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FlyerJumper

Well Known Member
Anyone have some input on Vans history of kit price increases. I'm getting close to purchsing my first kit, and was just curious because they indicate "kit prices adjusted Jan 1".

Thanks,
Mark.
 
Don't think of it as buying a kit. Think of it as "investing in aluminum futures." It's much easier to explain to...you know who...that way.
 
Their prices pretty much go up every January 1st like clockwork. Also, the price you pay is the price at time of shipment, NOT at the time you place your deposit. You can call them and check on my facts here, but the bottom line is that I think you're pretty much hosed on the wing/fuselage since there's no way it'd ship in time for the new year.

You can probably still get the empennage at the current price, though. They keep those in stock and you'd have it in about 1 1/2 weeks typically (few days to process the order and crate it. A few days for delivery).
 
I talked to someone at Van's about this the other day ... she said they hadn't decided about price increases yet.

She told me that if I order the QB fuse and put 25% down before Jan 1 then I can "lock in" the current price. Only stipulation is that when it is ready to ship I have to pay the balance and take it (she said this is to prevent people ordering now and then saying "I don't need it for another year - don't ship yet")

Thomas
-8 flaps
 
time will tell

am curious about this myself, as I ordered the fus a couple days ago. provided the 25%, but because of my ability to procrastinate, what should have been ordered well before jan 1 was instead ordered . . . well, now.

james kleen
 
grover said:
am curious about this myself, as I ordered the fus a couple days ago. provided the 25%, but because of my ability to procrastinate, what should have been ordered well before jan 1 was instead ordered . . . well, now.

james kleen
Click to expand...

It'd be nice if they had some sort of consistent policy on this. Based on a previous post, maybe you'll be OK after all :)
 
I paid for my QB kit in full when I ordered it, just before the new year. I was not affected by the price increase, even though it shipped 6 months into the year. It would've meant another $600 or so.
 
Policy

I don't think Van's policies have changed at all. Price changes occur at the beginning of the year. If you order before the beginning of the year you get the old price. 25% is needed to place the order with the remainder due before shipment. It makes sense that you can't indefinitely hold a price with a down-payment and must take delivery when kits become available or pay the higher price when you are ready.

I think I remember reading that Van's tries to limit price increases to 4% or less. From my perspective the kits are still very popular (I haven't seen Van's books to substantiate this) so I can't anticipate any reason why Van's wouldn't raise prices again, but who knows. As a previous poster indicates, Van's hasn't decided yet. The only sure thing is if you order now and take delivery when kits are available you will get current pricing.

If you have the storage room and have no doubts about finishing the kit, there really is no reason to wait. If you want the comfort of not committing and paying as you go, the priviledge could cost you upwards of $600 to $800.
 
I thought you had to pay in full to
get the ending year price.
I may be wrong, but you may want
to check with Vans.
Tom
 
i just talked with the factory about this a few minutes ago, and they said that their payment policy HAS changed THIS year. a deposit WILL lock the price in whether the kit is shipped in one month or one year from now, you will get current pricing. if the shipment is delayed by the customer, the new price and balance will be effective and due.

wings are 10 weeks out currently, didn't ask about fuses...sorry about that. :rolleyes:
 
3-4% is a perfectly fair increase IMHO. I got an e-mail from Glasair (I was seriously considering a Sportsman 2+2) and they are increasing their kit price by several thousand dollars on January 1st. The kit is expensive to begin with (a bit more than an RV10, and on top of that they charge a $1700 penalty for buying it in sub-kits) These, along with the practically zero builder support out there like this list have convinced me that Vans has got it right. An 8 is what my heart has always been telling me to build anyway - but being able to bring the mountain bikes on Baja trips in the 2+2 would still be nice...
 
FlyerJumper said:
Anyone have some input on Vans history of kit price increases. I'm getting close to purchsing my first kit, and was just curious because they indicate "kit prices adjusted Jan 1".

Thanks,
Mark.
Click to expand...

Yep, prices go up in Jan for sure even though the order form says prices can be adjusted at any time. According to their webpage all of the empennage kits are in stock now. Go ahead and order now and you will be building before the price increase, not waiting on a kit. Heck, depending on where you live you might be building before thanksgiving even! ;)

Short of that, Vans told me the same as Chad, order before the new year and get this years prices. Vans is probably one of the fairest, most honest companies you will deal with so don't worry about them jacking the prices any more then they need to.

Rat
 
mgomez said:
I paid for my QB kit in full when I ordered it, just before the new year. I was not affected by the price increase, even though it shipped 6 months into the year. It would've meant another $600 or so.
Click to expand...
Ditto, gave myself and Xmas present last year, paid in full in december, pitty I only recieved it several months down the line.

I knew I want it, I knew I'm going to need all of it, so I ordered all the kits at once and the savings went into extra tools etc.

My case slightly different, since I need to cater for currency devaluation as well against the dollar since I am in South Afirca which means an aditinal +/- 10% a year.

Regards,
Rudi
 
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