No one can deny the lure of a brand new vehicle, whether it's a new car or a new
RV. But there are several good reasons to seriously consider used, especially if
you are a novice RVer.
Depreciation
Probably the biggest reason to consider a used RV is depreciation. Recent research
has shown that a new RV can depreciate as much as one-third over the first three
years of ownership. That means you might be able to buy a used Class A motor home
in excellent condition for the same amount as a new Class C with many fewer features.
In fact, the used RV market usually offers a large quantity of high quality, lightly
used vehicles-for a variety of different reasons. Some older couples buy an RV thinking
that they are going to travel full time, only to discover that the lifestyle is
not their cup of tea.
Other times, people purchase on impulse, only to find that their harried schedules
of little league and soccer leave little time for actually using the vehicle. In
either case, you may be able to "steal a deal" on a barely used RV.
The Learning Curve
"I don't know anyone who's been in RVing for awhile that's still in their first
RV," say Joe Kieva, author and publisher of RV Know How. "You just know you're going
to trade it in." And here is the second excellent reason to purchase your first
RV used. According to Kieva, "You learn what you like and don't like by owning one
and driving it. The only way to learn is hands-on."
Choosing a used RV means learning what you like and don't like-without having invested
so much money that you're stuck upside down in your new rig when you're ready to
get out of it. And when you're ready to move up, your used rig will most likely
still have maintained much of it's value, giving you a better return on your investment.
RVs Take "Time to Prime"
A new RV is a beautiful thing, but many new owners think that they can drive their
new RV off the lot and hit the road for a long adventure. But according to Bob Gummersall,
contributing writer to RVers Online, chances are they won't get very far.
"You've got to expect when you drive it off the dealer lot that you're going to
have a list of things that need to be fixed before you get it home," said Gummersall.
"It's not unusual for a brand-new RV to spend 20 days in the repair shop in its
first year. By year two, most of these problems are fixed."
A well-maintained RV that's a couple years old may actually need less repair work
than a new RV.
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