How do you value trade on a camper?NADA comes back retail low: $16,550, Average retail:$19,950Can someone explain what these numbers mean? Are these prices that someone should expect to pay from a dealer? There is currently one camper like mine for sale, listed @ 18K, and several others of similar style by the same company for around the same ($18K).I may be biased, but mine is in much better condition than those listed. They have blemishes throughout the insides. We pride ourselves on maintaining stuff and keeping it as new condition. Rugs inside, stored inside vs outside, regular maintenance, cleaned after every use, etc.The reason I bring this up is because a local dealer gave me a price on my trade without even looking at it. They offered $12K, which is on the low end of what I expected from a dealer for trade. However, if they offer $12K to everyone, based on 25% under low retail, I would expect I have some bargaining room then since I feel mine is in better condition.Are there any formulas based on Nada and what is for sale to see what I should expect for trade value? I know they say approx 25% under Nada, but which number?I could try to sell private, but it was a headache when I did that with my Pop-up. @ $12,000 trade in price, I would save approx $1000 on tax savings. Selling for $16,000 privately (low retail) would net me an extra $3,000, even with the tax loss, which does seem more appealing...unless the dealer is willing to give more on trade anyways.

Dealers offer low prices so they can sell it and make a profit. If you want what you think it's worth then you will need to endure the headache and sell it yourself. Dealers know what you will have to deal with and try to make as much profit as possible. That's why they lowball everyone.

"IF" (that's a Big If) the condition is everything you say it is, the dealer is not going to give you more than $16K. So I would negotiate with the dealer until he came up to the $16K. This will be extremely difficult because dealers negotiate every day for a living and are way better at it then most people. So if you are in a hurry to buy, your in a tight spot; over the proverbial barrel so to speak. If you are in no hurry and can spend the time sell it outright or wait the dealer out. Once again, this all hinges on the Big If.

Well, it's hard to put a value on something when I don't know what it would be worth. I had a number in my head between 12-16K, which is quite a spread. KBB gives a better indication on what "trade-in" should be vs "buying from private party or dealer". Just wasn't sure what to expect in a trade-in. I am not in a rush to sell as I have a place to store it and don't need the equity, though it would be nice to have it up front. I put it on craigslist for $18K to see if I get any bites. In my experience it's hard to sell vehicles over $12K on CL though.

We sold our 2013 Jayco WhiteHawk on consignment with the dealer we originally purchased it from. A different experience; we weren't asked what we wanted for it but rather what we would like to receive for it. The sales manager looked in a reference guide and suggested $7K net to us would be reasonable. We agreed, it sold in less than a week.I don't know what it sold for but the sales manager based the 7K to us on the wholesale value which she stated was $10600, about 3-4K below the NADA retail numbers I had looked up for our trailer. I'm sure the dealer did well, all I know is we wanted the trailer gone, it was costing us about 350 a month in storage and insurance, and we were not using it.Side note, dealers will take a unit on consignment with a loan balance, but prefer a 'clean' deal, meaning free and clear with clean title & nothing owed.

Those are prices you can expect on the open retail market depending on condition. Dealer trades will typically only be wholesale prices which will be much lower.

How to value trade? | Good Sam Community

guidry
Explorer
Jul 16, 2019
Dealers offer low prices so they can sell it and make a profit. If you want what you think it's worth then you will need to endure the headache and sell it yourself. Dealers know what you will have to deal with and try to make as much profit as possible. That's why they lowball everyone.
troubledwaters
Explorer III
Jul 16, 2019
"IF" (that's a Big If) the condition is everything you say it is, the dealer is not going to give you more than $16K. So I would negotiate with the dealer until he came up to the $16K. This will be extremely difficult because dealers negotiate every day for a living and are way better at it then most people. So if you are in a hurry to buy, your in a tight spot; over the proverbial barrel so to speak. If you are in no hurry and can spend the time sell it outright or wait the dealer out. Once again, this all hinges on the Big If.
RoyBell
Explorer
Jul 16, 2019
Well, it's hard to put a value on something when I don't know what it would be worth. I had a number in my head between 12-16K, which is quite a spread.

KBB gives a better indication on what "trade-in" should be vs "buying from private party or dealer". Just wasn't sure what to expect in a trade-in.

I am not in a rush to sell as I have a place to store it and don't need the equity, though it would be nice to have it up front. I put it on craigslist for $18K to see if I get any bites. In my experience it's hard to sell vehicles over $12K on CL though.
thomasmnile
Explorer
Jul 16, 2019
We sold our 2013 Jayco WhiteHawk on consignment with the dealer we originally purchased it from. A different experience; we weren't asked what we wanted for it but rather what we would like to receive for it. The sales manager looked in a reference guide and suggested $7K net to us would be reasonable. We agreed, it sold in less than a week.

I don't know what it sold for but the sales manager based the 7K to us on the wholesale value which she stated was $10600, about 3-4K below the NADA retail numbers I had looked up for our trailer. I'm sure the dealer did well, all I know is we wanted the trailer gone, it was costing us about 350 a month in storage and insurance, and we were not using it.

Side note, dealers will take a unit on consignment with a loan balance, but prefer a 'clean' deal, meaning free and clear with clean title & nothing owed.
allen8106
Explorer
Jul 16, 2019
Those are prices you can expect on the open retail market depending on condition. Dealer trades will typically only be wholesale prices which will be much lower.
larry_barnhart
Explorer
Jul 16, 2019
When the time comes that we sell our 2001 awesome alpenlite the price will be what ever is offered. Age of us and rv is a factor. " Don't frown because it is over but smile because it happen" this was said on the forum years ago. I liked it.

chevman
the_bear_II
Explorer
Jul 16, 2019
Check ads for similar campers in rvtrader, craigslist in various major cities, racingjunk.com, facebook marketplace...etc.

Put together a list of high to low prices based on the ads.

You will rarely receive a great offer in trade from a dealer. It's usually better to sell it privately to get the maximum value.
Bob_Sue
Explorer II
Jul 16, 2019
If your buying a new unit from the same dealer, your sitting in the driver seat. Just let them know you need more $ for your trade. They will come up maybe 2 more times. This was my experience when mine was traded in, got another $3000 over the first offer. Good Luck
HuckleberryHunt
Explorer
Jul 16, 2019
the bear II wrote:
Check ads for similar campers in rvtrader, craigslist in various major cities, racingjunk.com, facebook marketplace...etc.

Put together a list of high to low prices based on the ads.

You will rarely receive a great offer in trade from a dealer. It's usually better to sell it privately to get the maximum value.

Agree....When I sold our first TT I looked at NADA and researched craigslist for my area before settling on a price, which was way higher than I'd originally thought it would be. I found that the NADA value was well under what the going rate around Seattle was, so I priced it what I thought was fair, which was what NADA suggested (which was still more than I'd expected it to be). I got a lot of interest and the first person who responded to the ad bought it. It was gone in less than 48 hours. I probably could have got more for it, but it needed some help, so I wouldn't have felt right about it.

FWIW
valhalla360
Navigator
Jul 17, 2019
You aren't going to get an accurate number down to the penny.

NADA, For sale ads, etc...get you a rough idea but easily can be 20-30% off from actual sales prices.

Problem with doing a trade is you want the final price after they include the trade. It's the oldest trick in the book to offer you a high trade-in value and then they don't give you as big of a discount on the new RV, so they make up the difference.

Push them (even if they offer more than what your research suggests is a good price) and be willing to walk away (without being obnoxious about it). If you do that at 2 or 3 dealers and no one budges...you probably have the best deal that is available.

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