[greencrew]

and many questions LOL...
We have a minivan and considered getting a pop up but now we are more toward getting a Class C rv. Can you guys give me some advice on how to buy a used RV? I'm looking at ebay, Craigslist, rvtrader site, etc and some are priced too suspiciously low and of course some are over our range. I would like something under 12K for within 15 years of age.
Some of the questions I have are:
* If buying from a private owner, what should I look for since there will be no warranty? My dh feels more comfortable buying one from a dealer but I think we will get a better deal through a private owner.
* Even if buying from a dealer, can we do some kind of inspection on the rv, take it to some mechanic to make sure? We don't want it to have problems after 30 days past the warranty period.
* What brand do you recommend? We need at least 5 or more sleep arrangement and so far we've only researched about Fleetwood Tioga 1994-96.
* If we buy a rv from another state (we are in FL), do we pay tax for both states? (one for buying, one for when registering)?
* With Class C, where do you put kids when the rv is in motion? Do you use carseat on the couch? Are we safe to walk around or go to bathroom while in highways?
* Do you recommend buying a rv from private owner through Craigslist or ebay or should we just buy one from a dealer?
* Do you know of any website for rv trading or buying used one?
* When comparing the two RV with similar price, which is better, older year with less mile or newer with more mile?


I think I have more questions, but I'll stop here for now lol. Thank you so much for reading and any advice.

 

[edwinjd]

* If buying from a private owner, what should I look for since there will be no warranty? My dh feels more comfortable buying one from a dealer but I think we will get a better deal through a private owner.

You can check out this article for a list of things to look and inspect in the class C before negotiating the price with the private dealer: How to Buy an RV

* Even if buying from a dealer, can we do some kind of inspection on the rv, take it to some mechanic to make sure? We don't want it to have problems after 30 days past the warranty period.

I'd actually recommend to take the RV on a short trip in a local campground, or in your own backyard. That's the best way to check for any potential problems that you can report to the dealer and have this remedied while you're still within the warranty. Bringing it to a mechanic might give them a reason to void the warranty.

* If we buy a rv from another state (we are in FL), do we pay tax for both states? (one for buying, one for when registering)?

From what I know, you'll need to only pay for the taxes in the state where you're registering the RV, and not where you purchased it.

Are we safe to walk around or go to bathroom while in highways?

I don't see why not.

* Do you recommend buying a rv from private owner through Craigslist or ebay or should we just buy one from a dealer?

Personally, I would go with a local dealer. As you mentioned, when you go to a private owner, there is no warranty, something that dealers can provide. Also, local dealers can provide you with financing options if the model that you want is a little bit beyond your budget.

* Do you know of any website for rv trading or buying used one?

You can visit RVTraderOnline or RVSearch

 

[PhilnJill]

Keep one thing in mind about motorhomes. My wifes parents bought a motorhome for camping and urged us to use it. at first we thought this was the greatest thing since sliced bread, with that said we planned our vacation, loaded up and went camping. it was not long before we realized we needed to go into town for ice and other misc things. having the RV only we had to break camp go into town and then set up again when we returned.

what a pain in the ARSE that was. if you buy a motorhome plan on also taking another vehicle unless you pack "ALL" supplies you will need during your camping trip.

 

[Gerry]

shopping for a class c mh

While I have no experience with motor homes you seem to have a good head for asking appropriate questions. We all have different ideas on what we want in a RV and those ideas often change with time and usage. A class c does create a problem when your fully set up and for whatever reason you need to get supplies or just go out to dinner but the answer most seem to have is a small tag along vehicle so that's not a big issue in my mind. What I might suggest is to rent a class c for a week or two and see if it is what you like then look for a used one that has the features and comfort you can live with.