Why not to buy used.

DallasSteve wrote:

Terryallan wrote:

DallasSteve wrote:
As a former CPA I must comment that depreciation is a cost of owning an RV even if you choose to ignore it to make yourself feel better. If you spend $100,000 on a motorhome and you keep it 50 years until you die you still lost the use of that $100,000 for other purposes. If you don't care about that extra $100,000, that's fine, but depreciation is still a real cost to anyone wanting to get into RVs.

Actually that makes no sense. ANYTHING you buy ties that money up so you can't use it for anything else. Sad that you have to put money before anything. And a question. Who did you buy your RV for? You? or the next guy. I bought mine for me.

It does make sense. Where did you get your degree in Accounting? Maybe you can get a refund for the tuition.

I got my degree in common sense. New lasts longer than used. New gives less trouble than used. New looks better than used. New feels better than used. New smells better than used. New is better than used in every way. Before we bought this TT new. We looked at used. Seats cushions were flat, J sofas sagged, and 99 percent had a musty smell. Skylights were dingy, Roof vents, fridge, and just vents were brittle from the sun. they all needed new tires, 5 new tires. and they all needed waxing, or were faded. and they were only a few years old, and the kicker was. They were only a couple thousand less than new. So for a few grand more. ALL of that disappeared.

I didn't buy it for an investment. I bought it to camp in. I fully intend to use it until I can no longer camp. when that happens. I hope some one will think they are getting a good deal on a worn out TT. In fact it will still look new. Because I take care of it. IF I worried about depreciation. I wouldn't buy anything.

In truth. My TT has paid for itself in reduced vacation costs. As a CPA you can understand. A week at Myrtle Beach in the TT $600. A week at MB in the condo next door $3000.00. Now to me that is a $2400.00 saving. Also a weekend in the mountains in a motel $300.00. A weekend in the mountains in the TT $70.00. So it didn't take too many trips for the TT to pay off. Had to have a truck you say? Had a truck any way. If you own a house, you need a truck. Houses need more maint than TTs. So that can't be figured in.

To be totally honest. The TT took more of my money this year. Not because of any thing it did, other than become a chew toy for DW's dog. She chewed the brake, tank, and front wires off of it. And I had to get all that replaced, and build a fence around it.

So. If y'all want to buy used because you think it is cheaper. I'm good with that. But in the long run. not as cheap as you think. After all you have bought a 5 or 6 year old AC, A 5 or 6 year old water heater, fridge, and every other component inside, and all of the roof fixture have been sitting in the sun and drying out, and it don't take that long.