How did you acquire your coach, private party, small/large dealer or inheritance

[TJDave]

Originally Posted by MWeiner

3rd RV was bought used at a dealer. Able to write off taxes until last year.

What happened to that? Did the new tax changes affect this that much?

Yes it did. We've used a local tax preparer for years, and he has been very good at squeezing every dollar out of what we owe each year. Hoping we get something back next year as we have sold our rental, took the capital gains hit on 2019 taxes, and have not been working since the covid 19 lock down. I sure hope this will be over soon.

[sailchessi]

Very, very long and very casual "shopping" with searches never really thinking I'd buy one but started looking closer the last year with a new track-car program and wanting to tow and stay at track. Bought at full depreciated price/condition 16 years old on a deal when the original owner, aged out, 81 years old, just finally decided to get it gone after no luck at market value but with poor sales techniques. Took a chance that MANY would not. Paid cash with overnighted FedEx bank check to get it sight unseen in front of all the other guys who wanted the apparent deal. Then it took over a month to get the title in a condition where I could actually go get it and transfer ownership. Drove it home and now in the midst of a very long, very multi-five figure restoration. Newmar builds a great coach, got good bones.

[MWeiner]

Originally Posted by sailchessi

Very, very long and very casual "shopping" with searches never really thinking I'd buy one but started looking closer the last year with a new track-car program and wanting to tow and stay at track. Bought at full depreciated price/condition 16 years old on a deal when the original owner, aged out, 81 years old, just finally decided to get it gone after no luck at market value but with poor sales techniques. Took a chance that MANY would not. Paid cash with overnighted FedEx bank check to get it sight unseen in front of all the other guys who wanted the apparent deal. Then it took over a month to get the title in a condition where I could actually go get it and transfer ownership. Drove it home and now in the midst of a very long, very multi-five figure restoration. Newmar builds a great coach, got good bones.

I'm sure it's a great diesel pusher , but, putting "five figures" into this means that are customizing the RV to your specifications and believe me no one except you will appreciate it.

Don't be concerned about "getting your money back", it's practically impossible to do.

You're going to have to keep it and use it.

Good luck.

[frizfreleng]

Okay, here is thinking out of the box financing. Say you have $10G, cash, to purchase and RV. Pay the cash and the money is gone. How about negotiating a $10G loan? Take your $10G cash and invest in the market. Sell stock every month to cover the note payment. Of course there is risk but for those who have been investors we know these risks will be mitigated over time. Depending on the life of the loan, I would say you will realize good profit at it's end.

[heySkippy]

Last summer we paid cash for a 2 year old 5er and a gently used truck to pull it.

Yeah, it was tempting to borrow and keep the money invested, but for us the peace of mind of not owing anyone makes a big difference.

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by heySkippy

Last summer we paid cash for a 2 year old 5er and a gently used truck to pull it.

Yeah, it was tempting to borrow and keep the money invested, but for us the peace of mind of not owing anyone makes a big difference.

Feels good doesn't it?

[jacwjames]

Our first RV, a Class C, I bought at a dealer inventory liquidation auction. I watched the first one go past without a high enough bid. The second one that came on the block got to a bid that the auctioneer said wasn't high enough so I thought "what the hell" and threw my hand up. Got it at a great price, ~35% off MSRP. Kept it for +10 years.


Our current coach was a repo, found it in Florida. Went to look at it, the coach was in excellent condition and I couldn't find anything wrong with it. Slept on it for a couple days and then agreed to buy. We paid about 1/2 of the NADA value at the time. Still worth ~60% of what we paid for it +11 years later.

[asuperheat]

1st, RV Private sale, same state different county.
2nd RV dealer brought in from out of state bought at local dealer.
3rd RV Brought in from across the state bought at local dealer.
Current RV traveled 2 states away and purchased from a dealer.

[Bahamaniac]

We bought ours from a friend who bought it new. It only had 15000 on the odometer. He gave us a fantastic deal and we're extremely grateful!

[sailchessi]

Just to add, I don't think @frizfreleng is going to be able to invest and make payments off the profit of a stock, especially after commissions in/out, especially at small sales, then paying taxes on the earnings, but you can try that for a partial solution if it makes you feel like you have an investment "on the side."

I sold a long-term investment and could have paid off my $400/mo car but my Credit Union loaned me the full purchase at 1.99% interest years ago for a very long time. I'm not paying it off because in all "normal" times of my 60 year life, inflation averages at least 2% so why not keep my cash or invest in something else and use their money for free. Unfortunately, they went up to 2.99% on car loans and don't loan at those rates on RV's or boats so that plan doesn't work.

We are staring straight at a doom and gloom future, a GIANT "shock" none of us have experienced in our lives. IMHO there is 5% chance it is "over" with this incurable and super-virulent Covid-19. Perhaps 10-33% chance we will have a hundred year Great Depression with no real "tools" for Government to dig us out of (they are all used up). Maybe 40-75% chance of a catastrophic and long term Great Recession like 2007-2012 but much worse. Then perhaps this thing fades in the summer, we make a vaccine in record time, find a treatment, figure out who is immune (if anyone is after it) and we are 25% chance of a V a U or a series of W's that we can selectively get back to "normal" work.

My most simple outcome to see is that 10-20 MILLION late-model, low-miles lease cars will be turned back into banks and finance/car companies in the next year or two. There will be virtually no market to buy these cars and their values will dive straight toward zero. They are cars, not houses that with minor effort can be, and were held until their values rose again, often letting the people who couldn't pay stay there. Cars HAVE to be re-sold and used or they become worthless (batteries, tires, rust, mold-mildew, etc.) and with no market, the opportunity to buy "transportation" cars super cheap will be upon us. Likely much less effect on collectible cars and such but basic lease cars, pennies on the dollar.

So, what does this mean for those of us who own personal airplanes, RV's and boats? its going to be a buyers market like never seen before. This is literally an unprecedented situation in our lives. in 2008-2011 we lost a TOTAL of 9 million jobs. We are loosing that many every TEN DAYS right now.

We will get to the other side of this problem, eventually, maybe not in our lives. It took 4 years to recover the 9 million jobs lost and 10 years to recover the wages lost. This is many multiples of that recession. Those with cash holdings and the ability to weather the storm will be in a position to come out the other side owning significant assets purchased at below fire-sale prices, I just don't seen any other realistic outcome.

[HJLowell]

In 50 years and 5 RVs NEVER PURCHASED FROM A DEALER.
NEVER STOPPED NOR LEFT AT DEALER FOR SERVICE .

PERSONALLY

If I had to deal with Dealers.

I would never own an RV.

[Badd Andy]

I've only financed when I couldn't pay cash (can't dip into the 7 month pot). Besides the RVs, there's been cars, trucks, Jeeps, motorcycles and trailers. Some bought used, some new, some private party, some dealer, some financed, some cash. It just depended at the time what my finances/income/future was at the time. Now that I owe no one anything and my future is settled, it's cash from now on.

1st RV - private sale used cheap slide-in camper - cash - sold what I paid
2nd RV - private sale used 18ft TT - financed - sold what I paid
3rd RV - dealer sale new 8.5 ft slide-in camper - financed - sold 50% what I paid 15 years later
4th RV - private sale used tent trailer - cash - still own for Jeepn
5th RV - dealer sale new Class B - inherited cash - paid 75% sticker price - still own
At the time of the 5th RV, I only had a house payment and was eyeballing to finance a used Class B to replace my Sprinter "metal tent", my mom's passing changed all that.
ANNDDDDDD! For the past 40 years, I'm the only one who has ever touched any of my vehicles since purchase except some warranty claims. I've probably saved tens of thousands of $ doing it myself.

[Dav L]

1st Used Private sale
2nd Used Dealer sale (they wanted to get rid of it as it needed repair and was hidden at the back of their lot, so they gave it away)
3rd Salvage Used - rebuilt it.

All Cash. No Service Contracts.

yes, Dealers make much of their money from "F&I" (Finance and Insurance) department.

[Down South]

Bought 2yr old used at the time from a dealer. Checked the NADA price plus a bunch of web sites on prices for same MH. The deal was sweet and I paid cash.
I'm with the group that doesn't like to owe.