A word about buying your first RV. I'll cut to the chase here. RV's can be very complicated mechanical and electrical units. They can be very expensive, even used. You worked hard for your money (well, most of us) and you want to see every penny work for you.
If you don't know what you are doing and what to look for, get expert advice! This is especially true when buying a used RV. If you are buying a brand new RV from a dealership, you are pretty safe as far as defects go. Your RV will come with a warranty and everything is shiny and new. Now, if you are looking to save money and want to buy used, you can buy from a private party or a dealership. You may get a cheaper price when buying from a private party, but what are you getting? You may get lucky and get the deal of the century, or maybe not. Many honest people put their RV up for sale for a myriad of reasons, but can honestly sell you a whole bunch of trouble! There are many things to take into consideration when buying used. How much has the unit been used? How many miles are on it? How long has it been sitting unused? A seller may not know that the unit has hidden issues that won't reveal themselves until after you have bought it and taken it home. You get no warranty from a private party. A private party may unknowingly sell you an RV that is unsafe and needs thousands of dollars in repairs! Again, if you don't know much about RV's, but want to buy from a private party, bring somebody along who knows what to look for!
We bought our used 2004 National RV Dolphin LX class A motor home from a dealership. They went through it completely and fixed most everything that needed repair before we accepted delivery. I remember looking at the tires and thinking how nice it was that there was plenty of tread on them. We had to get financing and it took two more weeks before we returned to the dealership to pick up the motor home. In the meantime, the dealership service department had gone through it thoroughly. When we went outside to do a "walk around" of the motor home, they told us that they had to replace all six tires. Why? At one point, they test drove it and heard rumbling sounds coming from the tires. Turns out that the tread was separating and the tires were very unsafe due to the fact that the motor home had been sitting for quite a while and the tires had begun falling apart, even though they visually looked fine. UV rays from the sun on tires just sitting for prolonged periods will destroy them (get vinyl wheel covers if you let your RV sit for weeks or months). Cost to the dealership to replace six tires? $2,400.00! That came out of their pocket! The big awning had a hole in it caused by wasps building a nest in it. Again, replaced by the dealership. The TV in the bedroom didn't work. Replaced by the dealership. Thousands of dollars were put into this motor home on their dime. Had we bought this RV from a private party, guess who would have paid the bill? You guessed it, us.
So, when making your decision to buy, consider what I have said. This was our experience and may not necessarily be your experience. You may do better or you may do worse.
If you don't know what you are doing and what to look for, get expert advice! This is especially true when buying a used RV. If you are buying a brand new RV from a dealership, you are pretty safe as far as defects go. Your RV will come with a warranty and everything is shiny and new. Now, if you are looking to save money and want to buy used, you can buy from a private party or a dealership. You may get a cheaper price when buying from a private party, but what are you getting? You may get lucky and get the deal of the century, or maybe not. Many honest people put their RV up for sale for a myriad of reasons, but can honestly sell you a whole bunch of trouble! There are many things to take into consideration when buying used. How much has the unit been used? How many miles are on it? How long has it been sitting unused? A seller may not know that the unit has hidden issues that won't reveal themselves until after you have bought it and taken it home. You get no warranty from a private party. A private party may unknowingly sell you an RV that is unsafe and needs thousands of dollars in repairs! Again, if you don't know much about RV's, but want to buy from a private party, bring somebody along who knows what to look for!
We bought our used 2004 National RV Dolphin LX class A motor home from a dealership. They went through it completely and fixed most everything that needed repair before we accepted delivery. I remember looking at the tires and thinking how nice it was that there was plenty of tread on them. We had to get financing and it took two more weeks before we returned to the dealership to pick up the motor home. In the meantime, the dealership service department had gone through it thoroughly. When we went outside to do a "walk around" of the motor home, they told us that they had to replace all six tires. Why? At one point, they test drove it and heard rumbling sounds coming from the tires. Turns out that the tread was separating and the tires were very unsafe due to the fact that the motor home had been sitting for quite a while and the tires had begun falling apart, even though they visually looked fine. UV rays from the sun on tires just sitting for prolonged periods will destroy them (get vinyl wheel covers if you let your RV sit for weeks or months). Cost to the dealership to replace six tires? $2,400.00! That came out of their pocket! The big awning had a hole in it caused by wasps building a nest in it. Again, replaced by the dealership. The TV in the bedroom didn't work. Replaced by the dealership. Thousands of dollars were put into this motor home on their dime. Had we bought this RV from a private party, guess who would have paid the bill? You guessed it, us.
So, when making your decision to buy, consider what I have said. This was our experience and may not necessarily be your experience. You may do better or you may do worse.
Well just like buying a car, it would be good to test drive an RV. It would make you have a feel of the engine, and experience the whole home while being mobile. This would help out in your inspection and it would make some quirks you wouldn’t like avoidable for you in the future. Great post about purchasing an RV, very insightful!
ReplyDeleteTia Oshields
When looking for an RV, be sure to ask the seller to demonstrate that all the features and appliances in the RV work. Be certain that the stove, toilets, fridge, awning, water pump, and other usable parts are in good working condition.
ReplyDeleteRosalinda Rudloff
“If you don't know what you are doing and what to look for, get expert advice!” I totally agree with this! Buying an RV can be quite a daunting task, especially if you’re looking for a used RV and you have a tight budget. As much as possible, have an expert with you when looking for a used RV. Don’t risk your budget and invest it in a defected RV. Look for the best deal!
ReplyDelete>Kurt Bukowski