Class B RV’s

Question

My wife and I are exploring the idea of buying a class b and living in it for a year full time to explore. We have rented vans before for vacations and have always enjoyed them. I have looked into long term rental which seems to not really exist so buying one then selling it in roughly 10-14 months is probably the only option. I’d like to keep the depreciation value to a minimum during the resale so I would assume buying a used one is the better option, but when we looked at vans at the local RV dealership some of the new models were so heavily discounted that it appears that new could almost be better. Also any advice on whether to finance or should I just come in with cash?

grit_dog · Answer

Probably not worth the bandwidth. Another hit n run post that was weird from the beginning.
Full time #vanlife looking at $100-200k rigs and able to pay cash but doesn’t understand basic economics and finances?
It’s not difficult to see what the Covid market did to many industries. There’s still some unfortunate RVers that took a bath and haven’t pulled the plug yet and are still holding out for some decent return on a bad decision.
There are ALOT of homeowners doing the same thing, in Covid-era geographical “destinations”.
Having been in the selling and buying market for houses in the last year, it’s just like RV values except with more money. There are more homes built in 2020-2023 sitting way overpriced than there are brand new comparable homes/locations that are advertising cheaper right out the gates.
I tried negotiating with about 5 different sellers last year on their Covid mistake homes. Only one of them actually understood and bit the bullet and sold for a 2025 price. (They also are now living in an apartment and basically bankrupt even after getting out of their bad decision on 30 acres)

grit_dog · Answer

Cool plan and awesome you can doo this!However sounds like you’re looking more for basic financial advice than RV advice.&nbsp;The RV market, just like the housing market in some areas is still in the tail end of “Coviditis” decisions.&nbsp;Not to mention the “#vanlife” crowd that I think is not as prevalent as it was a few years ago.&nbsp;If you’re looking at used coved era rigs, most probably overpaid and/or are upside down if there’s a note on it.&nbsp;You’re headed the right direction.&nbsp;Know what you can get a new one for bottom line and then use that to negotiate used prices. You’ll weed out the upside down dreamers from the realists and end up with a fair value on a used one likely.&nbsp;Financing? Just do your homework and if you can’t, have someone do it for you. Or since you have cash, ummm, you kinda answered your own question unless your a savvy investor.&nbsp;New vs used?I would NEVER take a brand new RV and just hit the road long term. RVs notoriously have more “issues” that you’d rather warranty than fix yourself or possibly put it out of commission for a period of time. Not a great thought 2000 miles from home with 10 months to go and nowhere to stay without coughing up for a hotel or air bnb and a rental car.&nbsp;something gently used for a few years typically has those issues worked out yet new enough to be as “reliable” as new.&nbsp;JMO

lwiddis · Answer

Fresh and waste water tank size should be a consideration.&nbsp;

restonmaster · Answer

It sounds like you have a solid approach by weighing new versus used for minimal depreciation. Often, lightly used Class B’s can offer the best balance, but deep discounts on new models can make them surprisingly competitive. Financing can make sense if rates are low, but paying cash avoids interest and simplifies resale.

stircrazy · Answer

usaly the older it is, the less the loss when you go to sell it.&nbsp; some times if you are a handy person you could buy a vintage one, put a little bit into it and make some money when you sell it, but that take having the time knowhow and tools to do it.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Class B RV’s

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