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First Time Used RV Buyer Advice?


Lubby25

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I have rented 25-30 foot Class C RV's out west and locally for trips in the past four out of five summers. I have been a backpacker/camper for years and swore that I would never do the RV thing, but now I am love with the idea of jumping in and having a "home" with me for the weekend without having to be in a hotel. I wasn't actively searching for an RV yet, but just saw one that caught my eye. It is a little "older" and smaller than what I have rented, but seems to be in great shape with low mileage. What are things I should check about it and how do I know what a good price is? I checked on NADA, but their average selling price actually seems really low.

I have to look into insurance, storage, winterizing, etc. I am very excited at the prospect of owning an RV. I thought it was a retirement dream, but it seems like it might be possible now!

 

Thanks for any advice you can give me!

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You can look up book values on line like one would for cars. Typical advice I have seen for buyers is that you should not add the value of optional equipment in the total. I would think that two RVs that are identical, except for one having upgrades, would not be valued equally. Condition is going to be a major consideration.

 

Often RVs have hidden issues that can be expensive to fix. Certain models will have a history of problems such as weak (cracked) frames, slide mechanism failures, etc. You might want to provide details on the RV you are looking at if you want the best advice. Then again, you may trigger someone else to buy it out from under you. In that case, maybe ask generic but more pointed questions that would help folks here guide you.

 

You may want to search YouTube for videos on RV inspection. I hired a professional inspector that seemed qualified, but did a very poor inspection, missing serious water damage and mold, causing me to waste time and money. At least I had learned enough knowledge from Internet and forums to check it myself and not buy it.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Jim

Volvo+and+Travel+Supreme+400+x+103.jpg

 

2001 Volvo 770, Detroit 60 Series, Gen 2 Autoshift

Passenger assist elevator to enter cab - for when we need it, or sell it?

'05 Travel Supreme Select 40 RLQSO 5th wheel

2016 smart car

 

We started full timing on December 1st 2014

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness - Mark Twain
Not all that wander are lost - J. R. R. Tolkien

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One more thing. In my opinion, sellers typically think their RV is worth more than they can actually sell it for. Their frame of reference is tainted by what they paid for it and how much they put into it. If you have data on actual selling prices for a particular model RV, that is probably more realistic than a book value. Book values often show dealer retail, loan, trade in values, and such. I would use the lower numbers unless your buying from a reputable dealer that is providing a warranty.

Volvo+and+Travel+Supreme+400+x+103.jpg

 

2001 Volvo 770, Detroit 60 Series, Gen 2 Autoshift

Passenger assist elevator to enter cab - for when we need it, or sell it?

'05 Travel Supreme Select 40 RLQSO 5th wheel

2016 smart car

 

We started full timing on December 1st 2014

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness - Mark Twain
Not all that wander are lost - J. R. R. Tolkien

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I am looking at a 1999 Class C 22 foot RV with 45,000 miles. It is a basic RV, no bells or whistles. The posted asking price seems good to me, but I wanted to find out what similar models, years and mileage would go for. I would consider this a "starter" model for what I hope will be a future of owning a dream RV for retirement trips. I knew to check for evidence of leaks and mold and after renting one with a leaking gas line I know to check that too. Thank you for the advice.

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If you go to NADA Guides and look up your 1999 RV you can get an idea of what they should sell for. Remember though that NADA is and auto dealer organization and they list the high side of the retail price range on the free site. If you have a good public library nearby they probably have a current copy of the published RV guide that is sold and it will have much more and better information in it. When you do this do not select any options as dealers do not consider them in their pricing. Just as an example, NADA lists a 1999 Jayco, 24' long for a price of $7,200, which is pretty typical.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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There are so many things to look at when buying a RV that it is hard to list everything here. Some of the commonly missed items are outdated tires (they may have good tread but could be so old that once you start using them you start having blow outs) so check the date codes, look for any signs or water damage or repaired water damage that might not have been correctly repaired, old batteries, appliances all working correctly (that refrigerator can be expensive to replace!), poor wiring both from the factory and from previous owners, roof damage, etc....

 

Also low mileage on a Motor home that is older could mean it was sitting alot and may have issues with rubber hoses that have dry rotted and oil that was never changed. See if you can get all maintenance records and review them for stuff that does not seem correct.

 

Dave

2005 Freightliner Century S/T, Singled, Air ride ET Jr. hitch
2019 46'+ Dune Sport Man Cave custom 5th wheel toy hauler
Owner of the 1978 Custom Van "Star Dreamer" which might be seen at a local car show near you!

 

Check out http://www.hhrvresource.com/

for much more info on HDT's.

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Welcome! What a used coach is worth is a topic that has seriously disturbed billions of electrons and there is no end in sight. <grin>

 

Just remember that the value of a particular item (be it coach or candy) is what the seller is willing to take for it and the buyer is willing to give for it. When those two people agree on a price they have established the value of that particular coach. If you are able to compare enough such sales you can come up with an idea of what a similar item is worth. That's how KBB, NADA, etc. work. When you have a small number of sales, though, it is hard to do that.

 

My suggestion is that you spend some time looking at coaches on rvtrader.com, rvt.com, and PPL. After you've done your research to see what type of coach you need/want, and then figured out the top brands in that class, you can start looking at actual listings. It won't take you long to get a feel for what is a reasonable price, and you can easily tell if a particular coach is over- or under-priced. If the asking price seems a bit high it might be because it is in exceptional condition, it has had recent upgrades, etc. It may also be due to the fact that the seller simply doesn't know what the coach really is worth.

 

Another source of good price information is the owners' forum for the brand(s) you are considering. They can also tell you what to look for as you inspect prospective coaches. Many will have a Classifieds section.

 

You are wise to be looking at a used "learner" as your first RV. Very few people buy the right coach the first time out. Many go through 2-4 in fairly short order until they finally get what they wanted/needed all along. Remember that motorized coaches need regular exercise. Even if you only go out to a campground 50 miles away for one night a month, that will be a big help. Just remember to use every system on those trips.

David Lininger, kb0zke
1993 Foretravel U300 40' (sold)
2022 Grand Design Reflection 315RLTS

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We bought a used A class and we are having a great time full timing in it. My advice would be to get this book http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1479365386?keywords=how%20to%20buy%20a%20used%20rv&qid=1456653564&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1.

Once you've read it go shopping but don't buy the first one you see. There are lots of RV's for sale on Craigslist, search other cities nearby, Go to dealers and shows and look at the rigs as if you are living in them. Can you sit at the table comfortably? Do you fit in the shower? Can you see the TV from the couch? Is it easy t get into and out of the bed?

Sounds funny but on some small units those things can be a problem. Don't rush in, you'll only regret it later and the reason the unit you're looking at hasn't been used much and is so cheap might be because it's not very practical and nobody else wants to buy it. If you buy it you might be stuck with it next!

Good Luck

BnB

2009 Monaco Cayman DP 38'

bnbrv.blogspot.com/

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Last summer i decided to buy my very first RV .After looking for several months ,I found one within my budget in an acceptable condition (needed work)

On the day I was to pick it up ,I get a call ----------- Will not start.He assured me he would have his mechanic check it out and make sure all was good before I picked it up.

After several weeks and numerous calls ,it still wasn't running right ,so I upped my budget and started looking again ,A little more impatient this time.

After looking at several more I settled on a good one and admittedly bought with a little more heart than mind and left on a planned vacation a week later.

Since then I have found some issues I probably should have caught before buying .

I started looking again a couple months ago thinking to update and therefore eliminate some of these issues ,but after some very good advice from this forum ,I have all but decided to keep the one I have and put a few dollars into repairs.

The biggest expense will be tires that I thought looked good when I bought it but show numerous cracks when I put it away last fall.

My point is ,although rather wordy is,Ask a lot of questions before making your decision on sites like this and you will find what you will really be happy with. .

Bill

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thank you for all of the advice. I ended up buying the RV that I was looking at. It is in no way my "dream" RV that we will enjoy upon retirement, but it fits the bill for weekend trips and maybe further in the summer. I figure it is a good place to start and I don't need to worry about messing anything up in side. It is nice for a 16 year old RV and I am sure we will have a lot of fun in it! Very excited to be part of the RV community now!

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Welcome to the RV lifestyle! We are always happy to have another convert join us and I do hope that you will drop by from time to time just to participate in conversations. Should you have questions, there is a strong possibility that someone here will have had experience related to your issue so don't hesitate to ask a question or start a new thread. :)

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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Welcome to luxury camping. It may take awhile for your mind to determine whether or not this is still camping. But you will find your backpacking equipment fits in the RV just fine. Except, maybe, the pack itself. Keep the daypack accessible, though; it will come in handy for day hikes.

 

Linda Sand

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

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