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Purchasing a travel trailer is a massive decision for anyone. Not only are you essentially purchasing a new home, but you’re also making a significant financial investment. RVs can be incredibly expensive, and like when you purchase a home, you want to take your time and make sure that you have the perfect fit. You will also want to try to find the best deal on a travel trailer that you can find.
When you’re in the process of searching for a new travel trailer it can be stressful. However, if you take your time and do the proper research, you’ll notice that the process is no more stressful than purchasing anything else. By doing the proper research, you’ll ensure that you are getting the best deal on a travel trailer possible.
To find the best deal on a travel trailer, you can use a plethora of resources that are available to you online and in person. You can get advice from dealerships, or you can ask advice from other people who have bought travel trailers in the past. You can also spend your time researching on your own thoroughly. All options are viable if you take your time. If you don’t take your time you won’t find the best deal on a travel trailer available to you.
How to Justify Buying a Travel Trailer
One problem many aspiring travel trailer owners run into is justifying purchasing a travel trailer. Obviously, everyone’s financial situation is different, so the decision will be more difficult for different people. However, that’s a decision you need to make yourself.
Before you decide to purchase a travel trailer, you first need to make sure that you can afford it. This means you need to allocate a budget for a travel trailer. If the budget you set isn’t enough to get you a travel trailer, you’d be satisfied with, then it might not be the right time to purchase one for yourself. However, if a travel trailer is in your budget then you shouldn’t have any issues.
Another thing you need to consider is that a travel trailer is like a second home for some people. However, for others, it might be their primary home. Many people live in travel trailers and RVs because they’re cheaper to purchase than a typical home. If this is an option you’re considering, then you can give yourself a bigger budget than someone who wants to purchase a travel trailer purely for leisure.
No matter your reason for purchasing a travel trailer, you will still want to find the best deal on a travel trailer that you can find. No one wants to spend more money than they need to, so finding a good deal is ideal. If you take the time to do your research, you can find a deal that is within your budget.
Should I Buy a New or Used Travel Trailer?
Once you’ve decided that you want to purchase a travel trailer, a decision you need to make is whether you want to purchase a new or used trailer. Both options have their pros and cons, but most of the factors depend on your financial situation.
If you had all the money in the world, the only reason you would ever consider purchasing a used trailer is if you wanted a vintage version that was no longer being produced. In that situation, you might consider purchasing a used option because you can get a new trailer in the style that you want. However, in all other situations, you would go with the new option.
Unfortunately, not everyone is filthy rich, so money is a factor. As a result, many people consider purchasing used travel trailers instead of new ones. That being said, you don’t need to purchase a used travel trailer if you don’t want to, but you should be prepared to spend more on a new trailer.
New travel trailers will be more fuel efficient, have the most up to date amenities, and will overall be in the best shape. However, that doesn’t mean that used travel trailers won’t be in good shape. Used RVs can be great options and a lot of the time will look like they’re brand new. So, if you’re worried about the state of a used trailer you don’t need to be. All you need to do is make sure that you inspect the trailer beforehand to make sure there aren’t any issues. You should be doing that for any trailer you buy anyway, so that shouldn’t be a problem.
That being said, used trailers are cheaper, so if you’re looking for the best deal on a travel trailer, it will be a used one.
How Much are New Travel Trailers?
When you decide that you want to purchase a new travel trailer, you probably will be worried about the price. You’ll want to find the best deal on a travel trailer that you can find. Most new travel trailer cost between $11,000 and $35,000. How expensive a travel trailer is, is largely dependent on the size of the trailer. As a result, if you have a lower budget, you’ll want to consider smaller options.
Typically, a travel trailer that is between 20 and 25 feet will cost around $19,000. That price will fluctuate by a few thousand dollars depending on the brand and the amenities that come with the vehicle. However, that’s the general price you can expect.
If you want a travel trailer that is somewhere from 25 to 30 feet long, you can expect the price to increase slightly. On average, the price of a trailer of this size will be around $24,000. The prices of trailers in this range vary more drastically. Some can be incredibly cheap, while others will push $35,000. Once again, this is dependant on the brand and amenities available.
Finally, if you’re interested in a larger travel trailer, you can expect another slight increase in price. However, it isn’t as drastic as the other size jump. For travel trailers that are 30 feet and longer, you can expect the price to be around $26,000 on average. However, prices can vary drastically and the best, large travel trailers will be much more expensive. That being said, if you’re willing to put some time into purchasing amenities for yourself, you can get a larger travel trailer for a similar price to smaller options.
How Much are Used Travel Trailers?
If you decide that you want to save some money and purchase a used travel trailer, then you’ve made a responsible financial decision. Used options will provide you with the best deal on a travel trailer that you can find. However, you should remember that it’s more important to check out used trailers in person than it is with the new options.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to determine the average price of used travel trailers by size because they vary so drastically. The price is dependant on how old the trailer is and the condition that it’s in. For example, a travel trailer that’s five years old that had an original listing of $30,000 could have several different prices. If it was in pristine condition, it might still be $25,000. However, if it’s taken some damage over the years, it might be $20,000 or less.
When you’re looking for the best deal on a travel trailer, you need to be careful about looking at prices exclusively. When you find an option that’s very cheap and well within your budget you need to ask yourself why it’s that cheap. It could just be because it’s old, but it could also be because it’s in bad condition. If you purchase a used travel trailer in bad condition, you might spend more time repairing it than you saved in the first place. As a result, you need to take your time and find the best deal on a travel trailer, while ensuring that it’s in decent condition.
How to Negotiate a Travel Trailer Purchase
When you’re looking for the best deal on a travel trailer, there are a few things you can do to improve your chances at getting a good deal. Firstly, you should increase the distance that you’re willing to go to purchase your trailer. By increasing your range of options, you’ll have a better chance at getting the best deal on a travel trailer.
Secondly, you should look for trailers that are lightly used. Used trailers, no matter how little they were used, are going to be cheaper than new trailers. However, if you look for used trailers exclusively, you’ll find trailers that are in poor condition. Conversely, if you for lightly used trailers then you will find options that look like they’re brand new. This will help you find the best deal on a travel trailer available.
Additionally, one of the most important things to do when negotiating is to pit dealerships against each other. A lot of the time trailers will have an artificially high price because they are from certain brands. However, if you find a similar trailer from a different dealership that’s lower in price, you might be able to negotiate a lower price on the original trailer. Dealerships want your business, and if you threaten that you’ll go elsewhere they might be receptive to lowering the price.
Furthermore, you should also never make a purchase on your first visit. You will never get the best deal you can on the first visit. The first time your there, the price will be at its highest. By making your purchase after a few trips, you can negotiate the price down to a more reasonable number.
What Is the Markup on Travel Trailers?
Markup is the profit a dealer makes on a product they sell. In other words, it’s the difference between the price that they buy the product from the manufacturer and the price that they sell it to you.
Generally, the markup on most travel trailers is around 40%. However, some dealers will increase their markup. As a result, it’s best to purchase a travel trailer with an MSRP that’s listed. If a trailer doesn’t have an MSRP then the dealer can set the price wherever they want. As a result, you may end up spending way more on a travel trailer in this situation.
How Much Can You Negotiate on a New Travel Trailer?
Negotiating is an important part of finding the best deal on a travel trailer. However, when you’re purchasing a new travel trailer it can be more difficult. New trailers are more likely to have a fixed price, and therefore there’s a lot less room for negotiation.
When you’re purchasing a used travel trailer there’s a lot of things you can argue to possibly get the price reduced. You can argue that it’s in worse condition than they claim or that there are cheaper options from other dealers. However, this won’t be the case for new travel trailers.
With new travel trailers, the best thing you can do is look at different dealerships and find travel trailers that have similar floorplans. You can then find the trailer that’s lowest in price and bring that price to the dealer that you’re working with. If you can show them that you could purchase a trailer that’s nearly identical for a lower price, they may be willing the reduce their price.
However, it’s unlikely that this will save you a lot of money. In some cases, you might be able to get the price reduced by a few thousand dollars. But in a lot of cases, the price will be fixed. However, there’s no harm in trying and you won’t get the best deal on a travel trailer without trying to negotiate.
Best Month of Year to Buy a Travel Trailer
In most places, the time of the year where you’ll be able to get the best deal on a travel trailer is the summer. The second-best time is in the fall. Conversely, the spring and summer are considered terrible times to purchase a travel trailer.
It’s better to purchase a travel trailer in the winter or months approaching it because there are fewer people that will be taking trips in their trailers. As a result, there are fewer people purchasing trailers. Since there are fewer people buying trailers, prices will be lower so that dealers can make sales.
Conversely, there’s a lot more competition in the spring and summer months because more people want to get a trailer for vacations. Since more people want trailers, dealers can increase prices because more people want to purchase their travel trailers. Supply and demand apply to everything, and when the demand for travel trailers goes up, so does the price.
How Do You Inspect a Travel Trailer Before Buying?
When you think you’ve found the best deal on a travel trailer possible, you’ll want to inspect it first. Otherwise, you might find yourself with a trailer that’s falling apart. This is especially important if you’re purchasing a used travel trailer.
The first thing you should do when you’re considering a trailer is to inspect the roof. You want to carefully check to see if there are any leaks. An easy way to tell if there are leaks is to check for water stains or discolorations. If they exist, then there’s probably a leak somewhere nearby.
Furthermore, you should check the floor for water damage. Water damage can be a big issue for travel trailers because they are often exposed to the elements. A good way to check for damage is to tap the floor with a blunt object. If you notice a section of the floor is softer than others, then it has been damaged by water.
You should also have the dealer hook up the electrical and water supply before you leave the shop. The only way to ensure that these systems are working is to test them beforehand. If the dealer refuses to do this for you, that should tell you enough.
Additionally, you should check the tires of the travel trailer. You don’t want to be dragging around a trailer with flat tires. So, make sure that the tires are in good condition before you make a purchase.
Finally, you should ask if you can drive around with your travel trailer before you make a purchase. Driving around with it will give you a good indicator of how the tires hold up. Most dealers will allow you to do this, so don’t be afraid to ask!
Enjoy Your Travel Trailer Knowing You Found a Great Deal!
After reading, we hope you have all the information you need to find the best deal on a travel trailer possible. We know there’s a lot of information to absorb, but all of it is important for you to make the best purchase. Remember, doing your research is incredibly important before making a significant financial investment like purchasing a travel trailer.
Before you make your purchase, make sure you have a relatively good idea of your budget. This will help you narrow down the travel trailers you can look at. It will also help you decide whether you want a new or used travel trailer. Once you have your budget, you’ll have a lot more freedom to look at different options.
Have you purchased a travel trailer before? What type of budget do you have for your travel trailer? Do you plan on purchasing a new or used travel trailer? Let us know in the comments!
