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No doubt. Never had the first thought about pulling anything. It is why Class B or C. Question about budgetary figure still stands. Rule of thumb per annum, not hard figures, if you know. Otherwise thanks for your time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational
Most of the nicer rigs, 5ers especially, are pulled by a big dam truck they already have a reason to own.
Almost always a tax deductible reason.
Don't count on it pulling much or for very long.
Even when all was brand new... LINK
Ever hear the expression that a boat is just a hole in the water you throw money into. Well, it pertains to trailers too. Just a hole in the ground you throw money into.
Not accurate for all trailers. I'm a member of a community (Casita) where people paid 15-20k for their rigs ten or more years ago and they're getting exactly that in the used market. A lot of trailers, 5th wheels, A/B/Cs are trash, but you can find some good ones - especially fiberglass models....Airstreams hold their value but aren't as solidly made like they were.....very overpriced in my opinion.
Those trailers NEVER had any repairs paid for after the initial warranty period expired? I know people who have and had Airstreams the caddy of the trailer world and they have had to replace fridges, hot water heaters, heaters, switches, etc. Cause even airstream is limited to the number of manufacturers who make items for trailers/motorhomes (such as two and three way fridges, etc.
But I would agree, some trailers are better built that other trailers, but they still require a lot of upkeep. Not condemning for that upkeep. They are driven across roads in some states that are terrible and tend to destroy all. And some people like me, take my trailer to places no one else would dare.
After a lot of research we discovered buying used makes a lot more sense, because:
Massive depreciation no matter the brand or quality. AAt the high end: A 2006 Prevost sells for about $350,000 if it is in perfect shape and perfectly maintained. They cost 1.5 million new. At the low end: a $6500 pop up will sell for $1500 or less if it is ten years old even if it is well maintained and kept up.
RVs get very little use. If they are maintained and stored properly a used one will have almost no wear.
It usually takes a year plus to get the bugs worked out of a new RV, replace the items that were cheaply made or just a bad idea, get warranty corrections made, etc. i prefer to get one with the bugs worked out of it already rather than having it sit in a lot for warranty work for most of the first year or two.
Prior to 2008 when the RV industry basically collapsed, RVs generally had much better quality - at least the better ones did, especially since Thor, the Walmart of the rv world bought out so many of the good companies in and after 2008 and made them cheap. To compete with the Thor brands, many of the other brands have cheapened up on quality as well. Some brands recently acquired by Thor, have better quality just a few years ago (prior to the buyout).
If you do get used have it professionally inspected unless you are paying only a coupled of thousand for it and:
Do not buy anything that has any sign of roof leaks, water damage or mold.
Do not buy anything that exhibits signs of substantial deferred maintenance.
Personal preference:
Do not buy anything that was owned by smokers.
I would avoid anything used primarily as hunting or fishing accommodations.
We bought one a little while before covid hit, partially due to already having a germaphobe covid mentality among some members of the family. I always liked the idea anyway so win-win. Glad we got one when we did.
Ours is one of the smallest, lowest-priced models without being a pop-up, tear-drop, hybrid, etc.
Money pit? Nah, always considered it to be playing the long game with the intention of weeks-long vacations or just going for the sake of going, traveling almost as long as staying put. Got off to a good start with that last year, but this one's been wonky.
If you pay more than 20-30k for something that gets used couple times a year then yeah, that's not something I'd personally do.
We bought one a little while before covid hit, partially due to already having a germaphobe covid mentality among some members of the family. I always liked the idea anyway so win-win. Glad we got one when we did.
Ours is one of the smallest, lowest-priced models without being a pop-up, tear-drop, hybrid, etc.
Money pit? Nah, always considered it to be playing the long game with the intention of weeks-long vacations or just going for the sake of going, traveling almost as long as staying put. Got off to a good start with that last year, but this one's been wonky.
If you pay more than 20-30k for something that gets used couple times a year then yeah, that's not something I'd personally do.
agree - I'm not into those huge monstrosities.....small works for me and if I use it for a 4-5 yrs, it pays for itself, no matter what I get in return....17 footer for me.
Look for an excess number of rigs/campers for sale in about 1.5 to 2 years after COVID is over and people realize they're not using them as much as they thought. Sales are way up now...but give it some time.
Perfect timing for me as I retire in 3 years and will be looking to buy a camping trailer (probably an Opus Air 4) in about 1 to 2 years. /fingers crossed
I look at Craigslist RV ads occasionally here in Tucson. Last year at any time, you would see 200-300 ads for RVs for sale by owner (not including dealer ads). Now, there are less than 100 total ads posted. AZ usually is a good place to buy used RVs because of the dry air. Mold is usually not a problem if there have been no water leaks. However, it is better to find an RV that has been parked under a covered space because the sun bakes anything plastic or synthetic
I didn’t buy one because of the virus, but my son did. They are a couple with a 2 year old and a baby on the way. My son and DIL are very active and liked to tent camp a lot before they had a child in tow. They bought a gently used RV from Craigslist and redecorated the inside. They’ve taken it on 4 weekend trips since the pandemic.
I think they had several reasons for buying now.
1. Since my DIL is in beginning pregnancy, they are especially careful to keep their distance from others.
2. With a small child, they didn’t feel like tent camping was very safe.
3. They are social creatures, so at least with a camper they can go to the beaches or campgrounds and be around others outside at a distance.
4. Has nothing to do with the pandemic, but they are thinking of buying the house next door, remodeling it, and selling or renting their current house. With the RV, they’d have a place to stay during remodeling.
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