Chuck .. wrote:
I finally figured out that my old 99 Dodge 2500 can't safety haul much. Safely 9500 lbs. That is why I think of moving up to a new/used 3500 one ton. Really don't want much over 30 foot 5th wheel in order to get into most state camp grounds. I heard the Northwood/ Arctic Fox units are good, so I have been trying to find a good use unit about 5 years old or so. Still the price for a unit within six years are $39,000 and up. Yes, budget wise I want a used truck and 5th wheel.
Just for fun I was looking at the new Northwood 27-L5 5th. Here is the problem. The prices I found on a new unit are advertised anywhere form $40,000 to as much as $71,000. These prices are off of the computer sites and adds around the country; examples are on smartrv.com & rvtrader.com site.
How can there be that much difference in price? I can't see how a person/dealer can add that much extras to justify an extra $30,000 plus. Any advice and in put!
Mostly it's because dealers seem to pull so-called MSRP numbers out of their nether regions, with little resemblance to reality. You can find =identical= units a couple hundred miles apart that have "MSRPs" that are thousands different. The stealers try to palm it off as "delivery and documentation" differences. Used units are a whole 'nother ball of wax, with condition being the driving factor in that market. You can have a "rode hard and put up wet" loaded to the gills RV sell for half what a stripped, but always garaged/waxed/maintained unit sell for.
In searching for a used rig, please don't forget www.rvt.com. Great people there and their search engine has yet to give me a false positive on my saved searches, whereas rvtrader's search is about 75% false returns, wasting a =lot= of my time. Trader =is= the 600 lb gorilla of listings, though, so you still have to use them.
Lyle
