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Old 05-18-2016, 01:03 PM   #1
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Anticipated Depreciation

Are there any good rule of thumb estimates you can use to predict what a camper will be worth in 5 years vs what it costs new, perhaps as a percentage?

My dilemma is we are now a family of 5 with three boys all under 5. We looked at the Jay Feather 19BH and feel that it would serve our needs for at least 5 years into the future and then we'd be looking for something bigger. I currently don't own a full size truck so this is about as big as I want to go. If I bought this little unit I could slow down and not rush the purchase on a truck and a bigger camper down the road. I'm estimating I could get the 19BH for about $17k before tax which is fine but what wouldn't be fine is losing $10k in value over the next five years. Any thoughts on $$$ planning would be great! Thanks
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Old 05-18-2016, 01:06 PM   #2
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A well maintained unit can retail for 50% of it original value after 10 years. Private sale probably 35-40%. I only know this because we had our previous hybrid for 10 years when we traded it. Not sure how the math would work for 5 years.
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Old 05-18-2016, 01:23 PM   #3
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In my limited experience and overrated opinion:


An RV drops to 75% of the price you paid as soon as you take it off the lot.


It drops to 50% over the next two years.


If it has not been kept in very-good-to-excellent condition it'll drop to 25% over the next 3-5 years.


If you take care to wash it, make every repair, replace all worn or dried-out parts and make sure the exterior is never sun-damaged, then you can expect close to 50% of the original cost.


Lets be realistic; will anything owned by a family with 3 boys under 5 survive for 5 years? I had a boy and a girl. The amount of minor damage they cause (crayons, food spills) just from being children will devalue anything you buy faster than 'standard expectations"!


Now, stop looking at an RV as an investment. Look at is an entertainment, a toy or better yet, a path to adventure and time with your family!


If you want an RV to go places or camp out and ENJOY family time, spend the money without the expectation of getting it back. 2-foot-itis bites deep and never lets go.


Jump in, the water is fine! It's an investment in family. And that is wealth beyond measure!
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Old 05-18-2016, 01:26 PM   #4
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Good question. I am curious to hear opinions on this thread too.

One thing that may affect it in the next few years is the sheer number of trailers being sold these days. I was reading recently that the last 2 years have both had record sales for new RV's so would stand to reason that in the next few years there should be more used ones kicking around maybe lowering the price accordingly.

Here in BC the low CAN$ vs US$ has brought up the value of used considerably and anything decent is very hard to find right now. The new ones are all made in the US and so cost 30%+ more for us now than when the $ was around par. For some right now the used ones are worth more than they were new a few years ago. My father-in-law sold his 43ft coach he bought new 3yr ago and actually made money on it. It was bought in Arizona in USD at about par and he sold it in CAN$ when our dollar was close to 40% lower this past winter.
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Old 05-18-2016, 01:26 PM   #5
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Don't know if it is reliable or not but I once heard that travel trailers depreciated at a rate of about $1500 per $10,000 a year for the first 5 yrs.
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Old 05-18-2016, 01:30 PM   #6
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In my limited experience and overrated opinion:

Jump in, the water is fine! It's an investment in family. And that is wealth beyond measure!
Well said!
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Old 05-18-2016, 01:32 PM   #7
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FWIW, book on my 40K$ 2008 Arctic Fox is 14K$


I would not purchase any RV thinking that your going to get much out of it in resale. Yes you will get something and eventually it will hit bottom (which is about where mine is) and stabilize in value but the first few years the value is going to plummet.
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Old 05-18-2016, 01:36 PM   #8
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Now, stop looking at an RV as an investment. Look at is an entertainment, a toy or better yet, a path to adventure and time with your family!
+1 ALL THE WAY. An RV is an absolutely horrific "investment" in the traditional definition of the word. If the terms of your ROI include "adventure" and "fun" and "camaraderie" and "family bonding", you'll be a lot better off!

Sorry, I have not $$ input for the original question. While I do see the value of asking it, it is at best a tertiary concern for me.
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Old 05-18-2016, 01:51 PM   #9
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I should add that we have a smaller hi lo right now but my 3 and 4 year old won't sleep next to each other. They are best friends but need their space at night. So as of right now that puts four of us on the King below. I can always hop out into a tent if needed. My wife has her facilities so either way we get to camp. But knowing their is a better option is very tempting!

Good comments about kids and how they will wear it harder. Sometimes I still think about how I take care of something and forget to add the "kid" factor in.

Too bad you can't test an RV overnight like you can a car!
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Old 05-18-2016, 01:57 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by foxrider68 View Post
...

Too bad you can't test an RV overnight like you can a car!
You can come close by visiting RV dealers as a complete family. Tell the sales rep what you need/want (big gap!).

Then enter a few units that appear to "fit the bill".

Then walk away. Go home and discuss. Even the little one will have an opinion on what you saw.

Do that to at least 3 different dealers.

The right RV will find your family.


-------------------


I went to 2 different dealers and neither sales rep showed me what we were willing to buy. An ignored little unit parked next to the back door of the showroom 'called to me'.


My advice: Listen to your heart and what everybody in the family has to say. If all agree on a unit, everybody will be willing to go anywhere!
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Old 05-18-2016, 02:49 PM   #11
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Not an investment

X3 or whatever the count is up to on those that say the RV itself is not an investment.

Contemplate on what you would willingly spend on vacation dollars and that might change your perspective. This year my family of 4 will spend 47 nights in our RV, that is what I have booked between weekenders and vacation time. My total cost for 2016 including RV payments, insurance, storage, fuel and campground fees will be about $15,000 this year.

So we will be getting the equivalent of 7 weeks vacation time in our RV for about $2100 a week or $300 a night.

When I compare that to a resort stay or a cottage rental I would say we come out 3-4 weeks worth of vacation ahead just in dollars and cents. Add to that the benefits of having the comfort of your own bed and the ability to see North American from an absolutely incredible vantage point and it is not hard to understand why so many of us are addicted to the lifestyle
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Old 05-18-2016, 03:39 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mike837go View Post
You can come close by visiting RV dealers as a complete family. Tell the sales rep what you need/want (big gap!).

Then enter a few units that appear to "fit the bill".

Then walk away. Go home and discuss. Even the little one will have an opinion on what you saw.

Do that to at least 3 different dealers.

The right RV will find your family.


-------------------


I went to 2 different dealers and neither sales rep showed me what we were willing to buy. An ignored little unit parked next to the back door of the showroom 'called to me'.


My advice: Listen to your heart and what everybody in the family has to say. If all agree on a unit, everybody will be willing to go anywhere!
+1

I'll add that it helps tremendously to ditch the salesman. Most of what's coming out of their mouth is useless drivel anyway. This way you can spend some time in the trailer and share your candid opinions and observations. Lay on the beds like you're sleeping, sit at the dinette like you're eating or playing cards, walk around the kitchen like you're prepping a meal, stand in the shower as if you're actually using it, visualize where you'll store what and how. You can get a pretty good approximation of how you'll use it and what you like and don't.

We borrowed my out-laws' class C before we purchased for a couple weekends. We had NO interest in a MH, but spending 2 weekends in that camper taught us A LOT about what we did and didn't want in our trailer. There are plenty of MH's for rent out there, and you can even rent travel trailers. There's even an "Air B&B" for RVs out there. I don't remember what it's called, but it does exist and could be another research tool.
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Old 05-18-2016, 04:09 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mike837go View Post
In my limited experience and overrated opinion:


An RV drops to 75% of the price you paid as soon as you take it off the lot.


It drops to 50% over the next two years.


If it has not been kept in very-good-to-excellent condition it'll drop to 25% over the next 3-5 years.


If you take care to wash it, make every repair, replace all worn or dried-out parts and make sure the exterior is never sun-damaged, then you can expect close to 50% of the original cost.


Lets be realistic; will anything owned by a family with 3 boys under 5 survive for 5 years? I had a boy and a girl. The amount of minor damage they cause (crayons, food spills) just from being children will devalue anything you buy faster than 'standard expectations"!


Now, stop looking at an RV as an investment. Look at is an entertainment, a toy or better yet, a path to adventure and time with your family!


If you want an RV to go places or camp out and ENJOY family time, spend the money without the expectation of getting it back. 2-foot-itis bites deep and never lets go.


Jump in, the water is fine! It's an investment in family. And that is wealth beyond measure!
Excellent reply! You'll never get those years back if you wait to jump in with every foot in the house!


We bought when our kids were 10 and 11, have made many, MANY memories, the value of which are far greater than the $17k we invested back then! Our regret was what took us so long! How envious I am of those camping with their toddlers...
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Old 05-18-2016, 07:57 PM   #14
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Are there any good rule of thumb estimates you can use to predict what a camper will be worth in 5 years vs what it costs new, perhaps as a percentage?

My dilemma is we are now a family of 5 with three boys all under 5. We looked at the Jay Feather 19BH and feel that it would serve our needs for at least 5 years into the future and then we'd be looking for something bigger. I currently don't own a full size truck so this is about as big as I want to go. If I bought this little unit I could slow down and not rush the purchase on a truck and a bigger camper down the road. I'm estimating I could get the 19BH for about $17k before tax which is fine but what wouldn't be fine is losing $10k in value over the next five years. Any thoughts on $$$ planning would be great! Thanks
Purchasing the rv at what low book NADA is at the time, or 30+% off MSRP new will give you the best opportunity to not 'eat it' when you sell in a few years.

Also, what helped us sell our previous rv's.... put all that paperwork/documents the dealer gives you in a binder (it actually helps you while you own the rv as well). Keep records of when you clean the roof, grease the wheel bearings, etc etc. Also, buyers love to hear that the roof ladder on an rv is so you can maintain the roof every year. Buyers love knowing you took care of the rv.

Don't count on getting what you paid including the taxes/fee's. Stick to what you paid for the tt itself for comparison's (basically, you *eat* those taxes/fee's initially).

Check my signi for options when negotiating the purchase for a new rv

Hope this helps. Happy shopping
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Old 05-18-2016, 08:25 PM   #15
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One way to get a sense for depreciation is to visit the NADA guilde and/or look through used RV sites for the make and model you're looking at from 5 years ago.

I've found that there are a large number of 1 year old RV's on the market if you look for them. There is still a phenomenon where families buy an expensive RV but after a year they realized they a) aren't using it cause the kids have soccer/dance/baseball/scouts/etc every weekend OR b) they discovered they don't actually LIKE camping.
So they sell the unit.
Buying a 1 year old unit means someone else did the PDI and shook the bugs out and someone else ate that horrific 1st year depreciation.
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Old 05-18-2016, 10:33 PM   #16
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This thread proved to be really useful for my wife and I. Lots of good points in two pages. I was going to budget $20k for a used truck. Normally we buy things used but a new camper sounds nice for a few reasons. Not $ wise but anyway. So we thought about what $20k could buy and or do to spruce up existing vacations such as renting a boat etc. and we decided that as an example the 19BH is all we need. Once the kids are older we will upgrade well down the line. Because we have a new born we didn't have as many trips planned this year. So we are gonna use what we got for one more summer and buy a 16 left over or 17 at a winter show. Now later on this summer I have to start a new thread. Jayco Jay Feather 19bh vs Winnebego Micro Minnie 1700bh!
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Old 05-19-2016, 04:53 AM   #17
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I would not have problems buying a well taken care of used rig. First thing to go would be the mattress.

When you research prices, key on what they actually get for the used rig, not what the owners are asking.

A used trailer is not worth just what the used books value it, it's real worth is what someone else is willing to pay. A lot of things determine that besides the rig itself.
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Old 05-19-2016, 05:31 AM   #18
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Jump in, the water is fine! It's an investment in family. And that is wealth beyond measure![/QUOTE]

Could not have said it any better. You cannot put a price on the family memories you will make and cherish decades later!
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Old 05-19-2016, 05:43 AM   #19
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One way to get a sense for depreciation is to visit the NADA guilde and/or look through used RV sites for the make and model you're looking at from 5 years ago.

I've found that there are a large number of 1 year old RV's on the market if you look for them. There is still a phenomenon where families buy an expensive RV but after a year they realized they a) aren't using it cause the kids have soccer/dance/baseball/scouts/etc every weekend OR b) they discovered they don't actually LIKE camping.
So they sell the unit.
Buying a 1 year old unit means someone else did the PDI and shook the bugs out and someone else ate that horrific 1st year depreciation.
The downside to a lot of the lightly used 1-3yr old units is the original owners did not negotiate a very good price when they bought the RV. Then they were talked into the extended warranty, and added "X and y" into the financing that is for 10 or 12yrs. So when they try to sell for payoff they owe as much as a brand new unit at ~30% off msrp is, maybe a little less, or even more! We looked into a lightly used tt (32 like we have or similar) last year and found many that were in that situation.

Biggest thing as mentioned is negotiating a great price initally when buying new, and if possible not to finance any longer than you have to. Or go longer but make larger payments as much as you can. And shop for the best finance rate. Check all local credit unions you may be able to join.

Good luck!!!
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Old 05-19-2016, 07:49 AM   #20
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Are there any good rule of thumb estimates you can use to predict what a camper will be worth in 5 years vs what it costs new, perhaps as a percentage?

My dilemma is we are now a family of 5 with three boys all under 5. We looked at the Jay Feather 19BH and feel that it would serve our needs for at least 5 years into the future and then we'd be looking for something bigger. I currently don't own a full size truck so this is about as big as I want to go. If I bought this little unit I could slow down and not rush the purchase on a truck and a bigger camper down the road. I'm estimating I could get the 19BH for about $17k before tax which is fine but what wouldn't be fine is losing $10k in value over the next five years. Any thoughts on $$$ planning would be great! Thanks
Its a crap shoot but your estimate of depreciating from $17 k to $7 k probably isn't far off. As others have said an RV is not an investment as it will not retain a lot of its value over a relatively short timeframe. Much like a car that is worth a fraction of its new car value just 3 - 5 years out the door.

Given your anticipation of going bigger 5 years down the road, you might want to take advantage of someone else who had swallowed the depreciation and is now needing to sell a nice 4 or 5 year old unit. Even a 2 year old rv can typically be had for thousands less than a new one.
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