RV Financing / Zero Down Options?

[josheaton]

Does anyone have any experience with RV Financing? I know that RV.net does do financing through GoodSam, but we may be interested in zero down options. Does anyone have any experience or recommendations specifically with zero down financing?

We really wanted to arrange financing prior to going to the dealer for purposes of negotiation. We've done a significant amount of research and are pretty confident we've found the floorpan and manufacturer that we will be purchasing.

Thanks in advance

[shelbyfv]

GoPackGo wrote:

NYCgrrl wrote:
I don't find the "buy an RV since your time w/ kiddos is limited" thunk compelling since tent camping was and still remains available and all wind up with the same afterglow.

Still if an RV is what someone else wants to spend their discretionary funds on yeah well it's not my pocketbook/business.

Once you have spent a cold, wet, weekend in a tent during a thunder storm, and then moved up to a hard shell camper (or pop-up), you will not be going back to a tent.

My buddies and I biked our way around the country on vacations for several years, sleeping in tents because that was the only option. Nothing worse then riding in rain during the day in the mountains and then having to pitch a tent. No afterglow - just cold and wet.

Yep. I do at least one week long bicycle tour each year. Even worse is getting up in the rain and packing a wet tent.

[GoPackGo]

NYCgrrl wrote:
I don't find the "buy an RV since your time w/ kiddos is limited" thunk compelling since tent camping was and still remains available and all wind up with the same afterglow.

Still if an RV is what someone else wants to spend their discretionary funds on yeah well it's not my pocketbook/business.

Once you have spent a cold, wet, weekend in a tent during a thunder storm, and then moved up to a hard shell camper (or pop-up), you will not be going back to a tent.

My buddies and I biked our way around the country on vacations for several years, sleeping in tents because that was the only option. Nothing worse then riding in rain during the day in the mountains and then having to pitch a tent. No afterglow - just cold and wet.

[shelbyfv]

SpeakEasy wrote:


That was me talking about enjoying the RV with my kids.

It's so easy to judge others. Here are some facts in response to your suggestions. The RV that I borrowed money to get was an "inexpensive popup." To get even something "inexpensive" we had to borrow some money before the kids were gone. In regard to helping pay for college, I worked things out so that both my kids were able to get undergrad degrees debt free.

-Speak

Sounds like you had a proper plan. Congrats to you and your kids!!:)

[NYCgrrl]

SpeakEasy wrote:

shelbyfv wrote:
I'll admit that I'm in the "do w/o a toy until you can afford it" camp. However, someone brought up a compelling argument for enjoying an RV with kids who will be moving on in a very few years. There is something to that, though many have made those family memories with a tent or an inexpensive pop up. And of course if folks are truly concerned about their kids, they will be saving all they can to help pay for their college.

That was me talking about enjoying the RV with my kids.

It's so easy to judge others. Here are some facts in response to your suggestions. The RV that I borrowed money to get was an "inexpensive popup." To get even something "inexpensive" we had to borrow some money before the kids were gone. In regard to helping pay for college, I worked things out so that both my kids were able to get undergrad degrees debt free.

-Speak

Based on what I am seeing in how many adults allocate and save their funds, you are definitely in the minority and should be congratulated.
Too many citizens save only 1K up until their 60's for anything.

[NYCgrrl]

I don't find the "buy an RV since your time w/ kiddos is limited" thunk compelling since tent camping was and still remains available and all wind up with the same afterglow.

Still if an RV is what someone else wants to spend their discretionary funds on yeah well it's not my pocketbook/business.

[SpeakEasy]

shelbyfv wrote:
I'll admit that I'm in the "do w/o a toy until you can afford it" camp. However, someone brought up a compelling argument for enjoying an RV with kids who will be moving on in a very few years. There is something to that, though many have made those family memories with a tent or an inexpensive pop up. And of course if folks are truly concerned about their kids, they will be saving all they can to help pay for their college.

That was me talking about enjoying the RV with my kids.

It's so easy to judge others. Here are some facts in response to your suggestions. The RV that I borrowed money to get was an "inexpensive popup." To get even something "inexpensive" we had to borrow some money before the kids were gone. In regard to helping pay for college, I worked things out so that both my kids were able to get undergrad degrees debt free.

-Speak

[shelbyfv]

I'll admit that I'm in the "do w/o a toy until you can afford it" camp. However, someone brought up a compelling argument for enjoying an RV with kids who will be moving on in a very few years. There is something to that, though many have made those family memories with a tent or an inexpensive pop up. And of course if folks are truly concerned about their kids, they will be saving all they can to help pay for their college.

[stew47]

Start at credit union.

[willald]

donn0128 wrote:
Dont see any grumpy old men, just some snide comments

Yep, snide comments, like telling how upside down someone will be if they don't finance a certain way, when nobody ever asked for that advice.

Grit dog is right, and it is pretty funny that just as predicted very early on in this thread, almost immediately when this topic came up, we get unsolicited advice from the 'pay cash or do without' crowd. 🙂

It never fails, hahaha.

Will

[mlslcan]

Redwoodcamper wrote:
USAA if you are a member is super easy.

X2 and they will do 100% of book value even on used units.

[troubledwaters]

Oasisbob wrote:
Save up and pay cash. Is there a worse investment on the entire planet?...

I don't know of anyone that considers an RV a "investment". I think they are using it a tool to enjoy something they would like to partake in. It's the same type of tool as a hotel room by the beach, a cruise to Alaska, or a vacation in a condo. It's not an investment, it's an expense you bear to enjoy some other aspect of life. Actually a hotel room would be even worse, their is no residual value unless you steal the towels.

[delwhjr]

time2roll wrote:
Start at your own bank or credit union. Make the dealer beat it.

Especially a credit union. Have used mine a few times. They were always lower and the terms were better.

[donn0128]

Dont see any grumpy old men, just some snide comments

[Grit_dog]

Took til the second page before the grumpy old men started handing out advice they wasn't asked for! Might be a new record....

[Orcadrvr]

"Family time is precious, and it is over far too quickly. There are situations where it can be a wise decision (not necessarily wise from purely financial point of view) to borrow a bit to obtain a tool (RV) that lets you capture some family memories before the opportunity vanishes. Weigh the interest costs against the benefits it gives you."

A Wise man, that SpeakEasy!

We took our kids all over the Western US when they were young, with our travel trailer being towed by a succession of well used vehicles. It wasn't a great financial decision, I suppose, but the memories we created are priceless.
Now we are preparing to do the same thing, only a little more upscale, with our grandchildren.