Curious...

Navanod · 09-27-2016, 01:16 AM

How do the Manufactures transport Class B RV's from the factory? Do they truck or drive them? So if you buy something from Roadtrek in Ontario and I live on the West Coast will it have several miles prior to purchase if they drive them?

BBQ · 09-27-2016, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Navanod

How do the Manufactures transport Class B RV's from the factory? Do they truck or drive them? So if you buy something from Roadtrek in Ontario and I live on the West Coast will it have several miles prior to purchase if they drive them?

Most of the new RVs have a few thousand miles on them for this reason.

I have also seen a picture on the web where multiple RVs were loaded onto a truck for delivery. I don't remember which brand; it was an old photo from the 80s.

obgraham · 09-27-2016, 03:47 AM

I can speak only for my experience with RT. They gave me the choice -- drive it or truck it. I chose trucking it. Took a bit longer to find a truck coming this way (Washington State), and delivery was a bit higher than if it was driven. When I picked it up it had 100 miles on it.

My issue was that I didn't want some leadfooted kid driving it 2300 miles flat out.

avanti · 09-27-2016, 03:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by obgraham

My issue was that I didn't want some leadfooted kid driving it 2300 miles flat out.

...especially given that that includes the entire break-in period.

Navanod · 09-27-2016, 07:10 AM

Awesome... thanks everyone for the replies. I think I will opt for the truck delivery.

cruising7388 · 09-27-2016, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by obgraham

I can speak only for my experience with RT. They gave me the choice -- drive it or truck it. I chose trucking it. Took a bit longer to find a truck coming this way (Washington State), and delivery was a bit higher than if it was driven. When I picked it up it had 100 miles on it.

My issue was that I didn't want some leadfooted kid driving it 2300 miles flat out.

I think their shipping format may have changed since you took delivery. We recently took delivery in Milwaukee and weren't given the option of having it trucked there rather than driven. My understanding is that current deliveries to the East, Midwest and some of the South are driven from the factory to the dealer that effected the sale. Although the actual driven distances may vary, the factory invoices seem to show the same $2,000 charge. However, deliveries to West Coast dealers and I think Arizona and some Florida dealers, are trucked, so they show less mileage but the delivery charge is increased to $2700.

I get your concern regarding leadfooted kid drivers, but I think that rather than young Turks, they use a cadre of older drivers instructed in break in protocols. But how the cut-away chassis are delivered by the factory or a port of entry to Roadtrek is anybody's guess.

gregmchugh · 09-27-2016, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cruising7388

I think their shipping format may have changed since you took delivery. We recently took delivery in Milwaukee and weren't given the option of having it trucked there rather than driven. My understanding is that current deliveries to the East, Midwest and some of the South are driven from the factory to the dealer that effected the sale. Although the actual driven distances may vary, the factory invoices seem to show the same $2,000 charge. However, deliveries to West Coast dealers and I think Arizona and some Florida dealers, are trucked, so they show less mileage but the delivery charge is increased to $2700.

I get your concern regarding leadfooted kid drivers, but I think that rather than young Turks, they use a cadre of older drivers instructed in break in protocols. But how the cut-away chassis are delivered by the factory or a port of entry to Roadtrek is anybody's guess.

For the bare van chassis (not cutaway, no Class C's from Roadtrek) being delivered to Roadtrek, they buy Canadian chassis for delivery of competed vans to Canadian dealers and US chassis for delivery of completed vans to US dealers. Since the vans are trucked to dealers by Chevy, RAM, and Mercedes, I wouldn't expect much mileage on the bare van before conversion. I suppose the US chassis could have some mileage from the US to Kitchtener if they were driven from the US but likely not very many miles...

BBQ · 09-27-2016, 02:50 PM

.

The new RV is still titled under the factory entity. They can make movements across the border through NAFTA.

BBQ · 09-27-2016, 02:53 PM

.

If you don't like some punks to deliver your RV, talk to RT and see if they can make special arrangement for you. They did for CampSkunk; IIRC he accepted delivery at a parking lot on the USA side not far from the factory.

gregmchugh · 09-27-2016, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBQ

.

The new RV is still titled under the factory entity. They can make movements across the border through NAFTA.

True, not sure what this is in reference to??

For deliver of a converted van to US customer the van must be purchased from the US and shipped to Kitchtener and then returned to the US after conversion for sale in the US. For Canadian customers the van in purchased in Canada and converted and stays in Canada.

This requirement doesn't have anything to do with NAFTA, it is for other reasons, but I think there are no tariffs involved in the movement of the US vans into Canada and back after conversion which may be part of NAFTA.

Some converters in Canada require a US customer to purchase the van in the US themselves and bring to to Canada for conversion. Safari Condo does it this way.

gregmchugh · 09-27-2016, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBQ

.

If you don't like some punks to deliver your RV, talk to RT and see if they can make special arrangement for you. They did for CampSkunk; IIRC he accepted delivery at a parking lot on the USA side not far from the factory.

My guess is that the prototype van in this case is not a standard transaction, Roadtrek also took his old Roadtrek as part of whatever happened.

Never hurts to check to see what they say.

You must purchase from a dealer and there is no option for factory delivery but can you take delivery while the van is being transported before the van is delivered to the dealer?

Until the van reaches the dealer, I would expect it is still owned by Roadtrek and transfer of ownership to the dealer occurs when it is delivered to the dealer.

gregmchugh · 09-27-2016, 03:32 PM

I believe the vans are driven to the dealer by Roadtrek employees, not by hired transport people which is typical for many RV manufacturers.

cruising7388 · 09-27-2016, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

I believe the vans are driven to the dealer by Roadtrek employees, not by hired transport people which is typical for many RV manufacturers.

These days a lot of people that appear to be employees are actually classified as contractors. Maybe Canada is different. In any event, I was told that they use the same crew for their deliveries which probably makes it a smoother process.

The one consequence mitigated by trucking is the potential for rock chips etc which will occur once in a while with 700-1500 miles of driving. If taking delivery on the west coast or Florida et al, even if given the option, I'd go for the $700 trucking surcharge rather than having a driver deliver it with over 2,000 miles on the odometer.

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