Practical Buying Tips When Purchasing an RV

From: Jeff Radich

Now that you have conquered all the important decisions and decided on that one make and model of your dream vacation home, it’s time to show you how to make a deal that will save you thousands. But before I share that information with you, I’m going to show you what not to do.

There are plenty of little-known secrets and tips that you can use to your advantage if you are aware. Things like the best and worst times to buy your RV and the number one mistake that prospective buyers make. By writing this chapter, I hope to prevent you from making some very costly, though all too common, mistakes.

Because everyone is an expert these days, you could probably go online and find differing opinions on some of these tips. For example, I’ve had many people tell me that there is no best time to buy an RV. While this might be true, in light of the Internet and the competitive wars, there still can be better times to buy, say from a local RV dealer who has a year-end clear out sale.

The Absolute Best and Worst Times to Buy an RV

When is the best time to buy an RV? Is September a better time to buy than June? Is winter better than summer? Will you get a better deal at the beginning of the month or at the end of the month?

If you follow the method I describe in Chapter 10, you can save thousands of dollars, no matter what time of the month or the year you buy. However, there are certain times when a dealer might be more, or less, inclined to consider your offer and make a good deal.

One of the times when a dealer might be more anxious to deal is in the last 10 days of the month. That’s because they want to maximize each month’s sales figures. This is even more the case if they are doing a little under par that month; then, any last-minute deal, no matter how large or small the profit, will make their sales figures look better.

August and September are excellent months to purchase year-end clearance units. As the new coaches start to arrive in August, the sales staff migrates to the new models and forgets last year’s models. That’s because even though these units are brand new, they are also now a year old. Their value is less in the NADA guide, and you will take a much lower depreciation hit when you drive it off the lot because some of the depreciation was absorbed by the dealer when it turned a year old.

Another benefit to purchasing a current year’s model after the upcoming year’s models have arrived is that the manufacturer offers customer and dealer incentives to move these units. These incentives can add up to thousands of dollars in cash rebates or discount financing.

The months of December and January are notoriously slow for the RV dealer. One reason for this is that the public has turned its attention to the holidays and is busy with gift shopping and family plans. It is also because in most parts of the country the weather has turned cold and stormy, so people are less likely to be thinking about traveling around the country in an RV.

For that same reason, as the weather starts to warm up and people begin to plan their summer vacations, their attention is more focused on purchasing an RV to travel in. RV sales pick up in June, July and August; since the dealer’s sales figures are up these months, they are not as “needy” to take a low offer.

Another good time to buy is at the end of the year. During that time, the dealer wants to get rid of old inventory so they don’t have to pay taxes on it, which makes them more willing to deal.

The Number One Most Costly Mistake RV Buyers Make and How to Avoid It

I’ve seen this scenario far too many times. For several years, a couple has been dreaming about buying their first RV, about the freedom of taking off for parts unknown. They have put a little money aside and finally have enough to realize this dream.

What’s the first thing they do? Knowing little about RVs and wanting to get as much information as possible in one place, they go to an RV show. You seen them advertised on television and in the newspapers. They are a big dog-and-pony show, complete with food, entertainment, and activities designed to entice you and your family to come out for the day.

Of course, the real reason for an RV show is to sell you on an RV on the spot. One of the ways that dealers do this is to create a sense of urgency. “These RVs are specially priced just for the show, and the price will go up as soon as the show is over,” “we will only sell it as this price so we don’t have to pay to ship it back to the dealership,” or “you will never find this RV at this price again” are common, though highly deceptive, claims.

If a dealer pays thousands of dollars to go into a show and pays to advertise the show, how can he cut prices? He can’t. Selling from the lot is much more efficient for the dealer because it reduces the dealer’s overhead.

The bottom line is to contain your enthusiasm and slow down. You don’t have to buy anything in a rush. You wouldn’t buy a house on a “bargain day,” so why would you buy an RV that way? Take your time; follow the advice in this guide, and you will be rewarded with huge savings when you purchase your dream RV.

Jeff Radich is a professional research writer and active RV enthusiast.

For more information about picking the perfect RV for your family, please visit: http://www.rvinsidersguide.com

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