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October 25th, 2008 by admin

If you’re buying a new or used rv make sure and read our rv buyers guide first - it could save you a lot of money and hassle. There are a few things that one should consider when choosing a dealer from whom to purchase one of the most expensive machines on the market.

The single most important issue to consider is to determine how long the rv dealer has been in business. The longer the better. When a company is established and in one place for a long time it’s because they are doing something right. That’s the kind of dealer you want, one with a reputation to uphold. One that will go out of their way to make sure you are happy and you don’t squeal any complaints to the neighborhood they intend to be in for a long time.

Well established RV dealers tend to have a much better handle on parts availability, and the repair of weird difficult to diagnose problems, both under warranty and on older coaches. The dealer that can swap your hot water heater in an hour instead of a day is valuable when you are short on time or live full time in the rv like we do.

Well established dealers also work better with you when it comes time to trade your rv in and get another one. They love repeat buyers and will often reward you with a great experience and price. Established rv dealerships have better mechanics and ones who stick around for the long term. Often when certain difficult repairs are to be made, like adjusting the valves on your $20,000 diesel engine, ONLY a very experienced mechanic should be involved. If they make a mistake you may not know it for a year. By then it will be too late and difficult to prove who is at fault. Visit RV insurance for help choosing affordable RV insurance.

Rv dealerships that have well established product lines can often beat even the little dealerships with their lower overhead “dealership in an abandoned field” strategy. Warranty repairs are very important on new motorhomes and fifth wheels. The RV has millions of moving parts and EVERY one of them is susceptible to being assembled incorrectly, made of inferior materials, or open to premature wear. You want a good dealer behind you when this happens.

If you are purchasing an expensive RV, might be Cruiser RV, Challenger RV, Dolphin RV, Gulfstream RV, Winnebago RV etc or your first rv, they can be extremely valuable in terms of free, helpful, money saving information. One strategy is to decide on two equally qualified rv dealers, and let them fight over me with price and availability of the actual rv unit . So, take the time to find a good, competent, affordable, rv dealership.

October 23rd, 2008 by admin

With Fuel prices climbing and the economy on shaky ground, should you even consider buying an RV now or should you wait until the economy gets better? The answer to this question might surprise you.

The recent skyrocketing fuel prices and the falling value of homes have impacted both RV owners and the RV Industry. In the past 6 months 2 major RV manufacturers have shut their doors permanently. Quite a few people who recently bought new RVs at the highest monthly payments that they could qualify for are now regretting their decision to get the RV of their dreams. In other words they over bought their RV and they are now paying the price for it.

Is this all doom and gloom for RVers and potential RVers? The answer is a resounding NO! If you were ever thinking about buying an RV or upgrading to a different class of RV, now is the time to do it. Because this is where the basic concept of Supply and Demand (also known as price and demand) you learned in your Economics class in high school kicks in. To put it in RV terms, when fuel is high, the demand for RVs goes down.

With less demand, the RV dealers are going to do everything they can to get rid of those new RVs (in other words they will accept less money for them). The high fuel prices have also caused panic amongst some current RV owners. These owners have hastily made the decision to sell their RVs because they believe that they will no longer be able to afford to use them.

This has created a buyer’s market for RVs. Whether you are planning to buy a new or used RV, branded RVs like GMC RV, Cruiser RV, Volvo RV, Winnebago RV, Gulfstream RV etc, you will be able to get a lot more for your money. Of course you are going to have to still negotiate the best price you can for what you want, but now more than ever you are in the driver’s seat during these negotiations. Depending on what type of RV you are going to buy, the money you save on the purchase price could pay for your fuel for quite awhile.

In some cases you may have to finance your RV purchase. When financing, remember the finance company will give you a loan for as much as you want (based on your credit). But, just because they are going to give you that much credit does not mean that you have to use that much credit. You might believe you can afford the monthly payments. But, you need to ask yourself if you can comfortably afford the monthly RV Loan payments and still have money left over to pay for the other costs of owning an RV such as fuel, maintenance, storage and of course camping. In other words don’t overbuy.

Now, let’s address the concerns of the cost of going camping in your new RV. The biggest cost, depending on the type of RV you have will be fuel. This would be a major concern if you are planning a 3,500-mile cross-country trip. Now, even for the most avid RVer is not the time to spend the summer seeing the whole US (unless you have deep pockets).

You won’t regret your decision about buying an RV. Just plan ahead and don’t put a financial strain on yourself as this will diminish your enjoyment.

October 22nd, 2008 by admin

In Hollywood, the cross-country family trip is often used as an easy way to get laughs. Most people chuckle when they picture Chevy Chase’s poor family crammed into the metallic pea Griswold family station wagon from National Lampoon’s Vacation, even as we sympathize. After all, how many of us were forced to sit for hours “on the hump” in the back of the family sedan with two siblings complaining bitterly each time one of your legs crossed into “their space”? And all of this in the guise of taking a fun family vacation!

Certainly, cars have continued to become more comfortable and luxurious with each passing year, and the number of SUVs available means it is no longer a necessity to take the family’s compact car on vacation at all. Let’s be honest though, if you’ve ever sat in the back of an SUV (or any car) with two other people, it stops feeling comfortable after the first twenty minutes or so. For this reason along with countless others, many families choose to skip the driving experience entirely and schedule a flight instead. However, with escalated airport security resulting in long delays, cramped seating on the planes, limits to what can be carried on the plane, and maybe even a touch of nostalgia for the car trips of our youth, the siren song of the open road begins to have increasing appeal.

If you are a parent who doesn’t want to hear, “Mooooooommmm, he’s touching me,” for several hours straight or a retiree longing to take that dream cross country vacation at a leisurely pace, there is a clear choice, a RV. Recreational vehicles, or what my family always referred to as motor homes, are no longer the gaudy rolling trailers with cheap fixtures and cramped spaces that many people picture. Imagine those rolling luxury hotels that rock stars travel in with features like plush carpeting, ceramic tile, cabinets designated to store wineglasses, LCD televisions, retractable awnings, and even storage for motorcycles. Many of them have a level of opulence so enthralling that you’ll be tempted to live in it, even while it’s parked in your driveway! The added bonus is that you never have to deal with the hassles of staying in a hotel, such as checkout times, missing reservations, or noisy people in the adjoining room.

Once you decide to purchase a RV, the next choice is the model. There are new or used Gulf Stream RVs, Winnebego RVs, Fleetwood RVs and more. With such a large array, it’s important to do a lot of research into what features you want and the reliability of the various manufactures.

Now that you’ve found your dream vehicle, you are probably ready to jump right in and purchase it. After all, when you are buying something new, there can’t be that much of a variation in price from dealership to dealership, right? Surprisingly, the cost variance when comparing new motor homes with identical features can actually be more than the disparities you’d find when buying used recreational vehicles with vast mileage differences.

These price changes aren’t limited to only the most expensive models either. The same Gulf Stream Independence model 8330LS that costs over $90,000.00 in Indiana can be found for $87,000.00 in North Carolina, $66,000.00 in Minnesota or $63,000.00 in Pennsylvania. Certainly once you do some more in depth research, you may locate some options on the $90,000.00 model in Indiana that aren’t on the $63,000.00 version in Pennsylvania, but there is little doubt that the dealership charging less would be able to get you the vehicle of your dreams without tacking on an additional $27,000.00 for similar options.

Realizing all of that, it makes perfect sense that your first family vacation in the new RV could be a cross country trip bringing it home from the dealership with the best price!