Looking for a DP from PPL

Personally we avoided consigned vehicles altogether. Why pay a middleman? I found much better deals searching local, state, and national RV dealer used inventories. Ended up purchasing a trade in from an in state dealer....

Yes, I guess in some cases prices at a consignment lot are higher than FSBO.

But in many many cases, the consignment lot gives sellers a "reality check" on what their coach is worth. The highest prices for a given coach, given condition are FSBO's where either they put little down and have an over-inflated payoff or they think just because it is theirs that it is worth a lot. Find the same thing on boats.

And, as with any consignment lots, you will find some jewels and some rough ones, as condition reflects how they were cared for, NOT how good a dealer's detail lot is. Gee, I wonder if that gives one a better idea of how the coach was cared for-- if rough when put up for sale, wonder how it was treated when the were using it.

I think you look everywhere you can and be ready to move when the right one comes along. Everyday a really nice coach will go up for sale and they last about three days before they're gone.

38'-45' is a big span of sizes. Start narrowing it down to a floorplan and a couple of brands and then do your search. Also, don't be afraid to ask someone on here to take a look at one for initial condition if it's along ways from where you leave. I've done that three times for people.

Agree with Don-- start narrowing down your likes/dislikes. Then do a nationwide search for those on your short list. At least that is how we have bought each coach we have owned. Some ended up near home, others across the country.

And, do not hesitate to ask specific questions here or on other forums to help narrow down the choices.

In case you're not already familiar with FMCA, I recommend that you subscribe. Their monthly magazine always has quite a long list of pre-owned motorhomes for sale. IMO the magazine alone is worth the subscription price. But, being a member will offer other advantages.

In agreement with Brett, with consignment dealers you may find some good RV's, but many will be very used and very unkept.

I never purchased from them at PPL but did email back and forth about some coaches when I was looking for the "ONE"....

I found a private owned coach for the right price....

Thanks for the responses. All good points. We do have a very specific list of mandatory things we want in a floor plan. We also have a secondary list of things we would like to have. My general feeling is that to get everything we want, it would probably have to be larger than a 38', but as I am just starting to look, and I have never owned a DP before, I want to take a look. Like wise, I feel the a 45' that has everthing that we want and is in the condition we want, is probably out of my price range, but I don't know that for sure either. That's why the question about how much to expect a seller to come down. My guess is I will probably end up with a 40'. I just did not want to limit my search at the beginning. Thanks again. Great idea Don, about having someone check a MH that is out of state. If anyone is ever needs someone to look at one in the Clearwater, Fl area, feel free to contact me.

I like PPL and bought my first DP from them. Here's the good and bad:

Good: Easy to deal with. They generally won't do anything to the coaches other than give them a cursory cleaning if the seller pays the $500. This allows you to see how the coach was cared for by the seller. Some good, some not so good. They will negotiate with the seller for you and do any repairs you agree on. They also have a campground on site with hookups. They allowed us to stay there for two days to familiarize ourselves with the rig and note anything that needed to be fixed. No high pressure. You go thru the coaches at your leisure. If you're interested in any, you have to find a salesman to help you. Finally, their website gives you access to all three of their lots and include floor plans. Great for looking for one that fits your needs. They also provide a SOLD section so you can find out in real world figures what a unit is actually worth. They also ensure the unit has a clean, clear title.

Bad: Many of their coaches are in poor shape. They are well used and the interiors are dirty. Don't expect their condition to be that of a LazyDays, although I saw some rough ones there too. Since these coaches are where is as is, it's your responsibility to ensure the coach is acceptable to you before handing over your cash. They provide a service, (at a cost) to the seller so they are representing the seller's interest, although I felt my salesman was top notch with both of us ensuring a win/win situation. I had them replace all the batteries and fix a couple latches at the seller's expense. They also negotiated a couple thousand off the asking price, which was pretty cheap to begin with.

Good luck in your search...Check with MrMark. He used another place in Texas to sell his coach, but the name escapes me at the moment. IMO, the best place to purchase a used coach is in Texas or Mesa Az...try DesertAutoPlex there. They have a large inventory and many repossessions. They are not a consignment dealer and all their units are cleaned and freshened up...Dennis

P.S. Before you make a decision, be sure to drive a tag axled coach....:)...D

For that kind of cash I would be looking
Here ,Here

We bought on consignment from Palm rv and marine in Fort Myers Fl. They were great to work with. After looking at the low book value, we put a bid that we thought was fair on a 2008 Thor Four Winds Mandalay 41 ft 6 inch's with the Cummins ISL 400 engine. this was 2 years ago. The owners must have thought it was fair because they accepted it without a counter offer.