Buying a new RV

[MCalhoun]

hello..new to the forum. just went the the Hershey PA RV Expo, Amazing! we did not buy because i thought we could get a better deal from a dealer. was i wrong? Mary

 

[IBTripping]

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[IBTripping]

Probably not. In fall and winter, RV sales are slow. RV dealers are motivated to move inventory off their lots. What type of RV are you looking for? Class A or C (motorhome), Class B (van), travel trailer, or fifth wheel? Also, welcome to the Forum.

 

[MCalhoun]

Thanks IBTripping. We are looking to buy a Fifth wheel, we were looking at Jayce pinnacle and Northpoint as well as some alliance models.

 

[MCalhoun]

Probably not. In fall and winter, RV sales are slow. RV dealers are motivated to move inventory off their lots. What type of RV are you looking for? Class A or C (motorhome), Class B (van), travel trailer, or fifth wheel? Also, welcome to the Forum.

Thanks IBTripping. We are looking to buy a Fifth wheel, we were looking at Jayce pinnacle and Northpoint as well as some alliance models. (382RK)

 

[Bearcatrp]

Welcome to the forum. The most friendliest on the net. What kind of truck do you currently own? Hope it’s at least a 3/4 ton. If you have a 1/2 ton, you will be restricted to pull behind due to the weight put on the bed. 1/2 tons don’t have that much. Just shop around to multiple rv sites. Stay away from camping world. Try to stick with independent dealers in your area. They will take better care of you. If you find one and not sure on a few things, don’t hesitate to post a question here. Plenty of seasoned RVers to answer your questions. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

 

[MCalhoun]

Welcome to the forum. The most friendliest on the net. What kind of truck do you currently own? Hope it’s at least a 3/4 ton. If you have a 1/2 ton, you will be restricted to pull behind due to the weight put on the bed. 1/2 tons don’t have that much. Just shop around to multiple rv sites. Stay away from camping world. Try to stick with independent dealers in your area. They will take better care of you. If you find one and not sure on a few things, don’t hesitate to post a question here. Plenty of seasoned RVers to answer your questions. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

Thanks Bearcatrp. We have a GMC Denali 1 ton. Appreciate your guidance. The deals at the show looked so good, but I was skeptical. Thanks again!

 

[A Traveler]

In my opinion, you should consider buying a 2 to 4 year old used one instead of a new one. With the lack of quality control at the manufacturers these days, I would not buy a brand new RV of any kind.

With a slightly used fifth wheel, all the “new vehicle” quality control issues will have been dealt with. Far fewer headaches that way.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The dealers would have made the same deal from his sales lot as at the show, but you may have had to bargain a bit more to get it. They are more likely to advertise a sale price at a show, but the dealer's profit & loss calculation is the same either way. The exception to that is when a RV manufacturer wants to promote a certain model or brand at the show, often a new or improved model. They may offer the dealer a $$ incentive (discount) to close deals on that model at the show.

 

[Kirk]

We have a GMC Denali 1 ton. Appreciate your guidance. The deals at the show looked so good, but I was skeptical.

I agree with most of the comments. Occasionally there is a manufacturer's discount at a show and then it is usually a new model or some major change. In most cases you can do as well, or possibly better away from the shows if you are a good bargainer. Never accept the first offer and always be willing to walk away. The only time that I have ever bought from a dealer in one visit was when we ordered our new class A for fulltime RVing. In that case I had an order sheet from another dealer that I faxed copies of, sans prices, to 9 different dealerships in 3 states. Interestingly, 8 of the nine responded and the price offered was just over $8,000 from high to low.

As to your new trailer, Alliance has some of the best reviews that I have seen. My son has one that he has used for several outings and thus far he loves it.

 

[tlmgcamp]

I went to a show in Suffern NY in Febraury 2022. I beat the "show special price" by just over 10% the following April with another dealer.

 

[MCalhoun]

I went to a show in Suffern NY in Febraury 2022. I beat the "show special price" by just over 10% the following April with another dealer.

Wow, that’s amazing. Thanks for letting me know.

 

[tlmgcamp]

The dealers would have made the same deal from his sales lot as at the show, but you may have had to bargain a bit more to get it. They are more likely to advertise a sale price at a show, but the dealer's profit & loss calculation is the same either way. The exception to that is when a RV manufacturer wants to promote a certain model or brand at the show, often a new or improved model. They may offer the dealer a $$ incentive (discount) to close deals on that model at the show.

The dealer at the show where I decided on a model they were showing lost the deal partly because of the show. They did not prep the trailer for the show. A couple cabinet doors were loose and hanging off the cabinets, among other things. If they didn't bother putting their best foot forward at the show, I worried how they would act once they had my money.

 

[rjshiflet]

The dealers would have made the same deal from his sales lot as at the show, but you may have had to bargain a bit more to get it. They are more likely to advertise a sale price at a show, but the dealer's profit & loss calculation is the same either way. The exception to that is when a RV manufacturer wants to promote a certain model or brand at the show, often a new or improved model. They may offer the dealer a $$ incentive (discount) to close deals on that model at the show.

And besides bargaining a bit more to get the good deal, be ready to walk out if negotiations stall. 90% (or so) of the time they'll chase you to the parking lot and start to give in on their pricing. I've done that often on RV purchases and on vehicle purchases. Let them know you're not there to play games and waste everyone's time.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Are you stuck on new? Never having bought a new vehicle/camper in my life I don't have direct experience, but as the first owner you get to navigate the defects and warranty gauntlet. My coworker bought a new 5th wheel and it spent the first 6 months in the dealer lot getting fixed. When you read through the forums here, new RV problems are not unusual or unexpected. It's kind of a downer to go shopping, get all whizzed about getting it, outfitting it with your stuff and anticipate all the fun only to have the thing mired in a waiting list for some critical part or repair for half a year.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Mark asks a key question - are you stuck on new?

Newcomers to RVs almost always have what I call "car buyer mentality" and that too often leads to faulty assumptions about buying a new RV. RV dealers don't operate like car dealers or follow the same business model, RV manufacturers don't build, test or do customer service like car companies, and RV warranties don't work like car warranties. And the many things that would lead you to "buy new" for a car mostly do not apply to RVs. You cannot assume a new RV will be defect free or that a dealer will promptly correct any problems encountered after the sale. Nor can you count on getting warranty service wherever you may be - RV dealers are only required to do warranty repairs on units they sold. It's a different world than car-buying.

Buying an RV should be approached much the same as buying a furnished house. There are many good used ones on the market and new ones aren't necessarily better when all things are considered. The important considerations are an interior layout suitable to your needs, good appliances and water & electric systems, and good condition inside & out. You should be concerned about whether the roof leaks or the foundation (chassis) is solid, and whether the kitchen & bath meet your expectations. Even if the RV is brand new.

 

[Kirk]

Buying an RV should be approached much the same as buying a furnished house.

I agree up to a point. There are more advantages to new than indicated here, but it isn't like a car. When you buy a house it never needs new tires, hoses, or belts. A new set of tires can be a very significant expense. Another factor not addressed here is, new versus how old? And how much experience does the buyer have? I do agree that many first-time buyers consider it to be like buying a car, which it is not, but it isn't like buying a house either. The type of RV also plays a major role as there are far more differences from one RV to another than there are in either cars or homes.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I agree up to a point. There are more advantages to new than indicated here, but it isn't like a car. When you buy a house it never needs new tires, hoses, or belts. A new set of tires can be a very significant expense. Another factor not addressed here is, new versus how old? And how much experience does the buyer have? I do agree that many first-time buyers consider it to be like buying a car, which it is not, but it isn't like buying a house either. The type of RV also plays a major role as there are far more differences from one RV to another than there are in either cars or homes.

No analogy is perfect.

 

[Bearcatrp]

Thanks Bearcatrp. We have a GMC Denali 1 ton. Appreciate your guidance. The deals at the show looked so good, but I was skeptical. Thanks again!

Plenty of options to choose from with a 1 ton. I enjoy my Ram 3500. But there are some really sweet (and expensive) 5th wheels that will put you close to max weight. Met one that has one of those and told me his 1 ton diesel can pull it but it pushes him going down hills. Here is a link for you to drool over. Only way I would pull one of the is with a big rig.

Mobile Suites

Explore the world of luxury RVs and discover the ultimate travel experience on the road.

www.drvsuites.com

 

[Adventurous Traveler]

Gary's post was spot on in my opinion except for one thing. That would be looking at 2-4 year rigs. Normally that is great advice. But, going back 3-4 years would put a buyer into the 'Covid" built model years. Those of us who have been on this forum, or have been RV'ing for some time are very aware of the junk pushed out the doors by virtually all RV Mfg. during Covid, 2020, 2021, and maybe 2022s.

You don't know what was a buyback by the Mfg or dealer and what has been patched, welded, and glued back together to sell "cheap" to the next unsuspecting new too RV'ing customer.