Quartzsite

[Viv and Denis]

We have heard about the big RV event that takes place in Jan each year. As "dreamers" who are planning to buy a rig next spring/summer after the house sells, we were wondering if it would be worth our time to rent an RV and attend the show in Quartzsite. We are not prepared to buy "on the spot" (meaning even after inspection of the rig by a pro),but thought there could be folks wanting to sell who might be willing to wait a few months. Is it just private parties trying to sell or are there also dealers who attend? Are there usually good deals to be had on middle to high end big (40 plus ft.) diesel pushers? Would it be worth our time and expense to go for a few days (fly from Portland, OR, rent a small class C for 4 or 5 days). Would you do it? Thank you in advance for your thoughts about this.

[skp51443]

You just missed the Pomona, CA RV show, something like that would be a lot better for RV shopping than Q. The RV show there isn't showing RVs so much but stuff for RVs, there are other dealers that come to town to sell but still it is not as good a shopping venue as the big national shows dedicated to selling RVs. I don't remember all of them, but there is a list.

 

Pomona http://thebestrvshow.com/

 

Quartzsite http://www.quartzsitervshow.com/

 

RV Show List http://www.rvia.org/?esid=rvshows&all=1

[RV fan]

Viv and Dennis,

In my opinion Quartzsite is not the ideal place to search for a mid to high end RV and is way over rated. It can be cold and dusty, maybe we hit a bad year in 2013. We too read for years how everyone enjoyed the Quartzsite show and we wanted to attend. So after retirement and in the Yuma area we visited the show and were disappointed. 2013 seemed like very low attendance. If you were in the area I could see justification for attendance. There are a few dealers there but limited number of units as this is out in the middle of the desert. Best to go to a big city show to browse. Just my opinion and I am sure others will chime in to give their perspective.

Good luck

[ronmon]

It's been 6 years since we went to Q, so things may have changed. Back then most RV sellers were dealers selling consigned and other used units. A few new, but not many.

The tent sale was "flea market" style but new stuff. RV accessories & gadgets, jewelry, clothing & membership campgrounds.

We went for several years but it was mainly for meeting up with friends we'd met camping out in the desert.

Hopefully others will respond with their opinions.

Ron

[Kirk W]

I'll agree with the comments thus far and add a thought or two. To go and look at any specific unit with in mind that it will be available after several months time would be a waste of time. If you see something that is actually a good deal, it isn't going to be available in the future and if it is available in the future, how great a deal could that be? Looking at RVs now is a good way to learn more about them but if you are shopping used RVs you are far too early to make any deals today. RVs that are for sale will be sold to the first person who makes an acceptable offer either with the money now or the financing to buy now. Quartzsite is a unique experience, but was never the best place to buy unless you happened to get very lucky.

[Viv and Denis]

Thank you all so much! You've helped to give us a better perspective of this event and now we will just wait and go sometime after we have a rig. We have been going to the dealer shows in Portland for the past couple of years and those, plus our boot camp experience, have helped us to know what we want. Patience is a virtue, they say. It is just so hard!

[LindaH]

There are plenty of new units being sold in Quartzsite on the various RV dealer lots around town, not just used or consigned units, although you can find those, too.

 

However, Quartzsite may, or may not, be the best place to buy. You need to do your homework beforehand and know what a particular rig should be selling for because many dealers like to play games with prices. I would not buy from any dealer who did not display the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price list inside the rig.

 

Let me give you an example. Several years ago, we were looking for a specific fifth wheel. We'd seen it on a dealer's lot in Phoenix where they had displayed the MSRP inside the rig, so we knew what that price was (which is the starting point for negotiations). We then saw the same model (with the same options) on a dealer's lot in Quartzsite. They did not display the MSRP inside the rig and their "sale" price was about $10,000 ABOVE what we knew the MSRP to be!

 

That doesn't mean you can't find a good deal in Quartzsite, you just need to have done your research first and go in as an educated consumer. Which is true at any dealership, no matter the location.

 

By the way, the dealers aren't in Quartzsite only during the Sports, Vacation, and RV Show. They start showing up during December (some may come in earlier) and usually stay through February (although some may leave earlier or stay later).

[Lou Schneider]

Quartzsite's problem is the town has gotten greedy, adding community services and trying to finance their year round budget during the 2-3 month tourist season.

 

The license fees the town collects from the seasonal vendors and the combined city and state sales taxes (now 10.1%) makes it hard to find a bargain there anymore.

 

If you want to come down and look around, fly into Phoenix, rent a car and drive about 2 hours west on I-10 to the Q. If you want to stay overnight there's plenty of motel rooms available in Blythe, CA, about 20 miles west of Quartzsite.

 

Or fly into Yuma, rent a car and drive 90 minutes north. Seasonal RVers probably make up half or more of Yuma's population and it has several large RV dealers and a couple of large and good flea markets that are open daily during the winter season. Arizona Marketplace has many of the same established vendors that display in Quartzsite and the Park and Shop at the old dog racing track south of town has a more organic feel.

[skp51443]

Minor nit, it isn't the Arizona State sales tax that is so high but the combination of State, County and Local sales taxes that add up to that. When shopping in Arizona you can save several percent by changing the county and city where you buy something.

 

A few years back we saved 2% on an RV purchase by having a mail box in Huachuca City compared to a friend with one in Sierra Vista.

 

You need to check current rates and locations carefully as part of your Arizona shopping, no sense in buying a pile of expensive RV tires at a high tax rate when the same ones are available a few miles away for several percent less. Might even make more sense to wait to buy some stuff in Oregon with no sales tax.

[Jimalberta]

Actually Lou there are about 4 motels right in Quartzsite.

 

About shopping for an RV ...to the op I would not recommend buying one in Quartzsite but would rather go to PPL in Texas for a consignment unit or look for private deals. I do not trust Dealers for used RVs ....our friends just bought a fifth wheel from a dealer and are finding lots of problems with it.

[whatsnext]

Two great events for looking at RV's is Hershey in Sept and Tampa in Jan. There is such a wide selection of models and brands that it helps to see them in person and find out what type of RV you want to purchase.

A picture of interiors and floor plans is fine but there is nothing like seeing them in person.

IMHO, it is well worth the time to visit one of these two shows.

[nvestysly]

Two great events for looking at RV's is Hershey in Sept and Tampa in Jan. There is such a wide selection of models and brands that it helps to see them in person and find out what type of RV you want to purchase.

A picture of interiors and floor plans is fine but there is nothing like seeing them in person.

IMHO, it is well worth the time to visit one of these two shows.

 

I second that!

 

I realize I'm biased since I'm from the east coast but I've seen the Tampa show twice and it's amazing! A friend has attended both the Tampa and Hershey shows and while both are good, they liked the Tampa show better for the sheer numbers of RV's and dealers in attendance. I'm sure there are other good shows around the country but Tampa and Hershey are two of the biggest/best. It may be worth your time to fly to Tampa in mid-January for a nice change of scenery.

[Jim Gell]

Two great events for looking at RV's is Hershey in Sept and Tampa in Jan. There is such a wide selection of models and brands that it helps to see them in person and find out what type of RV you want to purchase.

A picture of interiors and floor plans is fine but there is nothing like seeing them in person.

IMHO, it is well worth the time to visit one of these two shows.

I agree as well (3x). You get a pretty good feel for the build quality of various brands and you get a better sense if you think you would be comfortable with layout, storage, ceiling heights, etc. by touring the rvs at one of these big shows. On such a large purchase it is worth spending the money to go to Tampa, or Hershey.

 

Jim

[sandsys]

If you go, bring a camera and a measuring tape. Take a picture of the signage for each RV before you go inside so you will know which pictures belong to which RV. Then take pictures of everything inside--someone reaching into the microwave, someone siting in the comfy chair looking at the TV, someone sitting on the toilet (fully dressed, please), someone pretending to wash hair in shower, etc. I promise you will soon become so overwhelmed that you will appreciate those pictures when it comes time to review what you saw. Trust me, you will never remember which item was in which rig without the pictures starting with the signage for each rig.

 

Linda Sand

[NJTroy]

We've done Hershey several times and Linda is right. In addition, we found that once you have narrowed it down to just a few, it's worth sitting in the living room of each rig for a long time and talk to the people that come and go. Watch what they investigate. See where they see flaws and advantages. Do you agree with their opinions or not?

[LindaH]

The RV Show in Quartzsite is a whole different animal than the ones being talked about in Tampa and Hershey.

 

In the first place, the term "RV Show" is a misnomer when it comes to describing Quartzsite. What people refer to as the RV Show is really the "Sports, Vacation, and RV Show" and it consists of about a 10-day period toward the end of January under the "Big Tent" and surrounding area just outside the Big Tent. You will not find RVs here. Rather, you will find "stuff" to buy for the RV. Some vendors also hawk membership parks, vacation packages, etc.

 

Throughout the town, RV dealers will have lots set up with RVs they bring in from out of town (some dealers are already bringing in RVs). While there is an RV lot south of and adjacent to the Big Tent, you'll find RV lots scattered all over town, principally on Main Street. These RV dealers are separate from the "Sports, Vacation, and RV Show" and are here from around December through February or March.

[scouserl41]

From personal experience I would start going to local RV shows and dealers, look at RV's for sale on Craigslist and in the classifieds.

But don't go to buy, go to look and to experience.

Make a list of all the units you look at, take pictures. Write down what you liked and didn't like about each of the units.

Sit in them, on the sofa, in the recliner. Try and imagine watching TV, cooking. The things you will actually be doing once you buy something.

Sit at the dining room table and see what it will be like getting in and out of the chair/bench.

Look at LOTS of different units and don't be taken in by the glitter, you will have to live with what you buy.

Go to RV Boot Camp, you'll learn so much it will blow your mind, and it'll be so helpful when you decide to put down your hard earned cash.

They will tell you there that the average RV'er buys THREE RV's before they get the one they really want. hink about how much an RV costs.

How much are 2 wrong choices going to take out of your retirement earnings?

We looked for 2 years, then shopped for 6 months before we found one which suited us. We've lived with it for 2 years now and we still haven't found ne we like better for layout.

And DO make the list and take pictures because after a while they all start to look alike and you can never remember which one had what features!!

Good hunting

BnB

[telcoman]

Renting is actually a good idea. A lo to fpeopel end up buying RrV's that are too big and then they end up on the used lot. And soemtimes vice versa. Renting will tell you what size you are comfortable with. It depends a lot of what type of camping you want to do. Do you wnat to spend all your time on a concrete pad or are you into state parks?