NADA pricing

[queen_of_3]

We are looking for a used class c. When we compare the asking price to the NADA price the NADA price is always 2 to 3 time less then the asking price. Does anyone know if the NADA prices are realistic? Both dealers and private sellers seem to be asking way too much.

Thanks for some help.

[texnet]

You have to be missing something as NADA is normally very close to what the retail price on a lot is. An individual might be asking too much because they may be upside-down in the MH. If you are finding the pricing to be 2-3 times different then something is wrong. Make sure you add all the options to come up with the right price. Also, NADA is based on the past few months of sales so the current pricing is based on sales during non-prime selling time. Now is the start of the prime selling season. To get the lowest price make your purchase after September and before April.

[SteveLevin]

"If I had a penny for every vastly overpriced rig up for sale..."

My advice is... use NADA as a guide for what rigs are worth... look at such rigs regardless of what they ask, then offer what you think it is worth -- even if that is tens of thousands less. I think you'll find that in many cases people will take the realistic offer.

Steve

[Pairajays]

Originally Posted by texnet

You have to be missing something as NADA is normally very close to what the retail price on a lot is. An individual might be asking too much because they may be upside-down in the MH. If you are finding the pricing to be 2-3 times different then something is wrong. Make sure you add all the options to come up with the right price. Also, NADA is based on the past few months of sales so the current pricing is based on sales during non-prime selling time. Now is the start of the prime selling season. To get the lowest price make your purchase after September and before April.

My advice, FWIW, start you price bargaining at about 20% below low NADA and don't include any options.

If you think this is the prime selling season, try selling a RV in Yuma AZ or any other Southwest city.

[Gary RVRoamer]

The online NADA book is based on average depreciation, not actual sales data. That means that some very popular models that hold their value well may be priced well above the NADA figure. And for old models (more than 12-15 years), the condition is much more important than age, so the NADA price may be low. Generally, though, the book should be fairly close. That doesn't mean the asking price won't be sky high, though.

Private sellers

[scenic route]

The online NADA will not give the trade in/wholesale prices of units. I always recommend buying the RV NADA guide because IT does...yeah, they're about $120.00, but will save you thousands. We bought our coach (ebay from a dealer) w/17K miles on it and payed almost $28K under the listed NADA 'low retail' price. The deals are out there...with patience 'Grasshopper'!

I really don't recommend buying this way(too stressful), but we found a lot of private owners were attaching some 'sentimental value' to some pretty rough looking units. Some dealers will try to 'retire' on your purchase as well...it's like a game to some of them. I used the same approach...have FUN with it. Bob

[Cat320]

I don't put much faith in NADA, Kelly, Edmonds, etc. The only way to get a true picture of value is what you can get for it when you sell it, or what you pay for it when you buy it. When I priced my 5th wheel last fall, I researched all the RV sites and priced mine according to what and how comparable models were listed. Did the same thing for a 3500 dually tow vehicle...both sold.

[Pairajays]

Actually, what a RV is worth is what you can sell it for. There is no book that provides that information. Find what you want and start negotiating. If you can't reach a price you can afford or are willing to pay, then move on.

Jim E

[Dixieray53]

First...Welcome to the forum And what a great thread to start with. Check all the prices online and get an average asking price for like units and start there. Remember owning an Rv is supposed to be fun. From the day you decide to buy, to the day you drive it off the lot, til your last trip, owning a Rv is not science, it is an adventure Good Luck...D

[hooverbill]

Originally Posted by Dixieray53

First...Welcome to the forum And what a great thread to start with. Check all the prices online and get an average asking price for like units and start there.

Good advice. If you have lots of extras and it's very clean, add a little to the price. If you have a bare bones model and it's not too clean subtract a little.

[CruisinCondo]

After spending 2 years shopping for a DP on dealer lots and RV shows, I finally decided to buy directly from owners. I narrowed my search to three brands and in two weeks I found 3 owners who were willing to sell their rigs at low NADA without the options. I was prepared to travel anywhere in the U. S. They were all asking $30K to $40K more than my offered price. I would deduct any deferred maintenance from that price. I ended up paying $8K above low NADA for a clean (like new 04 unit )with only 17K miles on it. It was also only 1 hour drive from me. Be sure to check the dates on the tires while the tires on my coach looked new, they were original dated 03 so I replaced them for $2400. In my opinion no one would consider 20% below low NADA without options a serious offer. Good luck. Mark

[haiduan]

You might want to look at this consignment dealers website that shows actual selling prices of their transactions: Used Recreational Vehicles Sold or for Sale

[JohnQ]

Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer

The online NADA book is based on average depreciation, not actual sales data. That means that some very popular models that hold their value well may be priced well above the NADA figure. And for old models (more than 12-15 years), the condition is much more important than age, so the NADA price may be low. Generally, though, the book should be fairly close. That doesn't mean the asking price won't be sky high, though.

Private sellers

BINGO, and to further complicate the "Value Issue", that depreciated value calculation starts at the Retail Asking Price (Sticker) as it rolled off of the assembly line INCLUDING ALL STANDARD EQUIPMENT. And there lies the rub, most owner/sellers do NOT know what was standard and what was optional. As an example A/C's. Most owners using either KBB or NADA when determining their asking price check two A/C's on the option list, when those A/C's were standard equipment and as such were a part of the original depreciation price and calculation. By checking off as options, standard equipment drives up the value wrongly. We shopped for a Safari for 9 months and that was the most common seller mistake made because a Serengeti/Continential was fairly well equipped with Standard Equipment. One of the very few places to actually see what a selling price is for used coachs, is PPL in Texas.

[Automobilist]

A good reality check for prices is eBay "completed" listings. You can search whatever you want, and see what sold, and for how much. You'll find that the vast majority of vehicles on eBay do not sell, and are relisted usually several times. Find a coach that hasn't sold, and contact the seller directly.
Most private sellers aren't realistic with pricing, until their coach hasn't sold in a while. Then they decide to get serious about getting rid of it. In my experience, the most expensive (aka overpriced) coaches are those on a dealers lot, but not on eBay. Dealers have high overhead, and it's your choice whether or not you wish to help them pay it.