Recreational vehicles can cost more than a house – some go for as much as $200,000. There are plenty of options and configurations that can move the price up. Try renting a similar model for a holiday getaway to see how you like it, before you mortgage your house and go looking for RV finance. RVing is a great way to learn about America’s natural splendor, back roads, popular attractions, small towns, and large cities. The recreational vehicle that may have been perfect in the past may no longer suit current needs. Choosing the right RV for you and your family depends upon a number of factors. The decision to invest in some kind of vehicle comes with no trouble for a lot of first-time RVers; for others it entails hours of hard decision-making.

Decide On Which Features You Want Your RV To Have
You should be developing some thoughts concerning style, design features, and options that might be relevant to you as your hunt for the ideal RV continues. The selection of an RV involves many, many choices. List on paper some things you think you want and need in an RV:

• Anticipate how you will be using the RV
• How many people do you expect to use the RV at the same time?
• What type of camping do you enjoy?

You Can Get Great Value With Many Previously Owned RVs
Used RV’s represent the best value in the market today. Veteran RVer Bob Gummersall performed a study using NADA and Kelly’s Blue Book prices to understand the effects of depreciation, and concluded that the total cost of ownership of a used (3 year old) RV is approximately half the cost of owning a new RV.

When you win, you can win big with a used RV – it’s a bit like gambling at the racetrack. You gamble that you’ll get a well cared for rig that will serve you well. Even if it’s still the current year’s model with hardly any miles, a used RV has already decreased in value significantly. Buying a used RV makes sense for RVers on a budget.

Things To Ask If Buying New RV From A Dealership
Purchasing a new RV from a dealer is a key investment. You should ask them:
- To look at the service department
- If they have specialized RV technicians and the ability and facilities to do scheduled upkeep and warranty work on the units they sell
- If they offer a good selection of parts and accessories

The exercise of determining the fair market value is well worth the effort to avoid over-paying when buying a new or used RV. Fair market value for a new RV is derived by adding an acceptable margin of profit to the dealer’s invoice price. The RV Consumer Group has compiled price statistics for most RV brands and models on their Ratings CD-ROM.