UPDATE #22 bought a trailer! // Buying a trailer / working with trailer dealers...

[ArabDiva]

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been reaching out to trailer dealers for information on both new and used trailers and the followup and customer experience I’ve gotten so far has been pretty poor.

I don’t get it. I’m a serious buyer with a reasonable budget (which I clearly communicate) and fairly flexible parameters, ready to buy NOW. So why won’t they sell me something??

I don’t have any dealers in my immediate area (except for the $$$$$$ high-end custom LQ types) but I’ve reached out to several people within a 400 mi radius, and the response has been the same (crickets or very terse).

I don’t want to go on a 3+ hour joyride and show up on somebody’s lot without knowing they have what I want in their inventory and they’ll be there to give me attention and get the transaction done.

What am I doing wrong?
Can anyone recommend somebody good they’ve worked with (preferably in the midwest/400 mi radius of Michigan)??

[jherold]

I can’t help with a dealership, but I can tell you what worked for me. I decided what trailer I wanted, called the Featherlite dealer in Illinois (whose customer service sucked the last time I had to have it repaired, so no help here), told them what trailer I wanted and to fax me the out the door price. I did that with another dealer and then just bought the one with the best price. But I had to do all the research myself.

[soloudinhere]

I bought both my trailers by phone. The first from a dealer in TN and the second in Maryland (I am in New England) both were delivered to my doorstep. Both dealers were super by email and phone.

No reason to drive 400 miles to get zero info in person. I never left my house to buy either one.

[stb]

Risa at Happy Trails Trailers sells trailers all over the country. She is in Traveler’s Rest, SC, But she will ship anywhere. She is super helpful and I got a great deal with her as well. She sells Hawk and Balanced Ride Trailers. You should call her.

[2DogsFarm]

Coincidentally. I just traded my 2H GN for a stock trailer listed with Sparta Chevrolet/Trailer in Sparta,MI.
Found the listing on Horsetrailerworld.
The 2h drive there was worth it after I corresponded with their salesman for a couple weeks setting up the deal.
You don’t say what you are looking for, but their inventory is fairly priced & has both new & used.
Found them fair to deal with (yes, they will make money on the trade, but I got what I want/need)

Here’s their site:

http://www.spartachevytrailers.com/

[Texarkana]

I don’t know the answer. But I have recently purchased from a dealer within the past year. I drove to the lot (nearly 100 miles away), cash in hand, to find them inexplicably closed during their posted business hours. I was beyond irritated, but… .they had what I wanted on the lot. So I called them the next business day and told them I wanted the trailer. We did everything over the phone and through email. I showed up the next Saturday and picked up my trailer.

It sounds like you may need to contact different dealers!

I will say, my dealer’s receptionist was initially somewhat terse; I think they probably get a lot of tire kickers. Once they knew I was for real (and had an approved credit application), the demeanor totally changed.

Also, I’ve since learned that many dealers have affordable, practically nationwide delivery, so I would not limit yourself to who is closest. I limited myself to dealers within reasonable driving distance of my house and there was no need for that. It does help if you’re able to put your hands on the actual trailer model beforehand, though.

[AKB]

I bought my trailer at Coast to Coast in Ocala,FL after severe frustration with my local dealers. Coast to Coast had exactly what I wanted at a price that was less than the local dealer’s price for a trailer that wasn’t what I wanted. They delivered the trailer to me in Virginia. The sales manager told me he was delivering a couple of trailers to the Midwest because the customers had similar issues with their local dealers. I would call Coast to Coast and also call Risa at Happy Trails in SC. Someone has the trailer you want!

[ArabDiva]

@2DogsFarm

Coincidentally. I just traded my 2H GN for a stock trailer listed with Sparta Chevrolet/Trailer in Sparta,MI.
Found the listing on Horsetrailerworld.
The 2h drive there was worth it after I corresponded with their salesman for a couple weeks setting up the deal.
You don’t say what you are looking for, but their inventory is fairly priced & has both new & used.
Found them fair to deal with (yes, they will make money on the trade, but I got what I want/need)

Here’s their site:

http://www.spartachevytrailers.com/

Thanks, this is helpful. They are actually reasonably close to me. They don’t have what I want on their website right now, but I could at least reach out and see if they have anything that’s not listed. Maybe they could keep an eye out for me, too.

@Texarkana

Also, I’ve since learned that many dealers have affordable, practically nationwide delivery, so I would not limit yourself to who is closest. I limited myself to dealers within reasonable driving distance of my house and there was no need for that. It does help if you’re able to put your hands on the actual trailer model beforehand, though.

See, that’s the thing – especially with a used trailer (which will probably be the direction I’ll probably end up going) I’m a little nervous just buying sight unseen. And I don’t have a place nearby where I can just go and look at trailer models. I was hoping to get to Equine Affaire to look but it just didn’t work out this year.

[tangledweb]

I’m guessing you are emailing. Car dealers and trailer dealers run an old fashioned business model. They have some appreciation for phone calls but really want you to come visit the lot. Emails they almost universally regard as people wasting their time.

[ArabDiva]

@tangledweb

I’m guessing you are emailing. Car dealers and trailer dealers run an old fashioned business model. They have some appreciation for phone calls but really want you to come visit the lot. Emails they almost universally regard as people wasting their time.

Gah. What a bummer.
I hate making phone calls and I work 45-60 hours a week. Don’t really have time to spend on the phone during normal business hours, and if I’m going to take time off from work (or a weekend) to visit someone’s lot, I want to know I’m going to come home with what I came for! I know they are busy people, but geez, so am I!

[soloudinhere]

@tangledweb

I’m guessing you are emailing. Car dealers and trailer dealers run an old fashioned business model. They have some appreciation for phone calls but really want you to come visit the lot. Emails they almost universally regard as people wasting their time.

Yeah, and they can F right off if that’s their attitude. How is it wasting time to send a 5 second email, but it’s not wasting time to have me come occupy a salesman for an hour only to find they don’t have what I want? The reason is, of course, that it’s easier to separate you from your money if you’re there in person.

as an aside, car dealers don’t really operate this way anymore at all. They want you to do everything via email and phone and just come in and talk money and leave. Most commission for least effort.

[californianinkansas]

I bought my trailer last year from Brad, one of the owners, at Double D Horse Trailers. They charge a flat fee of $400 to ship anywhere in the continental US. I can’t say enough good things about my experience with him. I have a mild stammer so I hate talking on the phone to new people. I did everything via email from start to finish. No hard sell or pressure at all. He actually talked me out of spending money on things that he didn’t think I really needed (he was right).

[ArabDiva]

@californianinkansas

I bought my trailer last year from Brad, one of the owners, at Double D Horse Trailers. They charge a flat fee of $400 to ship anywhere in the continental US. I can’t say enough good things about my experience with him. I have a mild stammer so I hate talking on the phone to new people. I did everything via email from start to finish. No hard sell or pressure at all. He actually talked me out of spending money on things that he didn’t think I really needed (he was right).

thank you! i will check them out.

[fourfillies]

I bought my last trailer from Turnbow Trailer Sales in OK, I’m in PA. Knew exactly what I wanted and they had it. Great customer service and they met me 1/2 way to swap my trade in for the new trailer. If you know what you want don’t be afraid to go further geographically for service/price.

[kkmrad94]

We had the same issue when looking to buy a used trailer. Many people didn’t have what we wanted and the rest never bothered to get back with us. My only issue is that when we bought our trailer they promised it didn’t leak and when spring came the nose of the GN was damp and water was coming down the walls… . .

If I had to look at trailers again I would buy a new one with a guarantee for a sound roof / floor. The hassle we have went through for the roof was unreal. We asked over and over if the roof was okay and they assured us it was (lol, joke was on us) but most used trailers sell as is. Good luck trailer hunting…

[sascha]

@ArabDiva

Gah. What a bummer.
I hate making phone calls and I work 45-60 hours a week. Don’t really have time to spend on the phone during normal business hours, and if I’m going to take time off from work (or a weekend) to visit someone’s lot, I want to know I’m going to come home with what I came for! I know they are busy people, but geez, so am I!

We share a life?! lol

I got so PO’d at all the local dealers (I’m in Ontario Canada) with either ridiculously outrageous prices and/or refusal to treat emails as genuine inquiries that I started shopping further afield. I was really, really happy to work with Kim at http://www.altmeyertrailers.com/ in Ohio. I don’t think we talked on the phone until I was ready to give my Visa number to make a deposit to hold the trailer I wanted. Easy peasy. The worst part of the whole deal was driving a GN with heavy duty suspension home over Michigan roads :eek: More than once my friend and I said we should have worn sports bras :lol: I may have bandied about the option of stopping off to borrow a couple of draft horses to weigh it down as we passed a field with a pair quietly grazing.

[TullyMars]

I just bought my Four Star 2+1 from Wayne Hodges Trailer Sales in Texas. Karen T. was the salesperson and she went WAAAAAYY above and beyond. Responsive within a few minutes, at most an hour. I knew she had a lot bigger contracts than me, but she made my projects her priority. I got exactly what I wanted within my budget and it arrived 10 days earlier than I expected. They delivered it to me in California.

[Ms_Red_Britches]

I worked with Neysa at Trailer Country LLC in VA. She was great. Always prompt in returning my emails. She even played along when my husband went behind my back to purchase the trailer as a surprise Christmas present for me!

I’m also in an area where most available trailers were not what I was looking for…i.e., I have zero need for a 3H slant w LQ!

I highly recommend Neysa and her team.

[workin_onit]

9 years ago I worked with Kerlin Trailers in Indiana. We handled everything by email. I had a trade-in. In the last two years I’ve contacted a few dealerships to trade in my current trailer and found they haven’t wanted to deal with used trailers. I did contact the dealer in Sparta, again by email, and they were very nice. The place in Whitmore Lake isn’t too swift. There is another place in Metamora, not sure what they are like. The place in Waterveliet didn’t want to work with anything used $10k or under.

[katyb]

@ArabDiva

Thanks, this is helpful. They are actually reasonably close to me. They don’t have what I want on their website right now, but I could at least reach out and see if they have anything that’s not listed. Maybe they could keep an eye out for me, too.

See, that’s the thing – especially with a used trailer (which will probably be the direction I’ll probably end up going) I’m a little nervous just buying sight unseen. And I don’t have a place nearby where I can just go and look at trailer models. I was hoping to get to Equine Affaire to look but it just didn’t work out this year.

I had arranged to buy a trailer there last fall,and when I arrived to get it (drove there from east TN), the floor in the living quarters was so rotten that I could stick my finger through it from underneath… This was after the salesman assured me it had been thoroughly inspected. Buyer beware. Do your due diligence.