RV Newbies
Canada
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Joined: 06/05/2008
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We are in the very first stages of negotiating for our first fifth wheel. After a LOT of research and talking with various dealers, we are leaning towards a Heartland 3670 Big Horn. (It is a toss up between that and the Keystone Montana 3400RL- any words of wisdom would be appreciated) We are trading in a 2006 loaded Fleetwood Bayside tent trailer. (ac, screen room, furnace, three way fridge, two stoves, three Yakima bike racks,...)The dealer has offered us $10,500.00 Cdn for the trade in and $44,512.00 purchase price for the fifth....that includes the trade in. How low do we go???? We will need some accessories such as a fifth wheel hitch and other assorted odds and sods.
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F-TROUP
VISALIA, CALIF
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Joined: 05/13/2007
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Me, I would try to sale the tent trailer myself. With gas prices like they are you should have a good market. Take that cash and let the dealer sweat losing the sell to you as these heavy rigs arn't flying out the door like before. Once they know you ready the 2nd & 3rd calls with better offers start coming in. Good luck and happy trails.
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AFChappy
Cheyenne
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You might check prices on-line at other dealers first. The price seems a little high on the 5er. One of your challenges is the trade and what it is worth. If you find a better price, it might at least help you see what room the dealer has on the 5er.
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Timbo08
Houston Texas
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I agree. We sold our Palomino pop-up through the paper in one week. You don't really know how much they are giving you for your trade in because it is blended in with the price of the new one. If you sell your trailer on your own, then negotiate the price on the new one you will save big $$$. Best of luck. 
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NewRV5ver
Cloverdale, Ca
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Joined: 11/06/2007
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If I had to choose between Montana and the Heartland....my choice would be the Montana! It has been the number one selling RV for longer than Heartland has been in businesss making fifth wheels. The resale will be better when the day comes for a trade in. Whatever you do.....good luck on your choice.
SPENDING LESS TIME ON THE COMPUTER AND MORE TIME RVING IS GOOD......YES!
2008 Jayco Eagle291 RLTS 35.4'
2007 Dodge Ram 2500 5.9 CTD Quad Cab Short Bed 4x4
Pullrite 16K Super Glide Slider Hitch
Tekonsha P3 Brake Control
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lv2rom
Kansas City, Missouri
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I agree with the prior poster....Montana over Heartland. Also agree on selling the pop up yourself, or at least checking NADAGuidelines.com on the actual value of it. Also can check there for the Montana. If you can look the dealer in the eye, with no trade for him to worry about, and possibly a cash deal you should be able to break $40,000 on that deal, and/or at least get him to throw in the other things you need. Rule of thumb seems to be up to 25% off "list price" ( a very ambiguous thing). In todays market who knows what is possible.....Brian
2005 F350 Dually -AFE air box/MRSP exhaust/Bags/Bilsteins/Energy Susp./Michleins
2002 Hitchhiker Fiver 29.5 RLBG - Moryde Pin/Gas shocks/Michelin XPS Ribs
1996 Layton Fiver 21ft. Totally reconditioned..Love it!!
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cdrcos
St. Paul, MN
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lv2rom wrote:...Also agree on selling the pop up yourself, or at least checking NADA Guidelines.com on the actual value of it. .....Brian
I wouldn't give much credence to the NADA guidelines as they pertain to tent trailers. I have been searching for a low cost tent trailer to give my grown kids to start them off in RVing. I have found that the cost stated on NADA is way below the actual sale prices for tent campers.
I do agree that you should try to sell it yourself, especially in this market. Another possibility that we used once for the purchase of a new FW was to have the dealer figure the trade-in value of the old RV and on closing day, we would either bring the old RV or the same amount of cash. As it went, we sold the old RV a day before closing and came out a couple thousand bucks ahead for selling it ourselves. 
Good Luck!
Joe & Barb
2002 F-350,PSD,Crew Cab
2003 HH II LS 32.5 UKTG
*finally retired! *
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rvcamperontx
Ontario / Texas
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I suggest going with Keystone. Have a look at the Everest. It is a sister to Montana. You have different floorplans and some higher end options i.e. double fridge. I agree that you would be ahead by selling your existing trailer privately. It shouldn't be tough to move it quickly.
We recently purchased our second 5er. In both buys we decided on the make, model and options we wanted. I then sent an email to approximately 12 dealers who carry that line. Without offering my location I asked for their bottom line price and made it clear that I did not want to deal with any sales persons. I wanted only their best price. A one time opportunity to sell me! Most answered as I requested and I got a variety of interesting prices. Using the lowest, which was substantially below MSRP, I then negotiated with a reputable local dealer. Note that I am in Canada and dealers are fewer are far between. The first buy, MSRP was $42,000 I paid $29,500. The second purchase, MSRP $61,000 I paid $44,500. You can also negotiate for little freebies. In both cases I got a free second battery, installed. In the first I also got a free Kingpin stabalizer. In my pre-retirement work I negotiated large purchase agreements for my company. My advice is; do your homework and know exactly what you want, prepare yourself for negotiations, set your bottom line price before you start, do not get emotional over the process, if the salesperson keeps running between you and the boss - ask to deal with the boss, be prepared to walk ( always thank them for trying) If you are close to a deal they will not let you go. That's my nickel's worth. Good luck....
2008 Everest 344J - Quad Slides
2003 Silverado 3500 4X4 Ext.Cab 6.6L Duramax/Allison
2003 Vulcan Nomad 1500FI (MC in tow)
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up2nogood
Utah
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Joined: 02/20/2008
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RV Newbies wrote:We are in the very first stages of negotiating for our first fifth wheel. After a LOT of research and talking with various dealers, we are leaning towards a Heartland 3670 Big Horn. (It is a toss up between that and the Keystone Montana 3400RL- any words of wisdom would be appreciated) We are trading in a 2006 loaded Fleetwood Bayside tent trailer. (ac, screen room, furnace, three way fridge, two stoves, three Yakima bike racks,...)The dealer has offered us $10,500.00 Cdn for the trade in and $44,512.00 purchase price for the fifth....that includes the trade in. How low do we go???? We will need some accessories such as a fifth wheel hitch and other assorted odds and sods.
44,512 sounds high with a 10,500 trade in, they were asking 55,012 for it ??? I payed a lot less than that for a 2008 3400RL. If you would like you can PM me I can give you some dealers.
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slmayor
shasta lake ca
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Joined: 04/02/2004
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Please check out the Heartland Owners forum. Lots of good information there, and the 3670 is one of the most opular floor plans. While Keystone has been in business longer, the owners of Heartland have made it the nations fastest growing RV line for a reason. Currently number 4 in only 6 years. Both the Montana and the Everest were on our short list. Until we saw the Heartland.
The Price isn't bad on the 3670 but as the other posters said, you may be money ahead to sell the tent trailer yourself. At the least, I'd get them to throw in a hitch and some JT strongarm stabilizers at that price though.
www.heartlandowners.org
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