Why Springdales are better value for money and the truth about imported 5th Wheels.
It has been brought to our attention that a NZ manufacturer of 5th Wheels, spends a lot of time putting down imported American 5th Wheels.
We find this kind of marketing disappointing, why?
We sell on the merits of our product where as some of our competitors try to make up for their own shortfalls by attacking the competition with unfounded comments or stories about trailer issues resolved years ago.
Besides that, the fact that if you inspect our competitors trailers, many of the components are imported from the USA to build their so called "NZ trailers" anyway.
Kiwi RV Imports has a positive marketing strategy. Our customers can see the benefits of our Springdale 5th Wheel Packages over the competition.
They simply offer "More for your Money" than our competitors. Why?
We offer better pricing, more features and only use the best components in our conversion process to upgrade the trailer into a self contained, mobile apartment.
With many of our competitors, our standard features are charged as extras or are left for you to buy and fit them to your trailer after your purchase adding to your overall cost outlay. Our standard package deal eliminates extra spending on upgrades so you get all the features we all want, from day 1.
It's that simple, we offer you "more for your money."
Our competitors negitive marketing approach also indicates what type of salesman and business they are when they loose focus on their own product and feel the need to confuse RV buyers with misleading hype & inaccurate facts. We assume our NZ competitors have to use this sort of negative marketing because they just can't compete head-for-head with our American trailers with their high spec'd standard features or the true value for money our product represents through 40 years of design and development.
Springdales also retain their resale value much better than low volume produced trailers which are still refining their quality control problems & inferior build designs. Kiwi RV Imports Ltd has selected two proven floorplans that cater to most RV buyers requirements and both these floorplans work extremely well in our NZ environment with our uneven roads, potholes, low trees, combined car/rail bridges, mountain passes and hilly terrain.
Springdale manufacturers have received numerous industry awards in the USA over recent years because of their innovative approach to RV designs & development.
Over the 7 years that Kiwi RV Imports Ltd has been operating, we have had some people mention the US$ price of our Springdale trailers in America exchanged to NZ$ = bargain buying.
Not quite!
The US$ purchase price is only the first cost in a long list of expensive conversion costs to get our Springdales ready for NZ sale. We also need to make some profit on them to make it viable to keep going but by keeping our NZ overheads low, we can still offer a very competitive value for money package deal for our NZ buyers. When you compare it dollar for dollar you will see Springdale comes out streets ahead and is a quality built trailer.
Also the standard components used in our conversion process are of a much higher spec than that what our competitors use in their standard trailers. Normally they will sell you a entry level component then charge you for an upgrade.
These are some of our standard components fitted during our conversion process which our competitors will charge you for. Dare to compare!
ie: 25 amp 6 stage smart charger, Apollo Auto Satellite Dish, 26" LCD TV,
12v Free2View decoder with Sky card slot, 260 amp AGM house battery with 5 yr warranty, quality 120w Solar panel with 20 amp MPPT controller allowing expansion.
Kiwi RV Imports Ltd believes that this expense, time, work and effort to import our Springdales into New Zealand is very beneficial to NZ buyers. We support our local workforce for our conversion process and they also offer NZ warranties on their workmanship. This gives our customers peace of mind that in the event that if something should go wrong, it will be resolved free of charge. Adding to this, full USA dealer back-up means if replacement parts are required then you will never have to wait around and source ex.USA parts yourself. We do it all on your behalf including USA warranty claims through our USA connection.
Our Springdale 5th Wheels hold their capital value incredibly well.
We have on-sold a few trailers for original buyers when the time comes to sell it on, with very pleasing results. Not a 30% hit like a motor vehicle!
The Keystone Springdale Trailers in America are very popular brand there too as the Springdale company has won industry achievement awards over the past few years for trailer design, build quality and more. Google Springdale and visit bulletin boards to hear true feedback from actual Springdale owners. Owners will give you honest feedback about their Springdales without any salesman jargon trying to push their product.
NZLTA states: A trailers GVWR must be 3,500kg or less to be on a WOF.
Kiwi RV Imports Ltd imports two floorplans specifically modified for the NZ market.
These two NZ models both have a Manufacturers specified GVWR of 3493kg with factory Vin tags showing their specified weights. We register our Springdale 5th wheels on the road in NZ using these factory issued VIN numbers and factory issued weights. We do not print our own tags & replace manufacturers tags!
Our Springdales are factory modified for the NZ market to keep within WOF guidelines. We have had a couple of private buyers source their Springdales directly through 3rd party dealerships in the USA only to discover upon arrival in NZ they are overweight for a WOF as the standard USA models GVWR is 3676kgs.
This means it must be registered in NZ on a COF also meaning you must fit a hubometer and pay RUC for all on-road travel. (around 16c/per km) Then it must be paired up with a COF tow vehicle by law which then outlaws using a Nissan Navara or any other 3 ton ute on a WOF for towing the Springdale trailer on NZ roads.
It is easy to get caught out when trying to cut corners and the whole buying process can turn into an expensive learning curve for unaware buyers.
We know of instances where the importers money has run out & their trailers have ended parked up, unconverted and not NZ road legal. Don't be one of them. Speak to us if you are unsure.
Beware as some trailers have dark tinted glass and/or smaller windows with big curtains that reduce your natural light inside and you have the need for using your lights day & night which uses your battery power. Simple things equate into how many days freedom camping you can do and the need to run a generator to keep your battery topped up. Also step-up slideouts with no end windows are a cost saving measure which makes it easy to bang your head and reduces natural light inside.
We have also come across a number of USA trailers where buyers have got caught out with their imported trailers being too heavy for a WOF and they have done a sneeky by registering it on the UVW. (unladen vehicle weight)
This is highly illegal and if pulled up by police you could be ordered off the road and possibly be faced with paying back-dated RUC charges from when it was imported into NZ. The GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) must be used for registration to ensure the trailer is registered in it's correct weight catagory and the correct on-road costs are paid. It also determines which tow vehicle is required to partner up.
If you mis-register a heavier trailer you could also void any accident insurance claim so always check the manufacturers VIN tag to ensure the trailer you are buying is the weight you have been told by the seller. If the Vin tag is missing or appears to be damaged or replaced, walk away otherwise it may cost you a lot of time and hassle and thousands $$$ to rectify. The vin tag has been removed for a reason and that is likely to be to hide the true trailer weights.
There are also factory fitted cargo weight stickers (yellow) indicating carrying capacities, tyre pressures etc. If the vin tags have been altered it is likely these weight tags will also be removed to hide the true factory weights. Always check!
We see many USA trailers with their original USA gas cookers still fitted & being used here in NZ. You just need to visit Trade Me and see some USA trailers there for sale.
These are illegial and pose a health risk as the gas valves are unregulated. If a child turns on a cooker knob while someone is asleep, the cooker could potentially cause death or cause an explosion. Don't cut corners and run the risk of potential disaster for the sake of $2000! Fit a NZ compliant gas cooker with built-in solenoid valve for your own safety.
We are not just sales people but are passionate about travelling ourselves and use our own Springdale 5th Wheel for weekends away & RV shows around NZ. We have also travelled for months across the USA and looked at many makes and models of 5th wheels before settling upon the Springdale brand.
It's great introducing customers to a new way of life and seeing them travel in style with their new Springdale trailers to see what NZ has on offer.
When you hear our oppositions salesman say,
"We have the NZ floorplan with the door on the correct side"
There is no legal requirement or correct side!
and
"You can make a cup of tea when travelling
with the slide-out in"
That's because you have to!
You can do the same in a Springdale but...
You cannot use the reverse floorplan slide-out in a layby or roadside
as you risk being hit by a passing car/truck.
Why would you consider buying a 5th wheel
with a slide-out you can't use half the time?
It just doesn't make sense!
Make your move into the ultimate lifestyle
and get into a NEW 2012 Springdale today.
We are here to assist NZ Buyers with trueful facts and help stop cowboys
mis-selling heavier COF 5th wheels as WOF trailers. If you are unsure about the USA trailer you are looking to buy, then call us so we can help you determine the actual factory weights and reduce the chances of you being another statistic!
