Hi all! newbie here and we are searching for our first camper. I hear a lot of advice to buy slightly used and let someone else take the hit of 40% depreciation in the first few years. I think that is an awesome plan for us. However, it is not my experience. I see 2005-2008 mid-level 26 ft campers on dealer lots for 10-15k, when I was hoping to find a 2010 for 10-12k. Frustrating!
What is this depreciation thing you speak of?
- Thread starter Brett K
- Start date
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halfwright
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2013
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Don't offer a dealer 12k for a 2010 unless you really want to buy it. Most will jump on it.
This is good to know! My target price is 80-90% of low nada retail. The dealer we visited on Saturday was a joke. He had one with a price a few thousand more than one next to it which was brand new. We didn't look too seriously after that. I plan on checking out a camper soon with pricing more in-line with our expectations. They have a lightly used 2013 Gulf Stream Conquest 255bhs on their site for 12,900. I want to see how much room is left in that price because our budget is 10-11k before taxes.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
You are more likely to get what you seek from a private seller.
Frizlefrak
Well-known member
Gary RV Roamer said:
Although some of them seem to think their rigs are made of gold too.....Sometimes you have to wait until they've had it for sale for 6 months and reality has finally crept in.
glen54737
Well-known member
The listed price seems to be a starting negotiating price. RV dealers seem to haggle a lot.
Rancher Will
Well-known member
We have noticed that the depreciation factor has a number details.
I bought our first RV in 1961, Since then I have bought 4 others, the last one just 3 years ago. Each time I upgraded I traded our used RV in to a dealer for the new one. The shortest time that I owned any RV (except the one we now own) was 5 years. Even that one, a Conquest 5th Wheel that I traded for a JayCO, after the five years brought $350 more on the trade than I paid for it new.
All of our RV's have been maintained and serviced to the best of our ability. I can truthfully state that every RV that I traded in was in just as good condition as the new one we bought. The reason each was traded was for convenience and our changing camping style.
Every new RV that I bought cost more than the cost of the one traded had cost new. However due to inflation, and the fact that the older model, traded in, was in what we called perfect condition, I always received more dollars when traded in than I had paid for the old one new.
I also noticed that every RV that I traded to a dealer for a new RV, was sold by the dealer very quickly. Twice the dealer actually called a customer while I was present completing the purchase ageements. Both times I overheard the dealer tell his customer that he had just received trade in that would satisfy the customer who had been waiting for a special used RV to buy. Once the new customer arrived while I was still at the dealer, to inspect and buy the trade in and I was able go over the older RV with the new customer.
We both completed the sales agereement paperwork the same day.
A used RV in excellent condition (the dealers always commented that ours were in almost new condition) makes it easy for the dealer to sell. We have always received top dollar. I understand that in our situation we have been fortunate in that inflation has offset trade in depreciation although our new ones always cost more than the previous one.
I bought our first RV in 1961, Since then I have bought 4 others, the last one just 3 years ago. Each time I upgraded I traded our used RV in to a dealer for the new one. The shortest time that I owned any RV (except the one we now own) was 5 years. Even that one, a Conquest 5th Wheel that I traded for a JayCO, after the five years brought $350 more on the trade than I paid for it new.
All of our RV's have been maintained and serviced to the best of our ability. I can truthfully state that every RV that I traded in was in just as good condition as the new one we bought. The reason each was traded was for convenience and our changing camping style.
Every new RV that I bought cost more than the cost of the one traded had cost new. However due to inflation, and the fact that the older model, traded in, was in what we called perfect condition, I always received more dollars when traded in than I had paid for the old one new.
I also noticed that every RV that I traded to a dealer for a new RV, was sold by the dealer very quickly. Twice the dealer actually called a customer while I was present completing the purchase ageements. Both times I overheard the dealer tell his customer that he had just received trade in that would satisfy the customer who had been waiting for a special used RV to buy. Once the new customer arrived while I was still at the dealer, to inspect and buy the trade in and I was able go over the older RV with the new customer.
We both completed the sales agereement paperwork the same day.
A used RV in excellent condition (the dealers always commented that ours were in almost new condition) makes it easy for the dealer to sell. We have always received top dollar. I understand that in our situation we have been fortunate in that inflation has offset trade in depreciation although our new ones always cost more than the previous one.
redbarber
Well-known member
When I recently bought my 2008 toy hauler, the asking price was $33,750. I told them I needed to be out-the-door at $29,000, and they immediately dropped the price to about $26,000. With taxes and fees it came to $29,000 exactly. I was sorry I didn't offer less! They don't make my model any more, however comparable toy haulers seem to start about $58-62,000, so it looks like I paid less than 50%.
As someone else already mentioned, used RV dealers seem to be willing to negotiate and set their asking price accordingly.
BTW, This is my second RV, and both were used models. Both times I purchased the best extended warranty I could get. Not cheap, but on my last RV (Class C), it paid for itself a couple of times over. Two transmissions, and plumbing issues. I'm less positive I'll get my money's worth this time, with no drive train to deal with. However the generator, A/C unit, furnace, water heater, slide-outs and plumbing systems are things I don't want to have to think about. With the warranty in place, I don't have to worry for the next 4 years at least.
As someone else already mentioned, used RV dealers seem to be willing to negotiate and set their asking price accordingly.
BTW, This is my second RV, and both were used models. Both times I purchased the best extended warranty I could get. Not cheap, but on my last RV (Class C), it paid for itself a couple of times over. Two transmissions, and plumbing issues. I'm less positive I'll get my money's worth this time, with no drive train to deal with. However the generator, A/C unit, furnace, water heater, slide-outs and plumbing systems are things I don't want to have to think about. With the warranty in place, I don't have to worry for the next 4 years at least.
