Used Options

[flintsters]

I have been struggling with this for about a year now. A while back I had the plan to purchase a large SUV and tow a travel trailer on a 7 week cross country trip with my wife and 3 daughters. Thanks to the help here I have moved away from that and am currently negotiating for a 2015 Chevy 2500 crew cab with duramax. This should give us the confidence to handle pretty much whatever comes our way.

Now for the travel trailer. My in-laws have found a couple of used models that they thought would be perfect for us. They are both from private sellers.

1) 2012 JAYCO JAY FEATHER 29L - he is asking low 20s and is including a bunch of extras (sway bar, generator, cover, etc). It is in excellent shape.

2) 2012 Jayco White Hawk Ultralite 29SQB - he is asking 20 for it. It will need new tires but nothing else. It is also in good shape.

My questions are:
- Which of these models do you think is the better of the two?
- Do you think these are fair prices?
- Would they be too long to consider traveling across the country in (knowing we will likely be in national parks, etc).
- For that price, would we be better off buying a new 29 QBS, which is pretty much the same floor plan as the two used ones? I can get this for about $23k.

To further complicate matters, the used trailers are in AZ and we live in New England, so there is the expense of going there and back (which we may turn into a bit of a trip).

I'm sorry if I am coming across as obnoxious...I have already learned a ton from all of you and just want to get it right. This is a pretty big deal for us.

[oldmanAZ]

Originally Posted by flintsters

snip...
For that price, would we be better off buying a new 29 QBS, which is pretty much the same floor plan as the two used ones? I can get this for about $23k.

To further complicate matters, the used trailers are in AZ and we live in New England, so there is the expense of going there and back (which we may turn into a bit of a trip).
...snip

Wouldn't the cost of the trip, plus a used trailer, be about the same as buying new locally? Buying new gives you a 2 year warranty, too.

I'd choose the new one given those choices.

[Crabman]

Go with new. Those trailers are nearly FIVE model years old now and IMO no bargain. You don`t have to travel that far either to get a good deal on a new one. Get a quote from RVone in NY and Keystone RV in Pa.

[clubhouse]

Prices are much too high IMO. Not accounting for travel, I would think they should be low teens.

We paid $16 for a 2012 29QBH used in 2014 that was in perfect shape. If I was to sell it today I think I would ask $15 and accept 13,500.

[Hohenwald48]

I don't fall into the "buy new" camp. Used usually has all the "new" bugs worked out. You usually get a lot of extras as you have noted and if it is of recent vintage and in good condition you can usually get a good price.

However, you have to see it in person and have the skills and knowledge to be able to make a valid assessment regarding the state of repair, condition and readiness to use. If you lack those skills then buying new will help with that decision.

Under no circumstance would I even think of purchasing an RV, new or used, 4,000 miles from home sight unseen. You have no way to determine if the unit is worth purchasing or not and the salesman will tell you what you want to hear. If you get there and don't like it for some reason you will be tempted to purchase anyway since you will already have a significant investment of time and money.

Pricing can be found at NADA and many other online sources. Remember, RV's are one of the most rapidly depreciating assets you can buy. They're worse than cars and maybe even worse than furniture.


Having said all that, I bought my last two RVs new. But then I'm old, don't care about depreciation and fully intend to deprive my daughter of any inheritance.

[jloco]

Originally Posted by Hohenwald48

Under no circumstance would I even think of purchasing an RV, new or used, 4,000 miles from home sight unseen. You have no way to determine if the unit is worth purchasing or not and the salesman will tell you what you want to hear. If you get there and don't like it for some reason you will be tempted to purchase anyway since you will already have a significant investment of time and money.

Pricing can be found at NADA and many other online sources. Remember, RV's are one of the most rapidly depreciating assets you can buy. They're worse than cars and maybe even worse than furniture.

+1 on the first part...You may get all the way to AZ just to find out it's not you wanted or it's not in the condition you'd hoped.

I found NADA prices to be grossly over inflated.

Check with Forrest Marine RV in Tyngsboro MA. All they sell is Jayco. They're located on the MA-NH border.

[flintsters]

I was thinking that those prices were on the steep side as well. My in-laws, who have been rving for about 20 years and know what to look for, have seen them both in person and were raving about the condition of both. Quite honestly, I would put more faith in what they saw than what I would see because of their experience. I looked on the NADA guide and based on that the prices aren't that out of line. I don't know how accurate those guides are, however. I know with the 29L the guy is planning to trade it for a 5th wheel. Is there a place to get the trade value and see what his break even point is?

I continue to struggle with what I feel are competing words of wisdom. I often hear the advice to buy your 2nd camper 1st. I also hear buy the most space you can get. On the other side, I hear about the simplicity of a smaller camper with fewer things to go wrong and the flexibility to get into most campsites. I'm going to want the space with a family of 5 for almost 2 months, but also the flexibility to get into the national parks, etc. Yes, I want it all.

[Proud Grandpa]

Check out rvtrader.com
Here is a White Hawk 29SQB much closer to you:

2012 Jayco WHITE HAWK 29SQB, Fridley MN - - RVtrader.com

[Tunce the traveler]

Originally Posted by oldmanAZ

Wouldn't the cost of the trip, plus a used trailer, be about the same as buying new locally? Buying new gives you a 2 year warranty, too.

I'd choose the new one given those choices.

X2 on that and ive only camped in a tent in state and national parks and never paid any attention to the size of my site but many members on this great forum are telling me it could be a very tight squeeze and with your 29'+hitch there's a good chance you've got a problem site wise .

[Kevin21]

If the truck you are buying is new it has at least a 3yr. warranty. If used, it still has 2yrs. warranty left.

For a difference of only $3000. you can get the exact RV you want with a 2yr. warranty. You may not ever use the warranty on the new RV but if you have to the $3000. could look like small potatoes.

Would you give up the warranty on the truck if the price was $3000. less?

[need-a-vacation]

I don't have the links, but search for RV Direct and RV One (there are 2 online companies that carry Jayco, maybe someone else can hel, I think that's the companies). Request a price quote for a brand new one for a starting price. Go see what you can do at a local dealer.

The issue with used, while the bugs may be worked out, is a lot of new owners get into a 10+ year loan, add the extended warranty, and do not negotiate that great of a price. And then only pay the minimum monthly payment. So in 5 years when they decide to get out of camping, or upgrade to a new model, they still owe almost what they should have paid for the unit if they had gotten a very good negotiated price.

We got just over 30% off the Jayco listed msrp, with a new Reese Dual Cam system plus the tax, title, and plate. Used trailers (3-8 yr old models) were advertised for anywhere from about $18k to $25k!!! Not sure what the final price could have been for the used ones, but for us it was worth going new.

Good luck!!!

[hboy]

The new -v used debate is a good one. But to each their own. If you feel your family has pinned down a good deal and want to drive across the country to make it work, great.

For me personally, if you are looking at spending low $20K's on a camper, I would go the new route. I purchased a 2015 28BHBE for $20k new a couple years ago. Extra research on the pricing of these campers will save you thousands.

Regarding the floor plan, you will get a lot of imput form folks who don't know you or what you want. Ultimately you won't know if the floor plan is good for you until you use it for a while.

For many (including myself) there is a progression. In the past 5 years I've had 3 campers. The first was a small camper w/o a slide. Then we wanted more room and got a bigger camper with a slide. Then we wanted more room again and .......

I like both campers your family has picked out. I don't like the prices. RV Trader has 2012 camper 29QBH for $17K. New 29' campes are under $25K.