Class A For Short Term

[Beeps]

Hi,

We are new to the site and looking for some advice. My wife and I have been camping in tents – pop ups and travel trailers since the early 80’s. In the mid-2000’s we sold our travel trailer and said when we retire we would buy a Class A and hit the open roads. We are 5 years away from retirement and we would like to buy a RV now ($15K to $25K) and get back into camping/traveling again. Then when we retire we would sell this RV and buy something in the (75K-100K) and go fulltime on the road.

Our questions for the RV that will take us to retirement or the next 5-years is?

1. Would you buy an older diesel or newer gas model? We want to be 30 feet-plus in length.

2. What are some good websites to shop used RV’s?

3. What is the markup on used RV’s? If we are planning on spending 25K should we be looking at 30K in hopes the price is negotiable?

4. What "make" can we get the best deal on? Is there a brand that they flooded the market with and maybe there are better deals on that make?

5. I’m very handy and wouldn’t mind having to do improvements to the RV. I have done flooring, paint, upholstering in some of our other campers.

6. Would you buy from a dealer or private party?

Thanks

Dale and Kris

[jlandon13399]

Dale,

Just my two cents on your questions: in The RV world you do get what you pay for. Considering you are looking to spend $25-$30K now and trade in in five years you won't have much value left in the RV. Diesel or gas is the age old question and you will have to drive both and make up your mind. There are many RV's on the market whose manufacturer has gone out of business. You can search the web when you find one you like. I personally like to deal with a dealer as I have somewhere to go for warranty. Most sales of used vehicles only offer a 30 day warranty, but you can purchase an extended warranty if necessary.

At the end of the day I would look for a unit with "good bones". The interior can be upgraded to suite your tastes but a good engine and transmission are a must. If you buy from a private individual have the unit inspected by a professional before you buy. It could save you many headaches.

[lmsooter]

Just my opinion but have you thought about spending more now for a coach you could do some improvements and would work for the future when you retire?

If you buy from an individual, be sure to have it checked out by a competent RV technician.

Diesel or gas is a question asked by many. Test drive several and decide what you like best. We had a gas coach first and loved it but our diesel pusher rides much better with the air bags.

Try rvtrader.com to look at coaches. It will give a good overview of asking prices and you can choose units in your area.

Good luck in your search.

[Beeps]

Thanks for the ideas. We thought about buying a more expensive one now, but we felt in 5-years we could get more for our money if we buy something a few years old with lower miles on it. There is a huge depreciation on MH’s and we don’t want to take that hit on a new one. We’ll take our time and find something for the time being. Besides it’s too cold in Wisconsin to camp right now.

I should mention that we are going to sell our house and buy a condo and travel in the winter months.

Thanks for the RVTRADER website….there is a lot of stuff out there. WOW!

[wildebill308]

“Would you buy an older diesel or newer gas model? We want to be 30 feet-plus in length.”

Hate to say it but you probably won’t find a diesel in the 15-25K range that you want to buy.

“What are some good websites to shop used RV’s?”

You didn’t put your location in your profile or signature so I can’t recommend places near you. Ebay is a good place to look as most of the big dealers post coaches there. When you follow the link back to the dealer you can look at the rest of their inventory and location. Don’t be afraid to travel to get the best coach for the money.

You know about Rvtrader so hear are a couple of others.

http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/

http://www.mcclainsrv.com/

http://www.generalrv.com/

Do a search you can find local dealers you might not have known about.

“What is the markup on used RV’s? If we are planning on spending 25K should we be looking at 30K in hopes the price is negotiable?”

http://www.nadaguides.com/RVs

I would not add in any options and start at low retail. Remember to check the dates on the tiers for age 7 years old is about max.

“What "make" can we get the best deal on? Is there a brand that they flooded the market with and maybe there are better deals on that make?”

I like Bounder ,Tiffin, Winabago, Itaska. The most important thing is Condition. The second is floor plan, can you live in it. Take your time sit down and look around. I would plan on having it checked by a reputable RV teak before buying.

“I’m very handy and wouldn’t mind having to do improvements to the RV. I have done flooring, paint, upholstering in some of our other campers.”

That’s good you will save money on minor maintenance items that others have to pay to get fixed. You will find plenty to do. It is just like a house but one that is subjected to being driven down rough roads in a near hurricane.

“Would you buy from a dealer or private party?”

I would by where the best deal is see the part about having it checked out.

Some dealers will make big promises but the reality is your warranty in most cases ends when you leave the dealership. I think you may do better in some cases with a private party sale Just do your due diligence when checking it out.

Bill