Save a little, spend a lot...Penny wise and Pound Foolish...
When it comes to RV shopping, especially for pre-owned RV's, one must be very careful. I little bit of research and smart shopping can save you THOUSANDS of dollars.
One mistake that novice RV shoppers make is to assume that the best deals are to be had by purchasing a used camper from an individual. While there are indeed, many good deals out there on For Sale By Owner lots, you need to be uber careful.
Remember, when someone is selling their camper, it is often because something is wrong with it. This something may not be evident to the untrained eye. And believe me, sellers are liars. They will look you in the eye and tell you that everything works, they are only selling because they don't have time to use it, it's been kept under cover the entire time they've had it, yada yada. Be skeptical, be very very skeptical.
Also, know how much to spend. Another surprising fact about purchasing a used camper from an individual vs. a dealer is that you may end up paying more for that camper when purchasing from an individual. Individual's tend to price their campers at NADA Retail Value. However, dealers generally sell well below NADA retail value, so you may in fact get better deals from dealers.
But, here are some pictures and a story....it's the same story that I hear on a weekly basis. Young couple wants to start camping. They find a used camper on a FSBO lot...it looks like it is in excellent condition. It is owned by a little old couple. They say "everything on it works, it's been kept under shelter, we don't use it enough so we're selling it". Young couple thinks "wow, what a steal!" Price seems to be right at about $8,000. This camper would have sold for probably $10,000 on a dealers lot.
They get it home and then they notice that the floor feels a bit soft underneath the rear bunks....but how could that be??? The little old couple SWORE that everything was in great condition. So, they take it in to an RV dealership for an estimate on repairs. Turns out that the entire back end of the camper is rotted out as well as a good part of the side of the camper. Cost to repair....$5,000. So....they didn't get such a good deal, did they? That $8,000 camper has turned into a $13,000 one, and once a camper has been torn apart for repairs like this, it will never be the same again. The ended up spending way more on this camper than they would have if they had bought it from a reputable dealer.
Looks Nice Right....
Yeah, Not so much once you look at the hidden damage...
These picture were taken after the vinyl flooring was taken up..the vinyl flooring was concealing all of this.
The exterior metal was removed to expose the rotted wood.
And, I'm always amazed that when a person buys a camper from a dealer they will insist that they be SHOWN that everything on it works. Yet, they will buy a camper from an individual without ever seeing it plugged in, never "seeing" that the fridge or Air Conditioner work. Why??? So many people get burned because they "trust" the complete strangers that they are buying from. If they only realized that a new RV fridge costs upwards of $1200, they might insist that the seller turn that fridge for them.
But, I guess my whole point is to shop smart. Know what you are buying. If you find a good deal from an individual, make sure it is a good deal and not a hidden disaster.
