Purchasing advice?

Likes to tow wrote:
On June 1st reservations for June 1st 2023 season opened up and I forgot to go online to secure my favorite WV park campsites. On June 2nd I remembered to do it and was shocked to find almost all the "good sites" were already booked!!! So in just 24 hours everyone made plans for 2023 June and things got scarce quickly. People are still camping but not going as far. We have canceled our trip to Colorado this year due to fuel prices and availability of fuel. Things are really spooky right now and it's very unclear how things will shake out in November. I'd be very cautious of making a major purchase on any type of RV. All we can see on TV are EV (electric vehicle) ads. Ford is even making a major plunge on electrifying their most popular vehicle, the F150. Significant major adjustments are coming to America and things never seen before are happening right in front of our eyes. The ability to pull a big 5th wheel with an EV is doubtful. RV's may get really small in the future. Those little Tear Drop trailers may be the wave of the future. Unless you are loaded with cash, be cautious!! Don't get stuck with a dinosaur you can't use.

It does feel like we're late to the party. I could have retired earlier, but I just wasn't ready. Now we'll have a different kind of uncertainty to deal with, but I think it will work out.

MFL wrote:

FootSoldier wrote:
Considering that getting the right tow rig is something of a challenge right now as well, we might need to pump the brakes on this.

I suppose I'm feeling a little like the window of opportunity for me might be narrowing some too. I turn 70 soon and retirement is not far off. So, I have begun wondering how long I might be able to run a big rig around the country? I guess we'll see?

Maybe things will get a little more clear by the end of the year?

"Seventy...and retirement not far off"? It's too late man! No one can tow cross country after seventy! Maybe a van camper, if you retire immediately. :B

Jerry

Baaaahhhaaa! LOL!

ferndaleflyer wrote:
Just made a trip up through WV and had no trouble getting camp sites at New River, Morgantown, Winchester VA, and near Cass. I was in Fl in Jan and Myrtle Beach in March and had no trouble finding camp sites. Most of the time we called a couple of days in advance. Thinking about making a run up to Cleveland to Rock&Roll hall of fame soon. I don't use Sate parks etc only commercial spots.

Private campgrounds are a totally different perspective. The pristine great camping spots in state and national forests are booked all summer. Jan thru April camping anywhere is usually not a problem.

ferndaleflyer wrote:
Just made a trip up through WV and had no trouble getting camp sites at New River, Morgantown, Winchester VA, and near Cass. I was in Fl in Jan and Myrtle Beach in March and had no trouble finding camp sites. Most of the time we called a couple of days in advance. Thinking about making a run up to Cleveland to Rock&Roll hall of fame soon. I don't use Sate parks etc only commercial spots.

Camping availability tightens up in Summer. May is usually better. Try going back to the sites you stayed at and see if they have any available on weekends during the summer.

Maybe things are shifting from a sellers' market back to a buyers' market. Dealers' lots seem to have a lot more inventory than they had a year or two back.

If that is the case, there is no set rule for mark up or discount. You will have to shop and shop some more. Are you willing to travel several hours from home to get a better deal and then deal with the slower service from a non-selling dealer?

The best deal you can get is the one you will be happy with.

But do make sure that the dealer knows that you will inspect the unit and he will need to demonstrate every system on the RV. And you will not accept the unit and sign the papers on it until everything on the RV is 100%. Do not take it off the lot until every item is 100% correct. Once they have the money and you are gone, they quickly forget you exist.

Also, per the above, campsites in destination areas fill fast and RV travel is not the same as it was a few years ago. You have to generally plan your trip down to every stop and stick to your schedule. We are at the point of giving up full-time travel and leaving it to the "weekend warriors"

Ken

FootSoldier wrote:
Considering that getting the right tow rig is something of a challenge right now as well, we might need to pump the brakes on this.

I suppose I'm feeling a little like the window of opportunity for me might be narrowing some too. I turn 70 soon and retirement is not far off. So, I have begun wondering how long I might be able to run a big rig around the country? I guess we'll see?

Maybe things will get a little more clear by the end of the year?

"Seventy...and retirement not far off"? It's too late man! No one can tow cross country after seventy! Maybe a van camper, if you retire immediately. :B

Jerry

Just made a trip up through WV and had no trouble getting camp sites at New River, Morgantown, Winchester VA, and near Cass. I was in Fl in Jan and Myrtle Beach in March and had no trouble finding camp sites. Most of the time we called a couple of days in advance. Thinking about making a run up to Cleveland to Rock&Roll hall of fame soon. I don't use Sate parks etc only commercial spots.

On June 1st reservations for June 1st 2023 season opened up and I forgot to go online to secure my favorite WV park campsites. On June 2nd I remembered to do it and was shocked to find almost all the "good sites" were already booked!!! So in just 24 hours everyone made plans for 2023 June and things got scarce quickly. People are still camping but not going as far. We have canceled our trip to Colorado this year due to fuel prices and availability of fuel. Things are really spooky right now and it's very unclear how things will shake out in November. I'd be very cautious of making a major purchase on any type of RV. All we can see on TV are EV (electric vehicle) ads. Ford is even making a major plunge on electrifying their most popular vehicle, the F150. Significant major adjustments are coming to America and things never seen before are happening right in front of our eyes. The ability to pull a big 5th wheel with an EV is doubtful. RV's may get really small in the future. Those little Tear Drop trailers may be the wave of the future. Unless you are loaded with cash, be cautious!! Don't get stuck with a dinosaur you can't use.

BurbMan wrote:
You'll be lucky to find one AT MSRP in this economy. The RV industry only loosely correlates to autos when it comes to "sticker" prices. RVs aren't required to have Moroney stickers, so maybe the dealer shows you some invoice and tells you that's MSRP.

We bought a trailer fall 2020 (2021 model year) in the thick of the hype and got it for 45% off MSRP.

But as others have suggested, the market is changing fast and for a newbie, the OP is probably better to get something a few years old to see if you like camping before sinking big dollars into it.

PS: we haven't had any unusual issues finding campsites including a 7 month trip with around 40 campgrounds winter 2020-2021. Obviously, 4th of July at a popular spot, you need reservations but that has been that way for decades.

I've saved a small fortune by buying used. The last 2 came from friends and I knew they were well cared for and I paid 1/2, or less, than they paid when they were new. Most of the trade-ins at dealer are way too rough looking and not NEARLY worth what they want for them. Craig