Shopping for a Class B RV: New, Used and Really Used !!!
This article summarizes our experiences, discoveries and now actually tips
Looking at Brand New with the Travato 59G (Which can be seen in our RV Life Vlog S1:E3 - available below)
WE LOVED THE IDEA OF BRAND NEW.. and sorta fooled ourselves into thinking that because it can be financed over 20 years that the payments would be affordable. We were WRONG! The interest rate here in Canada (at the time of writing this article) is inbetween 4.4% to 6.79% - creating payments of over 1000$ a month! Remember this is only the ownership payment, there is no RV insurance included. THAT IS WAY TOO EXPENSIVE FOR US.
DEPRECIATION VERSUS THE WARRANTY... Well even though a new motorhome usually has a warranty, you need to bring in for the unit to get fixed and it is covered, but... will this type of peace of mind be worth 30,000 - 50,000$ of depreciative loss just driving it off the dealer's lot?
In our Canadian province of Quebec we have a 15% sales tax, which is added to the purchase price. This fact along with the additional "driving off the lot loss" was just too much for us to handle EMOTIONALLY and FINANCIALLY.
SO, FORNOW... WE WILL KEEP BUYING LOTTO TICKETS !!! (You never know)
USED CLASS B RV- 1998 Pleasure-Way on a Dodge Chassi (RV Life Vlog S1:E4 below)
When we realized that our "Newbie Wants" did not match our financial reality, we started shopping for more affordable older units because we still wanted a Class B RV.
A used unit definitely is a much more affordable alternative to purchasing new. The inconveniences: Anything that is over 20 years old in not financeable here in Canada... unless you use your home credit-line or some other type of personal loan. Your home credit-line is usually of a lower interest rate. Going with a personal loan doesn't make much sense due to the much higher interest rate they typically have.
(Please note this is our Quebec, Canadian reality) We are not savy or informed about other provinces or countries - this article is about our personal experiences not a how to article.)
The pleasure way was nice but, Justin did not fit into the shower area and after calculating all the items we wanted to modify in this unit (along with the sales tax), this class B was no longer in our 30,000$ Canadian budget.
So, On went the search...
A REALLY USED CLASS B RV...
What does that even mean? Is it shopping for a van built in the 1960 - 1970's? Not exactly. We started looking at fixer-upper units. This means that the unit is in general ok shape, but items within the motorhome need to be replaced or fixed. This of course brings the price down substantially.
Why would you do that?
Well, we have been researching this for a while. At first we wanted to build out our own van. This appeared a great idea at first, but too daunting for our first experience, because we have no building skills !!!
So, the alternative was to purchase a fixer upper that we could take apart slowly and get professional help making the changes we wanted as needed. In this manner we would not be removing and wasting money on perfectly functional parts of a new RV.
Examples: we want vinyl flooring, well the carpet in this Roadtrek needs replacing. We want a MaxxAir fan, well the Fantastic fan on this Roadtrek does not function. We want to upgrade the batteries and electrical system, well this Roadtrek needs to have that completely redone... And the list kind of goes on and on.
This works fine for our budget and timeline. We are not looking to RV anytime soon, our first real trip may be in a year or even later. We will probably simply stay in our condo parking spot, plug in the unit and see how living in it is before going anywhere of significance with it. We also like the fact that we can renovate the unit as money comes and having the power to choose our projects as we go.
IF YOU ARE IN A RUSH TO RV... We do not recommend getting a fixer-upper. A fixer-upper fits our situation, timeline and finances. Only if you have a place to keep and renovate your vehicle is this a good option. Also, you have to want to know how your vehicle is built and have a very lax timeline. If you are handy and a decently organized individual this may be a good option in order for you to save money. That said... research, research and research !!! Plan and make a prioritized list of what will need to be done !!!
All in all, this was a grueling shopping experience, there were ups and downs. It is a very unique experience for each person. You have to really sit down and figure out what you want, how you are going to used it (full time RV living, Snowbird living - 3 to 4 months out of the year, week-end warriors, camping... boondocking, staying in RV resorts, city van living - parking etc...) Wants and Needs will dramatically change with whatever it is you intend on doing with your RV or Motorhome.
We are discovering all these things as we develop our online business and presence. If you want to follow us on our journey on Youtube please visit our Channel below and Subscribe. (We also offer free fitness and health information on our Youtube Channel - with over 20 years of experience in the Fitness field, now being offered every week on we are calling WorkoutWednesday)