Buy a Used Motor Home
When you are thinking of buying a used recreational vehicle, you want to know that you are going to get a great RV that you can use for years to come. If you are not careful though, you may end up with nothing but a piece of junk that will not get you anywhere. By using a few tips, you will likely find that you not only get a great used RV, but you will be able to enjoy it for trip after trip.
Steps
- Do your retailer research. Look up local (and not so local) options for retailers.
- Ask around. The best way to find an honest, reputable RV dealer is by word of mouth.
- Use the Internet. Type the year, manufacturer and model of the recreational vehicle you are interested in. This will save you a lot of time sifting through all of the recreational vehicle websites.
- Let your local recreational vehicle dealer know what you are looking for. If they are interested in you, they will do a search to help you find that perfect RV.
- Use Craigslist. If your willing to travel, Craigslist can be an amazing tool to find your perfect RV at the perfect price.
- Check all maintenance records: Just like when you buy a car, buying a used recreational vehicle means that you need to make sure to check all the maintenance records. If there are none, do not waste your time. When the records are not kept, that might mean that the engine will not be in as good a shape as you would like. Do not be afraid about asking for the records, either. Anyone who is looking to sell their RV should be willing to provide them.
- Look past the appearance: You should be ready to look past the clean and dig deeper when you are considering buying a used recreational vehicle. A used RV will be clean when it is time to sell, but has not been maintained for the long term. Look in the crevices and smell past the cleaning supplies to the real odor of the RV. Also, look at the driver and passenger seats. You will often be able to tell how well maintained the vehicle was based off the seats.
- Get good advice: It is wise to take the RV you are interested in to someone before you make the final purchase. If you can, choose someone who knows about recreational vehicles. You might also want to consider getting a guidebook to teach you what to look for in a used RV so that you will not be taken for a ride.
- Set a budget: Once a budget is set, it is important to stick to it! If you're new to motor homing and this is your first motor home then it is wise to check out the prices from a variety of different dealers. This should help give you an idea of how much you should expect to spend on the vehicle.
- Remember though, that there are other costs involved when you purchase a motor home. You must make sure that you can afford to run the vehicle, so find out how much it costs to 'fill up' and remember, fuel prices are not going down! Other important considerations are: regular servicing costs, the cost of motor home insurance and in some cases the cost of storing your new vehicle.
- Try before you buy: If you've never driven a motor home or anything larger than a car then it is important that you try before you buy! Make sure you book your test drive(s) ahead of time to avoid being disappointed, and ensure you plan a route that includes various different types of driving; from motorway driving to city/town driving.
- Ensure there is a steep hill included, and try parking the vehicle - first timers can find parking larger vehicles tricky so be realistic about your abilities. If you find driving such a large vehicle difficult at this stage then it may well be worth considering something smaller.
