Where to buy your RV from

[RodgerS]

Owners can buy for any reason, at any place, for any price they please.
Doesn't have to make sense to anyone else but them.

As far as buying nationally, if you close a deal on the phone with conditions, you don't have to fly out every time to see the rig. You can very easily hire an inspector or tech to go look at the rig before you decide to fly and finalize the deal. You can also easily develop a list of questions to be answered and request copies of receipts. Many ways to do it...the issue is what is comfortable, used or new. An inspector or tech can pull fluid samples, take pictures, test batteries, appliances, look at the condition of this and that, whatever.

Very simple. The more you know the easier it is to be creative.

From my point of view, there are virtually no deals to be had on new rigs, at least what I would consider a deal. I expect no new buyers to agree with me. I see it simply as convenience for those who want an easy and efficient process, and love the idea of buying new. I like a painful, patient and exhaustive process and the challenge of buying used. The thrill of the hunt so to speak.

I say, please, please, please spend, spend, spend. Let me enjoy buying a used luxury rig with low mileage for peanuts that I can fix up and enjoy to my liking, spending my money on traveling rather than impressing my neighbors with something to fill up my driveway or thinking I can have wonderful conversations about my wonderful new mh.

Buying new is not challenging to me, in fact I find it quite boring. I read of many people impressed with the next great thing which I find quite boring.  The sameness is amazing.

 

[Idahocountryboy]

Owners can buy for any reason, at any place, for any price they please.
Doesn't have to make sense to anyone else but them.

As far as buying nationally, if you close a deal on the phone with conditions, you don't have to fly out every time to see the rig. You can very easily hire an inspector or tech to go look at the rig before you decide to fly and finalize the deal if you are satisfied. You can also easily develop a list of questions to be answered and request copies of receipts. Many ways to do it...the issue is what is comfortable, used or new.

Very simple. The more you know the easier it is to be creative.

From my point of view, there are virtually no deals to be had on new rigs, at least what I would consider a deal. I expect no new buyers to agree with me. I see it simply as convenience for those who want an easy and efficient process, and love the idea of buying new. I like a painful, patient and exhaustive process and the challenge of buying used.

I say, please, please, please spend, spend, spend. Let me enjoy buying a used luxury rig with low mileage for peanuts that I can fix up and enjoy to my liking, spending my money on traveling rather than impressing my neighbors with something to fill up my driveway.

Buying new is not challenging to me, in fact I find it quite boring. I read of many people impressed with the next great thing which I find quite boring.

LOL That may be the case, but I'm not "up for a challenge"... I have a time crunch, and a family to provide for, so challenges are not an ego issue for me. I'll pay a little more to have piece of mind. As you said, "Owners can buy for any reason, at any place, for any price they please.
Doesn't have to make sense to anyone else but them."

 

[RodgerS]

Not meant as an insult, but putting faith in a new rig to be reliable on the assumption that an older well maintained rig will be unreliable, sounds a bit like a false piece of mind. However, I am sure that there are many buyers who buy new out of fear and their lack of knowledge. Present company excepted, of course, as I'm sure that wasn't an ego talking.

 

[scottydl]

Here is my 2 cents. Because I'm going to be full timing, I want everything to work, I want anything that does not work to be fixed by the pro's for two reasons. 1) I will not have a ton of time working and living out of my RV to fix it, not to mention I don't have a lot of tools to do the repair. 2) I could quit possibly make the "Repair" I do, have a much bigger problem... ie electrical wiring (shorts = fire), Plumbing = water damage and so on.

Not bad ideals... but not always realistic in the RV world.    Depending on the RV you buy, most of them are all made the same way and they WILL develop small problems once they start bouncing down the road.  Oftentimes, a gently used but regularly maintained rig (perhaps 2-3 years old) will have many of those initial problems taken care of by the first owner, and in the process (because RV's depreciation SO much from the new price) you can get a great discount compared to new.

The other thing to understand is the nature of RV service.  It's not a "drive-in, drive-out in a few hours" process like you might experience with a new car where all the parts you need are all in stock at the shop.  Service calls sometimes need to be scheduled weeks in advance, and if model-specific parts have to be ordered then you might be waiting weeks or months for the repair to be completed.  Warranty repairs mean no profit for the dealership, so you might get pushed to the back of the line.  These are experiences that I have read about here on the forum, and may not be the norm but should be considered.

Small repairs like "this light isn't working" or "my hot water isn't hot enough" are often items that can be adjusted or repaired with a couple basic tools and some know-how that you can get from places like this forum.  Those will be the most common types of issues you'll face with RV ownership, and waiting on a dealership service appointment for something simple is often just a waste of time; especially if you are "on the move" in some way or another.  The chances are pretty slim of you burning your rig down from faulty wiring, or flooding it from faulty plumbing.    You'd probably know if you were in over your head for that type of project.

 

[thomasamski]

Stay away from big dealerships like Lazydays near Tampa, FL. Once the deal is signed you're on you own when it comes to warranty and other maintenance. Smaller companies are more into customer service because they want your repeat business.

 

[Idahocountryboy]

Not bad ideals... but not always realistic in the RV world.    Depending on the RV you buy, most of them are all made the same way and they WILL develop small problems once they start bouncing down the road.  Oftentimes, a gently used but regularly maintained rig (perhaps 2-3 years old) will have many of those initial problems taken care of by the first owner, and in the process (because RV's depreciation SO much from the new price) you can get a great discount compared to new.

The other thing to understand is the nature of RV service.  It's not a "drive-in, drive-out in a few hours" process like you might experience with a new car where all the parts you need are all in stock at the shop.  Service calls sometimes need to be scheduled weeks in advance, and if model-specific parts have to be ordered then you might be waiting weeks or months for the repair to be completed.  Warranty repairs mean no profit for the dealership, so you might get pushed to the back of the line.  These are experiences that I have read about here on the forum, and may not be the norm but should be considered.

Small repairs like "this light isn't working" or "my hot water isn't hot enough" are often items that can be adjusted or repaired with a couple basic tools and some know-how that you can get from places like this forum.  Those will be the most common types of issues you'll face with RV ownership, and waiting on a dealership service appointment for something simple is often just a waste of time; especially if you are "on the move" in some way or another.  The chances are pretty slim of you burning your rig down from faulty wiring, or flooding it from faulty plumbing.    You'd probably know if you were in over your head for that type of project.

Small issues are expected.

True, That is not out the question. after looking for months, there has been ONE that was used for sale in that year range (+/- 3 years ...2012-2015).

I had a 2003 Holiday Rambler before, bought it in 2012. There were things that just made me mad. Like having to "jump" my Norcold fridge ever time there was  lightning storm. Or leaks that comes though the outer window.

Like y'all said, a well maintained RV 2 or three years old is one thing. A ten year old is another. Not to mention the appliances and technology put in them now. Like LED, hydrologic leveling, full size fridge and so on.

Then there will be the doubt of just how well that RV was "maintained". Unless its MY Grandmother telling or me seeing it in barn for 2 years at my buddy's house, i'll have to take it with a grain of salt.

 

[scottydl]

Stay away from big dealerships like Lazydays near Tampa, FL.

Interesting comment, because I have read numerous recommendations over the years (here on the forum) for Lazydays.  Everyone has different experiences obviously.

I also meant to point out to the OP that most new RV warranties only span 1-2 years.  It's not akin to the 3-5 years that you might expect with a new car for instance.  Consider that when you look into the price differences between new and used (i.e., how much are you actually paying for that warranty).

 

[Idahocountryboy]

Not meant as an insult, but putting faith in a new rig to be reliable on the assumption that an older well maintained rig will be unreliable, sounds a bit like a false piece of mind. However, I am sure that there are many buyers who buy new out of fear and their lack of knowledge. Present company excepted, of course, as I'm sure that wasn't an ego talking.

Nobody was saying this. There are a few key words in your sentence that you will have to have just as much faith/assumption in,  "well" and "Maintained". Those are two very different things to different people. One can maintain it by fixing stuff when it breaks, other get it in before it breaks. Doing so could be done "well" or it could be done by someone who does it on the weekends, when he has time type thing. See where I'm going with this?

I'm a big diesel guy. I pay attention to the market and trends. Just because it's "new" doesn't mean it's better. The Ford 6.0 was "new" in 2003/2004, greatest and latest.... worst motor ever put in any truck. (sorry 6.0 guys, just the truth).
Same thing I know goes for the RV world. But I will play the odds, and bank on warranty (writing) rather than some salesmen "word" on "maintained well". NOT to say a warranty is a fix all, we all know its not, but it does cover more than someones word today... sadly.

IF something breaks, and warranty doesn't cover it, and I did it. At least I know the history, I put that scar on it, and move on. I was constantly thinking, ok if the fridg is like that what else is going on that I don't know about? I hated that feeling, especially with my family there. New/newer (+/- 3 years) RV are worth the money IMHO for full timers, and MY piece of mind. If we have to be down, and have it in for a week for repairs, there are always hotel rooms, but that just make for a really really expensive repair, and frankly, newer RV just have less of those type of problems.

 

[Idahocountryboy]

Interesting comment, because I have read numerous recommendations over the years (here on the forum) for Lazydays.  Everyone has different experiences obviously.

I also meant to point out to the OP that most new RV warranties only span 1-2 years.  It's not akin to the 3-5 years that you might expect with a new car for instance.  Consider that when you look into the price differences between new and used (i.e., how much are you actually paying for that warranty).

Thank you, good point. I'll be sure to look into that.

 

[Oscar Mike]

Thank you, good point. I'll be sure to look into that.

I've bought two new motor homes with a third on the not too distant horizon. With both of my new coaches I used the one-year manufacturers warranty a lot. By the time the one-year warranty was up I had/have a well-maintained coach. When buying new sure you might take a depreciation hit, for me it is worth it.

I thoroughly enjoy my brand new equipment...

 

[RodgerS]

When you spend $350,000 on a new motorhome, then please be sure to tell us how much you love taking the depreciation hit. I will certainly think it is wonderful as well. I would think the depreciation on a Winnebago Aspect is somewhat less that painful compared to a Newmar Essex for $750,000.

 

[Oscar Mike]

When you spend $350,000 on a new motorhome, then please be sure to tell us how much you love taking the depreciation hit. I will certainly think it is wonderful as well. I would think the depreciation on a Winnebago Aspect is somewhat less that painful compared to a Newmar Essex for $750,000.

I seriously doubt that folks who are buying a new Newmar are not worried too much about the depreciation. Why would you be worried about my ability to absorb the depreciation on my Aspect, or even the Dynamax or Seneca that is in my future? I buy new cars too, and take a depreciation hit. I also pay taxes, my yearly goal is to pay a million dollars in taxes, I have yet to pay a million in taxes, but we're working towards that goal. 

 

[Ned]

There's nothing special about depreciation, it's just another cost that factors into the purchase analysis.  And that analysis is unique to each situation.

 

[RLSharp]

I would think the depreciation on a Winnebago Aspect is somewhat less that painful compared to a Newmar Essex for $750,000.

The "depreciation hit" is all relative! The person who can afford a $750,000 motor home can just as likely "afford the hit" as a person who pays $90,000 for his motor home. In fact the person who can afford a $750,000 motor home probably cares less about the depreciation hit than the person buying a $90,000 motor home because the latter is probably struggling to make ends meet more than the affluent person. JMO

R

 

[scottydl]

I can't even imagine paying $90,000 for an RV!  I bought our Class A for $12,000 cash and sold it 5 years later for $8,000.  Cost is indeed all relative.

 

[bobbyg2013]

The cost of anything is relative to the buying power of the person writing the check.  More power to those whose wallets are fatter than mine.  I am just happy to be where I am, saving $4,500 by driving across a few states to get it.

 

[ironrat]

Personally I buy from a large dealer who can afford to just fix it to shut me up if necessary! LOL

One thing about this big hit depreciation, there is none till you sell, if you buy what you want and have done all the homework so as you will want the rig you bought for a long time, then you are doing well. Doesn't matter what the rig would sell for now or later than, but people go nuts over paying for something they could not sell for more today!