Community Forums

Airmech · 07-17-2016, 04:47 PM

Hope you 5ver owners can help with this one. Me and the wife have raised a discussion in the past few days about waiting a few more years to get the perfect rv or just get a used one now just so we can get out there and finally be on our own instead of being stuck with others in there RVs.

As that being said, my actual question is how accurate is the Nada rv values given the option you put in are accurate?

I'm asking because I've located 2 used Montana's that would be great for starters, but as far as I can figure the dealer is 20k under Nada average values for both!!!!!!! If the Nada rv site is accurate, then I found 2 gold mines! Please someone clarify if I'm looking at this correctly.

Mike and Cha · 07-17-2016, 05:02 PM

Did you actually go look at them and inspect them. The Nada value is only an estimate and with an RV there are too many variables for it to be and exact number. A lot has to do with the way it is calculated, for example some RV's Nada price already includes most amenities, and then people add them in which inflates the estimate. The only way you will know if you are getting a good price or a future problem to deal with and spend additional money on, is to do your research, look at as many as you can. Eventually you will know a good deal when you come across it and it most likely will be better through a private party. People who sell their RV's on their own generally have taken excellent care of their RV and will want a good price for it, but don't have the overhead a dealership does. There are exceptions both ways, but do your research and compare apples to apples to find the right combination of brand, floorplan, quality and price for you.

Airmech · 07-17-2016, 05:36 PM

In the example I gave, I haven't seen them in person yet, but one is a 2011, the other is a 2012. They are 7k apart and as far as I can tell have the same features except interior color. This is why I raised the question. I understand your comment about putting in options already included, but if I go by just the rv, no options at all, it's still 5k over what they are selling either of them for.

Lisablue85 · 07-17-2016, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airmech

Hope you 5ver owners can help with this one. Me and the wife have raised a discussion in the past few days about waiting a few more years to get the perfect rv or just get a used one now just so we can get out there and finally be on our own instead of being stuck with others in there RVs.

As that being said, my actual question is how accurate is the Nada rv values given the option you put in are accurate?

I'm asking because I've located 2 used Montana's that would be great for starters, but as far as I can figure the dealer is 20k under Nada average values for both!!!!!!! If the Nada rv site is accurate, then I found 2 gold mines! Please someone clarify if I'm looking at this correctly.

When we were looking for our coach we saw a few priced at or just below NADA...Those coaches were listed $15,000-$20,000 over what comparable coaches were and were still listed over 6 months later. Prices start going up at the end of February and start coming down in November...at least the RVs we were looking at.

Gordon Dewald · 07-17-2016, 07:10 PM

I would double check to see that the trailer they are advertising is the same one you are pricing on NADA. NADA is generally lower than sellers and dealers are listing their trailers for.

Airmech · 07-17-2016, 07:14 PM

Let's make a presumption here, if the units are what they say they are, and the photos don't lie, and the units are in great shape, the Nada values would be close if not accurate and they should be selling for more than the Nada values. Am I correct in this assumption?

2Labs · 07-17-2016, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airmech

Let's make a presumption here, if the units are what they say they are, and the photos don't lie, and the units are in great shape, the Nada values would be close if not accurate and they should be selling for more than the Nada values. Am I correct in this assumption?

While the NADA guides are an OK place to get some estimated values, I would not put too much trust in them. I've learned a lot over the past few months about RV pricing - mostly from a Facebook group that is intended to educate and help the public get "real" values for used RV's.

If you're a Facebooker, I'd recommend joining this group https://www.facebook.com/groups/RvPricing/ , reading the posts and asking questions.

This group, run by a professional RV Appraisal company, is *VERY* eye opening, and can save you thousands or even 10's of thousands of dollars on a used RV.

Vette Racer · 07-17-2016, 08:29 PM

I have found that NADA doesn't mean very much, if you look at the low retail price without any options minus 10% or so you might be close. Research others listed across the web and you will get a better idea of where the REAL price should be, remember, dealers sure aren't going to be giving them away. Kind of like the old saying, if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. OR, in this case you may be looking at the wrong value.

Airmech · 07-17-2016, 08:49 PM

Good info and a good suggestion. Thanks.

Bamaman · 07-17-2016, 09:56 PM

NADA stands for the National Automobile Dealer's Association. With automobiles and light trucks, they have dealer, manufacturers and auction records to obtain retail, trade in and wholesale prices.

There is no national source of information on Recreational Vehicles and Boats.

Some person that doesn't know the difference between a Class A and a Fifth Wheel comes up with a selling price of a RV (or boat) and they depreciate them by a set percentage monthly.

In other words, the NADA is just a work of fiction for RV's or boats. Their time and efforts are spent on automobiles and light truck values.

Banks, loan companies and credit union books are often audited by the FDIC and other entities. The NADA is all they've got to substantiate the amount advanced on loans--right or wrong.