Just found this site while researching popups. After tenting for years, the wife and myself realized that it just isn't cutting it anymore with 2 young kids (ages 4 & 2). My cousin had a older Jayco that we looked at, but we quickly realized that while it was a step up from a tent - it wasn't a huge step up. So, we started looking around and saw a new Niagara last weekend. Wow. Only thing more impressive than the trailer was the price. haha
Anyhow, the first price they threw out was $14,500. What can you realistically get them down to? And does anyone know if there will be any major changes for the next model year? Or when the best time to buy is - new model changeover, fall, winter, etc?
Buying a car is easier it seems, you can go online and find the invoice price for anything, but I've yet to see what the dealer cost is on trailers.
Quote from: HackkerJ
Buying a car is easier it seems, you can go online and find the invoice price for anything, but I've yet to see what the dealer cost is on trailers.
You can go online for recreation vehicles as well. Go to
//www.nadaguides.com and select the recreation vehicles tab. You can then choose the make, model, year and options.
Quote from: HackkerAnyhow, the first price they threw out was $14,500. What can you realistically get them down to? And does anyone know if there will be any major changes for the next model year? Or when the best time to buy is - new model changeover, fall, winter, etc?
Buying a car is easier it seems, you can go online and find the invoice price for anything, but I've yet to see what the dealer cost is on trailers.
Seems a little high to me...
You can buy a brand new one today at
Peco Camping for $13,995 (add 8 or 900 for A/C).
Before you get your heart set on that Niagara, think about what you are towing with. That Niagara is a 4000# pup and you need a good sized vehicle to tow it. Don't believe the dealer when they tell you that your car will tow it just fine. Do your homework and find out what you can really tow.
So, what are you going to tow it with?
Quote from: fritz_monroeSo, what are you going to tow it with?
Did you have to burst his bubble so soon? :Z
Quote from: currypYou can go online for recreation vehicles as well. Go to //www.nadaguides.com and select the recreation vehicles tab. You can then choose the make, model, year and options.
I found that site, but doesn't it only calculate used values? When I entered in the info for the Niagara it came up with over $14.6k for low retail and $17.6k for average retail.
Since the dealer offered $100 under what the low NADA figure was, didn't how how accurate it was. haha
Quote from: fritz_monroeBefore you get your heart set on that Niagara, think about what you are towing with. That Niagara is a 4000# pup and you need a good sized vehicle to tow it. Don't believe the dealer when they tell you that your car will tow it just fine. Do your homework and find out what you can really tow.
So, what are you going to tow it with?
I have a '05 Frontier CC 4x4. Tow rating is like 6,200lbs. Should be enough.
The only issue I could see would be getting it in my garage, I have a side load garage that would make getting it in a slight PITA. How hard would it be to move this sucker by hand once its unhooked to position it better in the garage?
Quote from: Tim5055Seems a little high to me...
You can buy a brand new one today at Peco Camping for $13,995 (add 8 or 900 for A/C).
Cool - thats what I was looking for. Still, their first offer of only about $500 more is pretty close, wonder what I could get them down to. Or maybe they could match the price and throw in free AC installed.
Hello,
We were Niagara owners about 4 years ago and Loved it!!!! It was so roomy inside (we had a 1 yr old and a 4 yr old at the time). The best part was the toilet and shower! We used them and it was so nice not to go to a public restroom. We also had the add a room and put a small tv out there and some toys. We had to sell it due to some circumstances and missed it so much. When we were ready to buy another camper this year we started right there back at the Niagara and the price was so high!!! Our dealer said he wouldn't budge on the price because people were buying them. He was charging $17K. We then started to look at Hybrids and fell in love with them. For $1000 less than the Niagara, we got a Jayco 26L Hybrid travel trailer. It is huge and so much better than the pop up! We did some haggling with the local dealer on price versus rvdirect and rvwholesalers and our local dealer matched their price. So, you may want to consider other options like a hybrid. That also depends on your tow vehicle of course! If you can pull a Niagara, than you can pull any hybrid.
Giselle
Quote from: athomemomHello,
We were Niagara owners about 4 years ago and Loved it!!!! It was so roomy inside (we had a 1 yr old and a 4 yr old at the time). The best part was the toilet and shower! We used them and it was so nice not to go to a public restroom. We also had the add a room and put a small tv out there and some toys. We had to sell it due to some circumstances and missed it so much. When we were ready to buy another camper this year we started right there back at the Niagara and the price was so high!!! Our dealer said he wouldn't budge on the price because people were buying them. He was charging $17K. We then started to look at Hybrids and fell in love with them. For $1000 less than the Niagara, we got a Jayco 26L Hybrid travel trailer. It is huge and so much better than the pop up! We did some haggling with the local dealer on price versus rvdirect and rvwholesalers and our local dealer matched their price. So, you may want to consider other options like a hybrid. That also depends on your tow vehicle of course! If you can pull a Niagara, than you can pull any hybrid.
Giselle
Yeah, I was a bit suprised at how much loaded popups were. One of my friends bought a Jayco ages ago and paid like $4k new. Guess I was figuring they were still that cheap. haha
Storage and toying are the primary reasons for looking at popups. A popup would fit in the garage while a hybrid wouldn't....which means I'd have to store it offsite. I called around and outdoor storage fees near me are $50-75 depending on the length and which place. Thats roughly an extra $1k per year just in storage. ouch. And towing would be much easier, as would gas mileage I'd expect.
The dealer had a few hybrids on the lot too and I was suprised that that ceiling were lower than the Niagara. And the Niagara felt a lot more open, then again - with no cabinets above waist level it kinda opens the place up!
Once you get the niagara into the garage, you can then unhook and move it closer to one side. I can manage to move it closer to the wall on my own inside the garage.
When we purchased ours in February, it was 14K with free A/C, and we paid $100 to upgrade from 13000btu to 15000btu. Compared to the Rockwoods and Starcraft in the same Highwall category, with similar features, I felt the Niagara was the better bargain, considering the free air and other options that the others lacked.
Quote from: dcampbell1969Once you get the niagara into the garage, you can then unhook and move it closer to one side. I can manage to move it closer to the wall on my own inside the garage.
When we purchased ours in February, it was 14K with free A/C, and we paid $100 to upgrade from 13000btu to 15000btu. Compared to the Rockwoods and Starcraft in the same Highwall category, with similar features, I felt the Niagara was the better bargain, considering the free air and other options that the others lacked.
Good to hear, I have a 4 car garage but if I could get it pretty snug against one of the walls, storing it at home wouldn't be bad at all.
From looking at the other vendors, the Niagara seemed like the best combo of everything we wanted from a solid maker. Doubt we could really go wrong with it. Now I'll just have to see what sort of deal the salesman could cut us. :D
You are right about the pop up feeling more open. The roofs are definitely higher on the pop ups. Storing can also be an issue for the hybrid. We are fortunate to have a huge driveway so we forget about that. It all depends on what fits your family. We are very happy with the hybrid, lots of storage on the inside and out and also all set up on the inside already. Good luck with your search. I think Fleetwood makes a superior pop up and you would certainly be happy with the Niagara. If you can get the price down go for it.
Quote from: athomemomYou are right about the pop up feeling more open. The roofs are definitely higher on the pop ups. Storing can also be an issue for the hybrid. We are fortunate to have a huge driveway so we forget about that. It all depends on what fits your family. We are very happy with the hybrid, lots of storage on the inside and out and also all set up on the inside already. Good luck with your search. I think Fleetwood makes a superior pop up and you would certainly be happy with the Niagara. If you can get the price down go for it.
If we didn't live in a subdivision, I'd probably go the hybrid route. Or, get a class B. But, you buy what will fit in your lives, and the pop-up does that better than anything for us now.
Can definitely see the advantage of not having to do a lot to setup, but thats part of the magic of camping. :)
Quote from: Tim5055Seems a little high to me...
You can buy a brand new one today at Peco Camping for $13,995 (add 8 or 900 for A/C).
Okay, just e-mailed them today with their best price and they said $13,870 and would do AC for $575 installed. Which is $725 less than their sales price on Saturday. Getting better!
Quote from: HackkerOkay, just e-mailed them today with their best price and they said $13,870 and would do AC for $575 installed. Which is $725 less than their sales price on Saturday. Getting better!
I'd say get a free sway bar installed and you're there!
Actually that seems to be a very fair price at this point.
Quote from: HackkerOkay, just e-mailed them today with their best price and they said $13,870 and would do AC for $575 installed. Which is $725 less than their sales price on Saturday. Getting better!
You did well to get them down another $120. generally they are a pay the price you see dealer, but it is usually the cheapest you can find.
I was just guessing on the A/C, so now I see the current price. Verify the A/C as I would suggest the 15,000 BTU with a heat strip. Even if it's a little more money you will regret not having it in the cooler spring/fall weather.
Quote from: Tim5055... Verify the A/C as I would suggest the 15,000 BTU with a heat strip. Even if it's a little more money you will regret not having it in the cooler spring/fall weather.
I second that
Quote from: HackkerJust found this site while researching popups. After tenting for years, the wife and myself realized that it just isn't cutting it anymore with 2 young kids (ages 4 & 2). My cousin had a older Jayco that we looked at, but we quickly realized that while it was a step up from a tent - it wasn't a huge step up. So, we started looking around and saw a new Niagara last weekend. Wow. Only thing more impressive than the trailer was the price. haha
Anyhow, the first price they threw out was $14,500. What can you realistically get them down to? And does anyone know if there will be any major changes for the next model year? Or when the best time to buy is - new model changeover, fall, winter, etc?
Buying a car is easier it seems, you can go online and find the invoice price for anything, but I've yet to see what the dealer cost is on trailers.
I live in SW Indiana. There is a Fleetwood dealer in Evansville, name of the place is Melchoir's trailer sales. He sells pop-ups and different types of trailers to haul stuff, etc. He is located on a tiny city lot, no fancy ANYTHING! He has a concrete block garage that is not even air conditioned that he works in, to do repairs, install hitches, etc. My point is he is DIRT CHEAP. There is no fancy showroom, numerous employees, etc. so NO OVERHEAD. He has been in business for several years and sells these like hotcakes. He never has any used ones in stock because as soon as he takes one in on trade it is gone within a couple of days. His phone number is: 812-476-6814. I honestly don't think anyone could beat his prices. My SIL just bought a brand new 06 Sun Valley from last year (he often orders up until the last minute in the fall on that years models because he can give an even better deal, like in this case) w/air from him and paid right at $7000 for it. A sun valley is about as big as a Niagara (12 ft. box), but without the shower, pull-out dinette, or front storage box. Otherwise they are about the same size. Give him a call and that will give you an idea of how low anyone would probably go on one of those. Good luck ! :D
Quote from: dcampbell1969I'd say get a free sway bar installed and you're there!
Actually that seems to be a very fair price at this point.
Well, put a deposit down over the phone. Got it for $12,995. Which seems like a pretty decent deal and its a local dealer, so thats always a plus in case of any warranty issues. :D
Quote from: Tim5055You did well to get them down another $120. generally they are a pay the price you see dealer, but it is usually the cheapest you can find.
I was just guessing on the A/C, so now I see the current price. Verify the A/C as I would suggest the 15,000 BTU with a heat strip. Even if it's a little more money you will regret not having it in the cooler spring/fall weather.
Stupid question - but what is a heat strip? I take it that its like a mini electric heater so you can use the power at a site vs. your propane tanks? Thanks for the tip, we were debating on getting the AC, but if we had it we would probably use the camper more during the summer. And would definitely come in handy if we ever opted to drive someplace like FL.
Quote from: HackkerStupid question - but what is a heat strip? I take it that its like a mini electric heater so you can use the power at a site vs. your propane tanks? Thanks for the tip, we were debating on getting the AC, but if we had it we would probably use the camper more during the summer. And would definitely come in handy if we ever opted to drive someplace like FL.
You hit the nail on the head, a mini heater. Even in Ohio you are going to want A/C in the summer. With family in Whitehouse we visit different times of ht year and it does get hot in a pop up.
The new 2007 Niagara are pricing right about the $14,000 to $15,000. Dealers do not budge off of those costs - there are too many of us running around trying to find them so why should they! Finding a good used one seems to be the only way to lower your sticker shock. We found a couple that had taken great care of their 2002 Niagara, and were upgrading into the 25' sized pull trailer. We are hoping to upgrade toward the end of this season into the Sequoia - the 16-foot high-sided Fleetwood. The idea of not having to deal with flipping the kitchen to the floor would be a plus - also there seems to be more seating that looks slightly more comfortable. Having a small oven would be a plus for the longer weekend getaways. And as you get older, having a bench seat as the first leg up onto the king bed might be another plus. The hardside bath walls - not sure if it gives you the privacy you might desire, but it is better than the shower curtain on the 2002 Niagara. If you are parked near a restroom it just seems easier to use the public facility rather than maintaining another aspect of the grey and black water systems.
For those of you that DO NOT USE the shower area, you can use the straps secured into the ceiling to hold chains to hand a shelf and place your flat scree TV in that area over the john. Much more useful! Now . . . where to put the recliner?
that seems like a fair price to me-I wonder if prices vary by region at all?
we're in Massachusetts where everything feels more expensive! We just bought a brand new Saratoga which is lovely, but not as stacked as the Niagra and paid 14,600 for it. That also included a full tow package installed in our conversion van which was reported to cost about $800. We don't have A/C and after camping already in it, we know we certainly don't need it-especially camping in New England. But I can tell you we love the Fleetwood Trailers-having a toilet is an absolute must with two small boys. And it's such a breeze to set up and take down I could do it by myself if I had to.
Quote from: HackkerWell, put a deposit down over the phone. Got it for $12,995. Which seems like a pretty decent deal and its a local dealer, so thats always a plus in case of any warranty issues. :D
Yes, I'd say you did well. I would go with the A/C now, usually you will get a better price if purchased new with the camper, than if you got it later.
The heat strips work well in mild temps and save LP usage. They actually don't feel very warm when you first turn them on, but you will notice a good difference after about 10 to 15 minutes, but in really cold temps the furnace is the way to go.
Quote from: Tim5055You hit the nail on the head, a mini heater. Even in Ohio you are going to want A/C in the summer. With family in Whitehouse we visit different times of ht year and it does get hot in a pop up.
That would be a good idea, even if we didn't use the AC as much the heater portion would probably come in very handy. Better to use the free power than draining the tanks as much.
Quote from: maddygirlthat seems like a fair price to me-I wonder if prices vary by region at all?
we're in Massachusetts where everything feels more expensive! We just bought a brand new Saratoga which is lovely, but not as stacked as the Niagra and paid 14,600 for it. That also included a full tow package installed in our conversion van which was reported to cost about $800. We don't have A/C and after camping already in it, we know we certainly don't need it-especially camping in New England. But I can tell you we love the Fleetwood Trailers-having a toilet is an absolute must with two small boys. And it's such a breeze to set up and take down I could do it by myself if I had to.
The Saratoga was the first model I was looking at, liked that it was 2' shorter and wouldn't suck up as much garage space. But figured at the same time, the extra space would probably come in handy on longer trips.
Seems like the Fleetwood Highlander models are getting good review from everyone here, sounds like we picked a good model to go with. :D
Quote from: HackkerThe Saratoga was the first model I was looking at, liked that it was 2' shorter and wouldn't suck up as much garage space. But figured at the same time, the extra space would probably come in handy on longer trips.
Seems like the Fleetwood Highlander models are getting good review from everyone here, sounds like we picked a good model to go with. :D
we almost bought a Niagra, except someone snatched it up before we came to a decision! However, that one was previously owned so we would have to get a full warranty on it anyway. I can honestly say for 2 adults (very tall ones) and 2 little boys (who are HUGE) we had plenty of room. It fits great in our driveway and wasn't bad to tow. As I said, it's a breeze to set up and take down and having such conveniences in a pop up seems rare. The beds were fairly comfortable-but I did end up buying a King sized eggcrate foam pad for our side which made it great. We also recommend getting an outside grill instead of an outside burner. It was great for hot dogs and hamburgers. You're definitely going to love the Saratoga-or any Fleetwood for that matter!