Why Do People Trade In RV's

Hi,

I'm looking at a entry level RV right now. It's a 2011 but has been traded in twice. Each time the buyer had the unit for 2 years or little longer. I can understand that buyers don't always get it right the first time around and might trade but an RV that has been traded in two times, I figure wouldn't one of those buyers keep the unit much longer than the 2,
2 1/2 years? My thinking is there something wrong then with the unit?

BTW, the dealer added in costs from the NADA price report, like low milage ($3,500 more) leveling jacks, aluminum wheels, awning for slide outs, rear camera view, all in all jacking up the price $9,600. Personal feeling is the unit is worth $56,000. Then there is the new 19.5 inch tires for close to twice the price range (not biting on that one).

Thoughts??

I would imagine the biggest reason is they want something different or just newer.

Perhaps, you could ask the dealer for the phone numbers of the previous owners.

tvman44 said:

I would imagine the biggest reason is they want something different or just newer.

Click to expand...

The unit was new for the first owners and only 2 years old for the second. So something different is very possible.

Paul and Ann,

Good idea on asking for the previous owners numbers to get their info on the unit. Thanks!

AL

I'm looking at a entry level RV right now. It's a 2011 but has been traded in twice. Each time the buyer had the unit for 2 years or little longer. I can understand that buyers don't always get it right the first time around and might trade but an RV that has been traded in two times, I figure wouldn't one of those buyers keep the unit much longer than the 2,
2 1/2 years? My thinking is there something wrong then with the unit?

Click to expand...

Since it's an entry level unit, perhaps both traders were beginners -- a likely thing, so I'd not give to much credence to such a theory. It's not as if it were the same person both times.

Also, when figuring the options to add in for value, the things that come standard are not added in extra. When I was shopping for a motorhome, I would download the brochure for that year, make, and model. The coach should have a sticker, usually stuck to a cabinet door that list the options on the unit. I made one dealer mad when I pointed this out to them on a Winnebago Adventurer. They had listed about a dozen or things that were standard on the coach. They really didn't want to deal with me after that.

kdbgoat said:

Also, when figuring the options to add in for value, the things that come standard are not added in extra. When I was shopping for a motorhome, I would download the brochure for that year, make, and model. The coach should have a sticker, usually stuck to a cabinet door that list the options on the unit. I made one dealer mad when I pointed this out to them on a Winnebago Adventurer. They had listed about a dozen or things that were standard on the coach. They really didn't want to deal with me after that.

Click to expand...

Yep, they hate dealing with people who actually think. I asked them what the cost of the tires were again by email and they came back with the cost they quoted me. I then asked them to deduct the price of the tires and if they would accept that price if I bought the unit. They came back $600 more but I won't split hairs on a few hundred at this point in time.

Offering a dealer any justification for a lower price or higher trade value doesn't actually do any more good than just telling the dealer what you're willing to pay. They can either do the deal or they can't.

We actually like dealing with people that think - not people that like to think they're outsmarting the system.

I agree with you Nick, it's just when you make a reasonable offer and they blow smoke up your butt about the "options" running up the price is what I don't like. And then getting indignant when they are called on it.

When I bought my 1st camper it was 2 years old.... I had it for 6 months and traded it.... it had no slide outs and ended up being way too small for my family which as beginners we were unable to realize at the time of purchase.....we went from a no slide 17ft hybrid travel trailer to a 2 slide 34ft 5th wheel..... the unit I traded in was in like new condition with everything in perfect functioning order... it's possible the camper you are looking at is totally fine, just bought by people who underestimated what they needed....twice...lol.

kdbgoat said:

I agree with you Nick, it's just when you make a reasonable offer and they blow smoke up your butt about the "options" running up the price is what I don't like. And then getting indignant when they are called on it.

Click to expand...

Fair 'nuff. I'd feel the same way.

Back to the OP, by and far the most common reason that somebody trades is because they don't like the size or layout anymore. Very common nowadays - "we don't use the bunks like we thought we would" "Too big" or "too small" has always been very common.

Sometimes we take one back that has severe quality issues and the customer just can't stomach dealing with it anymore. This would likely be a near-new model, maybe even current model year. We pay too much for them and spend too much time working out the bugs, but ultimately we retain a customer. YMMV. If your dealer is good, this ends up being a better unit than most of the new RVs out there.

The first 5er I bought had no slides. We slept in it 7 nights, wasn't big enough. Two weeks later, we took it back to the dealer we bought it from, traded it for another 5er, a little longer with a slide. Had this one about a month. We slept in it 11 nights. It wasn't big enough either. Took it back too. This time we traded for a 34' class c motorhome with a slide, kept it 10 years.

Each time we took the 5ers back, this dealer/salesman gave us exactly what we paid for them towards the "upgrade". He even bought the 1 ton truck from me that I had bought to pull the bigger 5th wheel with. He asked me what I thought it was worth, I told him what I gave for it, he said if I thought it was worth that much, he'd give me that for it. He said they weren't really in the vehicle business, but we were trading up each time and wanted to keep me as a customer.

Lee's RV, in Midwest City, OK was probably THE MOST honest, best service, people in the RV industry I ever dealt with.
Not meaning to hi-jack the thread, but, On the class c I bought from them I had a slide problem 2-3 years after purchase. It wouldn't retract without rolling up the carpet. I finally got the slide in, took the MH to Lee's. They pulled the slide out, it was 2" out of square. They took pictures of it & sent them to Jayco. Jayco said "this isn't the customer's fault, fix it". This repair cost me $1.62 for a tube of caulk. lol. Too bad Lee passed away a few years ago after selling out to Camping World. 

I agree with contacting the prior owners but you ask why they get traded in:

1: Upgrade.. Some folks get a small trailer/RV and decide to go bigger,  Example in another forum someone ask "Do you have any regrets" and one response was "Yes, We first bought a class C, should have gone Class A"

2: Decide "the RV life is not for us"  hey, not all fit, Different strokes and all that.

3: Dearly beloved, we are gathered today to remember our dearly departed friend _____ (Note, contacting prior owner in this case will NOT be possible).

And yes, sometimes it is because the rv has too many issues.. Dealer is supposed to disclose issues in most states. But often fails to do so.

But I think i listed them in order.

I bought my 1st motor home not really knowing too much about them, almost on a whim, but I immediately realized 2 things: we really liked camping with it, and I really wanted to upgrade already. I only had it for 5 months and there was absolutely nothing wrong with it, just wanted something, newer, bigger and a different floor plan. So much happier with my 2nd one, as we really put some thought into what we wanted, and I looked at a LOT of Craigslist & RV Trader ads.

Why do people trade in there cars??>>>Dan

We bought our first TT, DW liked but wanted more space. So, we got a FW.  We bought the TT new and had it for less than a year.  Happy wife!!!

I think the main reason people trade in RVs is because just about every beginner looking for their first RV wants one as small as possible erroneously thinking that the smaller RV gets better gas mileage and is easier to drive. It doesn't take them too long to figure out that they made a dumb mistake and want a much larger RV.

In my case, I had my first rig for four months and ended up trading it in. There were several reasons, the main one being that the dealer just flat out lied to me about the condition of the roof and seals. I am disabled and unable to climb the roof so I asked for an honest answer about the condition. He said it was in showroom condition (and the rest of the rig was clearly in that good of shape with the bathroom, stove etc never being used). Come to find out a tree branch had fallen on it and there were several cracks in the roof the seals had never been touched and one side leaked like crazy.  The other reasons I ended up getting rid of it was because it was a 07 class B+ and the corner bed which I thought would be fine ended up being a real challenge to get in and out of plus there was a very strong formaldehyde odor in the corner so much so that it created some breathing issues. And also the lack of storage became more of an issue than I thought it would be.  SO in it went as a trade to a 28 foot class A. Now this one is a real keeper for me, it is just perfect storage wise, everything wise!

One last point I did do a car fax check and nothing was reported about the roof etc.  Just saying......

So you might want to run a car fax on the rig which might show you if there were any repairs etc.  I am guessing that either the two prior owners didn't like something about the rig either from a personal standpoint (probable reason) or there is something seriously wrong with it. At any rate good luck and if this one doesn't work out, keep looking because there will be one out there that will be just perfect for you.

Greetings,

First I want to thank everyone for their input. I can run a bit paranoid at times but in the long run, I usually do the right thing by taking time to check things out.

Hi NickB, first I am a salesman and have been for quite sometime so the saying don't try to sell a salesman is very true here as I have heard it all (and don't employ such tactics).
They were wanting to charge me $3700 for new tires!! My offer was $58K plus the new tires for the sale. I was told they'd only make $1,500 on the deal (I don't believe that). So with their offer I was right back up to the $60K price. When I got the tire price from them again, I offered to deduct the tire price $3,700 from the selling price but they up'd the price $600. Long story short, I can put tires on the RV (that are high quality), add that price to the RV and I am only $595 over the price I wanted to pay to begin with. I do appreciate your input!

Hi Dan, you can trade in cars? I agree lots of people do, I usually buy and run the wheels right off them. My current van has 221,000 miles on it, (bought new) is burning a bit of oil now (if I sit at a stoplight too long I let out a pretty good fog of smoke ) I won't push it too much from now on but I did drive it to Tucson this last winter and thank God, it got us there and back.

I've taken SeilerBird's advise and listen to Gary Brinck's good advise along with others. In my case we looked at Class B's first, we went and looked at them, sat in them and realized it wasn't such a good choice for us. Then looked at C's and even rented one out. Still too small for our ideas of camping by ourselves and grandkids, then looked at Thor Axis (between a C and and an A class) wife didn't like some features with those (plus you can buy a good used class A for the price of those). Then looked at a Thor Windsport and got the A bug. I've even given some thought to a TT but really don't care to drive a pick-up (I appreciate and respect those who do). Besides, by the time you buy a TT and good used pick-up you could buy a pretty nice A class. So we have went down the full spectrum without buying so far and having to trade. I am hoping to get it right the first time (is that possible?).

Hi kwajkat, we got a car fax on the unit and it looks clean. We have also looked very careful and I believe it to be in really good shape and it was well taken care of (look like it was stored inside of a garage. No evidence of water damage and I have looked, outside no delamination or waves in the sides of the RV. BTW we shot down the Forest River Georgetown as there was some things that bothered us. The strange thing is the one we are looking at right now almost completely fits all of our criteria right down to having a color that matches our tow car. Cargo capacity is 1000# more than we wanted, Length right, year and price right, biggie is my wife likes the features on the inside. So perhaps this is the one for us. I'll chime in later and let people know what we bought and if we are happy after we have had time to give it a full shake down.

SeilerBird said:

I think the main reason people trade in RVs is because just about every beginner looking for their first RV wants one as small as possible erroneously thinking that the smaller RV gets better gas mileage and is easier to drive. It doesn't take them too long to figure out that they made a dumb mistake and want a much larger RV.

Click to expand...

I will comment here.. on the "Easier to drive" part.

Going down the freeway, a 13' Scamp or a 40 Foot Trailer,, not much different.

Backing into a campsite.. Short trailers are very hard to back compared to longer ones, but fit in smaller sites.

The first time I sat in the driver's seat of my class A the first thought was "This House is BIG!!!!".. (After all it is six inches wider than other vehicles on the road)  Even my Brother felt the same way his first time in a class A and he drove Semi's for a living.

BUT.. It only took a few short or one long trip and it's no different than driving my car.  Going forward.. just take corners a bit wider is all.. Backing into a site, way easier than the trailer I left with the dealer (Said Scamp).  WAY WAY easier.