What is My RV Worth? 5 Things That Influence Price
According to the 2018 Drive to Decide Survey conducted by Google and Kantar TNS, over ninety percent of people interested in buying a car will do research online first. Part of that research is about the vehicle they want to get into. Another part of the online research is finding out the value of something they want to sell or trade-in before getting into the new vehicle. When a person decides to sell a vehicle, they will often go online to find its value. The same can be said about trailer, camper, and motorhome shoppers. Often they will research online for the value of their RV to trade-in. But it is not as simple as looking up the Kelley Blue Book Value.
Kelley Blue Book values for an RV do not exist
A common resource for looking up vehicle values is the Kelley Blue Book. However, when it comes to RVs, the situation changes. Kelley Blue Book does not track the values of the RV industry. So, finding the value of that pop-up, or fifth-wheel trailer takes a little more legwork.
NADA Guide has RV values
The NADA Guide has been online providing values of cars, trucks, RV, and motorcycles for many years. It is probably the most similar to what users have become accustomed to over with the KBB folks. A user can simply plug in the information of the RV in question, a zip code, and shazam! A range of values pops up. The average retail, low retail, and the suggested list price will populate and give people a good idea of a valid value range at that moment in time.
PPL will provide recent RV sales data
PPL also has an online record of their recent sales. The company is a large dealer and consignor. But, their site will help provide an idea of the current market value of the RV being considered for sale or trade-in. The recent sales record is pretty telling of what the market is doing at any given moment.
Five big influencers on RV value
Someone that is considering selling their RV may also be wondering what the big influencers are of the value. There are many influencers. However, the most common are listed below.
- The age of the make/model
- Size of the RV
- Number of slide-outs
- The mileage (if a motorhome)
- Condition (engine, undercarriage, tires, furniture, slide-out motors, paint inside and out)
Make sure the RV looks good and everything works
An RV is just like a car, truck, minivan, or SUV. It begins to depreciate the moment it leaves the sales lot. That depreciation will continue for the length of its usefulness. So, keep that in mind when looking for the resale value of your rig. However, making sure the interior is tidy and uncluttered will help the presentation to the potential buyer. Also, making sure all mechanicals work as they should will aid in retaining the value of the vehicle. Finally, remember that values are regional in nature. An open-air pop-up camper is not going to get the best value in a heavy winter region. But, in a more moderate, or even tropical climate, the value can change.
If one is considering selling their RV, researching the value online is possible, though not through Kelley Blue Book. Also, making sure that everything works as it should and is cleaned up will aid in making the RV value as strong as possible. But, the value can also be influenced by the age, the size, number of slide-outs, mileage on the RV. So, keep that in mind, when the time comes for selling or trading in the old camper, travel trailer, fifth-wheel, or motorhome.
