Buying From Dealer Vs. Private Party

Sometimes with a dealer you can get a warranty, even if it is for a short time.
Buying from a private party can save you some money but you lose any warranty advantages.
The main thing is to look at the service records. If it was serviced by a dealer, the records will show this for you to see that the coach has received regular maintenance.
From a private owner, you still may be able to see service records, if he took it to a shop for maintenance.
If the owner did his own service, you have to trust that he did it right and that the paper work he is showing you is truthful. Anyone can write a log that shows the oil being changed regularly and the same goes for the rest of the recommended maintenance.
Buying from either has certain benefits but I would only believe service records from a commercial shop. This is coming from a guy that has always done all of his own RV and other vehicle service, except for warranty or recall service.

I think it depends on the dealer and how much they care about having a quality reputation.

A good dealer will go through the coach with a fine tooth comb and ensure that all the systems are fully functional and that there are no issues before you take delivery.

When we bought our current coach we lived in their parking lot for a week while it was going through the PDI process and it was quite impressive. Everything was gone through including the AV systems. The chassis was thoroughly inspected, serpentine belt changed, front end aligned, and even the drive axle brakes pads and one rotor were changed.

Once we took delivery they suggested we stay in it for several days on the lot and check everything so they could fix whatever was necessary if necessary but once we drove off the lot it was ours.

Admittedly the coach coast a bit more than from a private party but than again....maybe it cost less.

If you don't have a trade or plan to sell it, private party likely will get you the best price and best glimpse into how the RV has been maintained. The dealer can cover up or fix a lot of things, but they may be cosmetic symptoms of a bigger problem.

A good seller will also walk you through and quirks or upgrades and can give you a first hand account.

If you buy from a dealership they are going to want to make money on it obviously. They may be able to offer a good deal on it if they got it cheap, so it's possible but less likely. If they will give you the number of the person that traded it in you can call them as well, very helpful if you do find one.

Dealership makes financing a bit simpler, but it might not be better.

You should always buy from a dealer because they will have multiple units to choose from and will help guide you to the best possible unit for your needs.

True or false test key.....beware of words like "always"

An unscrupulous dealer is either out of business or has left an easy trail on the internet to follow. An unscrupulous individual just takes your money and disappears. And if you get totally screwed, suing a dealer is likely to be more profitable than suing some guy named Joe.

private owner for me, on used unit the dealer really don,t no any thing about them and most don,t tell the truth on any thing. a private owner can have all the service records .and you can ask questions and feel them out ,see if there lieing or not. I feel most private owners will tell you everything they know if there proud of the rv. and let you inspect it for hours .

The true answer is buy from the guy who has the coach you want! My theory is that a private seller will give you a better deal, but my practice has been to buy from a dealer who had the right coach at the right price. Both Beavers were "on special" from dealers that felt they would do better selling the unit as a loss leader rather than going through an auto auction. I've no idea if they were just looking at dollars or if getting other buyers upsold to other units was part of the calculation.

And choosing the unit you want may include whether some of it's features are broken and provide a way to beat them down on something you were replacing anyway, and your condition survey or the price may be good enough that you don't care whether he inspected and corrected everything.

midnightsadie wrote:
private owner for me, on used unit the dealer really don,t no any thing about them and most don,t tell the truth on any thing. a private owner can have all the service records .and you can ask questions and feel them out ,see if there lieing or not. I feel most private owners will tell you everything they know if there proud of the rv. and let you inspect it for hours .

Agreed. Talking to the owner and getting to see the service records is very important. You can also see how the owner lives and takes care of his house and vehicles. If he cares about them he would have cared for the RV.

A dealer can detail the RV but you won't know what it looked like beforehand. You probably will not get the service records.

I was at CW the other day and they had a nice Class A for $150,000.00. The sales tax alone was $12,000.00 not including any dealer fees. Excellent reason to buy from a private party.
RichH