New vs used (from another angle - RV depreciation "gap")?

Hi folks,
Having been here so long I should know better than posting a new vs used question but hear me out. I haven't really been able to find a good answer to this one.
I think anyone who has been around the subject of buying and selling RVs knows a couple of these generalities by now:
1: Don't ever pay MSRP. 20-30% off (generally speaking) is common
2: RV NADA values are misleading. I've seen people add options where they shouldn't. On top of that what is also important to know is wholesale price, which we as consumers don't see, but low retail can be a guideline, with wholesale being some percentage below that. Some say 10-20%

Having said all that, one could calculate what a used coach of a certain year should go for based on what a new and similar model is now. Just remember that the new ones are more expensive now than they were back then but it can be helpful if you take the time to use depreciation tables (for example from RV Consumer Group).

So let's talk some numbers. For example, I'm looking at bunkhouses so as a convenient example:

2015 Georgetown 351TS from RV Direct:
http://rvdirect.com/stockmodels.php?stocknum=FLM5863
Just in case the link disappears, this is a $135k MSRP coach for $81k.

Contrast with this which is typical for what I see on RV Trader:

http://www.rvtrader.com/dealers/Campers-Inn-of-Mocksville-2940992/listing/2012-Forest-River-Rv-Georgetown-351DS-115209148
2012 351DS (only two slides) advertised for $70k. NADA low retail is $66k.

I don't see how these units can only lose about $15k depreciation in 5 years. What am I missing? Possibly:
- RV direct pricing is not what most people pay for their coaches
- NADA depreciation is based off of MSRP?

Looking at this example if I had a budget for a $66k coach it seems a better value to finance the extra and get a full warranty and a completely new unit.

Or the other side of the coin is that the 2012 coach can be bought for "much" less than $66k.

I'm wondering this because I'm finally getting a picture of my RV budget it's landing around the $60k mark. My first shot is to throw out some low offers at used units but if I don't get anywhere ... RV Direct looks terribly interesting.

Seeking Advice

Snowman9000
Explorer
Aug 23, 2015
We found the same thing when we bought our new 2014 Class C. Our local dealer matched (beat, actually) the RV Direct pricing, and we did not find ANY late model used ones that were priced to compete with a new one.
korbe
Explorer
Aug 23, 2015
All the numbers can be thrown out. In our community, a new high paying employer came in and now all the cost of vehicles and RV's just went up. Supply and demand.
TGPILOT
Explorer
Aug 23, 2015
Then the old adage of drive a little, save a lot comes into play. Go elsewhere and let them sit on their high prices.
bdpreece
Explorer II
Aug 24, 2015
An RV or anything else for that matter is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Supply and demand sets the bar. If you are willing to wait or travel further you can probably do better.
seaeagle2
Explorer
Aug 24, 2015
Isn't part of the reason the used ones "don't deprecirate" is because the sellers are upside down, and owe more than the the "real" depreciated bluebook. At the start of the recession, guys were trying to unload 1 or 2 year old boats for what they owed on the loan upside down, and the dealers were trying to unload new boats so you could buy a new boat for less than a 2 year old used boat.
mlts22
Explorer
Aug 24, 2015
Around 2010-2011, that was exactly the case. Most used sellers were upside down, so were selling their rigs at the cost of their loan, which often were more than what I wound up buying a new TT that happened to be a 2011 model year in late 2011.

I like using RV Trader as a starting point.

Now, would I buy new again? Unless I find a top tier exception, almost certainly. Mainly because of the 10 year rule, and the fact that a lot of the used rigs I've looked at have been in general sorry shape. I definitely don't full time, but 30+ days of camping a year is nothing to sneeze at, so I not just use a rig, but make sure it is maintained decently.
bucky
Explorer II
Aug 24, 2015
I find that wholesale prices are not available online, but local libraries in this area at least have NADA books for those numbers. In the reference section.
willald
Explorer II
Aug 24, 2015
See signature - I own the exact coach you are comparing here (Georgetown 351 bunk model).

One thing I noticed in looking at the two you compared: The one from RVdirect for $81k looks like it has full body paint. The one you linked to on rvtrader does not. That makes a significant difference in its value, around $8k difference. You need to get RV direct's price for that coach without the full body paint, to make a more accurate comparison. That, or look for a Georgetown 351 model on rvtrader that has the full body paint.

..Anyway, I'm not sure if that helps or hurts your point about depreciation, but just thought I'd point that out. I will say also, that if you're serious about getting one of these rigs, the full body paint is WELL worth the extra cost, for how much nicer it looks, and how it helps resale value in the long run. :)
APT
Explorer
Aug 24, 2015
I expect the listing price of used units to have a similar markup of 30%. So that $70k unit NADA should sell for closer to $50k.
wing_zealot
Explorer
Aug 24, 2015
I would suggest this site. You can get dealer cost on new models and also pricing on used models. clicky