HELP! Where o where do I find a decent used Class C ?

We spent 2 years looking for the right RV to come along. I saw lots of wet, leaky, dirty, overpriced units in that time. I learned that RV sales has seasons.

In the early Spring you will find the most units available. You will also find that is when a lot of folks begin their search. Prices are OK but get higher as Summer approaches.

From June through August, generally, all you will find on dealer lots are rigs that they couldn't sell during the Spring rush. The closer to August the less units are out there. Prices are high because demand exceeds supply. You may find a private sale but most are being used by their owners with the hope to sell it in the Fall after they are done using it.

September to October is probably the best time to buy from a buyers's standpoint. People are looking to sell before they have to pay for storage over the winter and prices are generally at their best. Dealers are particularly anxious to sell as they don't want to floor the unit over the doldrums of Winter. This is when we did finally buy our Class C from a private party on CL.

November to March is the dead time for RV sales. You may find one and be able to negotiate a great price because typically few folks are in the market at this time. The main issue for a buyer is that the inventory is very low.

I am a pretty good judge of mechanical stuff I am considering but I highly recommend taking any prospective purchase to a qualified RV shop and have it inspected, both the chassis and the house. A good shop should be able to do this in 2-3 hours. It cost me $250 a few years ago. This way you can feel good the the brakes are up to snuff, The suspension is good, the engine has been cared for and all the appliances are working and there are no leaks. Sometimes, one's eyes get blinded by the desire and miss some problems. A second set of eyes is great insurance.

Look around your town for motorhomes of the length and brands you are looking for. Knock and ask if the owner is thinking of selling or tape a note to the rig with your phone number. Owner may not be actively using the rig and might be interested in selling for a decent price. We have people stop by and ask, but they often have no grasp of used RV prices and some are looking for cheap living space for a relative. Make sure you know what a decent price is, taking condition into account, and be willing and able to pay cash. After you have carefully inspected the rig for water damage, listened to the engine , test driven it, ran the generator and air conditioners, and asked about age of tires and any repairs or upgrades needed for road-readiness, make a realistic offer and if the owner wants a lot more, leave your phone number in case he re-considers the offer. If the owner really wants to sell he may work with you in having it inspected by a truck mechanic and an RV repair service before you pay the final asking price. Don't buy a used rig with signs and smells of water damage or engine, transmission, or brake system problems or non-working fridge or air conditioner, or worn out awning fabric, these are high repair cost items.
I would try to present a sincere interest in buying and not play the low-ball game. Don't waste the owners time and patience.

Look around your town for motorhomes of the length and brands you are looking for. Knock and ask if the owner is thinking of selling or tape a note to the rig with your phone number. Owner may not be actively using the rig and might be interested in selling for a decent price. We have people stop by and ask, but they often have no grasp of used RV prices and some are looking for cheap living space for a relative. Make sure you know what a decent price is, taking condition into account, and be willing and able to pay cash. After you have carefully inspected the rig for water damage, listened to the engine , test driven it, ran the generator and air conditioners, and asked about age of tires and any repairs or upgrades needed for road-readiness, make a realistic offer and if the owner wants a lot more, leave your phone number in case he re-considers the offer. If the owner really wants to sell he may work with you in having it inspected by a truck mechanic and an RV repair service before you pay the final asking price. Don't buy a used rig with signs and smells of water damage or engine, transmission, or brake system problems or non-working fridge or air conditioner, or worn out awning fabric, these are high repair cost items

I traded my high mileage Class A (141,000) for a 2007 Class C Winnebago at consignment RV Carthage, MO, last Fall. Still pleased with it after adding 8,000 miles to odometer.

Not sure what you are looking for, but I have a very nice 2005 itasca sundancer 30v. 29000 miles with new tires and chassis battery. Google the mh and look for one in titanium. I live in missouri. We have decided to go anothef rv route.
If you are interested send a private message. Ron

Keep looking - do not compromise what you want. Private party is OK if you look over the unit from top to bottom, inside and outside. You can tell if a unit has been taken care of correctly. Ask for repair and oil change records. Do not look when you are in a hurry. Check RV dealers that give at least a thirty day bumper to bumper warranty. I went to Camping World to check out a motorhome and it was dirty inside, rug looked like it was never vacuumed. I asked the salesperson if they clean up the unit before sale and was told no they just do a safety check to make sure it will pass state inspection. I asked if the unit was warranted and was told no.

I hear ya. I too got an ex rental off of rvtrader to get started. Love it and the mods and remodel are priceless when you make it your own without blowing a wad.
I'm still looking at rvs daily even with mine being totally off grid and everything ground up to date.

I would certainly offer what u think its worth based on the inventory out there I believe it's solely a buyers market.

Don't be scared to fly n buy that's how I got mine. Local rvs are laughable with listed price. Including dealers sorry 10 year old c's of any trim level will never fetch more than 30g's

Miles don't matter looks good on paper but reality can cost big bucks from neglect and sun damage regardless of the odometer

Another super tip is wait til off season like winter sell in summer or spring.

I typically check rvtrader my first stop.
hit ebay next
dabble on CrankyApe but know better, then check craigslist.com not usually good but hit the big rv backholes like flordia,arizona,vegas, texas, and California .
Ppl is ok but not great
Elmonte I think is better then cruise America they are real rvs.

Cruise America hasn't changed but very slightly in like 16 years

Don't stop searching it will happen I went quick on my purchase but spent like 15g so less then a highly used car and put some into it to get to my standards but now in love with rving I want bigger and better on my next one

Hope this helps typed on my phone

I got mine me off CL but maby I was lucky!

PSW wrote:
I second PPL in Texas. Largest consignment firm in the US I think.

I agree. And, it will show the floor plan of the unit.

NoMoApt wrote:
I have been looking for two months.

Where are you located ?

Keep looking and make what you think are reasonable offers.

After a while, you might figure out that it is not really the sellers who are over priced......in your area.

Just trying to be real here.

If there still are actual printed media in your area, either daily or weekly, don't overlook them either.

In general, Arizona and Florida are buyers markets.