Upgrading Motorhome

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fullcrew6

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Apr 30, 2012
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Hello folks.  So I am just finishing up my second year with a 28 Foot Class C.  I have four kids, ages 7 down to 6 months and my wife and I decided
that we would like to move up to a larger MH.  We want a Class A bunk-house with two slides.  Basically, I am wondering what the best approach is
to upgrade.  I'm considering three ways at this point....

1 - List & sell privately.
2 - Have a dealership sell it via "consignment"?
3 - Trade-in when I buy a new one...

I know with regular cars you rarely get good value on a trade-in.  I am assuming it's the same with MHs.  I thought of having a dealer just sell it for me.
But not sure after the fee if I'd be better to just trade it in.  Also, got a call from a "Longwood Ink", company offering their services to help me sell it for a fee
of course.  I have not called them back.  My thought is selling it privately would allow me to get the best price.  But that come with obvious hassles.  I
wonder if selling it via consignment is more/less expensive than the mark-down I would get on a trade-in? 

Any advice on the pros/cons of each approach based on experience is appreciated.

Regards
Chucky
 
What I did when I wanted to sell my last motorhome was to list it on Craigslist. CL is a great way to sell it since there are no listing fees or transaction fees to deal with. There are scammers operating on CL but all you have to remember is that you only deal with people in person.

I would not pay someone else to sell it for me. That would reduce the amount you would receive by quite a bit. I would not buy anything else before selling the current motorhome. And I would not buy from a dealer. They are mostly full of bull. This is the dead of winter and RV sales are not all that great this time of year so exhibit some patience.
 
Price vs. convenience.  It always comes down to that battle.  You sorta already answered your own question, in that you'll get lowballed on trade-in value and (on the flip side) you can get a better price yourself but there can be considerable effort selling it on your own.  I second the idea of Craigslist... I mean it's free, what do you have to lose by trying?  A few months ago I sold my 1994 Class A on Craiglist in about 2 weeks.  I was pretty systematic and listed my ad in a new Craigslist city/site every few days, until I covered all the populated areas within a couple hours' drive (Chicago, St. Louis, and a few in central IL).  Lots of calls/emails and a few visits, including the buyer who drove 2.5 hours (one way) to see it first, and then took the Amtrak the second time and drove the RV home.

#1 Tip For Selling - BE REALISTIC ON PRICE.  That's the only way you will get it sold yourself, quickly.  This time of year is a catch-22 ... a lot of other rigs may be going up for sale at the end of the season, increasing the used RV inventory and therefore decreasing the number of potential customers out there.  But you might also have more people looking because of the potential for deals, and you could find the perfect buyer.

I didn't mention Consignment because I don't have any personal experience with it, but some members here have reported positive results.  It all depends on what's available in your area.  PPL Motorhome is probably the most well-known RV consignment outfit nationwide, moving a LOT of rigs out the door weekly... but it's in Texas.
 
I wonder if selling it via consignment is more/less expensive than the mark-down I would get on a trade-in?

Consignment is convenient (assuming it sells) but you pay a fee (around 10%, I think). Trade-in is the most convenient, but you only get wholesale value, even though the dealer will make the trade-in seem higher by adding in the discount on the new rig  (but you would get that discount anyway). Selling on your own probably involves some personal aggravation, but you should be able to get somewhere around the low-retail price. And some dealerships let the consignment rigs languish on the back lot, cause both dealer and salesman make less money on those than a dealer-owned rig.

Another consideration for selling on your own is sales tax offset. Most (but not all) states charge vehicle sales on the difference between the new RV price and the trade-in, thus reducing the total tax owed. If you sell your self and have no trade, you would pay sales tax on the full amount of the new one rather than the trade difference. That is potentially a lot of $$.  Check your state tax laws on this point.
 
I would do as my neighbor just did to sell his unit. Find a very busy road way and park your motorhome along that roadway with a for sale sign on it. First make sure it is legal to do so in your area. Then I would be looking at a couple year old used unit in excellent condition. You would take too big a beating buying new. I did the same thing with my old 28' class C, priced it to sell, then moved up to a 5 year old diesel pusher. So far I have been very happy with the change.

Bill
 

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