If you’ve been thinking about buying an RV lately, you more than likely have been trying to decide between a new or used RV.
And while there is no one right answer for everyone and there are many benefits to buying a new RV.
There are actually many reasons why buying a used RV is actually better than buying a new one.
So let’s take a look at all the reasons why buying a used RV is a good idea and in many cases a better choice than buying a new one.
Used RVs Cost Substantially Less than New RVs
The number one advantage of buying a used RV over a new one is the money you save buying used, which is often substantial.
The thing to remember here is that RVs are a depreciating asset and because of this new RVs quickly lose a lot of their value.
In fact, if you were to buy a new RV, the moment you drove the RV off the lot, you would actually lose around 20% of the RVs value thanks to depreciation.
But how much money can you really save buying a used RV over a new one?
To find out, let’s take a look at some specific RV examples, to see the actual price difference between the new version and the used version of the RV.
Price Difference Between Specific New and Used RVs
| Model | Type of RV | New Price | Used Price | Savings |
| Winnebago Vista | Class A Motorhome | $108,694 | $62,900 (2013 Version) | $45,794 |
| Thor Motor Coach Hurricane 29M | Class A Motorhome | $101,942 | $86,902 (2018 Version) | $15,040 |
| Winnebago Minnie Winnie 26 | Class C Motorhome | $131,251 | $63,900 (2018 Version) | $67,351 |
| Coachmen Freelander | Class C Motorhome | $83,995 | $47,000 (2016 Version) | $36,995 |
| Jayco Jay Flight SLX 174BH | Travel Trailer | $19,450 | $13,400 (2019 Version) | $6,050 |
| Forest River R-Pod 179 | Travel Trailer | $24,995 | $13,975 (2017 Version) | $11,020 |
As you can see, there can be a huge price difference between a new RV and a used RV, even if the used RV is only a few years old.
For example, the Winnebago Minnie Winnie 26 from above, which is a very popular class C motorhome, has a price difference of $67,351 between the new and used version.
Even though the used Minnie Winnie is a 2018 model and is just a few years old.
Avoid Most of the Major Early Depreciation
While an RV will depreciate throughout its life, the quickest and most aggressive depreciation usually occurs within the first few years and then tapers off over time.
RV Depreciation
| Year 1 | 20% Off New Price |
| Year 2 | 25% Off New Price |
| Year 3 | 30% Off New Price |
| Year 4 | 35% Off New Price |
| Year 5 | 40% Off New Price |
| Year 10 | 50% Off New Price |
Because of this, there is actually a sweet spot when it comes to buying a used RV that provides the most amount of value.
To maximize your value when buying a used RV, you ideally want to buy one between 2 and 5 years old. As this will provide a good balance between cost savings and the age of the RV.
Allowing you to save a substantial amount on the purchase of the RV as well as avoid most of the major early depreciation.
While still keeping the RV new enough to avoid large repair issues that are often found on older RVs.
Because while it might be tempting to buy that 20-year-old RV for less than $10,000.
Any initial cost savings you might have saved by buying such an old RV will quickly get eaten up by the amount of money you are going to have to dump into an RV near the end of its physical life.
Also unless you can pay cash for an old RV, they are usually very challenging to finance, as banks usually will not loan on RVs older than 10 years.
Avoid Bugs and Issues that Often Plague New RVs
Most new RVs have many bugs and issues that have to be worked out over the first few years.
And while the RV is usually under warranty during this time, it still leads to a lot of inconvenience for the new RV owner, countless trips to the RV service center, as well as substantial downtime while the RV is being worked on.
So a great way to avoid all this hassle and downtime is to purchase a used RV that is beyond those first few years of troubleshooting and bug fixes.
When Buying a Used RV You Have More to Choose From
If you’re buying a new RV, you only have that particular year’s model to choose from on the RV dealer’s lot, which can greatly reduce the number of choices and options available to you.
Whereas if you buy a used RV you have many years of RVs to choose from, which often include many different layouts, floorplans, and color schemes.
Making it much easier to find that perfect RV that fits all or most of your wants and needs, as well as your RV lifestyle.
As RV manufacturers are constantly experimenting and trying new designs and layouts each year on their RV brands, to stay up to date with the latest trends and wants of RV buyers.
You Can Take a Used RV Home With You that Day
Regardless of the type of new RV you choose, the manufacturer of that RV will more than likely make several different versions of that particular RV.
For example, the Rockwood Geo Pro Travel Trailer by Forest River actually comes in 13 different models in all different lengths as well as floorplans.
And while some of the larger RV dealers do carry several different models and floorplans, no RV dealer will carry every model, floorplan, and color scheme available for a particular RV.
This means if you’re looking for a specific make and model, you are more than likely going to have to wait weeks or even months, while the RV dealer tracks one down from another dealer or orders one from the manufacturer.
But when you buy a used RV, what you see on the lot is what you get.
So while you might not be able to get the exact RV you want when buying a used one.
It more than makes up for it by eliminating all the waiting, allowing you to buy the RV and drive it off the lot the same day.
Used RVs Often Include Extra Accessories
While new RVs will usually come with a few basic accessories from the manufacturer, like a water and sewer hose.
If you buy a new RV, there are many things you will have to buy before you hit the road.
However, when you buy a used RV often times the previous owner will leave a lot of accessories they purchased for the RV that they either no longer need or only specifically fit that RV such as an RV cover or tire covers, a water pressure regulator, additional hoses, kitchen items, toilet chemicals, and even a built-in vacuum or dustpan and broom.
And while none of these items are extremely costly, if they are already in the RV, they can really add up to a lot of saving overall.
Used RVs May Include Upgrades and Added Features
Another reason why it can be a good idea to buy a used RV is that used RVs often come with upgrades and added features that didn’t come on the RV originally when it was new.
This is because it’s not uncommon for RV owners to make upgrades and improvements to the RV while they owned it, to make the RV more enjoyable and easier to use.
And the great thing for you when you buy the RV used is that you get the benefits of all these upgrades and added features without having to pay for them.
Which might include things like an upgraded mattress, additional LED lighting, lithium batteries, solar panels, or a cellphone or wifi range extender.
Buying a Used RV from a Dealer Leaves Lots of Room for Negotiation
It is usually much easier to get a good deal on a used RV compared to a new one at an RV dealer.
The main reason for this is new inventory at an RV dealership is purchased directly from the RV manufacturer at a fixed wholesale price that is often not much less than what the dealer can sell it to the end customer for.
While used inventory at an RV dealer is typically purchased at a very steep discount either directly from an individual or as a trade-in when a customer bought a new RV.
The reason why this matters to you when you are hunting for a good deal on an RV is that an RV dealer usually has much less invested as well as a much bigger profit margin to work with when they sell a used RV as opposed to a new one.
So while you can always get something off the sticker price at an RV dealer regardless of whether you are buying new or used, you can usually get a much steeper discount on their used inventory.
Buying Used May Allow You to Pay Cash and Save a Lot on Financing
Let’s face it, there is nothing cheap about buying an RV, as most new motorhomes can quickly reach and often exceed $100,000.
This means for most new RV buyers they will have to finance a portion if not all of the RV, leading to large interest and financing costs which can often add thousands of dollars to the cost of the RV.
But one way to avoid some or even all of these high RV financing costs is to buy a used RV instead of a new one, which is often tens of thousands of dollars cheaper.
Allowing you to pay a larger portion or even the whole purchase price in cash, saving you thousands of dollars due to the reduced or elimination of financing costs.
Used RVs are a Great Way to Get into RVing
Used RVs are a great way to try RVing, as it requires much less cost compared to buying a new one.
Allowing RV beginners just starting out to try RVing to see if it’s a good fit.
And because used RVs tend to hold their value well and are not subject to huge amounts of depreciation like new RVs are.
If you decide the RV lifestyle is not right for you, you can usually turn around and quickly sell the used RV for close to what you have in it.
As opposed to buying a new RV and finding out you don’t like it, which will often require you to eat tens of thousands of dollars, if you decide to sell the new RV shortly after you buy it.
Warranties on New RVs are Very Short and Not Worth Much
If your main reason for buying a new RV is because the new RV will come with a warranty, be forewarned that RV warranties are not usually all that great and are very short.
Unlike cars that might have a 3 or even a 5 year bumper-to-bumper warranty, the industry standard for RV warranties is only one year.
And while a one-year warranty is better than nothing, you are often paying a huge premium for a new RV just to get a very limited and short 1 year RV warranty.
Used RVs have Cheaper Insurances Costs
Whether you are insuring a car or an RV the more expensive the vehicle is, the more expensive the insurance and monthly premium will be to insure it.
So if you want to save on monthly bills and insurance cost you should consider buying a used RV as they are much cheaper to insure compared to a new RV due to their lower cost of replacement.
Avoid RV Dealer’s and High-Pressure Salespeople
While there are good RV dealerships and salespeople out there, oftentimes one of the worst things about buying an RV is the process you have to go through to buy one at an RV dealer.
Which can involve lots of stressful back and forth negotiations, high-pressure salespeople and techniques, and mysterious and vague charges and fees.
And while some people might thrive in this environment and even enjoy the game, for most of us, this type of experience leaves us feeling confused, stressed, and even angry.
This is why one big advantage to buying a used RV is that you can avoid the RV dealership altogether if you choose and buy your used RV directly from an individual.
Older RVs Have Better Build Quality Compared to Newer RVs
While newer RVs will often have more high-tech features such as led lighting, solar panels, and automation.
What newer RVs often lack is the build quality that existed on older RVs.
As RV manufacturers continue to find ways to cut costs and cheapen their products to reduce their manufacturing costs and to help improve their profit margins.
This lack of build quality on newer RVs is most obvious in the fit and finish of the RV.
As it’s not uncommon to see all sorts of cosmetic as well as fit and finish issues on a brand new RV including, unfinished and exposed edges on countertops and cabinets, misaligned cabinet drawers and doors, poorly constructed furniture, and even poor weather sealing and caulking on the exterior of the RV, which can often lead to water issues down the road.
So if you’re looking for an RV that has good built quality often the best place to find this is in used and older RVs.
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