Used Class C's or New Ones

[Schnauzerlvr]

We have looked at 2014 Chateau's(Thor) and find them to be quite nice. I previously had a 2005 Concord Coachmen B+. It was a 25 footer and of course only slept 2 because of the layout.
We also were looking at used Class C's. 2010 Triple E Regal C24; 2011 Winnebago Access 24 V.
Does anyone have any suggestions about buying used with low mileage or going for the new one's. What are the pro's and con's? Are the Thor units reliable? Let me know what types of Class C's you think are best.
Thanks for your help.
Charlene:h

[wbwood]

We have a Thor Chateau that we bought brand new earlier this year. Spent around 25-30 nights in it this year and no problems. We had a sprinter select TT before that for a few years and it's made by keystone (Thor) and had only a couple problems that were not related to manufacturing but products (Jensen). They were corrected with the warranty. We were very happy.

We attempted to try and go the used route. The main issue we had was that every unit we went in had an unpleasant odor. Secondly, we didn't want to adopt possible other peoples problems. An rv is meant to enjoy and relax. The possibility of having problems and having to get it fixed ourselves and out of our on pocket takes away from the relaxing experience. It's much better for us that if we have an issue, that it will be taken care of and by an expert. And yes we have an ESP.

[burlmart]

Joe

Your BF story was a big shock when I 1st say you mention it a while back.

It goes to show how marketing can go a LONG way to create an unreal image. They pass themselves off much like AARP does to the aging folks; now I know both to be overpriced business.

The factory visit comes as a real shocker, given their touting it so much in the past.

Your points on boutique RVs are well taken. A good reputable volume builder makes sense.

[Skid_Row_Joe]

Snowman9000 wrote:
I see your location is Cochrane. If you mean up in the Great White North, then I am not sure if my pricing comments will apply to your situation.

What I have found here in the US is that aggressive dealers will price new ones closely enough to prices of 1,2,3 year old units that it doesn't pay to buy the used ones. RV pricing is very cloudy here, and I'm sure dealers like it that way. The MSRP's are very inflated. If a unit has MSRP of $70K, there will be some buyers who pay in the 60's, some in the 50's, and some in the 40's, even down to the mid and lower 40's. Of course, bringing a trade-in to the deal makes it even cloudier.

We were looking for a unit that happens to be one of the lines handled by RVDirect.com. Their prices are super low. You can request a quote from them by email, with very little hassle. If you choose not to buy from them, you can use their price to get your dealer down. We did just that, and had 3 dealers become very competitive. Two of them beat the RVDirect price, and we ordered from one of them. We got 38% off the MSRP, but I believe our particular model has an extra amount of room built into the price for some reason. You will not see the real low prices advertised. You have to get the dealers bidding for your business, then the prices drop substantially. Using the RVDirect quote is simple and painless.

I'm mentioning this because sellers of late model used ones were asking more than we are paying new. That is the situation in the most popular part of the market, brands like Winnebago, Jayco, Coachmen, Four Winds, Sunseeker. But it probably doesn't happen in the boutique brands like Triple E, Born Free, etc., because those brands are sold new at much higher prices.

We ordered a Sunseeker, on a Chevy chassis. It's a middle of the road brand, but I feel the quality is pretty good. They use good materials and equipment, and the several we've been in have been well designed and put together. Owners seem satsified. I think the main brands are all going to be decent, but they all do have typical RV cost cutting somewhere. I feel like Winnebago has slightly better build quality, but not so much better than the Sunseeker we ordered to make us buy a Winnebago for more money instead.

OK, my morning ramble is complete. 🙂

Unless you're buying a used unit, then no, you don't get much if any of a discount on the boutique brands you mentioned.

In fact, Born Free is non-negotiable on their list prices on'line. I would add Nexus to the boutiqueish list of units to probably avoid too, for the simple fact that these are very small operations that could close down in the wink of an eye, leaving you with an "orphaned brand," that you paid an arm and a leg for.

All the high-line Class C brands rave on about their quality - but frankly, after 10 years with a Born Free where almost everything imaginable has broken at least once on, and (6) roof and siding rainwater leaks, I would avoid them like the plague. I would instead buy a new, reasonably priced brand coach.

[DaHose]

Some good points on this thread. Since we are talking about more than just new RV's I have learned some stuff in my experience of buying a much older RV.

If you are very handy and know your way around construction, welding and auto repair an older MH can be a good fit. I have put in a ton of work into my 1983, but I feel my efforts have been very worthwhile. Paying someone for all the work I have done would have cost a good $10K+ on top of what I have actually spent on the coach. So if we are talking $ value of initial purchase price, upgrade parts and labor, that's over $20K in total value.

Around here, $20- $25k can get you a 10 or so year old RV in great shape. I can understand wanting something brand new, with a floor plan you really like. However, if you can find something used with a floor plan you really like, is it really worth a $50K+ premium to buy brand new? If there is a concern with buying used, a PPI from a local dealer is a great option. They know where to look and can help you spot trouble.

Looking at it another way ... I can afford new cars, but have only bought one. The value just isn't there when buying brand new, so I buy used because I am a mechanic and know what I am looking at. Given the problems some other folks have experienced with their brand new RV's, I am pretty happy overall with my chosen option. I have an RV that I am increasingly happy with and I didn't spend $25K (or WAY more if buying at the higher end) to try something out.

I suppose that if you want to finance your RV then loan limitations will lock you into a specific age and price range of RV's. But if you have the cash to buy something up to around $40K, then I see way more value in buying a used RV that has been thoroughly inspected.

Jose

[Kidsgone]

In 2010, we purchased a new Airstream TT (Thor by the way) and had nothing but problems and it was in for warranty work almost more than we used it. Then went to used Forest River Lexington that was a 2007, two owners, thought it was a good unit, only to find several problems that we paid a lot of money for. We thought that with low miles, it meant a good deal (Well other things considered also, not just mileage), and we were fooled. So then we decided to go the WInnebago route on the advice of several of our RVing friends….and so glad we did!! Bought a new Winnebago Aspect this year and have been so pleased with this unit…
I guess the moral to the story is no matter if its used or new, there may be problems and in our opinion, new means warranty as RV repairs can be costly. If you like a unit that you find, find another RV'r to go thru it and they may see things you don't.
Good luck in your endeavor and safe travels. Andi

[dicknellen]

I have had good luck on RV Trader both in buying and selling, www.rvt.com
Thanks for letting me know where you live. We are also in cold country, northern Nevada, snow this morning and never got much over freezing, down in the teens or lower (F) tonight. Dick

here is a another forum I follow that has a for sale & wanted board.
http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/board,32.0.html

[rivercity22]

Schnauzerlvr wrote:
Is there anywhere special we can look up private sales of RV's. Online, newspaper, etc.

I used Craigslist and rvtrader.com to find mine.

[Schnauzerlvr]

Once again, thanks to all of you who have replied. There really is quite a lot of issues to take into consideration. I believe we are going to slow down the horses and research quite a bit more and of course go to many dealers too.
Is there anywhere special we can look up private sales of RV's. Online, newspaper, etc.
Dick we live in Cochrane, Alberta. It`s about 20 minutes West of Calgary. When we are walking Jake, our Mini-Schnauzer we can see the Canadian Rockies, really sweet, right now COOOLLLLD!:E

[Desert_Captain]

Another thought regarding buying used.... I would stay away from the used rental units like the retired Cruise America fleet. Every rental we encounter and that is a big number, is usually blasting along at 70 to 75+. Bottom line, folks that rent them either don't know any better or don't care and they drive the******out of them.

I strongly suspect that most rental folks aren't all that familiar with RV electrical, plumbing , heating and AC systems all of which are easy to abuse if you don't know what you are doing. I have heard of some seemingly great prices if you can swallow the high to very high mileage but think about how they were used/abused before you plop down your hard earned money.
:C

[winnietrey]

I agree with Bodercollie. As far as a 3 to 5 year old rig from a private party. That is what we did. Worked out great.

One issue you may run into though, many folks bought new at an inflated price, they are under water on the thing. Can be difficult to find one at say a low NADA book price, ( which is what I look for as a buyer , with no options added in by the way) So can be difficult at times to find a private party that will sell at that price.

Takes a while for them to get used to the idea, that just becuase they owe XXX does not mean the rig is worth XXX

[Bordercollie]

Don't overlook Fleetwood Class C's. Not the greatest or the worst. Used by rental companies, sold in great volume. Try to buy a 3-5 year old rig from a private party who needs to sell.Learn what to look for and get independant estimates for ANYTHING it needs. Learn as much as you can about lengths, floor plans, and features of various popular brands. We prefer lengths about 27 feet for rear bedroom/RV queen bed, adequate cabinet and cargo storage,and usability for days at local parks, airshows, hobby events, etc. Shorter is cramped with poor sleeping accomodations, etc., longer can have weight and balance issues and may not fit your driveway. All are expensive to buy and own over time.All will need new tires every 5 years and major items will need repairs/replacement probably when around ten years old based on our experience. Mechanical breakdown/warranty policies are full of loopholes and require you to have have everything inspected/serviced at maker's recommended schedules and keep complete records to make successful claims.Instead,save money in a "Pearl Harbor" bank account for inevitable repairs and replacements.

[Desert_Captain]

Buying used is harder, it requires a lot more work/research (and a little bit of luck never hurts), than just trotting down to the RV sales lot and picking one out.... but it is worth it! I spent hours every day on line for weeks researching the purchase of our C. With the internet you can literally search every unit available from coast to coast. We looked at dozens of C's, essentially eliminating the junk from the higher end units. When the right one came along we knew and jumped all over it.

The advantages of buying used( and I'm talking 1 to 3 years old, lightly used and well maintained), are numerous, to name just a few:

Someone else takes the big depreciation hit.
Anything major will have been dealt with or will be glaringly apparent and the minor stuff has usually been fixed as well.
Most new warranties are of limited value and no better than the local dealer who may or may not stand behind it (stroll through this forum for numerous warranty nightmares).
You can get a much higher quality rig for far less money than the low end new coaches.
If you buy from a private party in some states (Arizona for one), there is no sales tax.
That first scratch or ding you put on it just doesn't hurt all that much. :B

Our 2012 Nexus Phantom 23P had 6,205 miles on it (2,000 of which were rolled up getting it from Elkhart IN to Tucson), 8.8 hours on the generator and was in "As new" condition throughout. We have now put 8,000+ miles on it in the last 4 months with zero (zip, nada, none whatsoever), issues. It was almost $20,000 less than a comparable new model and we ended up with one of the highest quality C's available. Were we extremely lucky? You betcha, but having done my homework paid off handsomely.

as always.... Opinions and YMMV. :C

[dicknellen]

Your location is Cochrane, where is that? Dick

[Bobbo]

Hank85713 wrote:
If you look I said if you buy new/used from a dealer you will/maybe charged taxes. If you purchase from an individual you do not pay taxes and I mean SALES taxes. there are no taxes generally to license per se but there are registration fees for license plates and sometimes there are velorum taxes, but it will depend your legal residence. I only paid to have the rig registered no taxes but also as I said the registration is generally based on msrp.

Lucky you. In Tennessee you do, indeed, pay full sales tax on a used vehicle. While it is true that you don't pay it to the seller, you pay it when you register and get tags.

Saying that there are no taxes, or no sales taxes, is wrong when the tax is just paid days or even a month later. They are still paid. Now SOME states don't collect sales taxes on used vehicles, but to blanket say that you don't pay taxes is misleading in the extreme.

Now, if you had prefaced that comment with "in my state" I would not have taken issue. It was the broad brush treatment that I objected to.