2002 Bounder Pricing Help Needed

We are looking at buying our first RV, and could use some help. We found a 2002 31' Bounder asking price 42k. Got them down to 33k. Still not sure if this is a good deal. NADA is (low)32,200-(avg)38,800 with options. Unit has 2 slides and 40k miles. Any thoughts?

NADA low retail price without any added options is a good place to start for the value.  If it's in really good shape with new tires and has been well maintained, you might pay a little more than low retail.  If not, maybe less.  You didn't say if it is on a Ford chassis or a Workhorse chassis.  That makes some difference, too.  In my area, the low retail with 40,000 miles on the Ford is $29,414 and the Workhorse is $30,206, a slight premium to the Ford.  It also makes a difference which part of the country you live in.  RV's bring more or less in different regions of the country.

If the price is close to NADA for your region and it's in good shape and it's a floorplan you like then go for it.  Be sure to check the date code on the tires to see how old they are.  Looks can be deceiving.  Tires more than 6 or 7 years old need to be replaced due to age regardless of mileage and that is a major expense these days.  Also make sure you get a demonstration that everything works, not just the seller saying "everything works".  Not that they would intentionally lie about it (although some do), but people forget about what works and what doesn't when selling an RV so try everything to see for yourself that everything works properly.  It's always best if the seller has complete maintenance records so you can see that the maintenance has been done.  If you're not familar with RV systems, you might consider paying someone to do an inspection of all the systems.

Good luck with your search.

Dan

Forgot to mention, there are about 10 articles on "Buying an RV" in our Library.  Read those and you will get a lot of good information that will help you in making your decision.

Dan

I bought a 2002 36S last year for 32k.  The rig was pristine, single owner serviced regularly and stored indoors.  The gelcoat and decals look like they were recently replaced, but it's all original.  The flooring was pristine and unstained, the driver seat had some discoloration to the white leather but other than that all upholstery was pristine.

We were looking for a 33-35 footer, in the 2000-2005 vintage and were willing to go all the way to 40k.  We are very pleased with our Bounder and at 30,000 we feel like we got the bargain of a lifetime.  By the way I think 33k Would have also been a super deal on my Bounder, and without knowing specifics your's is probably worth every bit of 33 as well.  We seriously would have paid 40,000 for our rig and it might even have been worth a bit more than that. 

Jeff

That's probably not a bad deal, but not a steal. I looked at a 2001 Bounder 37' last summer. Owner wanted 32 and I probably could have got it for 28. About 50k miles and pretty good condition. A shorter MH is going to be priced a little lower.

As others have said, condition and operability of major systems is huge. If its a floor plan you like, try to negotiate your best deal and go for it.

Agree - at $33k it's an acceptable deal for a 31 footer but not a great one. You could probably get a 35-36 footer for that price. And I would not add any of the options values on the NADA website - there is probably nothing on that coach that is not "as typically equipped", which is the standard for RV pricing. "As typically equipped" is not the same as "with factory standard equipment only", so don't try to figure out what was standard and what was optional in 2002. It doesn't really make any significant difference.

Is this a dealer or private seller?  Will the seller guarantee that all systems and appliances are in working order at delivery (and fix if not), or is it "as is"?

Well...  We went back to the dealer for a closer look, and were a little disappointed. It needed new tires among other things. The search continues.

You made the right choice by not purchasing on the spot. So many people impulse buy and regret it later when they find out it needs a lot more $$$ put into it.

We did the full 3 or 4 page pre purchase checklist from the library and it really helped make sure I didn't miss anything. 

Jeff

Make sure you figure out what floor plan you want first, because if you end up with something that is theoretically a "good deal", if it's not the layout you want, it's not a good deal.  Take a look at the national classified sites like rvt.com and rvtrader.com to see what's out there in your floor plan and price range.