their purchase and often they will list what they paid for it.

There is some sound logic behind it, the manufactures have a large base of dealers that they want to help stay competitive and be around to service their products. But, it does fly in the face of free enterprise and open competition - unfortunately many dealers will choose to take advantage of the policy by over pricing the more popular units.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote techntrek Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Aug 2009 at 5:54am

$12070, 171, Stoltzfus RV in PA, all options (except white interior) and battery.  I tried my local dealer first but after getting no return call they lost the sale.  Drove 1 1/2 hours to Stolzfus.

'10 Forest River R-pod 171
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote admin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Aug 2009 at 9:19am
Good for you ... Stolzfus is a good dealership, local dealers get complacent when they think you don't have another option...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pam and Bob DeLay Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Aug 2009 at 9:43am
We are purchasing our 172 from Couch's in Ohio as well.  We pick it up on Friday!  CAN'T WAIT!!!!   We are really lucky -- it is only a 3 hour drive for us -- but we actually DO have a local r pod dealer in Lancaster, Ohio who we did not select.  That dealer couldn't touch Couch's prices OR knowledge level of the R pod.  In fact, the local dealer wanted to charge us $500 extra for the awning (included in Couch's price) and the price to begin with was higher.   
the hills of Ohio

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mary & Don Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Aug 2009 at 9:57am
Pam & Bob,
Don & I are from Columbus and reached the same conclusion.  We found the Pod in Lancaster, but his price was too far out of line conpared to Jeff Couchs especially since Jeff included the extra options.  We have not regretted the decision.  Jeff and his crew have gone out of their way to help us and they have a great service department too. 
Mary & Don
R-Pod 175
Columbus, Ohio

Life is good in R-Pod!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tedbear Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Aug 2009 at 9:59am
Couch's made me the same great deal on the 171 as others have reported getting, but my local dealer here in Omaha - A.C. Nelsen - matched their deal except for the awning (which I could have bought with the money not spent on a roadtrip to Ohio).  They are great to work with and advertise their price online, and I recommend them to anyone in the region.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TerryM Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Aug 2009 at 1:32pm
My 175 is at home and I'm in New Orleans so I can't look up the exact price I paid.  One thing else I want to say is IF a dealer of a car or camper will not post their price on the net I will NOT contact them.  If they don't put the price on the item in their lot I will not stop and ask.  I told an R-Pod dealer just that and he wasn't very nice in his reply. 

Terry
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tabkld93 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Aug 2009 at 4:26pm
We purchased from Couch's because of price and location. They are my local (50 miles) dealer.

I will tell anyone we paid $11,995 for our 172 with all options except white interior and the lift kit. You simply can't be the price. Most dealers are now matching the Couch price - the smart ones anyway. Jeff told me about the pricing directive from Forest River and he didn't like it and was going to keep posting the prices as long as possible. The days of dealing with the man behind the curtain are over. The price of a camper is no different than any retail operation.

My nearest forest river dealer skipped the line as they wanted him to buy - get this - 10 units. He didn't think a "niche" product would sell. I told him Couch had moved over two hundred. He laughed and said that was only because he was selling them out west and the local market was dead. I sure see a lot of owners in Ohio.

Enough of my rambling. Everyine should buy a pod and negotiate a fair price.
Todd, Karen & Leah
'13 Surveyor 240
'12 Ford F150 EcoBoost
Former owner of 2010 R-Pod 172
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