RV Buyer Frequently Asked Questions
Available in PDF format!
Click here to download in PDF format.
PDF format makes it easy to print. Free Adobe Acrobat Reader is required.
Who is Pete's RV Center?
Pete's RV Center is a family owned and operated RV dealership with two full service superstore locations. We are located in Northern New England and Northwest Indiana, just south of Chicago. We have been the satisfaction leaders in our market for over 60 years. Over the years we have grown from a small mom and pop operation to one of the largest dealers in North America. This was accomplished by continually offering our clients the best RV value at the best possible price. Over the years we have had only one goal in mind at the end of each day and that is “Happy Campers”. Please view our locations pages to get a personalized look at Pete's RV Center.
What if I Need Service and/or Warranty Work?
Pete's RV Center has a very strong national service network in place to ensure that if you do require service attention, you won’t be left out in the cold. If a service situation should arise, simply call our toll free phone number to talk to one of our specialized service advisers. Your service adviser will analyze your situation and then, together, we can set a plan in motion that will best resolve your exact service need. We can assist you in scheduling appointments at any one of the hundreds of authorized Keystone RV Company service centers. Combined with our North American network of independent service centers, we can guarantee you piece of mind that you will never be left alone when it comes to service after the sale. Only at Pete's RV Center will you find an RV backed with these types of assurances.
I’m nervous about investing in an RV that I haven’t seen. What happens if there is something wrong with the RV when I receive it?
We guarantee all of our units. If you are unhappy with your new RV at time of delivery, we will replace it with an identical RV at no additional cost to you. Please remember that all of our RVs are factory fresh. This means your new RV is NOT blemished, been in a flood or accident, returned to the factory for repair, repossessed or bought at auction. It also is not a leftover FEMA RV nor a demo or show unit. It is ready to be enjoyed by you and your family. Many times, with exception of factory and prep technicians, new units have never been entered.
Are these brand new RVs and if they are, do they come with a factory warranty?
All of our RVs are brand new units. Some dealers may try to convince you that these are used units and are defective in some way. Your new RV will come protected with the best comprehensive one-year warranty in the industry backed by the largest towable manufacturer in the world, Keystone RV Company. For complete manufacturer warranty details, we recommend you download a copy of the Keystone RV Company Owners Manual.
Do you have any other fees that we should know about?
There is a $99.00 USD documentation fee that covers the cost of processing your documentation. If you choose to save money by using one of Pete's RV’s preferred lenders, there may be a $90.00 USD V.S.I. fee (vendor’s single interest insurance, a bank insurance fee) depending on the particular lender used.
Will our new RV come “Dealer Prepped”?
Every RV purchased at Pete's RV comes dealer prepped free of charge. Our factorytrained technicians will perform the following “prep” on your new RV
- All RV appliances will be fired and tested
- All RV LP systems will be tested and inspected
- All RV safety systems will be tested and inspected
- All RV plumbing systems will be tested and inspected
- All RV 110V and 12V electrical systems will be tested and inspected
- All RV Manufacturing dust and debris will be cleaned from the inside of the coach.
- The exterior of the RV will be washed
Any issues that may arise from these tests will be taken care of under the RV manufacturer’s warranty before the unit is delivered to you.
We also offer a Deluxe RV Prep Option for $199.00 USD. This includes the previously stated dealer prep service with the addition of a new heavy duty deep cycle RV/Marine battery with storage box as well as both propane bottles purged and filled with LP.
Where do we pay our sales tax?
Sales tax only needs to be paid to the state that you decide to register and title your new RV. You will never have to pay sales tax to more than one state. For RVs being registered and titled in the states of New York, Vermont (purchases from Vermont store), and Indiana (purchases from Indiana store) we are required to collect the appropriate tax amount. We save you a registration step by forwarding the tax monies to the appropriate state office for processing. When you choose to save money by using a Pete's RV preferred lender, we are required to make sure all liens are perfected. We require you to finance the amount of your sales tax regardless of which state you are going to pay your tax to. Pete's RV will then issue you a check for that same tax amount made out to you and your tax collection department. This allows for a proper recording of the lien on your title, as required by our lenders. In addition we issue you a 30 day temporary in-transit license plate allowing you to travel with your new RV for up to 30 days from the date of investment before you need to properly register the RV.
How does your North Delivery work?
We only rely on experienced fully bonded transportation carriers who meet stringent Department of Transportation laws and safety regulations. We can deliver your new RV to just about anywhere; your home, a campground, your own piece of land, or even to your workplace. The choice is yours. We can typically deliver your new RV in just a matter of days from the time you request us to ship it. We are more than happy to provide you with a no cost, no obligation transportation price. Follow the link to request a transportation quote.
Can we pick up our new RV at the factory?
Unfortunately our manufacturers are not equipped to do retail deliveries of RVs. However, our Schererville, Indiana superstore is located only 110 miles from the Keystone RV factory, which can save a considerable amount in shipping cost. If travel to one of Pete's RV’s superstores is not possible please look into our Nationwide Delivery Program or contact us for a no cost, no obligation quote for transportation of your new RV.
We live in Canada. Can we still invest in our new RV at Pete's RV?
Yes you can. In fact we have quite a following in Canada. Canadian clients typically are in line to save even more money than your American friends to the south. Importing an RV into Canada is both easy and inexpensive. Importation fees to bring an RV into Canada is approximately $250.00 CAN.
If I buy a Keystone RV in the United States, will the warranty still be honored if I bring the unit back to Canada where I reside?
Per Keystone RV Company, their One Year Limited Warranty is honored in Canada if the unit was purchased in the U.S. (and vice versa): "The warranty makes no distinction nor does it impose any limitations or exclusions when the unit is purchased in the United States or Canada. It does require that 'All owners (original or subsequent) must be properly registered with Keystone RV to be considered for eligibility.' The only exclusion is any trailer, licensed, registered or used primarily outside the United States or Canada." Download a copy of Keystone’s North American Warranty Clarification.
Does my trailer need to be CSA approved?
CSA approval is a designation that Canada uses to certify that trailers meet all required industry standards. Trailers purchased in the United States generally do not have CSA approval on them. This is not a problem however, because the standards that are in place in the United States are compatible with the Canadian requirements. Once you import your Pete’s RV trailer into Canada, Canadian Tire will inspect the trailer and issue a compliance sticker.
Will We Receive a Walk-Thru on Our New RV When Taking Delivery?
If you choose to take delivery at one of our superstores, you receive a comprehensive walk through of your new RV by a qualified member of our team. If you choose to take delivery away from our superstores, we can supply you with a walk through DVD (by request) that covers the most common questions on operating and caring for your new RV. Please keep in mind that we are always a phone call or email away to help assist with any situation that may arise after you take delivery of your new RV! View a Pete’s RV walkthrough demonstration on our YouTube Channel.
If we have you deliver our new RV, how do we handle the paperwork?
One of our documentation specialists will prepare and overnight ownership papers to you via FedEx. The federal government enacts tough identity theft measures to help protect consumers. One requirement of this legislation is collecting proof that the investors of the RV are indeed who they claim to be. The way for Pete's RV to comply with this regulation without meeting you in person is easy. Simply take your ownership papers we send to you and bring them to a local public notary’s office. Once there, the public notary will provide you with a notarized statement verifying your identity. This notarized statement needs to be returned with your ownership documents. Please note that it is not necessary for each and every document to be notarized. Upon completion of this step, simply return all of the signed ownership papers to Pete's RV in the supplied and prepaid FedEx return envelope. Please feel free to photocopy any of the paperwork. We will return the originals to you within a few days after receiving them.
Why do you require a deposit to hold my new RV?
We have, in most cases, a very limited supply of a particular RV equipped the way you want, in the color you want, at the price you were quoted. Once it is sold we will not be able to order another identical RV at the same price. A deposit is required so we can guarantee your quoted price on the particular RV that you have chosen. To give you the most competitive pricing we purchase our RVs in large volume packages. Incentives, factory rebates, and discount programs are never the same from one package purchase to the next.
What type of deposit is accepted, how much do you require and how long is it good for?
We require a deposit amount of only $500.00 USD to guarantee your RV and price. The length of time a deposit is good for is flexible, within reason, and based on your individual needs.
We will accept deposits in the form of the following:
- Visa
- Master Card
- Discover
- American Express
- Personal check
- Money order
- Certified bank check
What are our final payment options?
Financing: we offer financing packages to fit most budgets. Please note that we are currently unable to finance customers living in Canada.
Cash: is accepted at time of pick-up, please make advance arrangements for this. Please note that if you are having your unit delivered, our drivers cannot collect cash payments. The cash must be received before the unit leaves the dealership. Please note that cash must be USD, Canadian currency cannot be accepted.
Bank Checks: must be made payable to Pete’s RV Center and must arrive at the dealership 10 business days prior to pick-up or delivery. Please note that we do not accept Canadian Bank Checks. Checks must be payable in U.S. funds, as we do not accept Canadian currency.
Wire Transfer Information: This is the most secure and effective way to pay your balance. Please allow 48 hours for wire transfers.
VERMONT:
Bank:
M&T Bank
327 Great Oaks Blvd
Albany, NY 12203Account Info:
Routing# 022000046
Account# 9850263162Account Holder Info:
Mactaw Inc.
4016 Williston Road
South Burlington, VT 05403
INDIANA:
Bank:
Chase Bank
1801 Kennedy Ave
Schererville, IN 46375Account Info:
Routing# 074000010
Account# 915947493Account Holder Info:
Mactaw Indiana Inc.
50 US-30
Schererville, IN 46375
How long does it take to receive our new RV after the paperwork is completed?
After forwarding your ownership documents to Pete's RV, the time it takes for you to receive your new RV depends mostly on how you select to make your final payment. Your new RV will ship to you as soon as all final payments have been deposited, cleared and posted. Once this happens your unit will ship without delay. Please keep in mind that all checks take up to 10 business days to clear. If there is a specific date your new RV is required, please contact your RV Lifestyle Consultant. They will be happy to go over all of your final payment options and properly plan for an on time delivery.
Do you provide financing?
Once they find out how much money we can save them, most of our clients choose Pete's RV to handle all of their financing needs. We only partner with large institutions that specialize in RV loans. These larger institutions better understand the RV industry and have more favorable rates and terms. Pete's RV specializes in creating custom loan packages for our clients by providing them with a number of different financing options. Our Finance Consultants strive to find you the most favorable loan terms and interest rates available. It is not uncommon for our finance consultants to save you thousands of dollars in financing fees and costs versus traditional high mark-up institutions.
You can get pre-approved with our easy and secure on-line credit application.
What are your interest rates and terms?
There are several different factors involved in determining interest rates and loan terms. These include: Total dollar value being financed, how long of a loan term is desired, amount of down payment, and past credit history. Without knowing the answer to these important variables, we hope you understand that it is quite difficult to quote exact rates and terms (in some cases, even approximates). For a custom rate quote based on your individual needs, simply complete our easy and secure on-line credit application. One of our finance consultants will contact you to review your information.
Do you offer extended RV service protection plans?
Even with one of the best backed RVs in the industry, you will eventually be without a factory warranty. Most clients choose to invest in a Pete’s RV extended service protection plan to help cover costly repair bills after their factory warranty has expired. More than just peace of mind, our protection plans cover parts and labor costs of any covered component. You also gain towing, rental, service call and trip interruption benefits at no extra charge. In most cases, the investment price of the plan can be financed right into your RV loan at a cost of only pennies a day! View brochures of all of our extended care products.
Do you accept RV trade-ins?
Trade-ins of your pop-up camper, travel trailer, fifth wheel, toy hauler, park model or motor home are gladly accepted here at Pete's RV. Please contact us with your tradein info including make, model, year and pictures if possible.
Do you sell RV hitches?
We specialize in several different hitch systems for travel trailers and fifth wheels. Pete's RV chooses to partner only with companies with a strong commitment to quality, customer service and warranty support. Reese, Shur-Pull, Equalizer and Blue Ox are manufacturers meeting our qualifications. Pete’s RV offers free shipping on all hitch systems. Not sure which hitch system will be the best option for you? View brochures of all of hitch and braking accessories.
Further questions not covered in this document or PetesRV.com? Please contact Pete's RV via email or call toll-free 1.888.738.3778. Thanks!