Best state and time to buy RV

[urbanhermit70]

Where is the best state to buy RV?
When is the best time to buy RV (Spring,Fall,Winter or Summer) ?


I live in California and  I check out Craigslist,RVT and RVtrader?

 

[hepcat]

Are you buying new or used?

If you're buying new, probably around the middle of December to the middle of January will get you the best deal at a dealership in most places.

If you're buying used, the time to buy is when you find the coach you want for the money you're willing to spend. You pay taxes in the state you register the RV in, so where you buy it really doesn't make too much difference. Although I've heard that some states make you pay sales tax now, and the state you register in may also charge "road use" tax or something... so you might want to check that out before you buy a new RV out of state. A used one, of course, you just take home and register.

 

[DuneElliot]

Many people want to off-load an RV at the end of the usable season, so beginning of Fall thru winter, as they don't want to have to winterize or store it and pay for the upkeep. You have the upper-hand at that point in negotiations, which of course depends on how badly they want to not deal with it through the winter season.

Spring is when people are gearing up for a season of RVing/camping etc which is when more people will be looking to buy. At that point the sellers have the upper-hand. This all comes down to supply and demand.

As to which states are best to buy from, it all depends. Since most RVs aren't hauled around in the winter there is less to worry about with salt and rust on the frame. Humidity from coastal and mid-west states may have caused problems over the years if you buy used, but it depends how it was taken care of. Knowing the kinds of places the previous owner(s) camped with it would seem to be more important.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I have heard that Florida, and, I suppose Arizona, can be the best places to look for used RVs.  The theory is that when elderly full-timers get too old to stay on the road, those are the states where they will settle down and find a sticks & bricks living situation.  Therefor, that's where their no-longer-needed RV will be put up for sale.

And basic Law of Supply and Demand theory suggests that if there are a lot of units in one area, the competition will drive the prices lower.

 

[DesertDweller]

We found ours in California, and we live in Arizona. Seems to me that people in AZ think their rigs are worth waaaay more than actual value (and don't get me started with dealerships, who were going to tax us $1,600 on the sale!). We found a pristine class A RV from a private party, which normally retails for about 17-18K for just 10K. Yes, it took hours and hours of daily research to find this gem, but they are out there. This one is WAY nicer than anything we looked at in AZ. Yes, it was from an elderly lady who decided to get rid of it, since her husband had passed.

 

[CautionToTheWind]

From a volume standpoint, hot summer in southern arizona and cold/snow climates elsewhere in winter for midwest/east. I watched a youtube station the other day stating inventory push is November thru February. When there are no customers, that's your time. If new, Quartzsite or Yuma AZ in the summer...h-o-t = great time!

 

[caretaker]

I've noticed a slight up tick on ebay,rvt,rvtrader the last week, the snow birds are back home roosting, but to answer your Q it seems like spring for about a month, then for a few weeks mid/late summer.

 

[Justal]

We found ours in California, and we live in Arizona. Seems to me that people in AZ think their rigs are worth waaaay more than actual value (and don't get me started with dealerships, who were going to tax us $1,600 on the sale!). We found a pristine class A RV from a private party, which normally retails for about 17-18K for just 10K. Yes, it took hours and hours of daily research to find this gem, but they are out there. This one is WAY nicer than anything we looked at in AZ. Yes, it was from an elderly lady who decided to get rid of it, since her husband had passed.

If you don't mind me asking, what sites did you go to when you did your hours and hours of searching to find your perfect RV?  I am just starting out for the first time, so eager to hear from those with experience??
Justal