How To Buy A RV

You know what I hate, buying cars. I think most people do. Well buying a RV is almost the same thing as buying a car. Either way the buying process usually goes something like this.

You know you want to buy a vehicle and have decided about how much you want to pay. You get to the car or RV dealership and talk to a salesman. He starts smooth talking, He says, "Sure we have a few vehicles in your price range but first let me show you the latest model so you have something to compare it to." The salesman shows you several different vehicles and pretty much forces you to test drive one. The salesman convinces you that vehicle in your price range you were looking for is just not going to cut it for you. Then after financing, insurance and other add ons you end up paying way more then you intended to. Before you know it you are driving out of there in a Bentley instead of that vehicle you were looking for.

Some people and even some books might say Buying a RV is simple. The truth is buying a RV is even more complicated then buying a car. It is a big decision. Just think you are literally buying a house on wheels. You are going to be living in the RV at least part of the time if not full time. Especially if you are interested in full time RV living while traveling the country. There are so many decisions to make from, 'How big of a RV do I need?' to 'What features do I need?'

But if you arm yourself with at least some information you will make it through the RV buying process without too much hassle. So where do we start?

First thing you need to understand is, to take your time. There is no need to rush. Learn about the different types of RVs out there. There are many different kinds of RVs. The following is a list of the basic RV models to choose from. Click on them and a new window will open up in your browser. When you are done just click on the X in the upper right hand corner and you see this page again.

• Pop-up Tent Trailer RV
• Truck Camper RV
• Fifth Wheel RV
• Travel Trailer RV
• Class A RV Motorhome
• Class B RV Motorhome
• Class C RV Motorhome

After reading about the different RV models, Pick one or two you might be interested in. Now write down all the different features you just have to have. While you are writing down the features some of the questions to think of are:

• How much space do I need?
• How many people is the RV going to have to sleep?
• What type of camping do I want do?
• How much do I want to spend?
• How much room do I have to park the RV when not in use?
• Do I want a fully loaded RV or do I just need the basics?
• Do you want to buy a used RV or a new one.

Buying a new RV is just like buying a new car. The minute you drive it off the lot it loses a good chunk of its value. But buying a new RV has its advantages. First you get peace of mind. If something goes wrong with the RV it should be still covered under the warranty. You can also choose any features and equipment you want and have them added to the RV before you take them home.

Buying a Used RV is the way to go if you want to save some money. But you need to be careful and buy one that is in good condition. You don't know how the previous owner treated it. Or if it is damaged or was involved in an accident. If you do decide to buy a used RV make sure to take it to your own RV mechanic. That way you can identify any problems the RV might have before you buy it.

Take into account all of the costs of ownership:

• Operating costs
• Insurance
• Finance charges
• Maintenance and camping fees

When you are done answering the questions and writing down the features you want, look back over the list of Models of RVs and choose one that fits your needs. Now you are ready to start looking for that RV you have always wanted. But wait! Don't go down to the dealership just yet.

Head on over to CampingWorld.com.CampingWorld.com is literally a one stop shopping headquarters ready to take care of all of your RV and Camping needs. What is neat about them is they have a RV buying section where you can search for the RV model you want.

Once you find your RV model you can look at pictures of the inside and outside of the RV. You can also request more information about the RV if you want. But the main purpose is to see the RV you want to buy before you go down to the RV dealership to make sure it is the model you want.

However, don't forget CampingWorld.com. It is an excellent place to buy the accessories you are going to need. Be very careful about buying too many accessories from the RV dealership. These dealerships commonly mark up the accessories way above what you can find on CampingWorld.com

But you are still not ready to go down to the dealership just yet. Go over to YellowPages.com and search for "recreational vehicle dealerships" or just look in your copy of the Yellow Pages. Now start calling up the dealerships you found and ask them if they have your RV in stock.

If they don't have it in stock keep calling dealerships until you find a few that do. This way when you finally go down to the dealership you can demand to see only the RV you want. When you find a dealership that has the RV in stock ask them to give you a quick quote. Now, go down to the dealership that gave you the best price. Check out the RV in person. If it is the right RV for you are now ready to start negotiating the sale. Happy Rving......