Price it right---- Take care of it.-SOLD

[bfast54]

Greetings-- I have been RVing (camping) most of my life.

Went through the process of tent campers truck campers travel trailers 5th wheels and I just recently bought my third fifth wheel.:C

I hear a lot of people complaining that they can't sell their used rigs ,they can't sell the vehicle , had it for sale for months some even the year --and they can't sell it.:h

Here is my experience in this --I bought The old camper (a 2000 Cardinal) 7 years ago and found it at a very good price --and it was in very good shape.:C

I took meticulous care of it and always kept on top of the maintenance ,And when I went to sell it (because it is so early up here in northern Michigan)-- I did not put it on the internet ,Craigslist or anything yet-- because we still had a foot and a half of snow on the ground.:E

I do have a good Advantage --I live right next to a major highway right in town ,so I clean the interior of the rig up real good ,and put two for sale signs on the fence-- By the highway at my house.:W

Keep in mind that this is early March we still have lots of snow on the ground campgrounds don't even open until April.

About a week went by because it was still snowing and just not real Pleasant ,and then I started getting phone calls --I had about 8 to 10 phone calls and then I had three or four sets of people stop and look at it.


The Last looked at it -- they looked it over ,spend about an hour looking at it --said its nice ---and then just left.:h

Well, I Figured that was the end of that I'll never see them again --and two days later they called and left a message on my phone ,said that they had gotten approved for the loan they needed the numbers---(vin,etc..).So their Bank could cut them a check for me.:E
( they Said they'd looked at a couple other Rigs after they left.-and wanted to make sure to get mine before it was gone).

So here is where I guess my advice comes in---- number 1 ,Take care of your rig !!!!
No one even questioned The condition of the rig--- and everywhere they looked in it -ready to go camping........( everything worked.).

Number 2-- price it right ---Okay I owned the rig for 7 years and I sold it for $2500 under what I paid for it...........( so that it was about roughly $360 a year I believe).

Now, people with a couple yrs old rigs-- arent going to fair this well---But At $360 a year " loss"--- I had at least that much enjoyment with it.

Sure I probably could have gotten what I paid for it ---but the important thing to me was that it's sold!!!!!!
( lightning fast)- I did not have to put it on the internet ,the Craigslist ,anything !!!


I took care of it, Priced it RIGHT--- Its SOLD!!!

[SabreCanuck]

camp-n-family wrote:
Maintenance and upkeep is key. I am a little anal with cleaning. I wash inside and out after every trip and wax it spring and fall. We are on our 4th tt, the last one was bought new, all the others slightly used. The first 3 I kept on average of 2 years before selling. Sold all of them for more than I paid, usually within a couple of days.

Easy answer. Ditto. Haven't lost money yet on 4 different campers.

[amandasgramma]

We, too, take care of our rigs. We've sold 2 in last few yrs that were older (80s and 90s) and sold both for what we bought them for. 🙂

[camp-n-family]

Maintenance and upkeep is key. I am a little anal with cleaning. I wash inside and out after every trip and wax it spring and fall. We are on our 4th tt, the last one was bought new, all the others slightly used. The first 3 I kept on average of 2 years before selling. Sold all of them for more than I paid, usually within a couple of days.

[PhoneDude_8289]

In 2010 we bought a 2008 cougar 5th wheel from a dealer. Near the end of 2013 we ordered a 2014 Rockwood and put the Cougar up for sale. Put a sign on the Cougar and sold it in 3 days. It was clean and we took very good care of it. Sold it for $1200.00 less than we paid for it, $400 a year for allot of fun and enjoyment. We don't plan on selling the Rockwood for several years to come. One more thing, paid cash for both, never upside down on anything.

[kyle86]

Good job OP.

Maintenance is my #1 concern or it better be priced right.

[4bearhug]

bfast54 wrote:
Greetings--
Well, I Figured that was the end of that I'll never see them again --and two days later they called and left a message on my phone ,said that they had gotten approved for the loan they needed the numbers---(vin,etc..).So their Bank could cut them a check for me.:E

Real happy for you that you sold it and your advice is good, but I gotta scratch my head at folks financing a 16 yr old RV. Hope this works out for them.

[ol_Bombero-JC]

Something missing..:@

OK - good job, good success story and sales advice!

Guess that makes you a "happy camper".

Happy! = fer sure!

Camper? = what is going to replace it (if anything) ??..:h

Your story appears to have another "bottom line" you omitted:

"The best RV is the one you have (ahhh, make that - just sold)"..:W

~

[Goostoff]

We bought our 05 Cedar Creek late in October 4 years ago. It waqs all winterized and ready for storage with the exception of needing the recliners moved and the slides ran in. The interior was in excellent condition, new tires, LP tanks full, and the only problem was the gelcoat was lacking a good shine from being owned by an elderly couple that just couldnt do it. Blue book on it at the time of purchase was $29,500 and we got it for $15,000. They wanted out of it and due to health problems, and we were in the market. I called the bank on Monday and picked it up the following weekend. They didnt even have to advertise it. Just word of mouth advertising and we were the 1st ones to look at it.

When it came time to unload or old one (a 32 foot 1995 Hornet travel Trailer) we cleaned it up and advertized it for $2500. The first person to look at it took it. They use it all the time and are in love with it.

[gbopp]

blackeyed1 wrote:

Some of the camper pics you see of cluttered insides and dirty exterior never got a 2nd look when we were buying used.

It always amazes me when people post pictures and/or show their rigs when they're cluttered and dirty.
Then they wonder why it isn't selling.

[3oaks]

"Price it right" is the key to selling anything.

Sure, the better you take care of something, the better price you can get for it. But even a poorly maintained item will sell if it isn't priced like one that is in excellent condition.

[bpounds]

Biggest problem people have when selling, is that they owe too much on it. Can't price it right, because they are so upside down. Not surprising with the 10-15 year loans that dealers push. I can't think of too many worse financial deals that those.

[blackeyed1]

The first things I did when we sold our 5th wheel, was give it a good bath outside and get rid of black streaks, etc. Next was a thorough cleaning inside, smelling clean and fresh. Emptied all cabinets and compartments. Made sure everything mechanical worked, filled propane tanks for the buyer, and left items they could use. And priced it right.
The 2nd looker bought it on the spot.
Some of the camper pics you see of cluttered insides and dirty exterior never got a 2nd look when we were buying used. And any sign of delam or bubbles got nixed from the shopping list.
We just bought a 2006 travel trailer that was in good shape and good price. Her husband passed away from cancer and she sold it to us for half the book value.

[DSteiner51]

I bought my fifth wheel over 14 years ago slightly used. I took it camping for the last time between Christmas and NewYears then put it on Craigslist for more then I expected and over Blue Book. We had averaged almost 100 nites per year in it.

Before we had all our stuff emptied out we had calls and while attempting to finish cleaning we had someone insist on stopping to look at it. We showed the trailer then retreated to the house deciding to finish after they left approx 15 minutes later there was a knock on the door, the husband standing there said "we will be back in 30 or 45 minutes with the cash". My wife and I hurried out to finish cleaning things out but they beat us. They were back with a big wad of 100's and told us they had been looking at numerous others but they were all trashed. The wife proudly announced to her husband, my wife and I that they now owned a much nicer camper then her parents. They picked it up the same day. This all in January in northern Ohio.

[2_many_2]

I do all the things you suggest also. When ever I sell something, usually the first guy that looks at it takes it! I also think both party's should have a good experience, I share everything I know including all the bad stuff and I price it right.

Glad things went well for you :B