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New 3100 for sale at Campers Inn

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mikeh

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Re: New 3100 for sale at Campers Inn
« Reply #15 on: February 14, 2019, 12:10:27 am »
In an earlier post I passed along information I had picked up from a conversation with Pete (in sales at PC) a couple days ago. I left the factory today with my new unit, but before leaving I tried to flesh this issue out a little more without being too inquisitive. I talked with a couple other folks, including Keith, the admin and money man about the Campers Inn transition. Based on information from those sources (which dovetails with earlier reports that Jim Godfrey got from Barry at the Tampa show), a couple of things seem pretty solid.

For the "foreseeable future" the ability to coordinate a purchase directly with Phoenix in Elkhart will continue unchanged, EXCEPT the actual purchase will be transacted through a Campers Inn outlet. PC's sales team is still taking sales calls, coordinating options and customization, and writing orders just like they have been doing, using the same pricing and discount lists. A buyer can still work the entire build process and take delivery at the factory as always. The actual purchase, however, will transact through CI. I heard this explained in detail to one phone inquiry while there. I asked Keith if he knew how long Phoenix would maintain that arrangement, and he said he did not, but there is no intent at this point to move away from it.

One big advantage for Phoenix with the CI deal seems to be substantial additional production. As I was told, the cream of the Camper's Inn dealerships (some 13 out of 23 or 25 total), will actually be stocking dealers, with several new PC's sitting on their lots for sale. That would seem to mean that in addition to their traditional production for orders as they come in to Elkhart, Phoenix will be building quite a number of spec units to load up the CI dealerships. As a matter of fact, I saw far more new completed PCs sitting at the factory (quite a few outside in the snow!) than I have seen on any previous trip--and the shop was full. I think that ~65 to 100 per year mentioned in earlier comments is undergoing a significant increase--but in three different conversations the importance of maintaining Phoenix's reputation and quality was re-emphasized as the key to future success.

To help manage the logistics of the Campers Inn activities, there will be a dedicated Campers Inn representative placed full time at the factory to facilitate sales transactions there, as well as coordinate warranty and repair requirements for units sold out of the dealerships. That person will be the liaison between the Campers Inn chain and Phoenix for the RV sales issues.

I don't know how this initiative will play out, but it seems to be a fairly well planned effort. We can hope that it will result in the best of both worlds--maintain the direct factory connection for customers who want to personalize their buy that way, and at the same time expand the Phoenix Cruiser brand exposure to a lot more potential RV buyers throughout the east coast who otherwise would never have heard of a PC--resulting in a more solid footing and financial stability for Phoenix.

 

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Sarz272000

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Re: New 3100 for sale at Campers Inn
« Reply #16 on: February 14, 2019, 06:05:30 am »
Mikes
Thanks for the update.  Congratulations on your new PC and welcome to our house! 

Your update is very encouraging.  PC is in good hands and seems to have there act together.  I look forward to the future and the new PCs to come.

Ron

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Joseph

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Re: New 3100 for sale at Campers Inn
« Reply #17 on: February 14, 2019, 11:06:04 am »
200 grand for a E450! I kept thinking it was a typo, there is no way on earth I’d pay that for a class C.  Someone will though... as they say, “ A fool and his money are soon parted!”

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Ron Dittmer

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Re: New 3100 for sale at Campers Inn
« Reply #18 on: February 14, 2019, 11:54:14 am »
200 grand for a E450! I kept thinking it was a typo, there is no way on earth I’d pay that for a class C. 
There is big money being spent on motor homes and I hope Phoenix can be a part of it.  But $200k places Phoenix in a whole new category.  To be honest, I really wouldn't know how they compare to their new-found competition.  I really don't know the market, but every class-C I have seen built on an E450 is typically priced a lot less.  $200k is more like a Super-C to me, so Joseph I understand your point.
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dogyard

Re: New 3100 for sale at Campers Inn
« Reply #19 on: February 14, 2019, 01:12:53 pm »
I tend to think the highly inflated MSRP being advertised by Campers Inn does more harm than good as far as resale values go.  Having just received an email from Camping World advertising their "factory unauthorized" discounts of $43,000 off the MSRP on new Winnebago's proves to even the most gullible those numbers are simply made up. In fact, if I were to pursue one of those units for sale at CW I would have reason to push for a far deeper discount since they're obviously open to negotiations. Similarly, I was able to get a discount of almost $20k on the used PC I bought from a dealer - consumers know (or should know!) that dealer prices are set unrealistically higher in order to set the bar for negotiating.  If PC's are sold under these conditions consumers will expect significant discounts, much different conditions than exist today with new units being priced realistically and most used units sold person-to-person with realistic pricing.

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zolman

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Re: New 3100 for sale at Campers Inn
« Reply #20 on: February 14, 2019, 03:02:14 pm »
Those are absurd prices on the new units. You don't need a dealer network that inflates prices, in the age of the internet. My bet is that most RV shoppers look for and then select the unit they want by looking online. A dealer just adds unnecessary cost. Some of the biggest success stories of current marketing has eliminated middlemen. What Phoenix Cruiser just did is add to their cost without adding to the value of their fantastic product.

I owned a diesel Chinook Concourse for 14 years. It was a great unit that I put 120,000 miles on without ANY repairs.  Chinook was among the oldest U.S. brand names in the RV industry and built quality RVs. Chinook RV, a division of Trail Wagons, Inc. was a family-owned and operated manufacturer of relatively short-length, high-quality Class C (Class B+) recreational vehicles. Chinooks, like Phoenix Cruisers now, were once considered “The Sports Car of Motorhomes” until the company’s demise in 2005. Ultimately they simply priced themselves out of business, by upping prices and later reducing quality. 

I hope the new strategy shown by Phoenix Cruiser does not create similar results. I appreciate the former "factory purchase" policy of the PC brand and want to see the company prosper. But the web advertising and website of PC was terrible. The old and still present PC website can not be found in the first 10 pages any Google search of word choice of B, B+ or C motor homes, Campers Inn doesn't do a better job with web searches because I also never saw their site come up in the first 10 pages.  I stopped at the first 10 pages in both seaches so I'm not sure if PC or Campers Inn ever locates an actual Phoenix Cruiser. IMO better internet site improvements along with key words, link baiting, using alt tags and constantly updating the site with unique data would do more to enhance PC sales than a dealer upping prices by 20%.
« Last Edit: February 14, 2019, 11:33:51 pm by zolman »

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CalCruiser

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Re: New 3100 for sale at Campers Inn
« Reply #21 on: February 14, 2019, 03:02:36 pm »
I get those Camping World  emails too. I find them amusing because my storage lot is located next to an rv dealership that sells new Winnebago, Thor, & Forest River motorhomes. The dealer mark-ups and profit margins are insane when you can  actually buy a  poorly built  new 2019 class C Ford motorhome from Camping World for less than the msrp of a 2019 Sprinter cutaway chassis.


« Last Edit: February 14, 2019, 04:50:08 pm by CalCruiser »
Goin' where the wind goes...

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donc13

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Re: New 3100 for sale at Campers Inn
« Reply #22 on: February 14, 2019, 04:43:18 pm »
Those are absurd prices on the new units. You don't need a dealer network that inflates prices, in the age of the internet. My bet is that most RV shoppers look for and then select the unit they want by looking online. A dealer just adds unnecessary cost. Some of the biggest success stories of current marketing has eliminated middlemen. What Phoenix Cruiser just did is add to their cost without adding to the value of their fantastic product.

I owned a diesel Chinook Concourse for 14 years. It was a great unit that I put 120,000 miles on without ANY repairs.  Chinook was among the oldest U.S. brand names in the RV industry and built quality RVs. Chinook RV, a division of Trail Wagons, Inc. was a family-owned and operated manufacturer of relatively short-length, high-quality Class C (Class B+) recreational vehicles. Chinooks, like Phoenix Cruisers now, were once considered “The Sports Car of Motorhomes” until the company’s demise in 2005. Ultimately they simply priced themselves out of business, by upping prices and later reducing quality. 

I hope the new strategy shown by Phoenix Cruiser does not create similar results. I appreciate the former "factory purchase" policy of the PC brand and want to see the company prosper. But the web advertising and website of PC was terrible. The old and still present PC website can not be found in the first 10 pages any Google search of word choice of B, B+ or C motor homes, Campers Inn doesn't do a better job with web searches because I also never saw their site come up in the first 10 pages.  I stopped at the first 10 pages in both seaches so I'm not sure if PC or Campers Inn every locates an actual Phoenix Cruiser. IMO better internet site improvements along with key words, link baiting, using alt tags and constantly updating the site with unique data would do more to enhance PC sales than a dealer upping prices by 20%.


Those prices have to be suggested retail.
---
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jim.godfrey

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Re: New 3100 for sale at Campers Inn
« Reply #23 on: February 14, 2019, 06:54:46 pm »
Mike I really appreciate the info and it does sound like what I heard in Florida.
And more importantly:

GOOD LUCK with your new PC!

Hope you enjoy it for a long and trouble free time.

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Ron Dittmer

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Re: New 3100 for sale at Campers Inn
« Reply #24 on: February 14, 2019, 08:47:53 pm »
Maybe what Camper's Inn needs to do is advertise like this.

MSRP: $200,000
Our Price: $150,000
Ron (& Irene) Dittmer

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CalCruiser

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Sarz272000

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Re: New 3100 for sale at Campers Inn
« Reply #26 on: February 22, 2019, 03:50:17 pm »
+200k new record!
The ads on the Campers Inn site are terrible. No info or pictures. Who wants to spend that kind of dough for no show?

Ron
« Last Edit: February 22, 2019, 05:49:34 pm by Sarz272000 »

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Ron Dittmer

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Re: New 3100 for sale at Campers Inn
« Reply #27 on: February 22, 2019, 08:36:57 pm »
I recall back in 2006 when looking for a motor home to replace our old one, the Dynamax Isata Sport was the "Cadillac" of scaled-down B+ motor homes built on the E-Series.  CLICK HERE to see them.  They were very nice, standing out from the pack but with a big $130k-140k price tag.  Not yet knowledgeable of a Phoenix Cruiser, we would have bought a used Isata Sport but could not afford one.  Moving on, I learned of the Phoenix Cruiser in January 2007 which at the time was priced $50,000 less than an Isata Sport.  I feel Dynamax dropped the Isata Sport after 2007 because it could no longer compete with Phoenix.

The Phoenix Cruiser seems to be in the "Cadillac" position today.  Maybe new PC owners will finally be paying what PCs are worth.  I am so glad we got one made exactly the way we wanted, back when we could afford one.  I wonder who is the upcoming competitor to blow-away the "Cadillac" of today?

BTW:  Dynamax Corp is located just a few blocks away from Phoenix USA.  Their close proximity probably didn't help their Isata Sport sales.
« Last Edit: February 23, 2019, 07:38:15 pm by Ron Dittmer »
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hebegb

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Re: New 3100 for sale at Campers Inn
« Reply #28 on: March 13, 2019, 05:46:26 pm »
We brought our 2019 2552 home on March 7, purchased new from Campers Inn of Raleigh NC.  I have since went on the PC website to "build it" with the options our coach has and found that we paid essentially the same price as the "discount" factory direct price.  In fact the salesman at C.I. told us that "PC has set the prices" implying no room to negotiate. 

We feel very fortunate at the timing actually.  We had been shopping for months and had settled on PC either 2552, 2351D, or 2350 - though we have never seen a PC in person other than driving on the road.  Earl's videos were the selling point.  We were looking at hotels in the Elkhart area and deciding whether to drive or fly there.  I happened to contact a fellow in
Florida about his 2016 2552 for sale and he told me about the Campers Inn arrangement.  I then found the Raleigh store had 3 on site (models 2552, 2351D and 2350 no less) and we drove there on March 1 (3 hours drive) and brought the 2552 home on March 7.

We could not be happier needless to say, the PC is a cut above.  We are leaving for our first weekend trip tomorrow.  The staff at the Campers Inn dealership seemed genuinely excited about the new arrangement though they did not yet know how to promote the quality and features that make the PC difference.  I helped them as much as i could  :).  Actually the salesman (who was great) felt like he had been to school - I explained it came from watching 100 videos about 100 times each!!

See you on the road!

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mikeh

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Re: New 3100 for sale at Campers Inn
« Reply #29 on: March 13, 2019, 07:06:29 pm »
Gary, right?  (Saw your wife--Kristy's--new post on the "Introductions" string a few minutes ago, and all the details matched.)

Glad to have you on the forum!  Also glad to get a real-life experience from an actual Campers Inn sale.  There's been quite a bit of speculation (and a little apprehension) here about all aspects of Phoenix's "Campers Inn initiative", so looking forward to getting actual feedback from folks that used the process.  Your comments seems to dovetail pretty exactly with what Phoenix said they were going to do (pricing, etc), and it's good to hear that the experience seems to have been a positive one overall for you guys.  I think I can say that the current PC owners collectively "have their fingers crossed" that the entire Campers Inn effort turns out to be the right move for Phoenix to have made.

Thanks again for the information, and Congratulations! on your new 2552!!

Mike