Should we buy used 5th wheel

[Gloria_E]

True newbie to 5th wheels. Looking to retire. Should we buy used and if so - how old ? What to look or ask for? Desperately looking for some guidance in purchase of our retirement home 🙂 Thank you

[MarkTwain]

buying used trailers---
1. Take the prospective trailer to a trust worthy RV repair shop and have them do a completely check of the whole trailer and all systems. Well worth the price.
2. After you make your decision to buy your trailer, buy new 10 ply tires and have the bearings packed.

[magnusson]

We bought our Fifth Wheel new, 7 year bumper to bumper warranty. 33k otd. Plenty of room to haggle on RV's. My LBZ duramax is 10 years old with only 100k miles and probably will outlast me. I expect atleast half a million miles. It was only 23k. Id get a proven truck(LBZ dmax, 5.9 cummins, 7.3 powerjoke) and a new 5er with a warranty. Its nice to say fix my $hit on your trailer which everyone knows will have issues and not pay a penny because you bought new. Trucks will last a lifetime. Trailers will leak forever.

[azdryheat]

I'd buy a trailer 2 or so years old so that has all the bugs are worked out. Plus it will have depreciated nicely.

[gmachine]

All pretty good advice. Our first & second RV were used and were a very good deal. When we looked for another we thought we would buy just what we wanted and would depend on reputation. WRONG!! The factory warranty was mostly a wasted trip. We spent 2 yrs. of hard work and +$15,000 to get what we thought we had purchased! Owning a tool & die shop we had the expertise & facilities to do the work ourselves but it was still a painful experience. Check the ads & find the unit that meets your desires, price, etc. Then get an HONEST tech to COMPLETELY inspect the whole unit before committing to a sale(the fee is well worth it). Used is always the best option, just takes longer to find the best fit. Best of luck on your new life.
Jim & Sally

[danrclem]

Some very good advice here and I would like to emphasize do your homework and research. I would say it mainly comes down to what you can spend. I still don't think I'd ever buy new though.

I bought a camper last fall and just got through buying a truck. My camper was a lightly used one owner 2006 Laredo 25RK which had been kept under a roof most of the time. I just bought a garage kept 2011 Ford F-250 with 47,500 miles on it that is very good condition. My main reason for buying this old was that I could pay cash and not have any payments. I hate payments with a passion. It's very humble compared to what a lot of people on here have but I like it and it's paid for.

There really is no one size fits all way to buy your outfit. You just have to figure out what's best for you.

Moderator edit to re-size pictures to forum limit of 640px maximum width.

[Likes_to_tow]

When you buy new, the moment you pull off the lot with all the paperwork laying beside you the value of the unit has gone down from $10,000 or more!! On our first two 5th wheels, the dealer gave us a 30 day warranty which we never used on either unit. The new 5th wheel has been back to the dealer twice and I have fixed things myself more than once. If you know how to look do not be afraid of a unit a couple of years old!! Delamination is one thing you need to understand. Watch some YouTube videos to learn about anything!!

[Jayco-noslide]

Forgot to mention that we are debt free and it's easier to stay that way buying used.

[Lantley]

Funny how these discussions always revolve around price. A used unit will always be cheaper. But that is where it ends.
Used is no more likely to be sorted out or not have hidden problem vs. new.
THere are used cream puffs and used lemons and everything in between.
There will always be something you are settling or compromising on when buying used in order to take advantage of the savings

[Likes_to_tow]

phillyg wrote:
A 2-4 year old unit usually has all the bugs worked out and will cost considerably less.

This is what I did on my first two 5th wheels. Last October we bought our first new one and since then I have had it back to the dealer multiple times to correct problems........leaking fresh water tank being the most critical. I have fixed many issues myself while on the road or at home.

Yes a two to four year old unit is much better to buy if you can find what you want.....or something very close. They depreciate like crazy and someone else had all the agony of getting things done under warranty. One word of advice, be sure you inspect for leaks and always keep a close eye for caulking that needs to be replaced. This little issue with ownership will follow you regardless if you buy new or used !!!

[Grapehound]

We have bought two new travel trailers and one new fifth wheel in the past 12 years, going larger or for more slides each time. We particularly wanted to enjoy some warranty coverage for a year. We have never paid more than about 60% of the suggested retail price. But we use an approach that no one has mentioned for when one buys and where one buys.

If you are willing to travel to buy your RV and wait until winter, you can save serious money.

First, we go to trade shows to find a floorplan we like. Then we do a nationwide search for that trailer make and model. This can be done any time of year. We compare prices and get a good feel of what the model we want is selling for.

But when we are ready to buy, we do so in early December. No one is buying new RV's at Christmas time. Dealers are anxious to sell something before the calendar year ends. This is especially true in northern states like Michigan. Since many trailers are manufactured nearby in Indiana, the dealers also have great inventory and less investment in transportation costs.

You can save even more by buying a leftover new trailer from a previous model year. Full warranty is included while the trailer is depreciated (which you must insist on).

Our first trailer was a 26 foot Wildwood with no slides. It was retail priced about 17k; we bought it on Ebay through a big Michigan dealer for $9,700. After we used it for a year, we decided we wanted a trailer with slides, so we sold the Wildwood in spring for $11,800, 2k more than we paid for it. we were covered by a warranty the whole time.

If you go to your local dealer and pay asking price in springtime, you should expect to pay near the full retail price. You're swimming with sharks in a seller's market.

[goducks10]

laknox wrote:

goducks10 wrote:
Yes buy used. RV's are depreciation money pits. They all lose their value fast. My guess is the bad reputation for used ones comes from all the horror stories about all the problems people have. Mostly from neglect but also from poor quality parts and assembly. Buying one thats 2-3 years old and in great shape will save you many $1,000's. Just look at the prices of used compared to new.

Biggest issue that I've had in looking at nice, used, rigs recently, is the inflated values people place on them. Talked to a guy selling a used '16 Jayco Eagle HT at $41k, with $40k being his "drop dead" price. The guy acted surprised when I told him that I could buy a very similar new '17 model for not much more, but wouldn't budge off his price. IMO, the guy's going to be sitting on it for a while, or some sucker will come along and pay =way= too much for it. Meanwhile, there's a dealer selling one that's better equipped for $12k less.

Lyle

Thats very true. I think it can go the other way too. There's always someone dumping one cheap.

[phillyg]

A 2-4 year old unit usually has all the bugs worked out and will cost considerably less.

[Jayco-noslide]

I believe in used RV's, and all types of motor vehicles. Many reasons- less depreciation, new does not guarantee problem free at all. OK, there's the warranty, but what if the dealer is lousy or you break down no where near a dealer. You just don't loose that much by not buying new if you look carefully.

[Allworth]

Private sales are sticky! Call him back in a couple of months and see if it is still sitting there. If it is, give him a big "I told you so!!".

Meanwhile find what you want at the price you feel is fair. Floor plan is more important than model year.