Jump to content

Recommended Posts

1 hour ago, Kirk W said:

With just a little bit more experience with RVs than "Roads" has...

Just a little? Everyone on this forum has more experience than I do!

In all of the purchases that we have made, not one has been a bad experience, whether new or used.

Do you think this is the norm though? I've met quite a few with rather bad experiences, and even more with not so much bad but inconvenient experiences... from hidden shoddy work that became a problem, to 3-way refrigerators that would not cool no matter how many times repaired. But as I said in my response, most everyone I've met has said they do love their RV's... so it could be you are right!

...do your homework and if you are not experienced you should get advice from those who are and choose whose advice to lean most heavily on very carefully.

VERY TRUE! 

There is a far higher degree of risk in buying a used RV and particularly so if you do not employ a professional to thoroughly inspect it for you.

This is what I believe as well... but so many have suggested to me that used is the only way to go.

Since it was purchased new, we knew every problem it ever had as well as that all maintenance was done properly and at the appropriate times.

A very good point. Do you feel buying new has been the best choice for your needs?

 

 

If the roads of life were a straight path, we'd all fall asleep at the wheel!
-- Roads of Life

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote

Do you think this is the norm though? 

Absolutely. If everyone had so many bad experiences, there would not be so many new RVs sold. It has long been demonstrated that unhappy customers are far more vocal than happy ones. I can find you just as many unhappy new car buyers, or buyers of most any other major purchase. I have known far more satisfied buyers of new RVs than I have unhappy ones and that is also true on these forums. The problem is that far too many RV buyers make a choice based on appearance, emotions, and price and not based research & logic. The key is to spend the time to get it right and then keep it for a long time. We have averaged keeping our RVs for almost 8 years. The shortest was our first at 2.5 years and the longest was our fulltime RV at 14 years. We have now had our current RV(bought new) for 8+ years. 

After more than 40 years of RV experience, I believe that the biggest problem in the RV buying market is that far too many buyers expect to pay for a Bounder or Hurricane and expect to get the quality of a Newell or a Prevost. The RV manufacturers in the highest price market have very few unhappy customers. That is because their buyers are willing to pay whatever it takes to get the best quality, while in the mid to low price market, most customers choose more by price than anything else. As prices go up,so too does quality for most brands or models. The RV market and the automobile market are very similar with 2 exceptions. First, the RV is far more complicated than an automobile and second, the automobile buyer is more likely to learn about the product before they buy. But both are sold by people who work mostly on commission and who are rewarded most when they get the highest price for the cheapest unit. You won't get a good price without some serious negotiation. 

10 hours ago, Roads of Life said:

Do you feel buying new has been the best choice for your needs?

 As I pointed out, I didn't always buy new and in each case, new or used we made the choice based on research, and logic, not emotion. I have always made it a rule that for any large purchase we never buy on the spur of the moment and always go home to discuss and study the details before committing to the purchase. To tell someone that they should always buy used or always buy new is no different than trying to tell someone you do not know what RV, car, or even house they should buy. Rules about buying new or used based on my experience and situation are no more applicable to you than it would be for me to tell you what house or car to buy. It is very foolish to lock yourself into what fits best for strangers that you do not know. In every case we looked first at the budget that we had available, then to what our needs were and then what we liked or wanted. The decision should be made based on cost versus value. My perfect choice could be a disaster for you. 

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

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

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Kirk W said:

I have known far more satisfied buyers of new RVs than I have unhappy ones

the biggest problem in the RV buying market is that far too many buyers expect to pay for a Bounder or Hurricane and expect to get the quality of a Newell or a Prevost. 

It is very foolish to lock yourself into what fits best for strangers that you do not know. In every case we looked first at the budget that we had available, then to what our needs were and then what we liked or wanted. The decision should be made based on cost versus value. My perfect choice could be a disaster for you.

KirkW: Some excellent advice here! It makes me feel better about looking at the Embassy. I keep getting others telling me "it won't work out" or "they aren't one of the major players" or "buy used only" (I get that last one A LOT!!).

We have been researching for over a year now, and quite honestly, the Embassy ticks just about every item we want. Whenever this pandemic eases up and when our lives feel a little less pressured, we will be making a final decision.

 

If the roads of life were a straight path, we'd all fall asleep at the wheel!
-- Roads of Life

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, noteven said:

 I wonder if there is a market for a customer advocate service to help people make a purchase like an RV?

 

Not a bad idea. There are companies that will check RVs top to bottom to make sure there is no major issue to deal with... not sure it that's the same thing.

 

If the roads of life were a straight path, we'd all fall asleep at the wheel!
-- Roads of Life

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Kirk W said:

far too many RV buyers make a choice based on appearance, emotions, and price and not based research & logic.

Like me! Buying on appearance and emotion is why we only kept our first full time rig for four months. Too bad I didn't ask Dave for his true opinions before we bought. His willingness to go along with my emotions cost us a bunch. Oh, the things I didn't know to even think about! I even told this group not to give me opinions of my choice of rig! How humbling to have to admit that. I'm sure glad this group was around to help me learn what I didn't know. Now I try to help others avoid my mistakes.

Linda

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

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, noteven said:

 I wonder if there is a market for a customer advocate service to help people make a purchase like an RV?

While I have assisted another person when RV shopping a couple of times, I'd never act as a paid agent because of the implied warranty that would go with such a service. I don't mind doing a walk-through with a new RVer to point out things that should be checked and even giving an opinion on things, but I'd never consider selecting an RV for someone else to buy. The very best RV is just as subjective as is the very best automobile. It just depends on who defines what best means. 

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

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

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

29 minutes ago, Twotoes said:

If you call your insurance agent for a quote they will tell you what value they give the RV you are looking at purchasing. 

Always best to insure on an agreed value. That way there are No surprises if something were to happen. 
If you are talking about today’s market, the Rv market is hot. They are fetching top dollar. So what your insurance guy says is the replacement cost more then likely will be less. And if you try to use that as a tool you will more then likely miss out. As people are lining up to find a good used RV. Not to mention the insurance company is always going to want to pay you as little as possible. As they are a company that makes profits. This is why an agreed value is the best way for a consumer. 

Edited by rynosback

2015 Ram 3500 RC DRW CTD AISIN 410 rear

2016 Mobile Suites 38RSB3

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our story: Back in 2010 Jo Ann and I decided that when I retired in five years we would become full-time RV'ers. We started with some ideas of how we wanted to travel and went from there. We asked LOTS of questions both here and on several other forums. (Kirk is probably still shaking his head about us.) We looked at every RV we could, no matter the price or condition, because we were looking at two things: quality and livability. We worked out a budget (which turned out to be a work of fiction, but that's another story). After a couple of years of research we bought an mpg, a little travel trailer by Heartland, as our learner. We liked it, so after a little more than a year we put it up for sale and started focusing on coaches that would be our full-time home. We visited factories, joined forums, and asked lots of questions. Eventually we had a list of six motor homes that suited us. We went to see the one closest to us, and bought it. That was in 2013. A few months later I retired early, and in 2014 we hit the road. We still have that 1993 Foretravel we bought in 2013. Yes, we've spent quite a bit of money over the past seven years on maintenance and upgrades. It has suited us well.

If anyone is interested in more details, pm me and I'll give you the full story. My point in telling this is that doing your research is always the way to start. As I said many times during that process, I'd rather ask a thousand questions before writing a large check than ask one question a thousand times afterward. Figure out what will work for you and go for it. We can share our experiences with you, and, if you ask, we'll share our opinions and suggestions, but only you can make the decision.

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Lowest cost is not always the least expensive.... Buying from a reputable dealer with excellent support may end up costing you less in the long run. Especially first time buyers.

Knowing what we know now... oh boy!! We could have been taken advantage of in a big way buying our first coach. Luckily the dealer didnt "cheat" us on anything and was very supportive and provided access to their service department thru our initial learning curve. I would personally rather buy from someone who treats me right, than a "shady" lowest price. And usually dealers will match other dealers for the exact same make/model etc.

2019 Newmar Ventana, pulling a 2012 Jeep Wrangler Sport

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
On 7/21/2019 at 4:45 PM, rynosback said:

Not to sound sarcastic, but a fair deal is what you and the dealer agree upon......

Exactly.

When i worked at a (very) large company, i was sent to a company school that taught us how to be effective managers. On the schedule for Thursday afternoon was Effective Negotiating. Boy, were we all hyped to get to Thursday- well learn the secrets on how to screw over those evil car dealerships!

Well, it was nothing like that. It was better. it showed us how to change our perceptions. The takeaway was as you said: "A Good Deal is one where both parties walk away happy".

Figure out what works best for YOU within your finances/lifestyle.

Edited by CFerguson
fixed the spaillin
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...