Trade in value shock

[Terier]

After watching "My Big RV" series I found myself suffering from size & storage envy. While spending the day at the local RV show I found an new TT that I would be interested in. As I became more serious I started exploring the possibility of trading up. Boy was I in for a big shock in finding out how little the dealer would offer for my little TT. I expected the number to be lower than I wanted but not so low that the ball wasn't in play. The dealer reasoning was that the new TT was heavily discounted so the trade in price was reduced.

I inquired with another dealer and got double the trade in price but it was still too low to be worth it. After some consideration I opted to keep my TT and be payment free for longer. Besides my TT still works for me, even with size & storage envy.

[bikendan]

Trade-ins are a losing deal for the consumer.
The only one that wins, is the dealer.

I have NEVER done a trade-in, on any of my vehicles or RVs, and never will.

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by Terier

After watching "My Big RV" series I found myself suffering from size & storage envy. While spending the day at the local RV show I found an new TT that I would be interested in. As I became more serious I started exploring the possibility of trading up. Boy was I in for a big shock in finding out how little the dealer would offer for my little TT. I expected the number to be lower than I wanted but not so low that the ball wasn't in play. The dealer reasoning was that the new TT was heavily discounted so the trade in price was reduced.

I inquired with another dealer and got double the trade in price but it was still too low to be worth it. After some consideration I opted to keep my TT and be payment free for longer. Besides my TT still works for me, even with size & storage envy.

I am curious as to what they offered and what you think it is worth if you don't mind me asking.

[TURBS]

We lost 2k per year of ownership to trade our last unit.
$1,500 on the unit before.

[Kenny kustom]

Originally Posted by TURBS

We lost 2k per year of ownership to trade our last unit.
$1,500 on the unit before.

That's doing well!

When I traded my TT on the sabre, I lost $999...
Although trade values are skewed, due to dealers discounting the new unit.


2015 RAM 3500 CCSB CUMMINS
2016 Sabre 36QBOK

[Jim34RL]

I do not worry about trade in value since these are numbers that any dealer can play with. To me it is the out the door cost of the new trailer with the trade in since this is the finial number that counts.


What is the difference if the dealer will pay $1,000 for your old trailer and retail you a new trailer for $30K. Or another dealer who will give you a traded in value of $10K for your trailer and retail the same trailer for $40K. What is the final cost, this is what counts to me. In fact you will pay more sales tax on a $40K trailer cost VS the $30K trailer this to effects the final cost.


To many people get hung up on trade in value and not the big picture cost.

[Oakman]

X2 on what Jim said.

[elind]

A friend of mine terminated a friendship with a GMC dealer because he couldn't do the math. The dealer had a $25k truck and my friend had a $13k trade in truck. The dealer would of been willing to come down to $21k and give him $13k for his, but my friend wanted more for his trade in. His dealer friend offered $17k for his trade but didn't come down from the $25k price. He took the deal. After the deal was made he found the same truck for $20k online for sale all over. He thought he was cheated but the deal was $8k difference all day long.

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by elind

The dealer would of been willing to come down to $21k and give him $13k for his, but my friend wanted more for his trade in.

His dealer friend offered $17k for his trade but didn't come down from the $25k price. He took the deal.

I can't even... Really?

Does the guy also fall for the 50 cents each or 2/$1 deal as well?

[MilCop4523]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Trade-ins are a losing deal for the consumer.
The only one that wins, is the dealer.

I have NEVER done a trade-in, on any of my vehicles or RVs, and never will.

Dealer offered me 14,500 stating I would never get what i wanted. Another dealer offered me 20,000 on a 52,000 trailer 5 months earleir.
2 months after the 14,500 slap we sold it through consignment and walked away with 19,400+

[hbillsmith]

My story. It was Jan.2015 and I had a 24ft 2013 TT. We had decided to trade it for a 5er and I was shopping online and on telephone all over the U.S. (Including the well liked and well known Wholesalers). I negotiated a buy price for our Wildcat and after several call backs and sweeteners, we had a price that appeared to be as low anywhere. I was comfortable with the thought of driving a 1,000 miles to buy "Wholesale" and save on a delivery charge. The kicker was that the best trade-in allowances were all between $11,500 and $12,500 and no one would flinch. I had that 2013 for only a couple of years and the new discounted price I paid back then was $24,000. I was prepared to accept that $12.5k offer...and then we went to the Ft.Worth RV Show.

Went to stop by the dealer that had sold us the 2013 TT and there it was, the exact Wildcat I had been shopping, but his "show special" price was $6,000 less than anywhere else in the nation. The sign on the unit said sold. I met with their salesmanager and remarked that it was too bad it was sold. His response was "Oh, I can order you the same unit for the same price. I've sold that one 4 times this show already".

OK, so what about my trade that everyone wanted to give me max $12,500? He offered $16,500 and added slide covers (something I had not even been thinking about) for no charge. PDI charge $zero, Factory Delivery charge to Ft. Worth $zero. Sold! That's the Wildcat in my signature block and it was $10K less than "Wholesale"er's net.

[martytyree]

I purchased a 2012 Dutchmen Voltage 3200 with $10,000.00 dollars down. I needed to sell it due to my company going out of business and two years later I was still $10,000.00 dollars under water. That is a $20,000.00 dollar loss in 2 years.

[danc]

Originally Posted by Terier

After watching "My Big RV" series I found myself suffering from size & storage envy. While spending the day at the local RV show I found an new TT that I would be interested in. As I became more serious I started exploring the possibility of trading up. Boy was I in for a big shock in finding out how little the dealer would offer for my little TT. I expected the number to be lower than I wanted but not so low that the ball wasn't in play. The dealer reasoning was that the new TT was heavily discounted so the trade in price was reduced.

I inquired with another dealer and got double the trade in price but it was still too low to be worth it. After some consideration I opted to keep my TT and be payment free for longer. Besides my TT still works for me, even with size & storage envy.

I wonder if "size and storage envy" ever goes away....always something bigger and better out there. I'm learning to be content with my little T.T. if I don't I will always want something better I guess that's just human nature.

[Rvdixie]

What we must all remember before getting angry is that these things are not investments but rather rapidly depreciating assets. My take is that a 5 year amortization is probably the best way to think of it. After 5 years whatever you get for it is a plus.

[TURBS]

We were content with the size of our sabre but the floorplan no longer fit our lifestyle.
We had a bunkhouse for 5 children whom are all gone except one.
It was a justified switch.

[hbillsmith]

Originally Posted by Rvdixie

What we must all remember before getting angry is that these things are not investments but rather rapidly depreciating assets. My take is that a 5 year amortization is probably the best way to think of it. After 5 years whatever you get for it is a plus.

I so agree with that though. Basically, it's a big toy and trade-in value % is similar to neighborhood garage sale pricing. I do dump my RV cost into Quicken for Net Worth tracking. I will depreciate the $30,000 asset by $5,000 day one when I take delivery. Then I assume a 20% salvage value for month 60 and the rest is 59 monthly depreciation that Quicken applies.

Of course, all this is ignored when I see something new and better...haha.

[lbrjet]

We paid 25K for our trailer and we have slept in it about 750 nights. Have visited 30 states, most of the National Parks, have 21,000 miles on it and it is still in great shape. Changed the tires once and a new CO detector last year. It is not an investment but it sure has been fun. We have already gotten 25K worth of enjoyment out of it in my mind and there is more to come.


2010 F250 5.4L 3.73
2011 Flagstaff 831FKBSS
Equal-i-zer 4pt 12K

[Rvdixie]

Yes a 20% residual value is certainly a reasonable way to think about it. You have a very realistic view. 10-4 on getting excited by the new models.

[Wanderer]

We bought 2011 Flagstaff new, 30K, went to trade up to fiver 3 years later got 15K trade in.
Best be sure of what you want, trading up is a losing proposition

[Loraura]

When we bought our new TT we didn't even bother working a deal on our trade in. I sold it on CL for asking price the same weekend we bought the new one.