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The popularity of owning an RV for travel is soaring for obvious reasons. Industry insiders and analyst agree that the sales and use of RVs is seeing a wave of growth. Yet this also creates a set of issues for the potential buyer that need to be addressed. If you are not careful, you can be pulled into false expectations about your new RV that may cause considerable disappointment. In this video we will bring 5 cautions to those considering an RV – things that you should be aware of before taking the plunge.
Let’s consider the 5 cautions:
1. Be Cautious About Pricing
Increased demand will usually mean higher prices. RV manufactures stopped production for a time. Average selling price of towables for May 2020 was $17,506, up $2,840 YoY (+19.4%). New units will likely be difficult to find. Be aware of what “new” means as you can find 2019, 2020 or 2021 variants in the same year on dealer lots.
Tip: With RVs, manufacturer suggested price is almost always negotiable. On average a 20-30% discount is normal, more so on older model years sitting on dealer lots. Look on RVTrader.com for pricing before talking to dealers.
2. Be Cautious About Build Quality
Increase in demand means fast ramp up of factory production. Rememebr that it’s difficult to quickly train workers. Also, remember that RVs are hand crafted vs automobiles which have much automation in the production process.
There are some very experienced people working building RVs, but large demand upticks mean new people have to be brought in. Your meal is only as good as the cook working that day. My 2020 Keystone Bullet 243BHS has about the best cabinetry I’ve seen with little construction debris and great fit and finish. However, the window and appliance installs were not the best.
Tip: Level-set your expectation of quality. It’s better to expect that you will have some basic quality issue to address under warranty vs thinking the trailer will be perfect. Go into it planning for this and you may be pleasantly surprised.
3. Be Cautious About Used Trailers
With so many people wanting RVs, it’s an ideal time to sell a less-than-best used unit to a newbie buyer. Some used trailer issues are very difficult to diagnose. If you are new to RVing, get someone seasoned to help or get very informed before buying a used RV. It may be difficult to negotiate on price for a quality used trailer since many used units have considerable upgrades and many have had the kinks worked out. The owner paid dearly to dial in the trailer and will not negotiate.
Tip: Before you decide on used, make sure you understand the model you want, watch video reviews, check out the various forums, and ask questions about the model. Discover weak areas. In fact, until you know the weaknesses of that particular model, you are likely not ready to buy it used. A potential forum question would be, “Hi, I’m new to the group and researching models. For those who have an R-Pod 179, what would you say are the weak areas?” We do have a used RV buying guide video on the channel.
4. Be Cautious About Your Camping Expectations
TSA checkpoint numbers are down 70+% YOY. People are not traveling by air. Thor did a 20k survey in April/May 2020 and found 94% of people still plan on taking vacations in 2020. There is huge pent-up demand to get away from the house. The first thing people will likely do is travel by car to points of interest. RVs play into this dynamic incredibly well, given the ability to social distance, thus the sharp increase in demand. Buying an RV is one thing, using it is another. It is important to understand that there is already a shortage of campgrounds. With a sharp increase in new RV buyers, this will likely make booking campsites more difficult.
Tip: Begin to learn about the tools available to plan RV travel. Sites like Campendium.com, AllStays.com have tools to help plan travel.
We also have a video on finding a good campsite to help out: Finding a Good Campsite
5. Be Cautious About Your Travel Expectations
There may be restrictions while you travel. On the road you may find limited functioning rest stops and also may find restrictions at big-box stores. You may also have to deal with the possibility of quarantine depending on where you are going. There also may be social distancing issues at campground at check-ins, using the bathhouse, on trails and beaches, playgrounds, dog parks and at concessions and camp stores. You may also find social distancing issues locally where you travel to, including getting groceries, dining out, and at tourist attractions.
Tip: Level-set your expectations about what you will and won’t enjoy as you travel by RV in 2020. There may be restrictions, including at rest stops along the way. My recommendation is to do a shorter trip closer to home prior to an extended trip in another state.
All the best on your camping endeavors!
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