Disillusioned at the NEC Caravan Show

• Wednesday, 7 November 2007
• Mike Cazalet

Having spent two days at the NEC Caravan Show I came away disillusioned. You'd think that with so many dealers at the show I'd be able to get a discount, but I can only assume the dealers have got it too easy and they don't need to compete because I couldn't find a single one prepared to do a good deal for cash.

MIKE SAYS
The above is just a small section of a long diatribe by this reader. I think it is important to understand a few facts about the caravan trade. Firstly, dealers? margins have been cut back by manufacturers, who themselves have lowered their profit levels, so many simply don't have room to offer a discount. Secondly, the trade says that exhibitions should be seen as an opportunity to view a big range of makes and models and to compare the attitude of one dealer against another.

They are not intended to be a sort of market where you can shop around for the best price. Suprisingly, cash business isn't good business. If the dealer also sells you finance, he makes money from introducing you to the finance house. In that instance he might be able to sweeten the deal a little. Finally, there are few straightforward discounts available now because buyers tend to prefer added value. Often dealers will talk about including some accessories in with the deal or, in one instance, offering three years free servicing as an incentive.