Should You Buy A New Or Used RV?

When approaching the idea of buying an RV to live in full time, thousands of questions can come to mind. Which class best suits my needs? How long should the trailer be? Wait, do I want a trailer or a motorhome? How much money am I working with?

Like any other large financial purchase, the question always arises—do I buy new or used?

📷Photo by Steven Crisp, Flickr

Debating on new versus used alone can create an entire spin off of uncertainty. Each answered question leads to another unanswered, stacking up into a giant before you. It can be dizzying and often leave you frozen in fear. How can you possibly attack this process without overwhelming yourself?

Take a breath, you’ve got this! Let’s enjoy the process instead of being afraid of it. RVing is supposed to be fun; that is part of the reason why you decided to buy an RV in the first place, and that is where we need to start. Why are you buying an RV?

📷Photo by Tim Heuer on Flickr

For someone who is about to take the plunge into full time RVing, these questions are more than just ponderings. The answers to these questions will determine your lifestyle for the foreseeable future.

There are plenty of reasons both in favor and against purchasing either new or used. Approach those reasons systematically. What are you making this change for? Several reasons could include adventure, travel, downsizing, or cutting costs. Each of those reasons can pull you in a different direction.

What are you looking for?

If you’re looking for explorations and wild journeys full time, you need a rig that can support you along the way. Is it strong enough to sustain constant moving? Does it have the storage you are looking for to pack up and move on a whim? Is it maneuverable to access the places you want to reach?

📷Do you prefer an RV with a bathroom? Photo by brad@olsen.org, Flickr

When a full timer wants to continually voyage, there are concerns raised by used recreational vehicles that might not be an issue if you were permanently stationary.

Instead of trekking across country, you might be buying an RV to downsize your lifestyle. Living in an RV can be a very cost effective alternative to a bricks and mortar house. There are plenty of floor plans available specifically designed for full time or extended stay living.

Some of the considerations you make for constant travel aren’t an issue when stationary. Maybe now, a full size bathroom is your priority, or a washer and dryer hookup so you can do laundry in the comfort of your own home.

Other than retirees, a growing number of people are making the transition to full time RV living to live frugal, intentional lives. They want to cut costs on housing expenses or aggressively pay off debt. If this is the case, buying a brand new RV might not seem like the logical choice for financial reasons.

Ultimately, to conquer the struggle of deciding between new and used, you need to ask yourself a series of questions. Start with—why am I doing this? Once you fully understand your own reasoning, you can start taking the steps to make this fun dream of yours come true. Your priorities will be your road map along the way.

This information is for educational purposes. VIARV shall not be responsible nor retain liability for RVer’s use of the provided information. Prior to making any RV service decision, you are advised to consult with an RV professional.