RV Show Do’s and Don’ts
RVers love RV shows. But an RV noob may wonder why they should go and what they should be prepared for. Check out these RV Show Do’s and Don’ts so you won’t be taken by surprise.
First I want to answer the question of if you should go and why. Yes, you should go. Because going to an RV show will let you see a larger variety of RVs than a dealership can. When we visited a dealership, we were shown only RVs with bunks (which is what we said we were interested in), and only 2 that were in our price range. We were there for a couple hours, and left frustrated and our questions were unanswered. I wonder if we would have even bought an RV that season if we had only gone to our local dealerships.
Boys checking out trailers at a NJ RV show.
At the RV show, we were able to choose what we wanted to see. We considered the possibility of not getting an RV with bunks, and we were able to compare the different RVs we saw. We were totally new to the RV world, so being shown only two RVs that were in our price range and the rest were hundreds of thousands of dollars more than we could afford, we weren’t able to determine what we liked, what we didn’t, and what different manufactures had to offer.
RV shows can answer all your questions and let you compare different RVs without the pressure of a salesman hovering over you.
Now that I’ve convinced you to go to a show, consider these do’s and don’ts:
Do:
- Be ready to spend all day there. You can’t take in an RV show in just a few hours- you need a full day and possibly a second day.
- Wear good walking shoes and comfortable clothes- you’ll be standing and walking most of the day. If you have kids, you may want to bring a stroller- even if they’re a little too old for it.
- Bring a water bottle and snack. There will be lots of food available, but at carnival prices and it will all be unhealthy.
- Bring a pen and pad of paper- and take notes! Bring your camera or phone- take pictures of RVs you’re interested in or details you like.
- If you’re considering buying (even at a later date), know your budget and price range before you go. If you’re looking to buy at the show, have your financing taken care of ahead of time.
- Get a map, schedule, and whatever else they offer you at the gate- knowing how to get where you need to go is important. There may be a presentation that interests you.
- Take brochures, dealership business cards, and other materials of the RVs you’re interested in. You’re going to see a lot of RVs and will forget the details by the end of the day. Take notes on the brochures or in your note pad.
Don’t:
- Don’t impulse buy. Show prices are great, but those prices will still be there tomorrow, next week, or even later that month. If you get the business card of the salesman, you can contact them after the RV show and continue negotiations. They want to make a sale, so they will work with you.
- Don’t let anyone pressure you- if it’s not for you or you’re unsure, simply walk away.
- Don’t waste a salesman’s time buy touring RVs that you’re not truly interested in. RV shows are fun and a neat place to check out high end RVs, but don’t give the impression that you’re a serious buyer if you’re not. If an expensive RV is empty, I’ll pop in to take a look and complement the salesman. If it’s busy, I just walk by.
- Absolutely don’t take brochures or other materials of an RV or from a booth you’re not truly interested in. If you’re simply curious, take a picture of the brochure instead or note their website.
