Should we buy used 5th wheel
True newbie to 5th wheels. Looking to retire. Should we buy used and if so - how old ? What to look or ask for? Desperately looking for some guidance in purchase of our retirement home :) ...
Forum Discussion
We have bought two new travel trailers and one new fifth wheel in the past 12 years, going larger or for more slides each time. We particularly wanted to enjoy some warranty coverage for a year. We have never paid more than about 60% of the suggested retail price. But we use an approach that no one has mentioned for when one buys and where one buys.
If you are willing to travel to buy your RV and wait until winter, you can save serious money.
First, we go to trade shows to find a floorplan we like. Then we do a nationwide search for that trailer make and model. This can be done any time of year. We compare prices and get a good feel of what the model we want is selling for.
But when we are ready to buy, we do so in early December. No one is buying new RV's at Christmas time. Dealers are anxious to sell something before the calendar year ends. This is especially true in northern states like Michigan. Since many trailers are manufactured nearby in Indiana, the dealers also have great inventory and less investment in transportation costs.
You can save even more by buying a leftover new trailer from a previous model year. Full warranty is included while the trailer is depreciated (which you must insist on).
Our first trailer was a 26 foot Wildwood with no slides. It was retail priced about 17k; we bought it on Ebay through a big Michigan dealer for $9,700. After we used it for a year, we decided we wanted a trailer with slides, so we sold the Wildwood in spring for $11,800, 2k more than we paid for it. we were covered by a warranty the whole time.
If you go to your local dealer and pay asking price in springtime, you should expect to pay near the full retail price. You're swimming with sharks in a seller's market.
If you are willing to travel to buy your RV and wait until winter, you can save serious money.
First, we go to trade shows to find a floorplan we like. Then we do a nationwide search for that trailer make and model. This can be done any time of year. We compare prices and get a good feel of what the model we want is selling for.
But when we are ready to buy, we do so in early December. No one is buying new RV's at Christmas time. Dealers are anxious to sell something before the calendar year ends. This is especially true in northern states like Michigan. Since many trailers are manufactured nearby in Indiana, the dealers also have great inventory and less investment in transportation costs.
You can save even more by buying a leftover new trailer from a previous model year. Full warranty is included while the trailer is depreciated (which you must insist on).
Our first trailer was a 26 foot Wildwood with no slides. It was retail priced about 17k; we bought it on Ebay through a big Michigan dealer for $9,700. After we used it for a year, we decided we wanted a trailer with slides, so we sold the Wildwood in spring for $11,800, 2k more than we paid for it. we were covered by a warranty the whole time.
If you go to your local dealer and pay asking price in springtime, you should expect to pay near the full retail price. You're swimming with sharks in a seller's market.
