follow the bouncing ball

As for the financing argument.

I agree 12 years is way to long to finance a camper. I would be worried that the way new campers are built that it would be junk in less then 12 years. Then you are stuck paying for something that you don't have anymore.

If you no longer have use for the bunks can you take them out ? Or, at least the lower one. Then use the space for something else ? If you removed it carefully you would even be able to reinstall it at trade in time. ( I've thought about buying a used bunk model and doing this. Bunk models are often easier to find around here it seems)

I didn't even know you could finance such a small amount for such a long term. My god, glad you walked away buddy. The bunks come in handy even without kids though. I work from home, and often find myself using the rear room ( mine has a table ), as a nice place to sit down and get work done while everyone can come in and out as they please :)

As for not giving advice, I would say the people NOT giving advice are bad people. Someone, anyone financing 5.4% for 12 years is making a bad move. Some people, as silly as it may sound, really don't understand how much money they are losing. I don't think it has anything to do with being rude, and has everything to do with being friendly. Everyone finances things and pays for things differently, I only buy toys with my own money, I put it into a CD, and borrow against it for 36 months, at 1.6%, not everyone does that, some people just pay cash. There isn't a right or wrong way to " do it ", but it's nice to see what everyone does, at least IMO.

Lwiddis wrote:
I don't feel bound by what you consider appropriate to discuss or what you believe the OP was asking. If an OP doesn't want it discussed, then don't post it.

Yea, you have the right to post anything you want, thats true. People coming on here and mocking others for their financial decisions isn't the intent of this board. Thankfully I don't have to take a 12 year loan for my camper, but there are others that chose to take that financial hit for other reasons. Who are you or me to evaluate those decisions or reasons?

Posts like that are mighty arrogant and rude. You can chose to come across that way if you want, doesn't mean that I have to like it or can't express my displeasure for such a pompous response...

Grady and Spoon-

"There is way too much of this on this board. I don't recall reading anywhere that the OP was seeking your financial advice or the other poster's opinion about shopping at a dealer."

The OP posted something and members discussed his/her posting. This is a forum...for discussion of postings. I don't feel bound by what you consider appropriate to discuss or what you believe the OP was asking. If an OP doesn't want it discussed, then don't post it.

Howdy again. So the wife REALLY liked the RKS model and told me she would go with 5K cash thrown in to the deal to make it happen sensibly. The rep said for every 1K down the payment would drop about $12.00 or so. that was not enough to make us stay in the discussion. Interestingly, the price for the 2017 (18K or so) was the same price we paid for the 2016 back in January of 2016. Amazing how quickly these rigs depreciate over time.

Tvov wrote:

nephi007 wrote:
... Trade in for our 2016: $20,710 (wow!) .... trade payoff: $18,930. ....

I laugh when dealers do this. I've had friends run into this when buying cars.

Good job on your part for seeing through this.

The dealer is NOT giving you $20,710 for your camper! The dealer IS giving you $1,780 for your camper. Sometimes it takes awhile when I explain to friends that the dealer is just playing with words to make it sound better, but they really aren't getting any kind of "deal", they will still be paying for everything.

And... sometimes I just stop trying to explain to friends. If they are happy with what they have, leave them be!

It looks to me like the dealer is giving around $8965 on trade no matter how they play with the cost of the new unit figure and the trade allowance using the 18K selling price the OP stated, the payoff on the 2016 is constant. Without knowing the model of the trade, not that it really matters, in the 9K to 10K range is probably par for the course no matter who the dealer is. A 2016 in actuality is a 3 year old trailer or close to it.

Forget about taxes and registrations. The $20170 sure looks a hell of a lot better than $8965 but in the end, its all the same.

$18000.00 New unit.
-$8965.00 Allowance for trade.
$9035.00 Subtotal.
+$18930.00 Loan payoff.
$27965.00 Amount financed.

Or

$29205.00 New unit.
-$20170.00 Allowance for trade.
$9035.00 Subtotal.
+$18930.00 Loan Payoff.
$27965.00 Amount financed.

Now add the taxes and other stuff.

nephi007 wrote:
... Trade in for our 2016: $20,710 (wow!) .... trade payoff: $18,930. ....

I laugh when dealers do this. I've had friends run into this when buying cars.

Good job on your part for seeing through this.

The dealer is NOT giving you $20,710 for your camper! The dealer IS giving you $1,780 for your camper. Sometimes it takes awhile when I explain to friends that the dealer is just playing with words to make it sound better, but they really aren't getting any kind of "deal", they will still be paying for everything.

And... sometimes I just stop trying to explain to friends. If they are happy with what they have, leave them be!

spoon059 wrote:

Winnebago Bob wrote:

jarata1 wrote:
I couldn't imagine paying for a trailer for 12 years

^This. Ugh. Not even half.

And I can't imagine being so self righteous as to make comments like these... Some people, myself included, cannot afford to pay $24,000 outright for a trailer. It's not your money they are spending, so why are you so concerned with how they are spending it...?

I think he was posting more along the lines of it makes no financial sense.

24K @ 144 months, 4.5% = $7104 interest, payment $216
24K @ 72 months, 4.5% = $3430 interest, payment $381

On something such as a camper which is a luxury item, most people would think if you can't afford the additional $165 per month to save the $3674 in interest you can't afford it. One thing is for certain, most $24K trailers purchased now days, will be worth about 24 cents 12 years from now LOL.

Winnebago Bob wrote:

jarata1 wrote:
I couldn't imagine paying for a trailer for 12 years

^This. Ugh. Not even half.

And I can't imagine being so self righteous as to make comments like these... Some people, myself included, cannot afford to pay $24,000 outright for a trailer. It's not your money they are spending, so why are you so concerned with how they are spending it...?