How much do RVs cost? If you’ve been shopping around for a new RV, you may have noticed that sticker prices that were once discounted from the arbitrary Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) have been barely discounted at all. Even at RV shows, where in the past low “Show Prices” would often be discounted 30 percent (or more) off MSRP are now discounted only 10 percent, if that.
Some buyers are so desperate to buy now they are paying the full MSRP, which in most RV insiders’ memories has never happened before.
And, even more remarkable, some buyers are paying even more than MSRP. It’s happening on passenger vehicles, too, and especially with pickup trucks.
We invite your comments
We’d like to know if you have paid higher than MSRP for a recent purchase. If so, would you tell us about your experience in the comments, and why you chose to pay the full price, or more. Hey, these days, with demand high and supply low, if you want something, whether an RV or any other product, you just can’t expect a great deal. It’s not about buying an RV at full price now and being a “sucker,” but about paying top dollar and getting an RV of your choice instead of being put on a waiting list for months, even years.
So, please, if you are so inclined, leave a comment about your experience. We’ll post some in an article in a week or two. And thank you.
##RVT1044b
I actually bought my first travel trailer from the company in the article, RV Value Mart. They gave me a good price and I agreed to buy. When I showed up 3 weeks later to pick up the trailer they told me they had lowered the price at the most recent show and that they were lowering my price. They thoroughly checked out the trailer and everything worked right and I never had a problem with the trailer. Great company
No, we have not. We ordered a 2022 Newmar New Aire and got essentially 22-28% off MSRP, depending on what value you assign to our trade-in (2016 American Revolution with 45,000 miles). Had we been willing to buy one of the few 2022 New Aires available between December 2021 and February 2022, then we still would have paid well below MSRP. I have heard it has happened, but we saw no evidence of it during our search for RV #2 (October 2021-February 2022).
I don’t buy new, 1st let someone else take the hit on depreciation, 2nd let someone else wait months to get less than good factory production fixed. I know I don’t get to smell everything off gassing the chemicals of production, I don’t get to pick all the options I would only use occasionally that cost an arm and a leg new. I feel so left out on all the wonderful things about buying new, oh pity me. Our present TT was bought as a year old slightly used unit, the original owner paid a little over 28K, he sold it to the wholesaler for 20K, we bought it for 23K. It still had factory decals on the appliances and windows, we haven’t done anything to repair, just improvements to make our own.
We have bought our class A at an RV show and our class c at a Rally.
We paid well below the MSRP price.
We went to the 2019 Hershey show just to look around. One of the MH we wanted to see was in the test lot, we walked in the unit and there was a big sign on the table showing the MSRP and my wife took a photo of it. When we went back into the fenced area we compared the photo to their prices on other similar units of the same manufacturer and it was thousands lower. When we got home I looked the unit up on the internet and could not find a leftover for that price. We negotiated down from the sign price and even got a washer and dryer in the deal. The dealer tried to wiggle out but I told them that Penna had a law against bait and switch. The deal we arrived at was for me to take a 20 year loan which I did for 2 months and then paid it off due to the dealership pissed me off with a warranty claim. They ended up losing the kick back from the bank, I gave them fair warning but they didn’t think I was serious.
I think the RV manufactures are price gouging people when I read RV forums. They are raising prices more than the auto mfg’s are. My wife wants a Hyundai Tucson hybrid and in north east Pa they want $5000. to $6000. over sticker price. One Ford dealer wanted to keep the $2500. package discount off a F150 Hybrid. We left the dealers without buying. I did buy a F150 Hybrid from another dealer for the sticker price. We need to boycott dealers and manufactures who are up charging or not stopping dealers price gouging consumers.
Most RV dealers today make even the worst used car sales lots of the “bad old days” look like SAINTS! I feel like I need a shower after visiting most of them. And the REAL joke- the “MSRP” itself- a jacked-up, asinine, utterly nonsensical price…to which the “honest” and “generous” RV sales lot applies its “AMAZING, BLOW-OUT DISCOUNT!!!!” And, SO many naive buyers get sucked into this scam. And its certainly not just RVs…this is a standard scam on almost everything. You have to be on your toes, do your homework, and be prepared to do battle. Unless you just don’t care….with all this “free money” being printed.
For those paying MSRP+ now, and perhaps even taking 20 year mortgages on them while also financing in extended warranty plans, fabric and paint protection, and a host if other worthless things salespeople get paid big bucks to add to the contract, I can only say “good luck” when the next down cycle comes and prices crash. You’ll be under water so far you won’t even be able to see the surface!
Buying an RV under good conditions is not, in pure financial terms, a good financial decision…to pay exhorbitant prices to boot is something I personally just won’t do.
No.
Thank God we purchased a New Lance TT in 2017, then in 2019 we replaced our old Sequoia with a New Tundra. We have been offered more than we paid for both the trailer & truck. I could walk away with a $20,000 profit. It’s tempting, but it would cost more now to buy an overpriced RV & Truck, so do I just take the money and get out of RVing????
Just crazy isn’t it. Glad we bought before the quality dropped out and the prices jumped sky-high. In a couple of decades I envision a whole generation living in dilapidated tin cans with no means to move them. While we will experience some of this decline, I’m glad we came along when we did.
We haven’t bought a new RV recently, but we did buy a used 2020 Sprinter Class C in 2021 for about $40,000 less than the MSRP. And we sold our 5 year-old fifth wheel for only $2000 less than we paid for it when we ordered it from the factory. So we benefited both times from today’s market, selling used and buying used!
We ordered a popular truck camper last summer, but won’t get delivery until this May (11 months). This manufacturer only has about 10 dealers around the country, & after checking with each one, I found only one that offered any discount in this current sellers market. I got a 15% discount which saved me $16K. some of the other dealers were even charging more than list price.
We’re buying an Embassy Class B RV. It is controlled custom, so we had a few options we were able to get. Even after paying for a different style toilet ($900) and after my estimated tax, title, and license, and even including our flight up to Elkhart to pick up the RV ($700), we are paying less than what I’ve seen after discounts for other Class B’s I have seen at RV shows. All lithium, better insulation, higher quality materials too.
So no… you’d have to be insane to accept the absurdly high cost of the low quality major manufacturers are producing now.
With the current trend of No Price Protection, there is no such things as a set MSRP. Not with the majority of manufacturers.
No. We go to shows, decide what features we want then buy used and if necessary ‘remodel’ to get the perfect RV!