Trade in's

[BennieH]

I believe it was in this group (General RVing Issues) that there was a rant about the condition of used motorhomes/campers. Basically the poster was disappointed with all of the used rigs they saw due to the generally poor maintenance.
When we recently traded, it was fun listening to the tech's and sales people as they went over our old rig. Comments on how clean and sharp the graphics were and the general condition of it. Also a hit was the fact that I gave them a 1" thick folder with the receipts and mileage of every bit of service that was done.
That and the trade in/discounts we got, was worth all of my efforts!
It is too bad that not everyone understands that a little TLC goes a long way.

[ol__yeller]

I clearly understand why dealers don't spend the money to detail and repair their used units. If they can't sell them, they have to wholesale them at auction. No dealer can afford to let a unit sit on their lot for a long time. Any money put into a unit is money generally not recovered upon the sale. That is why many dealers are willing to repair what the potential buyer requests upon completion of the sale but not before...and why many of the rigs they have are dirty and damaged.

What I took issue with in my OP is how can owners pay $75,000 plus for their new rig and then let it go to pot in a couple of years with no maintenance or repairs. They then want top dollar for their leaking, dirty, damaged rig because they still owe a lot on it. I have used every rig I have owned (now 3) to its fullest capabilities and yet managed to sell them quickly when that time came. The reason was because my rig stood out head and shoulders above what else was on the market.

[rooster55]

ol' yeller wrote:
I believe I was the OP "ranter" that was referred to. We did eventually find our RV but man did we have to kiss a lot of toads before we found our prince. Congrats to you on keeping and enjoying a nice RV and reaping some reward for your efforts.

We are in the market again after selling our last RV. No shortage of "toads". No exaggeration on your part ol' yeller. This isn't just a little dust from sitting on the lot. Broken furniture, torn upholstery, stained and damaged flooring and bathrooms that haven't been cleaned in a loooong time. We are in the market for a late model used DP and I've been pretty appalled at the condition of some of the coaches we have seen. Some have just been traded and have not been detailed, but the smells and stains we have seen are kind of surprising. I know it happens, but I'm just surprised that it's been so common. I see why some just go ahead and take the hit on a new unit.

Still on the hunt...

[Carb_Cleaner]

Never give your records to the Dealer. They simply throw them away as soon as you turn around to leave. Besides not wanting to keep tabs on the records and attached to the vehicle, some Dealers may view them as a liability. Ignorance, or claiming such, is bliss.
When I traded a truck in last year, I asked the dealer to give my phone # to the buyer (it sold rather quickly and I noticed it was off the lot), so I could give the buyer my service/maintenance/warranty work folder. No call was received. A few weeks later, I noticed my old truck out on the road (it's one of a kind, with off-road enhancements). I flagged the guy down and told him I had all the records, a Shop Manual and the special wrench for adjusting the custom suspension. He said the dealer never mentioned a word about it. He also said he couldn't believe someone would get rid of such a nice truck, which I found to be a very complimentary remark. I was driving my new, bigger truck, so that explained it.

[mlts22]

Problem is that RVs can get nasty just by sitting around, either on a dealer lot, a wholesale lot, or at the previous owner's place.

I have found that even in Texas where the weather conditions don't get that extreme, every 3-6 months, a rig needs some TLC, be it inflating tires, venting it out, making sure appliances work, getting the detritus out of flues, and other basic maintenance tasks. Cosmetic things are important too like washing the rig, oiling hinges, locks, and other moving parts, and so on.

Of course, there is the most important thing of all... checking the roof every few months. One imperceptible crack in the caulking, and the rig is destroyed.

Worst thing that can happen to a rig is that it sits without being at least inspected twice a year.

[ol__yeller]

I believe I was the OP "ranter" that was referred to. We did eventually find our RV but man did we have to kiss a lot of toads before we found our prince. Congrats to you on keeping and enjoying a nice RV and reaping some reward for your efforts.

[Dick_B]

and you enjoyed a rig that was in tip-top condition while you owned it.

[gbopp]

I've noticed that some dealers seem to keep dirty, junky units on their lot so they can show the 'used' units.

Then they try to sell you a new unit. JMO

[imgoin4it]

I'll bet many of the motor homes traded in are in reasonably good shape at the time of trade. If it is purchased shortly thereafter it is probably still in good shape. It is only after it has been wholesaled out shipped around the US and gone from show to show that it gets half destroyed and dirty. No one wants to fix and clean it until there is some money on the table. Also in that time things like service records and anything / everything in the unit gets removed.

[jfkmk]

I also keep our TT in top notch shape. Not necessarily for trade in value but who wants to go camping in junk? We recently had to bring it back to the dealer for some minor work and the service manager was amazed at how good the rig looked.

[Halmfamily]

My opinion has always been that my trade in will be in as good of or better than the condition of the one I'm buying. The fiver we traded in two months ago the dealer sold it in less than two weeks. He had to do zero reconditioning on it and I had every piece of paperwork for the future owners.

It is a good feeling to know how good of condition your rig is in.

[rjf7g]

I have only bought two used campers with documentation (one was from my brother) - the other three used ones I have bought had nothing. I keep everything, even if it is not helpful (like the owner's manual).