Why not to buy used.
I know there are MANY on her who say. NEVER buy new, always buy used RVs. Myself. I always buy new, and here is an example why. This week we were camping beside a man who had just bought a used 201...
Forum Discussion
I don't understand why some people here are upset by my post about depreciation. I didn't say anyone should buy or not buy an RV. I didn't say anyone should buy used or new. I just said (paraphrasing) "Don't kid yourself. Depreciation is always a cost of owning an RV." Year after year, it's a part of your real cost of this lifestyle.
Even if you never plan to sell it. Even if a parent gives it to you free. In that case you have what I call "opportunity depreciation" because you could sell the RV and use that money for something else. And every year the realistic price of that RV will decrease (except for those "super traders" here who can buy an RV and then sell it for more than they paid). That decrease in value is called depreciation and you pay for it with your money.
Back to the topic of this thread, for me one of the biggest drivers in this decision is sales tax. Here in Texas if I buy a $100,000 motor home Austin gets $6,250 for doing nothing. I can't re-sell that sales tax to someone else. It has no value. It's gone. I love my state, but I don't think that's fair. If I buy used at half price (about 7 years old at a dealer) the governor only gets $3,125 and I get to keep the other $3,125. That's on top of the $50,000 I saved in purchase price. I can do a lot of repairs for $53,125. Looking at the photos on this forum I see a lot of members here that have very nice motor homes that are at least 10 years old (or trailers).
Even if you never plan to sell it. Even if a parent gives it to you free. In that case you have what I call "opportunity depreciation" because you could sell the RV and use that money for something else. And every year the realistic price of that RV will decrease (except for those "super traders" here who can buy an RV and then sell it for more than they paid). That decrease in value is called depreciation and you pay for it with your money.
Back to the topic of this thread, for me one of the biggest drivers in this decision is sales tax. Here in Texas if I buy a $100,000 motor home Austin gets $6,250 for doing nothing. I can't re-sell that sales tax to someone else. It has no value. It's gone. I love my state, but I don't think that's fair. If I buy used at half price (about 7 years old at a dealer) the governor only gets $3,125 and I get to keep the other $3,125. That's on top of the $50,000 I saved in purchase price. I can do a lot of repairs for $53,125. Looking at the photos on this forum I see a lot of members here that have very nice motor homes that are at least 10 years old (or trailers).
