RVs: New or Used?

Above, this is definitely used and for sale. Obviously, you wouldn't want to buy it. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When I was on the market for a RV three years ago, I didn't even consider buying used. I figured that I didn't want to "inherit" someone else's problems and I wanted a RV that was new and fully warrantied.

Plus, I had the money to afford it. I looked around and settled on the Winnebago Minnie Winnie 22R.

Now, three years later, I don't regret my decision and purchase. It has been problem-free. The only "problem" was that the bathroom roof vent cover glued itself shut and the cranking mechanism gave way when I tried opening it. It was fixed under warranty.

There are those of "my generation" who are retired or about to retire and are considering buying a RV.

Should they buy new or used?

Do It Yourself RV argues for buying used. I don't necessarily agree with them, although they do have made good points.

The begin with:

So you have made the decision to buy an RV and now the search is on for the perfect rig, but are you going to go for a new or used RV? 

There are many things to consider like your personal preference, style, brand, reviews, ratings, floor plan, color, amount of people in your family, length, slides or no slides, Class C Class A, fifth wheel, or trailer… it’s enough to make your head spin. And then there is the biggest factor of all: MONEY. 

For most people money usually rules the roost when buying an RV, so the decision of how much to spend will likely be a big part in the deciding factor on which rig you’ll be driving and traveling in. 

The amount that some of these Class A and fifth wheels are going for can be enough to have you running off the dealer’s lot, but lucky for you there is another option that is much less expensive and in our opinion results in a much better overall RVing experience… buying a used RV. 

We have been living full-time in an RV for four years now and have never owned a brand new RV, or a brand new anything for that matter. When it came time to buy our first RV there was never a thought about where or how we were going to buy it. 

It was going to be a used RV and bought directly from the owner. The amount of used RVs out in the market for sale is probably the same or even more as the amount of new RVs for sale, so finding the right rig wasn’t a problem for us and shouldn’t be a problem for you. 

We understand that there are some people who just love to buy new things that are modern and shiny and come with a warranty, and if that’s your thing then good for you! Go for it! But if you are looking for the best deal on a dependable rig (or are just curious because you can’t imagine why anyone would WANT to buy a used RV over a new RV) then read on and we’ll share with you our used RV wisdom.

To read more, go here.