What You Need to Know BEFORE Purchasing a Used RV

Searching for a used RV can be a daunting task. Believe me, WE KNOW!  We recently told you about Why We Purchased a 2^nd RV and then updated you with The Ugly Side of Purchasing a Used RV! However, when you finally find that Perfect RV for you and your family it makes it all worth it! However, we want to share with you What You Need to Know BEFORE Purchasing a Used RV.

When looking for a used RV, the first thing you need to consider is what you are searching for!

 

Choosing the Right RV for YOU

Click HERE for our FREE Printable Checklist for Choosing the right RV for YOU.

 

The Top 10 Ways of to Find a Used RV

 

 

#1: Social Media

Social media can play a role in helping people find used RVs nowadays. Facebook Marketplace is a great tool to use to search for used RVs in your area. You can even save a specific search including the following filters: Category, Minimum and Maximum Price, and Date Listed. When you find one you are interested in, you can also “Save” it and go back to it later.

 

 

#2: A Basic Internet Search

Performing an overall basic internet search for Used RVs in your state and or city can be a helpful way to find a used RV. It’s not the ideal way to do it, but sometimes you can lucky and find one that fits!

 

 

#3: Craigslist

Craigslist (www.craigslist.org) can be a benefit to you when searching for a used RV. You can search locally, and you can also expand your search for a few hundred miles by searching in surrounding areas if you don’t mind a drive to view the RV in person.

 

 

#4: Dealerships

You can search online for your local Used RV Dealerships. Most of them have many RVs for sale listed right on their website to save you time.

 

 

#5: Newspaper

The classifieds in a local newspaper used to be the only way a person could find used RVs without leaving their home and driving all over creation. It’s not the best way to search for a used RV nowadays but may be an additional way if you just aren’t finding anything that fits your needs. Keep in mind, there just may not be much listed these days.

Specific Websites Dedicated to RV Sales (New and Used)

 

 

#6: RV Trader

RV Trader’s (www.rvtrader.com) advanced search allows you to search nationwide or by zip code, by keyword, and price. Additionally, you can search by Type, Make, Model, floor plan, and Trim if you’re looking for a specific brand. RV Trader goes into a much note detailed search as far as the seller type, mileage, length, fuel type, how many it sleeps and how many slide-outs you’re looking for. The more details you add the slimmer your choices get, obviously, but if you know what you want it can be a huge help!

 

 

#7: Cars For Sale

Cars for Sale (www.Carsforsale.com) is a search engine much like the details within RV Trader but with less results. Still worth looking at though! You just never know what you’ll find.

 

 

#8: RV USA

RV USA (www.RVUSA.com) is a good way to search for used RVs. Additionally, it’s a great way to find Campgrounds and a Dealer or Service for an RV.

 

 

#9: eBay motors (RVs and campers)

Click HERE for the link for eBay motors RVs and campers! Keep in mind that if you don’t select a location, it will search nationwide. You can purchase right from this website. You can also “watch” and bid on an RV and try to get a good deal on eBay motors however if you don’t win the bid it can be disappointing if you really liked the RV.

 

 

#10: RVT

RVT ( www.RVT.com) is another search engine that specifically lists RVs for sale. It works much like RV Trader with its ability to allow the user to search very detailed information regarding the RV they’re interested in.

 

 

15 Questions to Ask Before Purchasing a Used RV

If you are in the market for purchasing a Used RV, it can be a little scary. Believe me when I say we have been there! There can be so many hidden problems with a Used RV. Hopefully the person you are considering purchasing from will be honest with you! We thought that with all that we have been through recently, we would try to help others considering purchasing a used RV and share with you all the 15 Questions to Ask Before Purchasing a Used RV.

 

 

Our Most Recent Experience

The questions below are questions that obviously should be asked BEFORE you purchase a used RV from an individual or a Dealer.

We purchased a 2nd RV in addition to our new Travel Trailer. Again, you can read more about that in our article “Why We Purchased a 2nd RV“.

We did ask all these questions before purchasing the last used RV we purchased. We knew there were issues with it, and we also knew these were issues we could and were willing to fix.

However, keep in mind that the person you are purchasing the used RV from truly may have no idea if something is wrong with the RV or they may not know how extensive the damage is when they inform you of problems. The latter situation was the case (we hope) with whom we purchased our RV from.

 

 

Think the Best of People BUT don’t get taken advantage of

We don’t believe these people had any ill will for us. We believe they gave us the information they to the best of their knowledge. Once we got to “digging” into the water damage, it was MUCH more extensive than any of us thought. Thankfully Mark and my dad know how to fix these problems and will fix them completely to where it is a safe RV to travel in and use. But these are things to really think about when purchasing a used RV!

Believe me when I say, it is not fun to be super excited about purchasing an RV and being ready to hit the road as soon as you bring it home or take it out for the first time only to find major problems and ruin your trip!

 

 

Here are those 15 Questions to Ask BEFORE Purchasing a Used RV

1. How many people have owned the RV before and for how long?
2. Do they have records of all maintenance that you can see?
3. What is the tire condition, age, and miles on them?
4. Motorhomes: what is the mileage? How many hours does the Generator have used? Test drive this RV!
5. Has there ever been any water damage?
6. Have there been any animals vacationing in the RV? If you have allergies to cats (like I do) this could be a big issue for you down the road.
7. What towing accessories does the RV have?
8. Where has this RV been stored?
9. Has this RV been wrecked or had any major repairs (maybe in maintenance records)?
10. How has this RV been used? For example, by boondocking, weekend camping, full time living etc.
11. Is the title to this RV a clear title or does it have a lien against it?
12. Do they have the original manuals that go with this RV?
13. Why are they selling this RV?
14. Is there any warranty left on the RV?
15. What is their bottom dollar?

 

 

 

7 Additional Costs to Consider BEFORE Purchasing a Used RV

Purchasing a Used RV versus a Brand-New RV may save you money with the original purchase, however, there are additional costs to consider when purchasing a used RV. All states have different rules and regulations regarding the purchase of a vehicle, especially with an RV. Make sure you do your research on exactly what the laws are in your area! Here are 7 Additional Costs to Consider BEFORE Purchasing a Used RV.

 

 

#1: Registration Fees

Registration fees vary by state.

 

 

#2: Title Transfer Fees

Title transfer fees also vary by state.

 

 

#3: RV Inspection Fees

Depending on the laws in your area, you may need to have an Inspection done on your Used RV before you can move onto the registration process.

 

 

#4: Sales Tax

If you didn’t purchase your used RV from a dealership (who sometimes can add it into the overall price of the RV) you may have to pay sales tax in your state. Also, if the RV is being purchased from an individual or dealership who are in a state where Sales Tax isn’t required to be paid and the state you live in does, then that will be an additional expense for sure.

 

 

#5: Insurance

Insuring an RV (new or used) is something everyone should do. It protects YOU and OTHERS in the case of an accident and sometimes weather-related incidents depending on your policy. Learn from us… MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR INSURANCE POLICY! If you have questions about what is or isn’t covered, ASK your agent! DO NOT ASSUME ANYTHING! We ASSUMED that because we had Full Coverage on our RV that the awning that was destroyed was covered under our insurance policy. The fact is that MOST INSURANCE COMPANIES DON’T COVER AWNING REPLACEMENTS! Also, keep in mind that “Full Coverage” is usually a MUST if there’s a lien involved.

 

 

#6: Loan

Obviously, if you’re going to purchase a used RV with a loan, you already know this but always consider the amount of interest that you will pay over the life of the loan.

 

 

#7: Loading the RV

Once you purchase a Used RV, hopefully you feel good about the price you paid for it. Additionally, it is best to allow extra funds for all we mentioned above… Registration, Title Transfer, Inspection, Sales Tax, Insurance, and the first months’ loan payment (at least). Now you’re ready to hit the road! It’s now that you realize you have additional expenses for the essentials! Propane, Living Room, Bathroom, Kitchen, and Bedroom Essentials, Gasoline or Diesel to fill up the tank on a Motor Home or Vehicle used to pull the RV. You don’t want to forget those necessities that do add up quickly!

 

 

Don’t Forget About Maintenance BEFORE Purchasing a Used RV

When purchasing a used RV, unfortunately, you do have to be prepared for it needing additional maintenance at first and possibly major repairs that you aren’t expecting. You most likely didn’t get a warranty unless you purchased from a dealership, so those will be out-of-pocket expenses as well.

 

 

How To Find What an RV is Worth BEFORE Purchasing a Used RV

Once you find the perfect used RV (or new) for you and your family and wonder if the price is right? Or are you going to sell your RV and wonder what it’s worth? Finding the value of an RV is easy to do and there are a couple of ways to go about it. So, let’s discuss how to find what an RV is worth.

 

 

Purchasing a Brand-New RV

Purchasing a brand-new RV can be expensive! New RVs have a very large range of prices starting around $10,000 and can be as much as millions! For most beginner RV camping families, the price range is usually between $10,000 to $150,000. This mostly depends on your plans for use. RV’s can be used to live in it full-time, as a weekend warrior, or as a second home for part-time living. No matter what your plans are, making sure you know the value of an RV is very important before making that big leap into purchasing a brand-new RV!

 

 

Purchasing a Used RV

Purchasing a used RV can be a bit scary! Believe me, we have purchased MANY used RV’s in our camping lifetime and the cost to fix them up can be overwhelming! Making sure you know the value of a used RV is very important before you make the decision to purchase it. You MUST remember that when purchasing a used RV, there will be additional costs to fix at least a few minor things.

 

 

Selling a Used RV

Selling a used RV can be a frustrating task. First, you must make sure your RV is in good working condition, has no water leaks, and make sure you have all the information on maintenance that you have done to your RV. I said “you must” but if you have purchased a used RV before, you know most people DON’T sell you a perfectly working, perfect condition, non-leaking, and all informed used RV!

 

So how do you go about finding out what an RV is worth?

Our suggestions of the best places to check online are:

1. NADAGuides
2. RVTrader RV Price Checker

 

Let’s look further into these 2 suggestions.

 

 

NADAGuides* (National Automobile Dealers Association) for RVs

The NADAGuides Website is the most popular website to search for the value of any vehicle. It is by far the best to search for the value of an RV whether it is a brand-new RV or a Used RV. By using NADAGuides, you can easily find the value of 5 different types of RVs. Additionally, you can find the value of a tow vehicle! The RV section is divided into the following types:

Travel Trailers/Fifth Wheels

Motorhomes

Camping Trailers (smaller pull-behind trailers)

Truck Campers

Park Models (semi-permanent RV)

Tow Vehicles 

 

 

RV Trader* RV Price Checker

The RV Trader RV Price Checker Website is another option that allows you to check the price of an RV based on other seller prices on RV Trader. You can check prices based on the Make, Model, and Year. You can search Nationwide pricing and/or local pricing. It will give you a range of prices to compare before you purchase or list your RV for sale. The results are listed in as Average Price and will also include the Lowest and Highest price listed. Additionally, from there you can click on “Run This Search” if there are matches, and you can see the listings. It’s a great way to compare the condition of your RV to others listed for sale, especially used RVs. Check your price and/or run a search HERE.

 

 

Conclusion of What you Need to Know BEFORE Purchasing a Used RV

We hope all of this information helps guide you in deciding if Purchasing a Used RV is the best option for you and also helps you to find the Perfect RV for you!