Purchasing directly from factory?
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More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 708
Likes: 75
From: Houston
Purchasing directly from factory?
Who here has ordered directly from the factory? I have purchased gooseneck trailers directly from the factory in the past, picked it up myself & saved a considerable amount of money.
If you have purchased directly from the factory please share with us your experience & if you saved enough money to make it worth the time to do so. Also where did you order from (website/over the phone/etc).
Context: I am searching for a fifth wheel toy hauler or fifth wheel bunk house.
Thanks gents.
If you have purchased directly from the factory please share with us your experience & if you saved enough money to make it worth the time to do so. Also where did you order from (website/over the phone/etc).
Context: I am searching for a fifth wheel toy hauler or fifth wheel bunk house.
Thanks gents.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 167
Likes: 44
From: Colorado
I know of a few 5th wheel manufacturers that use the factory direct option. I think all three offer toy hauler & bunk house options. There are probably others, but those are the three I considered when looking for a more custom 5th wheel.
-Spacecraft
-New Horizons
-Luxe
-Spacecraft
-New Horizons
-Luxe
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,698
Likes: 12,825
From: Wyoming
For a factory delivery, who does the PDI? The same guys that build it? That's going to work well.
For the niche manufacturers that have a better reputation for quality, a factory delivery may be OK. I would not be happy to drive 500 miles just to show up, find a lot of problems and wait a couple weeks for the problems to be fixed.
For the niche manufacturers that have a better reputation for quality, a factory delivery may be OK. I would not be happy to drive 500 miles just to show up, find a lot of problems and wait a couple weeks for the problems to be fixed.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
To say a bit more,. with any new RV you want a warranty no matter how well the RV is built. So you are on the road and break down. What then? No dealer network and I know the manufacturer says they will cover the cost with an independent, but you still have to find one who will accept the company's warranty or you will have to pay upfront and wait to get your money back (often two months). Speaking from experience I learned not to work with any dealership or manufacturer unless I had a personal relationship. Otherwise it was called "slow pay or no pay". Not always the case, but it almost always was for me so I quit accepting their work.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 979
Likes: 585
From: Middle TN
To say a bit more,. with any new RV you want a warranty no matter how well the RV is built. So you are on the road and break down. What then? No dealer network and I know the manufacturer says they will cover the cost with an independent, but you still have to find one who will accept the company's warranty or you will have to pay upfront and wait to get your money back (often two months). Speaking from experience I learned not to work with any dealership or manufacturer unless I had a personal relationship. Otherwise it was called "slow pay or no pay". Not always the case, but it almost always was for me so I quit accepting their work.
OP, sorry if I'm hijacking your post!
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
Perhaps rather than me responding to this question, it might warrant its own thread asking others in this forum how they go about obtaining service when they travel. 
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,698
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From: Wyoming
I am the Service Tech. LOL!
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 190
Likes: 91
Who here has ordered directly from the factory? I have purchased gooseneck trailers directly from the factory in the past, picked it up myself & saved a considerable amount of money.
If you have purchased directly from the factory please share with us your experience & if you saved enough money to make it worth the time to do so. Also where did you order from (website/over the phone/etc).
Context: I am searching for a fifth wheel toy hauler or fifth wheel bunk house.
Thanks gents.
If you have purchased directly from the factory please share with us your experience & if you saved enough money to make it worth the time to do so. Also where did you order from (website/over the phone/etc).
Context: I am searching for a fifth wheel toy hauler or fifth wheel bunk house.
Thanks gents.
I own a 40 foot custom from them. Very good quality. They have been in business ( a few name changes along the way) for a long time.
Retail paperwork was listed 50k over what I paid..I was able to tour the plant, meet the line workers and owner. A decent business.
Standard RV construction, so my local guy has no problem dealing with what I cant do.
You need very deep pockets for Soacecraft, but you will have a zero defect trailer. A 36 foot quote from them was 140k.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
Spacecraft is not on the radar screen of most RVers I think. Small company, does their own glass work, designed to be lived in. I haven't been there for years, but wrote a feature about the company in the past. Primary target buyers are the folks who work and own carnivals and fairs. i have worked on them, but not often. Good people!
Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 37,379
Likes: 1,863
From: Frederick, MD
I do my own repairs. Last two times had the slides quiting working and with a little help from here got it repaired.
Over new years had the converter go out, another self repair 600 bucks later.
As the units get older they need repairs. When looking at these units look for not only build quality but ease of access to make repairs.
Over new years had the converter go out, another self repair 600 bucks later.
As the units get older they need repairs. When looking at these units look for not only build quality but ease of access to make repairs.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
I think the ideal would be that each owner learned their rig. However, I also know that some folks are not inclined to go that direction or simply don't have the time. For those so inclined, the service manuals for almost every system on online and free for the reading!
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 574
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
If you have a fairly good basic knowledge, a clamp meter you know how to use, and the factory repair manuals nearly all of which are online, my thought is you be far ahead of the game, especially if you understand what “sequence of operation” means when troubleshooting.