Doing Your Homework

Now that you have an idea of how you are going to use your RV and what amenities you would like, it is time to narrow down your choices.  Whether you are buying new or you plan to buy a used RV, one of the first places that I would suggest you start is at your local RV dealerships where there is a large concentration of RVs to look at in one place.  Another great place to look is at RV or outdoors shows that are being held in your area.  Often you will find these shows in the winter months when it is slower at the RV dealerships and they are looking to build excitement for the spring selling season.  Often you can find good deals at these shows also, especially on the models they are using for the show.   Be careful however, not to make an impulse buy.  Always do your homework first.  It can save you thousands.   

As you are going around to dealerships and shows don’t let the pressure of the salesmen get to you.  They will always be looking to make a sale right away and to lock you into a deal as soon as possible.  It is better to be cautious and to do your homework.  There will always be a deal on the table when you are looking to buy as long as you are not looking at a model that is in short supply and in high demand.

As you look around the goal is to take note of the floor plans, amenities, and features that you like.   What you will find is that many different RV companies have the same or similar floor plans with slight variations.  Again, it is important not to make an impulse buy.  You still need to check on quality and find the best deal before you buy.  As you look around you will also get a feeling for the quality of the vehicle.  Make sure to spend an hour or more, if you can, in the models that you would consider buying.  Open the drawers, sit in the chairs for a while, lie on the bed, check the location of the TV from where you would sit.  If you find a floor plan that you like but you are not impressed with the quality of the vehicle, chances are you are going to find another brand RV with a similar floor plan that may be of better quality.  If you are buying a used RV, this is still worth doing.  Models do not change dramatically from year to year.  If you find a brand new model that you like, chances are good that you can find a used RV of the same brand and floor plan.

Once you have narrowed down your choices to a model or two that you would consider buying, it is time to check on quality.  There are several ways to do this:

Out of all these options it is my opinion that option #3 is your best bet.  Since it isn’t always easy to find RV owners in your hometown with the exact brand or model that you are thinking of buying, turning to the World Wide Web can be extremely beneficial.  There are several sites on the web with reviews; however, your best bet is to get on some of the more popular discussion boards and do a search for the brand and model of RV for which you are looking.  Often you will find owners talking about issues and problems they have had or talking about the things they love about their model RV.  If you cannot find information on the model that you are thinking of purchasing, then post your own message looking for information on that model.  You will find that the RV community is very helpful.  Even if you don’t get feedback on your particular model, you can seek information about the brand.  Doing this will give you a good feeling for the quality of the model you are looking at and the issues you can anticipate having.  When we were considering a new 5th wheel and had it narrowed down to two separate brands, I spent many hours on the boards seeking information from other owners.  As it turns out, the brand that I was leaning toward received a lot of negative feedback from other owners.  As a result, I ended up purchasing the other brand and loving it.

Some good sites for doing your homework are:

• www.rvreviews.com
• www.rv.net (go to the forums under RV Community)

 

Part 5 - So You're Ready to Buy

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