Sorry, but I can't help but ask

[Gordon Dewald]

Boy this topic sure gets beaten around, and around and around.

People buy what they are comfortable with and what they can afford. There is an inference in the statement that makes it sound like people who buy used are smarter than those who buy new. You save money, you have the issues ironed out, you get a much nicer coach than if you bought new.

Kind of trying to justify what you did when there is no need to rationalize either the purchase of a new or used. If some did not buy new there would be no used, if some did not buy used the poeple who bought new would have to keep their coach until it disintegrated or give it away.

People who buy new get to specify the options and colors they want. People who buy used have to search until they find the options and colors they want or settle for something they may have to learn to love.

One of the things that immediately comes to mind is there are a number of new owners who have issues who sell the coach. There may be a Newmar King Aire coming up for sale very shortly. He had a fitting come apart and do a bunch of damage to the electrical system. Newmar is fixing it but I get the feeling his confidence level for future issues is low. He will not have to declare the damage if he sells it was a leak and not flood damage.

Just follow the threads on this forum and you will find many folks who have issues shortly after purchased their used unit. Even with doing the due diligence.

Either way it's a crap shoot.

Regardless when you get to the campground we can all sit around the same campfire, share stories and laughs. I never ask anyone if they bought new or used and tend to dodge the question if asked.

[Showme]

Nicely put, Gordon

We were open to both options and looked for several months. The fifth wheels we were looking at seemed to hold their value very well. Which meant there wasn't a huge cost savings for buying used at the time.

Also, we wanted a bunkhouse and there weren't many used ones to choose from. While we nearly bought used, we liked the layout of the new better and new came with an added free 10 yr appliance warranty. Having replaced RV appliances, we knew how much they cost and didn't want to gamble with used. For a few thousand more, we didn't have to set aside "replacement cash" as we would buying used and that cash could go to camping!

And since we financed vs pd cash outright, the few thousand we would have saved buying used didn't make a difference.

Conversely, Most cars depreciate far more than campers. Short of 0% financing you KNOW you will pay off without penalty, we consider used cars a better deal.

But, really. Does it matter? New or used, don't we all just want to go camping? This question has never come up at the campgrounds we visit.

[dayle1]

Because buying new I could order exactly what I wanted including items that were not even listed as optional. Most units, including used units are ordered and sold from dealer stock and do not fit my taste.

[SissyBoyBob]

Originally Posted by dayle1

Because buying new I could order exactly what I wanted including items that were not even listed as optional. Most units, including used units are ordered and sold from dealer stock and do not fit my taste.

What you and others said makes sense for someone who knows those particulars and have those special needs and wants. Someone like me wouldn't know what those things were, especially if you are talking about anything mechanical or structural. And I don't like, trust, or care to deal with salesmen on any lot. I know I won't get the kind of help I truly need and want from one of them, no matter how nice they are. By the time I walk onto their lot, I already know more about their product than most of them do. The last RV salesman, a week ago, at least had the decency to say he didn't know the answer to every question I asked him. Most will try to give you some patronizing answer. God how I get tired of educating salesmen on their own products.

I feel much more comfortable and safe buying from a private party who bought their RV new, can share its complete history, and have done to it all those things that add value that I wouldn't even think of.

I need to, and will probably, buy both the 5th wheel and truck from someone selling both together. Will look for one that obviously has the right combination and have added every after market gizmo and gadget to improve the truck and RV to give them the ultimate in convenience, safety, and handling of both together. When you find someone like that, even if they don't live anywhere near you, they can then explain all the thousands of dollars in extra stuff they have put on it and why it is important, show you how it all works together, and how to maintain it properly. I don't mind going across country if need be to find the right combination of RV, truck, and intelligent person to buy from. I would rather pay someone like that a commission for sharing all that knowledge and information. I am not very smart, but I do know that no salesman could or would come close to giving me that advice and education. I can see that a lot of you would not need that, for you have already learned about all those things.

So like you and others said, it all comes down to what each of us want and need and feel comfortable doing with our hard earned dollars. I certainly do get the appeal of having something you are going to live in be new. It is a comfort to know that no one before you has used the shower and toilet, slept, eaten, and whatever in the bed, or farted on every seat in the place.

So thanks again for another interesting discussion and answering my question so directly. I will have plenty more I am sure.

[GFBishop]

I currently own a 1998 Alpenlite. With a few minor changes (TVs, antenna, microwave and mattress) it is almost perfect. Did I have maintenance issues? Sure, but all fixable. @ $8,000.00 for a 37 footer - more than happy.

[wa8yxm]

Well for one thing when I bought this house on wheels I had more money than I do today.

But the big reason is the reason I got a 2005 Damon Intruder377w

The floor plan... Bath and a half model.. After living 20 ears or more in a single bath house... That extra toilet was a selling point and a half.

Finding a used 1.5 bath model.. Not all that easy.. Folks love that extra hole.

Additional.. We do not buy bottled water.. (Though I do double filter drinking water and single filter everything) so when you move you can easily earn frequent flyer miles on the porcelin airline.

This makes "2 holes no waiting" a MUST!

[tuffr2]

Dude...some used units still have old tube TV's and dingy carpet. I know those are just cosmetic items but it is what you can see.

[raineman]

I looked at used and was completely grossed out. Each one stunk of pets and or smoke or worse. That coupled with how I know many are abused and not maintained properly drove us to a new RV. No regrets and would do it again.

It is all just preference and what one can afford. Not really a head scratcher to me. Worry about what RV you want and don't worry about what everyone else wants.

[nothermark]

FWIW it depends on what you are considering as the older higher end unit. We are considering either a new C or A in the 30-32 ft range. It will be a gasser because we will not be accumulating enough miles to make a diesel worth the extra cost. We have a budget around $100,000 depending on the trade on our 3 year old C. If we turn up a used Newmar in that price range or similar with the floor plan and features we want we would be interested.

It is a waste of everyone's time showing us a nice 36 ft whatever as we do not want one that long because of parking at home and the places we like to go.

We have seen enough of what's around to know our desires are reasonable. OTOH we are in a size the industry is trying to sell to families instead of an older couple so there tends to be loads of stuff we do not want like front bunks while counter space we do want goes begging. Ditto the step over height into many showers. Ditto many other little gotcha's we have seen or been caught by.

A lot of automatic glitz looks like more crap to fail to us so things like electric window shades are *not* impressive. On an older unit the we are moving from the infant mortality issues through most of the easy cruising to the end of life mortality part of the curve on a lot of parts for that kind of thing. I'm past wanting to work on things because I can while caught in not wanting to pay somebody big bucks to do a crappy repair job. That makes a rig less than a couple of years old look ideal.

All in all I expect we will buy something this year. We do not know what. There are a few models we are watching that we would be very interested in if we saw used. OTOH I do not expect to go back more than a couple of years so we can reasonably expect to drive it for another 10 with minimal fuss. By then we may or may not care.

[KSagal]

I'll not mince words. I cannot afford new. I still have a 12 year old and a 15 year old at home, and I do not have the disposable income to buy new.

Earlier I read someone who wanted a $750,000 unit, and bought it a few years old at $350,000. I did not pay $350,000 for my house. (it is worth more than that now, but I did buy it many years ago)

I am a very handy guy. I am willing to work hard at finding the deal, and then making it work. I am rebuilding the bedroom in my newly aquired '88 Fleetwood Southwind. It is a full basement model, and I expect this 34 foot unit will stay with me for a while.

By the way, even though I got it knowing I would need to work on it, I got it for $700 cash. I sold the chest freezer in it the first weekend, for a $100. That means I have a driving MH, with a 455 gas engine, no water damage, that seems to work, for $600. It has already been appraised for $7 to $9,000. It will depend on how well I clean it out and redo the floors, as my first project. (Actually, I am completely rebuilding the bedroom to meet the needs of my family.)

So, I have bought new cars (before I was married and had kids) and liked it. Now I have other things to spend my limited resources on. I will say, I did like having a car that had over 120,000 miles on it and I could account for all but about 3 miles on it.

So, while I would love to own a new coach, I don't see it short of a lottery win. I will like what I have, which has worked out well for me thus far in my life.

[Rickeoni]

We looked long and hard at used units, as was previously posted most were just a waste of time to look at. Some stank, some were not maintained, some were miss-represented and almost all looked dated.
If you manage to find one that is in great shape, reasonably priced and has the floor plan you are looking for you had better be prepared to but it on the spot or the next guy will. DW finally had enough of looking at stinky dilapidated wrecks that were only being sold so the current owners could update .
I know we spent a fortune buying new, I know that in 10 years it will look dated, I know there will maintenance and repairs to be done, but we are so excited to be getting the most expensive toy and first new vehicle that we have ever purchased, that it more than makes up for the extra $$$ outlay.

[jondrew55]

All our previous RVs were used. Travel trailers, pop ups, class A gasser. We were poking around and found our leftover 2014 Excursion DP for $129k. The MSRP was around $200k and normally discounted it probably would have gone for something in the $150s. New vehicle warranty, latest technology ( residential fridge, inverter, full interior LED lights etc). Not to mention a floor plan we love.

I get the infant mortality thing. There were a few bugs to be worked out. But all in all I think we made the right choice. Granted this is not a $500k + unit so maybe the decision process would be different if we were looking for that type of unit.

[davendeb]

I figure some are traded in for reasons other than wanting a new one. A 5-8 year old RV could be on the verge of major issues, ie, frame/axle damage, ac/frig/furnace/converter failures. All big expenses. I like having the warranty of new and being the only one to have used it. But to each his on. Enjoy.

[Dog Folks]

Well I know I am old fashioned, but my mama taught me that buying used was often buying other peoples problems. I know that things have changed and good used units are available.


But I still prefer to buy new so that I can order it a and get to fit MY needs and tastes as close as possible.


If that cost me more is depreciation, so be it. I will enjoy it more than the deprecation will be bother me.