Was buying your brand new RV worth the depreciation?

[Bad Bolt]

My income will not allow a new purchase of a coach more than $150k, based on my own self-imposed formula of what I'll spend monthly on one.

I really am sold on DP's. So, used is my reality. If I could be assured that there would be little or no warranty issues that would tie up the coach for weeks at a time, I might be convinced to buy a new entry level DP.

There are so many really really nice and well maintained used coaches out there that I would rather buy a nice up-level model than an entry level new.

There are some really nice deals out there if you wait and watch. I bought my current coach at just over 50% of actual market value. It had its warts, but, now, she's in shape and for well under market value. I'm not married. If I were, I might not get away with buying a project coach that'd take a year to get into shape...who knows...

[PDR John]

Did you automatically rule out buying new, or did you price everything out and decide you won't getting enough for the money?

Here is why I ask (as well as why I answered the above question the way I did):

The new market changes as fast as the used market does. It is highly competitive and you getting the most for your dollars now.

Here in my case: When we bought in 2012 we wanted a heavily insulated, all electric, minimal carpet, bath and half, sideways living room, dishwasher, stacked washer dryer, hydronic heat, king sized bed and at least an ISL engine.

Nobody built it, but Newmar would build it. They only way the would build it, was to start with a Dutch Star.

Now, I can build it (exactly same in 2015) in the Ventanna line for close to $100,000 less. For the same coach.


Now I could have found a used coach and after purchasing, spent another $20,000-$30,000 completely remodeling it. But then I would be out the same amount of money, because it wouldn't have changed the value of the "used" coach any.

[Gordon Dewald]

The way the posts are being worded it appears like there are some who are trying to make themselves feel good about purchasing a used coach by claiming to get a better deal than those who buy new.

They may have paid less but IMO they did not get a better or worse deal. It just depends upon what we want and what we are prepared to pay for it. In all cases we get a home on wheels that takes us on the roads of this great country.

The same thing could be said about the beer you buy. Do you buy the no name brand, the name brand, the premium or the imported? It is all beer, just tastes different. Was it worth the cost?

[Kathryn]

Originally Posted by PDR John

I will neither call you clueless nor ignorant, but should we find ourselves together in the same RV park, call you friend and offer you a drink of choice.


It will, without question, be a new drinking!!!

LOL!!!

[Old Car Nut]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

"Old Car Nut" and "TwelveVolt".....you keep saying that it's okay if someone decides to buy new, yet you keep coming back with little digs. Now you're telling us how your negotiating skills are better than ours. We all lust too much, in your mind, so we must pay too much for our shiny new coaches. What makes you think that we aren't just as skilled in negotiating. As a matter of fact, we may be even more skilled than you, since we were able to save enough throughout our lifetime to buy new.

WHY does how other people spend their money bother you SOOOOO much. Have you really thought about how hard you keep coming at this subject with your opinion.....maybe it really bothers you that others can buy new.

Don, sorry brother but I said no such thing. You either read me wrong or confuse me with someone else. One of the things I so dislike about forums, facebook, twitter and text messages. Too easy to misunderstand what someone is saying (Guilty of that myself once or twice).

1) Been guilty of car lust way too many times. It's cost me big bucks on more than one occasion so I speak from experience. I've also been on the other side and did well on a sale. My comment was confirming that the seller, like a shark can often smell blood in the water, so be careful.

2) I'm not digging at anyone brother. Go read my posts in this thread again. I've said many times I'm glad people buy new coaches because many folks trade them in creating a used market so I can afford a DP.

I would love to go buy a 2015 London Aire. Just walked through one at the Seattle RV show (did a review of the show )

Here is a quote from that:

"Newmar London Aire 4553. Very beautiful coach. Nothing slacking in the fit and finish department. Well laid out floorplan although DW and I would like more counter space in the kitchen, but then we say that about most coaches. If we could afford it we would have ordered one on the spot. MSRP $750K"

If anything I have an issue with others buying used (as I post earlier here) because they keep the used prices up.

I've also said on this thread that people have to do what's right for them and why the heck would anyone else care what the Jones's are doing? We are of the mind set "If it neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg...."

Nowhere in here have I disparaged anyone for buying new or used. I have also commented several times that I think arguing over this is petty.

My hats of to those that can and do buy new. Wish we could. Well, we can if we were willing to settle for a lesser quality coach. We are decidedly not.

We want this

We can afford this and still get the trailer. It's what works for us and dovetails well with our plans.

I have also stated I'm a tinkerer. I'd prefer to have a quality Newmar or Monaco that needs some tweaks/repairs than to settle for a lower quality coach that won't hold up to full timing due to inferior quality materials. IE, real hardwood not veneered MDF.

Anyway, I've read a lot of your posts Don and I suspect you and I agree on far more than you think, especially since I believe you have misunderstood me on this thread.

So just to clear it up, once and for all: I/we don't care what others do, that's right for them, we do whats right for us.

Now, can we go have a drink and swap stories?

Jay

[Old Car Nut]

Originally Posted by Gordon Dewald

They may have paid less but IMO they did not get a better or worse deal. It just depends upon what we want and what we are prepared to pay for it. In all cases we get a home on wheels that takes us on the roads of this great country.

Exactly the point I made in several posts here. Now where's the Scotch & cigars? I'm a wee bit parched from all this speechifying. We ain't running for office.

[PDR John]

Originally Posted by Old Car Nut

Exactly the point I made in several posts here. Now where's the Scotch & cigars? I'm a wee bit parched from all this speechifying. We ain't running for office.

I'm with you on the London Aire, we walked through a couple at the factory. I would buy 1 if I could, but I can't so we'll keep our Dutch Star.


After coming back from Deadwood SD Marti Gras, where to much happy juice may have been consumed, I found a pocket full of Alex Bradleys. I didn't even know I bought them.

[AFChap]

I likely have replied on this 3 yr old resurrected thread before, but can't recall. But today ...at this point in ownership of our 2003 Winnebago Ultimate Advantage 40e ...for US ...we would say it has been worth it. We still like our MH overall better than others we have seen, and have had many years of full-time and now part time enjoyment. However, I can see that if had grown tired of it at the 2-3 year point as many do, we likely would have felt much different when trying to sell it...

[Capt Steve]

Wow, 18 pages of interesting responses, OK I'll play...

While I am firmly in the "buy lightly used and let the other guy take the big hit on depreciation" camp having successfully employed this strategy for years (works for cars, trucks, boats and RV's), I understand why "some" folks just have to buy new.

After extensive research I had narrowed down my search to a new Nexus Phantom 23P (Class C), as there simply were no used ones available nationwide (you gotta love the internet). I was a day away from pulling the trigger after several weeks of negotiating with Nexus when our 2012 23P popped up on the internet with just 6,205 miles (8.8 on the genny), right here in Tucson at La Mesa RV.

Needles to say we went down, found (and bought), our dream coach in "As new" condition at a fair price that was $15,000 under the costs of a new model. Sometimes being just plain dumb lucky pays huge dividends. After 18 months and more than 22,000 trouble free miles we could not be happier with our Nexus.

[RVLola]

The main advantage I see in buying a used coach comes into play if you buy directly from the seller. In Arizona you don't have to pay between 6.5 - 9% sales tax. For a high end coach that can mean big savings.

[dkrobath]

Originally Posted by Mr. M

They are beautiful, shiny, state of the art machines, and New. However my financial advisor keeps telling me, there is absolutely no worse investment than buying a new RV.

But there is more to life than money right? (Well, maybe not if you're a financial advisor.)

Anyway, if you signed the paper and drove off the lot in your shiny new dream RV, while your net worth took a plunge, please let us know whether, looking back at it:

Was buying the new RV worth the depreciation, and why?

James

It's kinda like the stock market..... you don't actually loose money till you sell.

For me YES....It's nice to have the latest and greatest and the actual manuals and warrantees of a new unit. Rather than buying someone's problems and their lack of maintance issues. And when you buy new the dealership is friendly and helpful...for awhile anyway

[Clayobx]

Yes, until you try and trade it for another NEW coach. OMG you won't believe what the dealers offer you! Not good. IMHO one has to sell the coach privately or on a consignment lot with a minimum reserve. Real learning experience.

[Ted Lambert]

Originally Posted by Peacekeeper6

My philosophy:


You can't line your coffin with hundred dollar bills.

;-)

Yes you can!

[Pa Miller]

To each his own , of course if your buying mine you can pick out mine.