Don had commented about buying used instead of buying new, which he does quite often. With today's conditions, it does make sense. Especially if you need to borrow more than one-third of the amount spent. An average motor-home is driven about 5,000 miles a year. If you use 10 mpg, and $4.00 per gal, as an example you would spend $2,000. for the year for gas, or about $185. per month for gas. If you look at the bills you get, you can add up the amount of money you paid for interest on each loan, or credit cards. This interest owed to banks and credit card companies is the main reason people can't afford to travel, not the amount spent on fuel.
If you might fit this category, you might want to consider buying used, and save on the first few year's depreciation hit.
Mark
Mark & Jan "Old age & treachery win over youth & enthusiasm"
2003 Fleetwood Jamboree 29
I don't really follow this pricing stuff closely, but I've read here about folks getting 20%-30% off MSRP. My conclusion is that the manufacturers inflate the MSRP so that dealers can give you a huge and mostly illusory 'discount' to make you feel good about the 'special' deal you got.
Maybe you should consider his $60K a _starting_ offer for serious price negotiation, and beat him down from there. When it reaches a sticking point, start asking what extra-cost options or supplies he can throw in for free to sweeten the deal.
Jim, "Mo' coffee!"
'06 Tiger CX 'C Minus' on a Silverado 2500HD 4x4, 8.1 & Allison ('Loafer's Glory'); '07 Forester 2.5 ( the 'HANDBSKT'); '95 Toyota SR5 V-6 4x4 pickup, ARB locker, Bilsteins, Warn hubs & M8000, etc;
'94 968, M030 swaybars ('DOPPLER')
MNtundraRet wrote: Don had commented about buying used instead of buying new, which he does quite often. With today's conditions, it does make sense. Especially if you need to borrow more than one-third of the amount spent. An average motor-home is driven about 5,000 miles a year. If you use 10 mpg, and $4.00 per gal, as an example you would spend $2,000. for the year for gas, or about $185. per month for gas. If you look at the bills you get, you can add up the amount of money you paid for interest on each loan, or credit cards. This interest owed to banks and credit card companies is the main reason people can't afford to travel, not the amount spent on fuel.
If you might fit this category, you might want to consider buying used, and save on the first few year's depreciation hit.
Mark
If you are worried about the cost, an RV is not for you. The local paper today had an article about the cost of renting an RV and flying on a 700 mile trip for a family of 4. flying including hotel/car rental, etc. came out a few hundred cheaper. IIRC something like $2700 vs $2300.
bumpy
Bumpyroad: DW and I have not slowed down traveling. We owe nothing, and I am just reminding others of a fact of life. Money spent paying interest to creditors is money not free for other use.
bigbk wrote: Thank you all! I certainly didn't expect to recieve this number of helpful replies.
- big snip -
djevans- Thanks for the advice. I really would like to get a used RV, but again, i am a little intimidated of buying a used vehicle because of possible hidden problems. from what i've read, check lists are super-important, even on NEW vehicles- so it seems like that concern is not solved by buying new.
Since the subject of used has come up, could someone please ball-park the numbers? Let's say I purchase a 60k New 2008 access. What would i be able to expect to sell it for in one year, 2,3,4,5 years (and therefore how much should i be able to buy a used one for)? I realize these numbers could change based on the economy, but let's assume that things remain stable- for the sake of sanity! Is there a major difference in buying used from dealer vs private party?
I am also looking at a 2003 minnie winnie, 31 foot, asking price of $49k, at the dealer lot. since its 5 years old (is that correct? are 2009s sold in 2008?), should i expect to pay %50 of original sticker, say $40k?
- MNtundraRet (Mark) I don't mean to be a "broken record," but I sure was glad I was able to trade our first RV, and be in the black, on the next one - that's the main point I was trying to make - that first year depreciation is a "killer" on an RV - Mark, I do concede your point though
- Since I can fix nearly anything (admittedly, Chris Bryant usually tells me what part to replace on the AC units and refrigerators ) I don't fear "used" in the slightest - I would simply suggest that you find a very skilled shop to look at the vehicle and make sure it wasn't wrecked, otherwise damaged, and the appliances are in good repair, if you do ultimately consider a used vehicle. In view of your concern, if you are unable to determine these things on your own, I would pay a "great" shop / body shop "significant money" to get that satisfaction. "That cost" is nothing like that first year of depreciation!
- 1st RV's...It's VERY easy to buy the wrong vehicle the first time - you may have "it" figured out - all I'm saying is that why purchase a new vehicle you "may "HAVE TO" live with" because of high cost to trade, then have to roll a "big chunk" of negative equity in to the "right" vehicle
- I loved and hated our first RV, but I didn't know that until we had it for a while...(quite a while)
* I should have purchased a 50 amp coach
* I absolutely hated the 1st RV engine literally screaming at 75 mph
* fuel mileage was atrocious (the present vehicle is 60/70 % better)
* at least the first vehicle was reliable in the automotive department, but nothing like what we now have
* low power
* we use it for longer periods of time now - the first RV, although good, wasn't as well built
* I simply grew to wanting a diesel vehicle - had we purchased a brand new Pace Arrow, neither of us would have accepted that much of a loss on the trade - too much noise on the previous gas vehicle - We like being able to talk almost at a whisper while running at highway speeds
The point of all that is that, there simply are things you might not know yet, even if you've been renting RV's.
Rv'ing is "NOT ONLY" for the wealthy, but it can be expensive. I don't agree with one of the recent previous posts, but unless "money is no issue," I sure don't see making it as expensive as possible, or even more expensive than necessary.
I'm going to end with what my wife and I do when considering "next vehicles." We purchased somewhat expensive, well built, vehicles, BUT "every vehicle" is used. We purchase well maintained 2 to 4 year old vehicles, then keep them for as long as 12 years. (cars easily have 200k miles when we give them to our son. We kept the first RV for only 4 years. We messed up on that one. (and it did cost us more than it should have to trade)
It's a part of American life, but there's a lot of truth in, "The borrower is slave to the lender..."
Oh, I wanted to add, that first year of depreciation can easily be as much as 18%. I don't remember that "average" for sure, but I think it was something like 18%, as much as 12% the next, then 12% more the next year depending on the vehicle. "Homey don't think so..."
Depending on the options sounds like a good price. But you should always try to get a better price. Check out the options and whatever they will through in. If it is close to fully loaded a great price.
Joe & Debbie Speer
USAF Retired
2006 Winnebago Outlook WF332G
2001 Chevrolet Tracker (TOAD)
My wife and I have been motorhoming for 34 years. First a class A Winnebago (1972 Indian) and now a class C Itasca Sundancer (1999). Both purchased new. For a first time buyer like you, we always recommend the following procedure BEFORE buying a motorhome for the first time:
Rent a rig similar to what you are considering and use it for 1 or 2 weeks on the road. From that experience, you will learn what you like about the rig and the life style, and most importantly, what you do not like. Rental rates may seem high, but by renting and using a rig, you will not be making a $60,000.00 mistake.
Then, before going out and finding a rig that meets your needs and desires, go and join the RV Consumer Group. Search for them on the web. They are the only true reviewer of RV's (trailers and motorhomes). All of the other RV related sites and magazines are supported by RV manufacturers' advertising dollars, so they will not give you the true skinny. The RV Consumer Group membership provides various books that tell you about motorhomes and what to do when buying one. You may be able to find their rating book in some public libraries. So, after visiting their site, note the books and then decide which level of membership you need.
Buying a motorhome is no small money or decision. You should spend as much time researching the RV manufacturers and floor plans as you would if you were buying a house.
The other thing that all recommend, is that you understand the skinny about weighing any rig you are considering, before signing on the purchase line. Many RV's are nearly overloaded, without stuff added that you may want to take along. A rig's road handling is effected by its weight load distribution. You need to understand all of this before you look.
I see people go to RV shows and get talked into buying a nice shiny rig while at the show. Not the way to do it. The price at the show will be there weeks later, for the serious buyer. So don't fall into the trap of being told that the great price offer is only good during a show, or at that moment on the RV lot.
A class C, buy its very design, does not have a lot of payload. So, you have to think about that also.
Now, one last thing. With the current cost of gas and diesel going through the roof, you need to decide if it is a good time to purchase a gas hog. My 1999 class C gets 8.2 mpg, and that is when I hold the speed to 60 mph, and towing a small Honda Civic. My 1972 Class A got 6.5 mpg not towing anything. Needless-to-say, the RV dealers are going to work hard at getting those gas hogs off their lots, so low prices will be the norm. But, do you want to spend the dollars to travel in your new RV, or do you plan to park it at a campground? If parking it at a campground, maybe a camping trailer is a better choice. Don't let an RV salesman tell you that the rig he is selling gets some large miles per gallon. It isn't so.
Hope this helps.
Bob Horton
1999 Itasca Sundancer model 31, towing a 1996 Honda Civic.
Offline
) I don't fear "used" in the slightest - I would simply suggest that you find a very skilled shop to look at the vehicle and make sure it wasn't wrecked, otherwise damaged, and the appliances are in good repair, if you do ultimately consider a used vehicle. In view of your concern, if you are unable to determine these things on your own, I would pay a "great" shop / body shop "significant money" to get that satisfaction. "That cost" is nothing like that first year of depreciation!
