Buying used Nationwide - RV-Dreams Community Forum

DagoRanch · RV-Dreams Family Member

Buying used Nationwide

azrving · RV-Dreams Family Member

I wouldn't buy anything (big ticket) without seeing/touching it first. You probably know what brand you prefer and what floor plan will work for you. Go to the RV trader.com, craigslist, etc and search for the rigs that interest you. If you find one that will work for you make arrangements to have it inspected or go see it in person. I have bought long distance but I always fly or drive out to see the item before handing over the $. I live in AZ too and would never consider purchasing from a dealer due to the high sales tax. I wouldn't purchase a used unit in AZ unless it had been garaged/covered due to the heat and UV rays that ravage everything in this great state. Buy from an individual and save yourself the sales tax and depreciation. Good luck with your RV hunt.

http://www.rv-finder.com/

http://www.rvingplanet.com/rv-finder.aspx

http://www.rvtraderonline.com/

-- Edited by azrving on Tuesday 6th of April 2010 09:22:08 PM

dream reachers · RV-Dreams Family Member

When we were shopping for a used rv on the internet we tried to shop within a 10 hour drive from Birmingham Al. We usually talked and exchanged pictures at least 3 times before traveling several hours to look at a trailer. We would have consider something a little farther out if it looked like a really good buy. We would travel to see rvs on the weekend so I would not miss work. We never would have paid several thousands of dollars for a rv without seeing it. We did sell our 3 horse trailer to someone sight unseen though. We took many pictures and emailed them to the buyer. We took the trailer to a local trailer dealer that the buyer made arrangements inspect before the sale. The buyer paid someone to deliver the trailer to them and they were well pleased with the purchase.

TheMeanderingMillers · RV-Dreams Community Member

Yes, we bought our "new to us" used rig from afar, however, we purchased a motorhome instead of a 5er. We lived in Florida at the time and found the rig posted on Craigslist in southern California.

Here's a few things we did that helped us with a nationwide search:
--Narrow the choices to a few brands. We became very familiar with the brands and that helped with looking at pictures because we knew the floorplans.
--Talk, talk, and talk some more to the owner. We would try to discover everything we could about the rig. For instance, as already mentioned, has it been stored in a garage? That's a simple thing but it can make a big difference.
--Make sure any pictures of the rig are current. We had one incident where the pictures were not current and therefore the actual condition of the rig, based on the pictures, was misleading.
--We took long weekends, etc., to see the units for ourselves. One person's opinion of an easy "fix" or "remodel" is not the same as ours. We also tried to have 2 or 3 units to see in an area to make the trip worthwhile.
--Trust your gut. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is and we made a couple of long trips before we came to this realization!

Good luck!

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

While Jo and I have looked at every avenue, including used units, we chose to order new so that we could get what we wanted. After all, this Mobile Suites that we are getting will be our home for many years to come.

In that process, we discovered a used dealer in Elk City, OK that was selling primarily DRV (mostly Mobile Suites) models. While looking at them, they were very nice and clean and looked to be well cared for. The only thing was that none of the units that were there were floorplans that we liked.

However, in watching their website, they seem to be doing quite a bit of selling of the units via mostly their website. I know that with one model, they received a message from someone in Arizona before they even had a chance to get the photos of that unit online. Just this last few months, they have sold 3 or 4 units, and most of these have been from $40,000 to $60,000 in price.

So, in answer to your question, evidently there may be a lot of buying used in this way. Unless one knows exactly who the previous owner was, I would imagine that most are traveling to see the unit prior to buying. Jo and I would not have hesitated to buy used if we could have found a floorplan that we liked.

Terry

rclvnv · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hi, Although I've not bought a 5th wheel long distance, I did buy a used Class B on E-Bay two years ago, with no problems. The owner was in Missouri,I live in Nevada. He had more than 40 detailed pix of the unit in his listing, and he had detailed service records. Turned out he wanted to travel to the Grand Canyon,so he delivered it to me for the cost of gas and campground fees, enroute. After taking it on a trip to the east coast, we realized it was too small for us, and I sold it to a couple from Arizona, also on ebay.Everyone was pleased.There is also a buyer protection provision with ebay purchases. Bottom line is the deal is only as good as the people involved. As I am now considering purchase of a unit to full time in, I too am thinking about what route to take. Here in Nevada,in the county where we live, the sales tax is 8.1%, but transactions between individuals are exempt. That makes buying from a dealer here 8.1% more expensive, no matter how you cut it. I haven't checked yet, but I assume if I buy from an out of state dealer,I'd get hit with the tax when I go to register an RV, so again, a big factor.

Richard

RonaldNC · RV-Dreams Family Member

Tony/Madonna,

We bought our Class A Motorhome long distance. Here's the process that I used:

I first went through a filtering process to determine suitable, high-value and safe RVs. I relied heavily on the RV.ORG database. You have to pay some ($139) to get the information, but it was incredibly helpful in determining a short list of motorhomes (or 5ers) that I would consider. I also consider this a small investment for a purchase of tens of thousands of dollars.
I then went to manufacturer's websites to identify the floorplans that I would consider buying and filtered my list further. I have to tell you that it took me a few weeks to do this. Some manufacturers are better at providing you this information than others.
I went back and forth between steps 1 & 2 until I had a list of 5 motorhomes that I would consider buying.
I then started searching for these motorhomes on craigslist, RVUSA, RVTrader, etc. You'll find that there are a lot of overlap/repeats between these sources. Again, I filtered the information based on age/condition and price of motorhome. For example, I didn't want anything older than five years old and I wanted very low mileage. This got to a surprisingly short list pretty quick (around 8-10 motorhomes).
Then I start calling/emailing the sellers to get further information, pictures, etc.
I down-selected to 2 units and then I got into the details. I asked the sellers to take a lot of pictures. I would ask them to take pictures of the refrigerator, upholstery, drivers seat, etc. If I saw something weird (like a pealing decal), I would ask for a close-up. Surprising, I didn't have any problems getting them to do this. I was clear with them that I was down to two units and this is how I would decide.
When I decided my first choice, I asked for a "best and final offer" on the price. It was a good one (validated by the RV.ORG database and my research on the web). I gave them a last chance to tell me anything that I might find in person (negative) that I hadn't seen or heard from them. I indicated that I would likely purchase if they were honest about the condition... but would leave in a heart-beat if it wasn't.
My wife and I flew back to Dallas (from Raleigh). Again, this cost us a few hundred dollars... but we we're spending tens of thousands of dollars! We got there... the motorhome was as described/advertised/photographed... I test drove it and checked that everything worked... we paid the agreed price.
We drove it home and are now living happily ever after!

I hope this helps. I probably didn't do everything I could have, but feel that we did "okay".

Ron

-- Edited by RonaldNC on Sunday 11th of April 2010 09:16:46 AM

-- Edited by RonaldNC on Sunday 11th of April 2010 08:21:45 PM

TxYellowRose · RV-Dreams Family Member

Since we bought our Montana new at a dealer and actually picked it out, I really cannot lend any experience to this. We only knew we wanted to actually see the rig before purchasing. It is our one and only home. It was not just about the technical stuff, but we wanted to get the "feel" of it...could we live in it, did we feel comfortable in it, and so forth.

That being said, the only thing I would keep in mind are the expenses of traveling to see various rigs...plane flights, gas/wear and tear on your vehicle if driving, hotels if necessary, meals, etc. Although minimal in comparison to the cost of the rig, they do add up over time.

Dave and I were considering storing our nice bedroom furniture in a free storage unit if it is offered to us. We talked at length about it last night about the cost of renting a truck, gas, etc. just to get it there and then those expenses to haul it to wherever we might need/want it. Then there is checking up on it periodically and/or eventually selling it....

We decided to sell the stuff. When adding it all up, the cost and hassle outweighed the chance of "maybe" wanting it in the future.

Not the same scenario, just my two cents of looking at it from a different perspective.

Hope you find "the one" with minimal effort and expense! Good hunting!

Colorado_Kid · RV-Dreams Family Member

Any vehicle I have ever brought I test drove first. Even if you have a reliable third party who gives you thumbs up how do you know you will like it.

DagoRanch · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for all the replies everyone, you all confirmed what my gut told me: As long as you can great details up front, ask lot's of questions and don't agree to a sale until you inspect it... it's doable. I'll still be scouring the Southwest for what we're looking for, but I'll feel a little better casting my net wider for the right rig.

I wholeheartedly agree I wouldn't buy anything until I've seen it, I should have been more clear :)

Things are getting interesting for us!

I "almost" traded my Hot-Rod (an 05 Mustang GT) and my Toy-Hauler Pop-Up camper for a 2002 NuWa Hitchhiker II. It was a perfect trailer for us, and the buyer was looking for interesting trades, so I gave it a shot! Problem is... my Hot Rod is too much of Hot Rod, not something an everyday driver is going to want or appreciate.

Hey I tried!

Ckerr · RV-Dreams Family Member

We're looking for a good, high end used motorhome. Unfortunately there are not too many of those around Austin TX. So we've been trying to figure out how to go about buying one long distance.

Right now we've found one that has almost everything we were looking for at a great price. Only problem is that it's in Fort Myers Beach, FL. The price is great for the unit which actually has us a little concerned. But when we look at the pictures and talk to the owners there's nothing that seems out of the ordinary.

Your responses to the previous question have been helpful in letting us think this might be doable!

Any suggested questions would be helpful.

FYI, we're looking at a 2005 Travel Supreme. The only things we were looking for that it doesn't have are an electric awning and AquaHot.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Someone in our campground here in Menifee, Ca is selling a 1999 45' MCI bus conversion with slides for $369K. Proobably more than you want to spend but that is very high end and I suspect a good price.

Bill Adams · RV-Dreams Family Member

That sounds like the same one that's been for sale in Quartzsite for the last couple of years. You might want to take a look inside, it's going to take a special buyer for that one! The price is also about twice what a '99 MCI should be selling for but they are very, very proud of this unit if it's the same one.
Does it look like this?
http://www.rvsearch.com/findrv/index.cfm/a-d/tc-36260/vid-586509/

-- Edited by Bill Adams on Saturday 26th of March 2011 01:15:57 PM

Ckerr · RV-Dreams Family Member

Maybe I should've said "higher" end... lol

Love the rolltop desk in that one, but we're looking to spend less than $150K. We found a 42' 2005 Travel Supreme with factory tile back to the bedroom. Queen size bed. Foorplan works for us. 400HP Cummins and 8K Onan generator. 28K miles. The owners custom ordered it and have traveled from Canada to Florida annually.

They're asking $125K firm. The credit union booked it at $230K average wholesale, $280K average retail. The owners are selling it because they've bought a house in Florida. Seems like a great deal based on other prices we've seen.

What we're trying to figure out is how do we make sure there isn't some problem before we make the trip to Florida to check it out!

2fortheroad · RV-Dreams Family Member

Ckerr wrote:
Maybe I should've said "higher" end... lol

Love the rolltop desk in that one, but we're looking to spend less than $150K. We found a 42' 2005 Travel Supreme with factory tile back to the bedroom. Queen size bed. Foorplan works for us. 400HP Cummins and 8K Onan generator. 28K miles. The owners custom ordered it and have traveled from Canada to Florida annually.

They're asking $125K firm. The credit union booked it at $230K average wholesale, $280K average retail. The owners are selling it because they've bought a house in Florida. Seems like a great deal based on other prices we've seen.

What we're trying to figure out is how do we make sure there isn't some problem before we make the trip to Florida to check it out!

We had a similar situation when we purchased our 5ver. We live in Idaho and the unit was in North Carolina. After getting both interior and exterior pictures and negotiating with the owner we wired them $1000 to hold the Jayco for us. Then drove out to NC, the unit was exactly as discribed and we finalized the deal.

I supose we took a big chance by doing this, but it turned out for the good for us.

We looked at it if the worst were to happen we would be out the $1000 and the cost of the trip. We got to see and do things that made the trip alone worth it.

Maybe you can get the owners to take their unit in for an inspection and get the results either emailed of faxed to you. It would be a cost that you would pay but may put your mind at ease.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bill Adams wrote:
That sounds like the same one that's been for sale in Quartzsite for the last couple of years. You might want to take a look inside, it's going to take a special buyer for that one! The price is also about twice what a '99 MCI should be selling for but they are very, very proud of this unit if it's the same one.
Does it look like this?
http://www.rvsearch.com/findrv/index.cfm/a-d/tc-36260/vid-586509/

-- Edited by Bill Adams on Saturday 26th of March 2011 01:15:57 PM

It is the same one.