My head is swimming...need some insight on $$$

CallThisCamping?! wrote:
First things first. Have you owned a motor home before? Have you had a camping trailer? Do you KNOW you will like this method of travel and lodging? (notice from my handle I don't call it camping anymore).
If ....

If you've never owned a motor home, this is the best advice you will ever get, rent first. ..l.... Make sure the pain at the pump is not unbearable to YOU.

Of course, you may be seasoned 'old hands' in which case that's a big 'never mind'. Then just do your research and be tough at the dealer, you'll be fine if you're happy in the end.

We have camped a lot. Done the tent thing, and then the pop-up trailer with ffamily...extensive summer vacations. Now that the kids are grown, we keep wanting to go, but the pop-up just doesn't do it. We are thinking that a MH would get us back out there. Renting is probably a really smart thing.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Jeff

First things first. Have you owned a motor home before? Have you had a camping trailer? Do you KNOW you will like this method of travel and lodging? (notice from my handle I don't call it camping anymore).
If you answered no to any of these questions, then the very first thing you want to do is rent. Try it out. You may find that although your DW says she would like to travel in a motor home, she may be saying that to make you happy and would rather be calling room service in a Hilton than making your breakfast. I have known people who have bought a 650K MH that now just sits because what they thought would be cool, just wasn't that much fun for them. My wife and I just returned from a 2 1/2 month trip totally across the country and we can't wait to go again.

If you've never owned a motor home, this is the best advice you will ever get, rent first. This will be money well spent and can save you more than you realize. Try out the lifestyle. See how you like to drive different models and classes. See what you like or hate in a floor plan. Make sure the pain at the pump is not unbearable to YOU.

Of course, you may be seasoned 'old hands' in which case that's a big 'never mind'. Then just do your research and be tough at the dealer, you'll be fine if you're happy in the end.

Deano56 wrote:
A kick back, how does that work really. I have always heard that ,but how?

The dealer gets a fraction of a percent of the finance interest, the salesmen gets a percentage of that.

I know of it going back for over 40 years

Therefore, they may give a better deal on the MH if you finance rather than pay cash.

Don't get so fixated on the price, that you ignore the RV itself. Test every appliance, slideouts, generator, look carefully for signs of leaks, check the date on the tires, and see if there are service records for the engine. Once you are totally satisfied with the condition of the motorhome, then begin your negotiations.

Like you, once retired looked for a motorhome. I had a list of "must haves" - deal breakers, narrowed down to 2 manufacturers - Newmar and Tiffin, set my budget limit and hit the internet, and local dealers. I bought my rv from a private seller, still have it 6 years later - fulltime in it.

Good luck in your search

Spizzer wrote:
Hi all,

My wife and I are recently retired and are seriously looking into buying an RV. Been researching and reading and thinking about it for sometime. After weighing a lot of things we're looking at a class A.

I have been looking at models an prices online and trying to match everything up to the NADA avg and low retail. In the forums I've gathered that many never pay over low retail. I can see that an individual may have to sell at this, regardless of options, mileage, etc., but what about used from dealers? Will they laugh me off the lot if I start offering low retail? Or do they pick things up on trade ins low enough that they can still make money selling at low retail? Should I expect something in the middle?

For example, if a 07 Bounder is low miles and really clean, new tires, etc. and listed at $69k, but low retail is say $54k (straight base model). Should I keep at it till I get low retail?

Also, is end of summer a good time to get deals? Is paying cash more apt to get them to go low?

I appreciate your insight.

Jeff

Welcome to the Search! It's dog eat dog with few guidelines. I've seen Camping world sell for 50% of asking price. I bought at 25% off of NADA, but it had been sitting almost 3 years on the lot. First I am not looking for the lowest price, I am looking for a fair price. So look at PPL motor homes for past sales, then look at Ebay for actual bids. Then consider each MH individually. No two MH's are exactly the same as condition and maintenance is crucial in determining value.

I looked at a Monaco Executive that was trashed, asking $179k. It looked as if it hadn't been touched in years, cabinets doors ripped off. House stuff is cheap, neglect on an ISM is Expensive$$$. Same on the Tranny. If they needed rebuilt it could have cost $30k. Not to mention the aggravation. Good Luck!

Having read this forum for many years I can tell you that no matter what you pay someone will tell that you paid way over what you should have. No two used motorhomes are the same condition trumps everything including price!

Deano56 wrote:
When I was looking for motorhomes, my bank of 14years only will finance 80 percent of the low retail price no matter what shape or options, thats just there way on them. On the other hand I found that some dealers are more than willing to find you a loan at full asking price or near.

A kick back, how does that work really. I have always heard that ,but how?

When I was looking for motorhomes, my bank of 14years only will finance 80 percent of the low retail price no matter what shape or options, thats just there way on them. On the other hand I found that some dealers are more than willing to find you a loan at full asking price or near.

tatest wrote:
What you offerat first, what the dealer asks at first, what you pay can be three different things.

NADA low retail is not supposed to be "really clean, low miles, new tires, etc." That would be hig retail. But that's for cars, were NADA book is working from market reports. For RVs NADA is mostly a depreciation based estimate, and can be way off the market, too high in some places, too low in others. It ultimately comes down to what buyers will pay, not what sellers are asking.

You have to understand what the RV is worth to you, be willing to pay that to have it, be happy to get it for less, but not worry about "maybe I could have bought it for less." Unless you are buying it to flip it, rather than use it. That's the dealler's problem, buying and selling to make money, you are buying to use it, and when you are through withit and want to sell, you could be in a quite different market.

I guess the bottom line is to feel like you made a good decision and get what you really wanted.

Thanks

Quick trip wrote:
Be sure to spend a lot of time in the MH.
Lay on the beds, the sofa and sit at the dinette.
While sitting on the sofa, look at the TV--do you have to turn your head any amount to view in comfort?
Check the toilet --sit on it and see how easy or hard it is to reach the toilet paper?
There are plenty of other things to do and look for!
Good Luck & Drive Safe!

Good advice. I wouldn't have thought to sit on the toilet.....

Thanks,
Jeff