Need advice on long distance RV purchase

[43oswegatchie]

We are looking to purchase an RV from a private seller near Midland Texas. He purchased it for an oil engineering job there and now does not need it. It is a lightly used 2019 Grand Design Reflection 315 RLTS. We are placing it on a lot in Elkton, Oregon for now. I am currently in Beatty, NV and can't go grab it if we purchase it due to the fact I live full time in a truck camper which is on my rig. I can't tow with my camper on it. Preferably, we would like to purchase the rig with a small down payment, have it moved by an RV moving company to Oregon, and pay the balance due as a COD when delivered. Also, I would like to add a contingency of an inspection by me when it arrives in Oregon. It still has structural and roof warranty on it. He says there are no issues with the rig presently. Does this sound feasible and how have others done a purchase such as this. Also, since my partner worked in a bank for years, she is vigilant about scams. How  do we confirm he is the owner? We hate to send even a small down payment to him unless we can confirm that. He sent the purchase agreement from the RV dealer and the VIN number. I also have his license plate numder. Any ideas on how to confirm. Thanks, Scott
P.S. If I go pick it up, I have to tow it to Oregon, then drive back here to get my truck camper which I would have to store somewhere. It is a logistical hassle and an large economic cost. Not much more expensive to pay someone to deliver it. He is giving me the company contact that towed it for him to his site in Midland. It has been towed once 300 miles since he purchased it.

 

[Camper]

NEVER buy an RV without seeing it in person and holding the CLEAR TITLE in your hand, before paying anything.

 

[B and C]

I have never bought a vehicle sight unseen. This is not a small purchase. I once flew to California from Texas to check out a car (bought it and drove home). I was prepared to eat the price of the round trip ticket if I didn't buy it and did eat the price of the return ticket. I would fly out and check it out in person. Personally I would not ship mine anywhere with the promise of COD. Good luck with getting that approved.

Look at the title, VIN and drivers license.

You are close to Oregon now. Go drop the camper there and then go to midland if you aren't going to fly.

 

[43oswegatchie]

NEVER buy an RV without seeing it in person and holding the CLEAR TITLE in your hand, before paying anything.

Thanks for the feedback. We actually did buy the truck camper we have used for 3 and a half years sight unseen in 2017. It was in Wenachee, WA and we were still near Albany, NY getting ready to go full time. It worked out well in that instance. Maybe we were lucky?

 

[43oswegatchie]

I have never bought a vehicle sight unseen.  This is not a small purchase.  I once flew to California from Texas to check out a car (bought it and drove home).  I was prepared to eat the price of the round trip ticket if I didn't buy it and did eat the price of the return ticket.  I would fly out and check it out in person.  Personally I would not ship mine anywhere with the promise of COD.  Good luck with getting that approved.

Look at the title, VIN and drivers license.

You are close to Oregon now.  Go drop the camper there and then go to midland if you aren't going to fly.

Thanks for the feedback. I would understand his trepidation also. How about hiring an RV inspector to look it over prior to any money changing hands? I am 1000 miles from my Oregon destination still. Do you know if Uhaul or anyone else would have rentals for towing so that I could just tow it myself?

 

[desert_sailing]

So how about from the seller's view?

I would never jump through hoops for anyone to sell anything.... unless I was desperate to unload a burden.

A small down payment.. and then an inspection AFTER you have taken it OUT OF STATE??.. Are you going to refuse to pay if it doesn't meet your criteria on arrival??

Talk about being vigilent about scams.

If you have the plate and VIN you can confirm ownership.

There are hordes of campers..et al in the northwest. Save shipping costs and buy locally.

It's a sellers market and terms aren't dictated by the buyer.

 

[B and C]

U-Haul does one way rentals. Probably need at least their smallest moving truck to tow with.

https://www.uhaul.com/Truck-Rentals/

 

[43oswegatchie]

Thanks!

 

[43oswegatchie]

So how about from the seller's view?

I would never jump through hoops for anyone to sell anything.... unless I was desperate to unload a burden.

A small down payment.. and then an inspection AFTER you have taken it OUT OF STATE??.. Are you going to refuse to pay if it doesn't meet your criteria on arrival??

Talk about being vigilent about scams.

If you have the plate and VIN you can confirm ownership.

There are hordes of campers..et al in the northwest. Save shipping costs and buy locally.

It's a sellers market and terms aren't dictated by the buyer.

I know it's a seller's market right now. This actual model is not common for sale used. The NW only has one I can find and it's overpriced. What about hiring an inspection first as it sits?

 

[Cammalu]

I wouldn’t do that for anything. There are RV inspectors though that you can hire to check out everything.

If I was the seller I wouldn’t do that either. It wouldn’t leave my yard without being paid in full.

 

[43oswegatchie]

Thanks for the feedback. We actually did buy the truck camper we have used for 3 and a half years sight unseen in 2017. It was in Wenachee, WA and we were still near Albany, NY getting ready to go full time. It worked out well in that instance. Maybe we were lucky?

Actually, we did have a reputable RV inspector check it out for us prior to purchase and we also got insurance on  it while it was sitting there waiting for us to pick it up.

 

[43oswegatchie]

I wouldn’t do that for anything. There are RV inspectors though that you can hire to check out everything.

If I was the seller I wouldn’t do that either. It wouldn’t leave my yard without being paid in full.

I agree on the RV inspector. We did it previously and it worked out fine. We bought the camper, they held it, we insured it, and we eventually picked it up. That also guarantees that the seller is the actual owner I would think.

 

[mattvei]

look at an online escrow service. Papers from seller, money from buyer, escrow transfers everything when it's al there. Get an inspection done in TX. Check Bob's videos for the lady that delivers new trailers. She has proteges she's training that might be interested. Make sure of insurance.

 

[highdesertranger]

If I were the seller I wouldn't let it go anywhere unless it was paid for in full. Inspection on site or you pay to have ME transport it to inspection.

If I were the buyer I would never fork over a dime without seeing it first.

My 2 cents.

Highdesertranger

 

[Camper]

So, where's the title during this deal.

 

[bullfrog]

Most of my stuff by the time I'm done with it you can come pick it up as long as I don't have to pay you to haul it off! Title, in Arizona you just get a bonded title. It just is sort of incase the real owner finds out! LOL!!! There is really some terrible flakey stuff that goes on and RVs today are fragile and easily damaged. I couldn't see buying another one without a couple of other owners of the same model/manufacturer going with me to check the problem areas they found after purchase of theirs. It would be worth the several hundred dollars in travel, food and hotel costs. I sure wished we had on this last one. Nothing worse that trying to get damage repaired that should have never left the factory and is sold to a second or third owner because they didn't want to pay to have it taken back to be repaired, especially if they need it to live in and plan to sell it soon, knowing it may take months to get it done. Just saying.

 

[43oswegatchie]

If I were the seller I wouldn't let it go anywhere unless it was paid for in full.  Inspection on site or you pay to have ME transport it to inspection.

If I were the buyer I would never fork over a dime without seeing it first.

My 2 cents.

Highdesertranger

Thanks Ranger! I just came up with a plan to drive to the RV park near Elkton, OR and leave my truck and truck camper.  I just found out I can rent a 3/4 or 1 ton truck in Eugene for a week for $700. I will line up a few of the rigs to look at and do my own inspection. I will be ready to tow it immediately if I purchase it.

 

[tx2sturgis]

I'm about 4 hours from Midland Texas....I might be able to drive down there and look at it for you, but the tongue weight and gvw on that trailer exceeds my pickup's hauling ability as I have it currently configured.

But I could take a look at it, look at the title (if available) and spend a bit of time checking the systems out..taking pics and/or video. 

I am not offering to do all that for free, I would need some compensation for gas, possible reimbursement for lodging, and a couple of meals. If you think you might want me to do that, let me know. And even if you dont need me to do that, but you end up buying it and traveling back north into the Texas Panhandle, I have 30 amp hookups and you'd be welcome to stay here for a night or two on your way home.

I do have to ask tho...what is making you want this trailer so badly you are willing to jump thru all these hoops to purchase it? Just saying that maybe something closer would or could be suitable.

PM me if you are interested.