On October 13th I posted a thread called “What coach would you buy for $$$$ ?” and was given terrific information. Now I’d like to know “What comes after you’ve selected the Coach?Once I shop around and find the floorplan I like and like what I see and I like the way it drives and rides, what do you do next? I have read some checklists about this at various websites but I also know that sometimes what you read is not necessarily how it works in real life.A couple specific questions I have is;• Buying from a private owner. Is there more risk there and needs to be checked more throughly?• Buying from a dealer, is it better - worse - or of little difference? I’ve listed three dealers below that are well know and from what I can tell have very good reputations. Can you buy from one of them with a feeling that they have checked them out and you can have a high degree of expectation buying from them? • Is there any benefit buying a used coach from a dealer who also sells that coach new?Motorhomes of Texas: http://mot-production.herokuapp.comLazyDays: http://www.lazydays.com/rvs?Classes=ALuxury Motorhome Sales: http://luxurymotorhomesales.com/index.php I will be looking for;• Bluebird Wanderlodge• Country Coach• American Coach Eagle - Heritage • Newmar Essex - King AireI am planning to really step up my hunt for the right coach and will enjoy input from those who have “been there - done that”!Thank you,HJ

One thing you should never do. Let the seller know you only want that RV. If you do they will hold out for a higher price.

My opinions/thoughts and experience after buying 3 motorhomes, the first from a private seller and the last two from reputable dealers:I am sure you can get a great deal and coach from a private seller if you have the time/energy/patience to deal with many who want too much, will lie about condition, etc. In both cases of buying from a dealer, we were satisfied with the results. I had firm rules and let the dealer know; 1. Will only consider a one owner coach, 2. Dealer must agree to put me in touch with the first owner, 3. Service records must be produced. In both cases, those three rules were achieved. In both cases we contacted the previous owner and got the scoop. My thinking was that the PO had nothing to hide since he had already traded and was not obligated to help the dealer sell the trade. In both cases the PO's were honest about any issues and incredibly helpful. One dealer offered a 90 day bumper to bumper warranty and the other did not but agreed to fix anything we discovered after purchasing the coach and before we left the RV park adjacent to the dealership. We traded, 'lived' in the new coach for two days and the dealer quickly fixed two issues not discovered in the PDI. Since your list of coaches includes Americans and CC, I would recommend you check with Tom Johnson in North Carolina. TJ's sells a lot of AC's to NASCAR teams and to high rollers who chase racing. They generally have a good inventory of American coaches and we were very pleased dealing with them on the Allure. In fact, they sell a lot of Newmar's too.For CC, check with both CC and Premier in Junction City, OR. Both have a number of really nice CC's (several Magna's) on consignment. Premier had more when we were there and both of those places are really expert in getting them in top shape for sale.

I'd rather buy from a private party, they don't usually have professionals clean and detail their coach, you can get a better feeling as to how well a coach was cared for. Always use your bank and financing, never the dealers.With a private party you are not paying the dealer mark up. With a private party you can see the prior owners maintenance records.With a private party you can take your time and see how each system works, what they have used as chemicals, waxes, etc.And you don't get the bums rush that many dealers will try to put on you.Deal direct, take your time, go thru each and every component/system, ask questions, we shopped 2 years before we found what made us happy, and never had any owner get angry with us for looking.

Tom/Barb wrote:I'd rather buy from a private party, they don't usually have professionals clean and detail their coach, you can get a better feeling as to how well a coach was cared for. Always use your bank and financing, never the dealers.With a private party you are not paying the dealer mark up. With a private party you can see the prior owners maintenance records.With a private party you can take your time and see how each system works, what they have used as chemicals, waxes, etc.And you don't get the bums rush that many dealers will try to put on you.Deal direct, take your time, go thru each and every component/system, ask questions, we shopped 2 years before we found what made us happy, and never had any owner get angry with us for looking. X-2, Check out all the service records to make sure the coach has been properly maintained and any promises need to be in writing!

J-Rooster wrote:Tom/Barb wrote:I'd rather buy from a private party, they don't usually have professionals clean and detail their coach, you can get a better feeling as to how well a coach was cared for. Always use your bank and financing, never the dealers.With a private party you are not paying the dealer mark up. With a private party you can see the prior owners maintenance records.With a private party you can take your time and see how each system works, what they have used as chemicals, waxes, etc.And you don't get the bums rush that many dealers will try to put on you.Deal direct, take your time, go thru each and every component/system, ask questions, we shopped 2 years before we found what made us happy, and never had any owner get angry with us for looking. X-2, Check out all the service records to make sure the coach has been properly maintained and any promises need to be in writing!Another advantage of a Private Party sale, is, depending on your State, you might not have to pay any sales tax.

What comes after you’ve selected the Coach? | Good Sam Community

20 Replies

Laman
Explorer
Oct 14, 2014
Tom/Barb wrote:
RFCN2 wrote:
A private seller has to sell you their coach. A dealer just has to sell you a coach.

That said, each deal is different. Yes private sellers can tell you about the coach in detail, but how to determine if they are telling the truth?

Most folks that have earned the money to buy a RV are pretty honest.[
/quote]
Sorry I can't agree with that as I have experienced private owners try to intentionally hide or mis-lead, have a lack of service records and not even be able to answer technical questions. They are not all lily white in the honesty department. Also I have found that many individuals can be very intransient and unrealalistic on pricing.

In all cases let the buyer beware.
s_N_s
Explorer
Oct 14, 2014
Can't say much about the dealer choices except for I've heard some problems from people that have purchased from Lazy Days. As far as who to purchase from, well that's a toss up too. We purchased our 1st coach from a private party, had all the records and never had a problem. Our 2nd and current coach was purchased from a dealer, had all the records and the experience was great as well. Both coaches were one owner and well cared for. Do your shopping and take your time. Good Luck and hope you find the coach that works best for you.
Tom_Barb
Explorer
Oct 14, 2014
RFCN2 wrote:
A private seller has to sell you their coach. A dealer just has to sell you a coach.

That said, each deal is different. Yes private sellers can tell you about the coach in detail, but how to determine if they are telling the truth?

Most folks that have earned the money to buy a RV are pretty honest.
Tom_Barb
Explorer
Oct 14, 2014
RFCN2 wrote:
A private seller has to sell you their coach. A dealer just has to sell you a coach.

That said, each deal is different. Yes private sellers can tell you about the coach in detail, but how to determine if they are telling the truth?

Here, they get in your pocket at DMV.
RFCN2
Explorer
Oct 14, 2014
A private seller has to sell you their coach. A dealer just has to sell you a coach.

That said, each deal is different. Yes private sellers can tell you about the coach in detail, but how to determine if they are telling the truth?
Nutinelse2do
Explorer
Oct 14, 2014
J-Rooster wrote:
Tom/Barb wrote:
I'd rather buy from a private party, they don't usually have professionals clean and detail their coach, you can get a better feeling as to how well a coach was cared for.
Always use your bank and financing, never the dealers.
With a private party you are not paying the dealer mark up.
With a private party you can see the prior owners maintenance records.
With a private party you can take your time and see how each system works, what they have used as chemicals, waxes, etc.

And you don't get the bums rush that many dealers will try to put on you.

Deal direct, take your time, go thru each and every component/system, ask questions, we shopped 2 years before we found what made us happy, and never had any owner get angry with us for looking.
X-2, Check out all the service records to make sure the coach has been properly maintained and any promises need to be in writing!

Another advantage of a Private Party sale, is, depending on your State, you might not have to pay any sales tax.
J-Rooster
Explorer
Oct 14, 2014
Tom/Barb wrote:
I'd rather buy from a private party, they don't usually have professionals clean and detail their coach, you can get a better feeling as to how well a coach was cared for.
Always use your bank and financing, never the dealers.
With a private party you are not paying the dealer mark up.
With a private party you can see the prior owners maintenance records.
With a private party you can take your time and see how each system works, what they have used as chemicals, waxes, etc.

And you don't get the bums rush that many dealers will try to put on you.

Deal direct, take your time, go thru each and every component/system, ask questions, we shopped 2 years before we found what made us happy, and never had any owner get angry with us for looking.
X-2, Check out all the service records to make sure the coach has been properly maintained and any promises need to be in writing!
Tom_Barb
Explorer
Oct 14, 2014
I'd rather buy from a private party, they don't usually have professionals clean and detail their coach, you can get a better feeling as to how well a coach was cared for.
Always use your bank and financing, never the dealers.
With a private party you are not paying the dealer mark up.
With a private party you can see the prior owners maintenance records.
With a private party you can take your time and see how each system works, what they have used as chemicals, waxes, etc.

And you don't get the bums rush that many dealers will try to put on you.

Deal direct, take your time, go thru each and every component/system, ask questions, we shopped 2 years before we found what made us happy, and never had any owner get angry with us for looking.
smlranger
Explorer
Oct 14, 2014
My opinions/thoughts and experience after buying 3 motorhomes, the first from a private seller and the last two from reputable dealers:

I am sure you can get a great deal and coach from a private seller if you have the time/energy/patience to deal with many who want too much, will lie about condition, etc.

In both cases of buying from a dealer, we were satisfied with the results. I had firm rules and let the dealer know; 1. Will only consider a one owner coach, 2. Dealer must agree to put me in touch with the first owner, 3. Service records must be produced.

In both cases, those three rules were achieved. In both cases we contacted the previous owner and got the scoop. My thinking was that the PO had nothing to hide since he had already traded and was not obligated to help the dealer sell the trade. In both cases the PO's were honest about any issues and incredibly helpful.

One dealer offered a 90 day bumper to bumper warranty and the other did not but agreed to fix anything we discovered after purchasing the coach and before we left the RV park adjacent to the dealership. We traded, 'lived' in the new coach for two days and the dealer quickly fixed two issues not discovered in the PDI.

Since your list of coaches includes Americans and CC, I would recommend you check with Tom Johnson in North Carolina. TJ's sells a lot of AC's to NASCAR teams and to high rollers who chase racing. They generally have a good inventory of American coaches and we were very pleased dealing with them on the Allure. In fact, they sell a lot of Newmar's too.

For CC, check with both CC and Premier in Junction City, OR. Both have a number of really nice CC's (several Magna's) on consignment. Premier had more when we were there and both of those places are really expert in getting them in top shape for sale.
WyoTraveler
Explorer
Oct 14, 2014
One thing you should never do. Let the seller know you only want that RV. If you do they will hold out for a higher price.

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What comes after you’ve selected the Coach?

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