Used vs. New For First Motorhome

[J_ARoadLife]

Originally Posted by bpu699

Cars, motor homes, boats, airplanes...it’s all similar...

Can you fix things? Are you mechanically inclined? Is your garage a display case of craftsman tools, dewalt, lathes, and power tools? Do you have to have the latest and greatest fads and looks, or couldnt you care less?

If so, buying used will save you massive money in terms of depreciation.

For example, a new class a could be $200k to 400k...

A 15 year old used one... 40k...

That new rv will be worth half in 5 years... your used rv will lose about 5-10k...

Are you well off? Invested well? Retirement funded to excess? Time worth more than money? Want a warranty? Like neon light, marble, the latest tech?

Buy new...

Figure out which works for you...

I guess I'm a little of both scenarios.
I can tinker around a vehicle, but I'd rather stroke a check and have a professional fix things right the first time. Don't have the fancy tools and don't need fancy things or the newest shinny toy.

We are financially comfortable and able to buy new, I'm already retired and funded. Yes I'd prefer the newer technology, but not to the point where I have the WOW coach in every campground we visit.

We want a reliable coach that has the right layout and fits our needs for at least 6-7 years, which will not be FULL-TIME Rving.

[J_ARoadLife]

Originally Posted by R.Wold

I haven’t reviewed this entire thread so this may be repetitive, but you most likely are not going to be buying your last coach. And with all the used B+ and C rigs for sale, I can’t see buying new even if it does turn out to be first and last (which is unlikely). The things I look for in used coaches are under 20k miles, maintenance records, never lived in, no damage, and a dependable upper-end coach company so the house is as well built as you can get.

There are a lot of “brands” and it can get confusing, so to determine who is making what, check this link:
https://campaddict.com/rv-manufacturers/

Edit(s) as I read this:
Yes buy in Jan or Feb. The market is slow and prices are low in the season of snow....
I would always get a coach with a bed that is useable while driving or with the slides in
30% of MSRP new. More for used. I got my oath for around 47% of MSRP
La Mesa in Tucson is top notch on customer service and honesty. Ask for Derick aka “Happy”
The bigger the old prep area the better if you like to cook at all
Buying lightly used is a good way to avoid having your new oath on the shop for weeks o months the first year you own it.
I find the new rigs increasingly over complicated with excessive electronic controls that you’ll never be able to repair on your own when they fail. And they will fail. As much as I might like the idea of a new coach, my 2016 is about as advanced as I can handle.

Thanks for the feedback and advise. La Mesa in AZ seems to be a GO-TO dealer and it's my understanding they have a large selection of coaches. I believe Phoenix is the largest of the La Mesa stores. There is one in San Diego (only 90 mins from where I live), but it's smaller. Still worth checking out.

Based on the feedback I'm hearing, we are leaning towards a used unit that is at least 2-3 years old (biggest depreciation has already happened) and then negotiate from there.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by J_ARoadLife

Thanks for the feedback and we are staying under 30' on size. We don't want to store the coach, so under 30' is where we need to be in order to keep it in our driveway. If stored, it will be out of sight and out of mind, and probably get used much less.

We also want an under 30', so we are not limited on where we can stay. We have come across many campsites where the max size is 32'.

Your quest sounds almost identical to ours 2 years ago. We have a 30' 6" limitation in our driveway where we can keep the rV at home

We were planning to get a C class and the Thor 28Z was our model of choice. The more I shopped around the more confusing it got. The new / used argument (in context the way some view) perhaps never truly applied to us because I was NOT going to buy any RV more than 2 years old PERIOD. I think we filtered our search by year first.

Anyhoo... I learned the prices were about the same. No way I was going to pay $20k more to get a new, and no way I was going to try to save $5k and buy used. But funny thing happened, we shifted to Thor's ACE 29.3 thinking it was the perfect coach for us at it was built to be like a Class A and Class C, it was on average about $10k more; so we started down that road. We never found any ACE 29.3 that could pass our PDI or cut the mustard, and then Thor discontinued the 29.3 model we wanted. At that point any Class C was out; so we went up ladder with Thor to the Windsport / Hurricane (another $20k progression ) Found a brand new one for 42% off MSRP at a Dealer and went to buy it but once we arrived it had too many issues to list. Maybe why the price was so low? But yes if someone bought it; which I am sure someone did, they had to fix a lot, but they save a lot too.

Fed up with Thor we go back to Winnebago who we viewed at the beginning as luxury we simply could not afford. But then comes La Mesa RV in Port St Lucie Wow I cannot say enough about our sales rep and La Mesa. They had a brand new 2019 Sunstar 29VE that they had stored in an indoor facility. They had just dropped the price to sell to move inventory ( the price drop was not listed yet . Timing wise; it was Thanksgiving of last year. They took the time to send us lots of pictures. I was seasoned on what to look for and it was flawless. There were used ones on Autotrader listed for more Nobody would budge on their used prices because they kept citing the current MSRP or they were upside down. So I bought the brand new. We gambled as we flew (one way) from Dallas to Port St Lucie to see the coach for the 1st time and it was ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. It is the Sunstar 29VE and is 30' 3". Fits perfect in our driveway. Maybe we have been lucky but I don't follow why the concern with issues with brand new RV in the 1st year? If I thought Mfg was that bad, I certainly would not want to buy one that some else owned that I hoped fixed? I buy used cars but NOT for that reason. It has been a year now, and in our view we got it right the 1st time, we have no plan to buy anything else. The Sunstar is now part of our home. We have even built what we call a Sunstar Patio around it. I drive it like an oversized SUV, we take it everywhere can

[GypsyR]

If possible I would think renting one or two would be a good idea. Even if it's not exactly what you have in mind. Then you can get an idea of what things you like and don't. Which are must haves and which are optional. "I have to coil the waste hose up into a box but the people in the next site have this slick tube they just shove theirs into.." Stuff you don't really know or think about when thumbing brochures and walking showrooms.

[paul65k]

It's easy, if you are trying to make any kind of a financially responsible decision, buy used. If your decisions are primarily driven by emotion then buy new.............it's just that simple

[Ray,IN]

Four people living in a class B+ or smaller Class C might get tough long-term, especially in rainy weather.
If you plan to go full-time in 6-7 years, buying new now means it might be worn-out by the time you go full-time. Were it me, I would buy used now and new just prior to full-time. This allows you both to make informed decisions about what you do/don't want in a new RV for full-timing by personal experience.

[Isaac-1]

I agree buy used now, something maybe 8-10 years old, so old enough to depreciate, but new enough for all those things that tend to wear out around the 15 year point to still be good until you retire, then decide if it was right for you, and start fixing those things, or trade it in on what your really want. I would be temped to say 10-12 years old, but the 2008 economic meltdown hit the RV industry really hard, and a lot of junk was being pushed out the doors there for a couple of years or so. In the long run this will probably save you money vs taking the depreciation hit on a new coach bought today, with you not getting much chance to use it until you retire.

[saddlesore]

Just My observations... Works for Any type of RV...


1st.. View the "tag" lines at the bottom of the responding posters..
To give you an Idea of where they are coming from and the equipment they have.

Keep in mind..
You Do Not Know......What You Do Not Know..

Your 1st coach is simply a learning tool..
When You tour/view "In Person" any perspective coach..
View it First with all slides retracted, then shuck your shoes and do a dry run in the shower, sit on the throne (AND Close the door!), lay on the bed,study the galley(enough counter room/pantry space/pots & pans storage?) Do You have access to all these with slide retracted???
If the coach is fully usable without the slides extended, then give it a second look.
(Think wally-docking,rest areas,truckstops...any where that you cannot/do not have room for the slides to be extended)

BUY USED! & buy one with everything you "think" you want and will need..
IF the perspective coach seems a bit small but still "DO-Able" .......REMEMBER!!!
What seemed small... becomes unbearably TINY after being Coop'd up" for a week or more due to weather...
(AKA.....Cabin Fever)
A coach that is "Too Big" lasts for a week or two..One "Too Small" lasts forever.

And.... You WILL make mistakes and have booboo's We all have.....
Within a year or less, you will discover..about the RV

What you love about the RV...
What you can kinda-sorta tolerate with the RV..
And what you absolutely hate about that !@#$%^%$#@! RV.
Then you can go get what you should have gotten in the first place..
Happy Hunting

[J_ARoadLife]

Originally Posted by GypsyR

If possible I would think renting one or two would be a good idea. Even if it's not exactly what you have in mind. Then you can get an idea of what things you like and don't. Which are must haves and which are optional. "I have to coil the waste hose up into a box but the people in the next site have this slick tube they just shove theirs into.." Stuff you don't really know or think about when thumbing brochures and walking showrooms.

Thanks for the feedback. I don't think renting will be necessary, for I have been camping in friend's motorhomes for 3-4 years now and have a good idea what will work and what won't.

For our needs now, the Class B+ or Class C will be the way to go.

[J_ARoadLife]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

Your quest sounds almost identical to ours 2 years ago. We have a 30' 6" limitation in our driveway where we can keep the rV at home

We were planning to get a C class and the Thor 28Z was our model of choice. The more I shopped around the more confusing it got. The new / used argument (in context the way some view) perhaps never truly applied to us because I was NOT going to buy any RV more than 2 years old PERIOD. I think we filtered our search by year first.

Anyhoo... I learned the prices were about the same. No way I was going to pay $20k more to get a new, and no way I was going to try to save $5k and buy used. But funny thing happened, we shifted to Thor's ACE 29.3 thinking it was the perfect coach for us at it was built to be like a Class A and Class C, it was on average about $10k more; so we started down that road. We never found any ACE 29.3 that could pass our PDI or cut the mustard, and then Thor discontinued the 29.3 model we wanted. At that point any Class C was out; so we went up ladder with Thor to the Windsport / Hurricane (another $20k progression ) Found a brand new one for 42% off MSRP at a Dealer and went to buy it but once we arrived it had too many issues to list. Maybe why the price was so low? But yes if someone bought it; which I am sure someone did, they had to fix a lot, but they save a lot too.

Fed up with Thor we go back to Winnebago who we viewed at the beginning as luxury we simply could not afford. But then comes La Mesa RV in Port St Lucie Wow I cannot say enough about our sales rep and La Mesa. They had a brand new 2019 Sunstar 29VE that they had stored in an indoor facility. They had just dropped the price to sell to move inventory ( the price drop was not listed yet . Timing wise; it was Thanksgiving of last year. They took the time to send us lots of pictures. I was seasoned on what to look for and it was flawless. There were used ones on Autotrader listed for more Nobody would budge on their used prices because they kept citing the current MSRP or they were upside down. So I bought the brand new. We gambled as we flew (one way) from Dallas to Port St Lucie to see the coach for the 1st time and it was ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. It is the Sunstar 29VE and is 30' 3". Fits perfect in our driveway. Maybe we have been lucky but I don't follow why the concern with issues with brand new RV in the 1st year? If I thought Mfg was that bad, I certainly would not want to buy one that some else owned that I hoped fixed? I buy used cars but NOT for that reason. It has been a year now, and in our view we got it right the 1st time, we have no plan to buy anything else. The Sunstar is now part of our home. We have even built what we call a Sunstar Patio around it. I drive it like an oversized SUV, we take it everywhere can

Thank you for taking the time to reply with your very detailed response, and thank you for sharing your story with me.

I'm very happy that your purchase has worked out and I too believe we will make the right decision with our purchase.

[BAMBOOLUVR]

I started out with a used 2018 Entegra Class C I purchased in 2019 @ 2 years old. It was priced such that I had enough $$ left over to customize the rig to be just perfect for us. I am oh so glad we went that approach. With the help of everyone on this chat line, we ripped out the uncomfortable dinette, built a "couch/sleeping" platform to lounge after a full day on the road, upgraded to Lithium and customized the kitchen. After 30+ years of jeeping/camping/5thwheeling.... this was the BEST decision I have made! Go for it.

[Stevemarshia]

We have a 2019 Forester by Forest River which we bought new. We went thru the same thing you are going through now. Decided new and that we found out the hard way it was the wrong decision for us. Never being an Rv'er before on top of all that we knew nothing about RVs. To make a long story short the first year we had to end up staying within driving distance of the dealership. It spent 3 and a half months in the shop with numerous issues all because of no QC at the factory. We live in it full time and from what we have learned that is why we had so many problems all in the first year and a half because of the use of being full time. Now it has been 2 years into ownership and we are finally trouble free. Saying that used would now be our choice. The first owner has all the problems solved by the time it goes to the next person for the most part anyway. We are disabled and unfortunately we have decided to put it up for sale because our health is getting worse. The person that gets this used one will be in great shape.

[BobRay]

I would never buy a new rig. I've read too many horror stories about people who bought a new rig that had serious problems crop up and had to take it back to the dealer and wait, sometimes months, to have it repaired.

I'd rather let the original owner deal with that and buy a used rig after making sure that everything works as it should. Not to mention the thousands of dollars you save over the price of a new rig.

Some people can't stand the thought that someone else has been living in a rig before them, but I'm not one of them as long as the rig is clean and everything works.

Just my $.02.

[BlueGekko]

I think you’re underestimating the value of renting an RV. First, find the floor plan you want, along with the options, then make a list of new and used similar RVs that interest you. Camping in your friend’s RV for 2-3 years helps only to the extent that you may understand the subsystems, it doesn’t help you understand what you want or don’t want in a new/gently used RV. Go to RVshare.com and see what’s available in your area. Rent one every few weekends and take notes about likes/dislikes about the model. Then rent a different one for another weekend and do the same. You’ll be taking weekend vacations AND doing hands on research rather than looking at pictures or taking other people’s advice. I wish that website had been around when I was shopping several years ago. I would’ve likely saved many thousands of dollars and a lot of troubles on the road. After one B and two C’s, I finally have the one I didn’t know I was looking for. But I had to have experienced those previous ones to know what I wanted. Finally, I don’t think it’s reasonable advice to expect that you’ll find the one you’ll keep on your first purchase unless you’ve done the hands on research. No amount of book learning or advice has ever been more relevant than hands on experience.