Thank you for reading our post, please rate this article at the end.
Last Updated on November 21, 2024 by Paul Clayton
Table of Contents
16 Shrewd Tips for Buying a Used Travel Trailer
Generally, buying a used RV is more inexpensive than buying a new one. The problem is that some RV dealerships and sellers can be sleazy in their pricing, and if you make an impulsive purchase decision, you’re easy to take advantage of.
Key Takeaways
-
- Play Hard: Be prepared to walk away if the deal doesn’t meet your expectations—this strategy often compels salespeople to reconsider their offers.
- Talk Less: Avoid revealing too much information during negotiations; let the dealer make the first move.
- Stay Detached: Avoid emotional attachment to a specific RV, which can lead to a less favorable deal.
- Be Patient: The RV market is dynamic, and waiting can often result in better deals as prices drop.
- Cash Strategy: Keep your payment method ambiguous to leverage better offers, especially regarding financing.
- Avoid Financing Pitfalls: Due to interest rates and fees, financing can be costlier than paying in cash—opt for cash when possible.
- Research Extensively: Understand pricing trends for your desired RV model and use tools like RVTrader to find competitive prices.
- Choose Buying Locations Wisely: RV trade shows, new dealerships, and struggling dealers often offer better deals.
- Online vs. In-Person: Online shopping offers convenience, but physical dealership visits allow for more direct negotiations.
- Timing Matters: Negotiate during off-peak seasons or at the end of the month for better deals.
- Focus on “Out the Door” Pricing: Avoid hidden fees by negotiating an all-inclusive price.
- Know Your RV Details: Research the RV model you want to purchase thoroughly.
- Treat as a Car Purchase: Use car-buying strategies like researching discounts and competing offers.
- Learn About the Dealer: Understanding dealership priorities can give you an edge during negotiations.
- Leverage Add-Ons: Negotiate for better deals on warranties, insurance, and additional features.
- Get Professional Help: If negotiating isn’t your strength, consider hiring a professional negotiator.
It’s a shameful practice, but there are no rules in the purchase process. Most predatory RV dealerships know that, ultimately, their high-pressure tactics will work and yield them more money.
So, how do you outsmart any RV salesman for the best dealership ever?
In the guide below, I’ll share some of the key negotiation skills and techniques I used to purchase used travel trailers for a great price.
Read on!
16 Tips for Negotiating a Great Deal on a Used Trailer Purchase
1) Play Hard
If negotiating a used RV is like negotiating for a car, you’ll hardly get a good deal unless you’re ready to walk out.
It’s either you play hard or get bent over; it’s the rule of the game, sorry. Always remember that all salespersons are out to get you regardless of how sweet their smiles are and how reasonable their communication is.
So, if the conversation doesn’t go your way and they can’t meet your expectations, be prepared to walk away.
Walking away usually makes salespeople nervous because they know you might get a better deal. Several times, an RV salesman approached me as I backed off their parking lot, asking what we could do for the deal I had proposed earlier.
2) Be Conservative and Talk Less
There’s an old saying that whoever talks first loses the most. Of course, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t talk, but be wary of talking yourself out of a deal.
Sometimes, you slip things the dealer will use against you during a negotiation. For example, if you say, “I need an X-priced trailer but could also consider price Y.” Guess what? Your price Y, or if not a little more, becomes their lowest price for your particular coach, and yet you could have gotten it for X amount or lower if you had stood firm.
3) Don’t Get Emotionally Attached To A Product
I’m in the sales department of a blue-chip software company, and over the years, I’ve learned a lot from buyers of large corporations.
One of those things is that you should never become attached or obsessed with a particular product. Once you become fixated on a particular RV, the salesperson will take advantage of that because you’ll have limited options.
You must always remind yourself that there are other similar and awesome products. And when the time comes to press on the price, don’t let them push you into an alternative model if you can’t match the price of a particular RV.
The other thing is never to act negotiating for a particular rig as a big game; otherwise, the salesperson will catch on and feel the need to “win.”
4) Don’t Be in a Rush
RVs are luxury items. You don’t need one; you want it. So, you can always wait; you might get a better-quality option at a huge discount with time.
The other thing is the RV market is starting to become a buyer’s market. Most dealerships have a backlog of pre-Covid inventory. All the guys who purchased RVs because of COVID-19 and found out RVing isn’t for them are fire-selling their RVs.
It’s also worth waiting and speculating on private sellers’ prices of used RVs. For example, I have been looking for a motorcoach since last year.
I saw an ad on the FB marketplace that was going for 15k. I kept an eye on it; weeks later, it dropped to 13k. I would just log into the FB marketplace and check on it and others, and I noticed that with time, the prices would drop every few weeks.
So, take your time, and don’t be in a hurry. Wait until the prices drop to your expectation.
5) Never let the salesman know you’re paying cash
Once clients get financing, dealerships usually get a cut from the banks or lending institutions. Financing is usually more lucrative and profitable than selling the unit itself.
Therefore, you’ll likely get a better deal if you make them think you’ll also finance them.
So, be coy when negotiating for your RV, and don’t be upfront about the method you’ll use to pay. During the negotiation, work on them to give you an out-of-the-door price in writing before making the purchase.
You must always get a signed price before payment, whether in cash or finance.
6) Don’t Buy the Financing Thing
I don’t buy into finance. It’s a helpful way to purchase a trailer, especially when financially strapped, but it’s ultimately costlier.After all, why do you think the dealers are willing to take the risk and hassle involved, including a complete transaction that may end up back on their lot?
You’re always spending much more on financing, especially interest rates, warranties, etc.
So, unless you must take financing for your RV purchase, I suggest cash payment for a smooth, complete transaction.
If anything, financing is getting more complicated nowadays, especially for non-essential and luxury items. I’ve spoken with a finance guy who told me getting RV financing is hard unless you have multiple lines of credit and a perfect score.
7) Research Prices of Used RVs
The next important negotiation tip is understanding your choice of RV, precisely the “right” price for a particular configuration and make. Also, understand how much discount people get on the RV and the absolute highest price you’re willing to pay.
There are several ways to determine a reasonable price for an RV. You could start by contacting all the RV dealerships in your area and finding the lowest price. Then, play the dealerships after each other to get a deal price.
You could also get a quote from Jeff Couch’s RV Nation. Dealers usually get pissed when they know you’ve one.
I usually get a reasonable quote for a particular RV by downloading the RVTrader app and performing a national search for the same year, make, model, and specifications.
Then, find the average price. You could also sort by the lowest price for your particular coach.
Of course, the prices aren’t standard nationwide and will depend on the trailer’s condition, but it should give you a reference of what to base your offer on. With technology, I don’t see the need to haggle the old-fashioned way.
8) Where to Buy
Where you buy your RV may determine whether you’ll get a deal for your RV.
One of the locations where you’re likely to get great pricing for your RV is at the RV trade shows. I attend many shows and have spent quality time with a few retail customers, and I know that most vendors will offer discounts on show models so they don’t have to transport their merchandise back.
New dealerships are also another great location to find RVs at discounted prices. For a year or two, the dealerships in the market are willing to offer discounted prices to create a positive rapport. They also can’t afford to turn you away.
Large dealerships tend to make more on sales because they usually get a little extra volume incentive and can absorb the fixed overhead. It’s not always true, but it’s common in most cases.
Finally, consider the struggling dealerships. These are likely to play ball, especially if they have aged RVs on their lots that should be disposed of. Remember that the aged units hardly mature well on used RV lots.
9) Go Online?
There are two main ways to negotiate for a used RV: online, by signing the paperwork, or at the dealer.
I’ve done it both ways and don’t necessarily have a preference.
I first suggest you buy local, but consider expanding your search nationwide. See, RVs aren’t like cars. For example, you can always find a Prius or Mustang for every couple of car dealerships you visit locally. Still, you’ll never find a Winnebago Dutch Star at every local dealership.
But there’s something about going to the dealer and having a physical preference. The salespeople have more intimate contact with you and don’t want to see you walking off the lot. That’s a benefit for you when you show up physically to a dealer to purchase an RV.
On the other hand, doing the RV negotiation puts less pressure on you. But it’s also a lot less pressure for the dealer. A quick phone call requesting a quotation will not yield the same results as going down to look for a good physical price. And from experience, the internet is mainly about moving volume, and price negotiations are harder.
Shopping physically is also a nice excuse to visit new places so that the basement prices drop significantly.
10) Timing is Key
Timing may also determine whether you get a huge discount for your trailer. For example, a season, such as a summer, isn’t a seasonally good negotiating timeframe. It’s a season of selling, not buying RVs.
The best time to make an offer is at the end of the month, off-season because most sales teams are paid monthly commissions.
I’d recommend not picking up your RV on Saturdays or national holidays. Most dealerships close their service department by noon, and there is usually insufficient staff to give you all the necessary attention.
So, when doing your final walk-through, you might find missing items on the checklist. The dealership might trick you into thinking you should return it another day.
Don’t fall for this. You must ensure your checklist is complete before you leave the lot. Otherwise, they’ll screw your warranty time once you pay them by holding your RV for “months” as they wait for a “replacement” part.
11) Negotiate “Out the Door” Price Only
When negotiating the price of a used RV, you must ensure it is the “out the door” price.
A big problem with most RV dealers is they drastically cut the rig’s price and then get extra money from you in the form of added fees, financing, documentation fees, etc.
Tell them the price you’re negotiating is, out the door, with taxes, license, fees, and everything included. They usually add up these fees to make up for their loss.
After paying for your motorcoach, the only fees you should have are the tax/license and an acceptable documentation fee. I wouldn’t pay more than $200 for the documentation fee.
Also, be wary of the extra warranties. Most are usually worthless. And if you’re planning to get an extended warranty, you must do it before the purchase.
But always think twice about the extended RV warranties. They’re not like car warranties, and you could be without your trailers for months on end, waiting for parts or time to fix them.
12) Know the Details of your RV
Purchasing an RV doesn’t have to be a negative experience. To minimize the pain in the RV purchase experience, educate yourself.
Go to the negotiation table fully armed, knowing your facts and everything about your choice of campervan you want to purchase.
You’d be surprised that many salesmen may not know the specifics of your RV. This is not necessarily a knock against them, but it might be a +1 on your side.
In particular, you should know a fair discount in your region and the maximum amount you’re willing to pay.
13) Treat the RV Purchase as a Car Purchase
I love negotiating and always treat my RV purchase experience like a car. While it’s not similar, considering the amount, the purchase principles are all the same, and there’s no need to beat yourself.
14) Know your Dealer
Learning about the dealership or salesperson also makes sense when going to the negotiation table. There are different styles of salespeople, and you must find their motivations. For example, some dealers try to move as much inventory as possible, while others sell fewer units at a higher price.
15) Capitalize on the Add Ons
Add-ons, such as GAP insurance and warranties, are some areas where you can make significant negotiation headway.
Get an insurance quotation from your provider and then ask for a counteroffer through the dealer. It’s usually cheaper and leverages the RV price ECT.
16) Pay Someone
If negotiating isn’t your forte, you could pay someone. Some guys do it professionally.
If you have a friend or family member who would be comfortable being your voice, it could help reduce the stress and hassle of the negotiation.
This video has been included to clarify the topic. Credit goes to The RV Dummy and Travel Channel
Wrap Up
Buying a used travel trailer requires careful planning, patience, and negotiation savvy. By staying informed, leveraging timing, and using strategic negotiation tactics, you can secure a favorable deal while avoiding pitfalls like hidden fees or overpriced financing. Whether you’re an experienced buyer or new to RV ownership, these tips can guide you toward a smart and rewarding purchase. Happy RVing!
