Remnik

I've been wavering back and forth on what type of rv to get. I was told by someone that slide-in truck campers hold their value better than a fifth wheel. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

I was doing some rough guessing using nada.com and it sure seemed like the truck campers were worth a lot less after only 2 years. I was checking Lance, Bigfoot, and Okanagan.

Also, Do Lance campers hold their value any better than others? It seems that since they are the most well known that people are willing to pay more for them.

TRASHMAN

Go used on whatever you chose i bought new in 2000 friends bought used and got a lot more trailer esp with 4.00 a gallon every bit helps

Jeff in TD

I think 5th wheels, campers, and trailers hold value better than motorhomes, likely due to not having engine/transmission and other mechanical issues to worry about.

I'd agree that the best way to minimize depreciation is to shop used. Any new RV looses a lot of value in the first year or two, even if it is hardly used.

Bigfoot is the truck camper that I've been most impressed with, especially the 10.6 in the 2500 series. No aluminum framing to sweat, or wood to maybe rot. A good friend just got a leftover new one. He offered the dealer less than book used, and they countered with a price he couldn't resist...

Anyway, I'd suggest hitting a big RV show to figure out what models you are interested in, then cruise classifieds for used examples. Obviously be careful of water damage, refrigerator or other expensive problems, but if you do your homework you can come out way ahead on something practically new.

TexasCTD

I agree with the others. Buy as nice as you can used unit (of your choice) as you can. Let the guys who have to buy new, take that depreciation hit.


I paid $12k for my 2004 Weekend Warrior Toyhauler last year. It had only been used 8 or 10 times. It cost well over twice that, new, 3 years earlier.
Im sure I could still get $10K for it or maybe more if I wanted to sell it now. If I had bought a new one last year wheeeeeeew...I'd hate to think what the depreciation loss would be on it.

My point is, the value on RVs pretty much only goes down. The key is to minimize your losses and maximize your enjoyment of it. I think after a few years the amount of depreciation loss goes down dramatically to almost no loss after a point, if the unit stays in good clean condition.


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huntr70

none of them...............

As others have said, used are more money wise.

Even when buying new, you shouldn't pay more than 75% of MSRP.

Remnik

I know that used is definitely the smart choice financially and I'm open to buying used. However, I'll be pretty much living in whatever I get so it has to fit my needs pretty well. It's much harder to find exactly what you're looking for on the used market. Ideally, I would find a leftover '07 that is heavily discounted. There is an '07 Bigfoot 3000 series model C1001 truck camper at a dealer near me that I like. MSRP is $43.3k and they have it at $33.3k. Still not discounted enough for me though. I would think that I could get an '08 for 25% off msrp with some significant negotiating right?

TexasCTD

I think if I was going to be basically living in it all the time, I wouldn't want a truck camper. Won't that feel kinda cramped in a hurry? Even the biggest ones are small compared to the larger travel trailers/5th wheels.

To each his own, but I'd be looking for a clean, used, upper end, very large, 5th wheel, Toyhauler with a separate garage area in the back. Someday I hope to full time RV and I envision something along those lines for me.

I am surprized to hear you are having trouble finding what you are looking for on the used market. Maybe it's a regional thing on the supply/demand. Good luck in your search. I don't feel like we have helped you much as far as brands etc. You might also join up and post on www.rv.net They have full timer forums, TT, 5th wheel, MH etc. It's a great website that I used to frequent until I became obsessed with our silly trucks.

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Jeff in TD

So you are looking at living in the unit full time? Year round, in Colorado?

I was also going to say that any pickup camper would be pretty tight quarters as a long term residence and a big 5th wheel would be my preference, but if it is just you a camper could be done... A super well insulated camper like the 3000 series Bigfoot would also be a lot easier to keep heated in the winter.

The slide out of the C1002 might be nice to have, space wise, but if you are going to winter in a cold part of colorado, I think all slides loose some heat, plus that bugger would likely weigh in at around 3500 pounds without all your stuff in it...

Also, I think you can probably do a lot better on price, and you would do better still going used.

Just dinking around on rvtraderonline, I see there's an 05 3000 series, a 30C10.11SL with the slide out, generator, AC, electronic jacks, awnings and stuff that says it looks and smells like new, asking $27,750...

Again, it would be a big, super-heavy camper, but I see you've got the truck to handle it...

mikebol

We just bought a new $25k MSRP camper in Ohio for just under $17k out the door. I agree that you can find alot more camper when you go used, but the dealers are struggling to move new product too. Regardless of what you decide, now is a goood time to buy.

Mike

Remnik

I've been back and forth on the type of rv for some time now. The fact that I can park my truck with a camper on it at work is a major factor. If I were to get a fifth wheel, I would need a place to put it and that is an extra expense. RV parks are out of the question since the nearest one to where I work is $680 for 4 weeks.

In a perfect world, I would be able to get a really high end toy hauler fifth wheel and have a BMW R1200GS in the back for commuting but my world is far from perfect so....

I frequent the rv.net forums and would normally have posted this question over there but for some reason I haven't been able to get onto the site lately.

Remnik

I saw the Bigfoot camper you mentioned on rvtraderonline too and it happens to be fairly close in WY. I looked up the value on nada.com and it shows a high retail of about $24k, low retail of $21k so I think it's a little over priced. I might call the guy and see if he's flexible. It would be nice to buy used from a private party since I wouldn't have to pay sales tax at all.

Actually it was this unit among a couple others that prompted me to post the original question. I'm not sure what you could buy the equivalent new Bigfoot for but the msrp is usually around $50k so when the value is less than half that after only 3 years that's scary.

Clayten

I bought a used 9.5 Northern Lite slide in camper. The price I paid was less than the first year depreciation,of a new one. Mine is in good condition, but if it fell apart in 1 year I am still ahead of the game.

Jeff in TD

I have a friend who had been shopping for Bigfoots for quite a while. He was looking for a used one, but a dealer had a leftover 10.6, so for kicks he offered them used book. They countered $500 more, and now he owns it.

They are really nicely built units, from the hardwood plywood in the cabinetry, to the fabric and cushions. I don't think you will find a camper with higher quality construction. They are well insulated, but also heavy.

Two different friends have had Northern Lite campers. They also offer models in a boat hull type construction, and seem to be pretty good quality. Compared to a similar Bigfoot they are lighter, but I also seem to recall them having less headroom in the bathroom...


So if you can park this truck camper at work, are there hook-ups? Unless you can shower some place else, you would be needing to dump gray water and refill fresh water frequently. In the winter you would also want power, as a furnace will draw down a pair of batteries pretty promptly when it gets down into the teens and below.

Regarding that one on the classified, it does seem a bit high, but hugely less than a new one. NADA gave me average around $24? I must have speced the options wrong? Anyway, maybe he's flexable. The market of potential buyers for one that large is limited, since not that many people have dually trucks...

Clayten

The Big Foot and the Northern Lites are almost identical on the inside. I am 6' 1" 250 lbs. and have no issues with head room in the Northern Lite. Getting into the bathroom is a bit tight,but that is also the same for me with the Bigfoot. The Northern Lites are very light. Mine is 1438 lbs. dry. The Northern Lites are more aerodynamic. As far as I know Northern Lites are the only slide in to be awarded a five star rating, and for five consecutive years.

Remnik

I've tried to look up the book value on nada.com but for the Bigfoots they don't show the 3000 series for 2007. Any other way I can find the used value of the 07 30C1001?

There are no hookups at work but I don't think it will be a problem. I can shower at the gym so that will save a lot on the gray tank. I'll probably visit friends and family every 2-3 weeks and I can fill fresh water then and make a stop at the rv dump site to empty the tanks. As for power, I will have to have a built in generator so I can use the microwave, ac, etc. I'll also be driving the truck every day so the batteries will be getting charged then. I had a thread going over at rv.net about full timing in a truck camper and it turns out that I'm not the only one twisted enough to try it.