How Much Is My RV Worth in Today’s Market?

Many Changing Variables Determine an RVs Value

The question, “how much is my RV worth” depends on a multitude of variables and the answer can change quickly.  Everything affects the price. The macro and micro economy, the season, the location of the RV, brand, model, age, features, floor plan, add-ons, overall condition, even the presence or absence of an outdoor entertainment center or outdoor kitchen will impact your RV’s resale value.  Clearly the value of your RV will be higher at the beginning of the camping season than it will be in the dead of winter when it’s covered in a foot of snow, but putting off selling your RV for more favorable times doesn’t make a lot of sense either, because the longer you wait, the older it gets, the more it deteriorates, and those factors, working together, continually reduce its value. 

Don’t Rely on These Methods to Determine Your RV’s Value

Happily, there is one awesome way to determine the value of your RV and then there are the typical methods most people use to ascertain the fair market value of their RV. But these techniques are less-than-adequate and do not result in an accurate answer to the question, “how much is my RV worth?”  

Bad Idea #1)

Some people waste an inordinate amount of time searching on-line RV publications looking for comparable RVs of the same brand, model, year, size, and floor plan and then they try to calculate an average price based on that research. But this process is tedious and often does not yield enough similar RVs to produce a viable comparison.  

Bad Idea #2)

Another inadequate method is to contact an RV dealer and ask them what they would pay for the RV as a trade-in or as an outright purchase. Because dealers need to sell the RV for a profit, their offer will be significantly less than the fair market value in the private marketplace.

Don’t spend hours on end looking at information that can be vague, outdated, or plain useless!

Used RV’s are not listed on Kelley Blue Book.

Bad Idea #3)

Alternatively, an RV owner could contact a consignment lot for their recommended selling price, but again the consignment lot might have a future financial interest in selling that RV quickly, so their potential future involvement will likely result in a diminished valuation.

Bad Idea #4)

Finally, some folks think they can just check the Kelley Blue Book for RVs but unfortunately that convenient tool is not available for used RVs. As an alternative, RV owners will need to reference NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association) or JD Powers to determine the fair market value of their RV, but those databases are generalized and dated and won’t provide an up-to-date fair market valuation for any specific RV.

Don’t Get Bogged Down with Bad Ideas

There is a better way to get a viable answer to the question, “how much is my RV worth?” and when you’re in the market to sell an RV knowing exactly how much it’s worth is the most important first step, regardless of how you intend to sell it.  Once you know its fair market value you can decide if you want to invest in repairs, professional cleaning, upgrades, or other things that will maximize its value and make it easier to sell.

The best way to determine your RV’s value is to get a free valuation from the professionals here at National Vehicle. The staff at National Vehicle have their finger on the pulse of the used RV market, all the time.  Their only job is to assist private RV sellers (from every region of the country) so they have deep knowledge of brands, models, floor plans, buyer preferences, regional and seasonal variability, and all the other variables that impact the true market value of every RV. Their knowledge is fine-tuned by their real world experiences, and as such, their valuations are more accurate than JD Powers or NADA.  National Vehicle staff have no monetary interest in executing a quick sale, like a consignment lot, and they don’t need to resell your RV later at a profit, so there’s no reason for them to low-ball their valuations.  

Best Method and Most Accurate Information

A Free Valuation from National Vehicle is the most accurate representation of your RV’s real value in the marketplace today, and it provides the perfect foundation upon which to build your strategic selling strategy. Whether you intend to use your RV as a trade-in at a dealership or you want to maximize your return by selling it in the private marketplace, knowing it’s true value will prevent you from being taken advantage of, and it will allow you to price your RV fairly and negotiate in earnest.

Save Time and Get Professional Help

So, you can waste your time searching on-line RV publications or outdated databases, or get a low-ball valuation from a consignment lot or dealer, or you can tap into the deep knowledge of the professional staff at National Vehicle and ask for their free valuation of your unique RV. The staff will interview you to learn all about your RV, so their work will be as accurate as possible, and it only takes a few minutes. There’s no pressure, just a real conversation with a real person, which produces a free and accurate valuation. 

Use this information to establish your selling price and if you need help selling your RV in the private marketplace (where you will realize the greatest return) then be sure to ask your National Vehicle rep about how they can help you safely sell it to a private party.