Using Depreciation to Determine RV Values
Another tricky way of determining the price you should pay for a new RV, is by reversing the depreciation on the cost of a similar used RV.
You can reverse the depreciation of a used model (preferably one only a few years old) to get an estimate of what a new model should cost.
You can get the depreciation schedule from RVCG as mentioned above, or you can calculate it manually.
For example, assume that you have calculated a certain RV model that is a few years old should have 30% depreciation.
You find a used RV for $100,000, but you want to know what the fair market price is for a new model.
Take the used selling price and mark it up up by the depreciation percentage.
In this case you take the $100,000 sales price and divide it by the .70 (100%-30% depreciation) to arrive an acceptable fair market price for the new RV at $142,847.
There is a handy Excel spreadsheet to compare the depreciation of a USED RV to a NEW RV available for download here.
RV Values Guesstimation
If you find yourself out shopping for an RV, and begin negotiating without having previously done your homework on the fair market value of the model you are shopping for, there are a couple of key themes to keep in mind.
MSRP’s are commonly marked up by the dealer, in some cases as high as by 40% – depending on the model and brand.
As a buyer, if you assume that the ticket price is marked up a fair bit, you may decide to negotiate down to a smaller markup. Keep in mind though that most RV dealers wont dip much below 5-10% – even if their life depended on the sale!
Figuring Out the Worth of Your Used RV
The question “What is my RV worth?” will be top of mind when you are a seller trying to find a reasonable asking price for your RV.
If you’re a buyer you’ll want to know the other side of that question, “How much is this RV Worth?”
If buying from an individual this can be a challenging process.
If you are a seller who is trying to determine a selling price you need to look at a combination of the current market, current statistics, and the condition of your RV.
For a quick and easy answer, sellers can look at the National Automobile Dealers Association Guides, the NADA Guides, to determine their RV’s Fair Market Value (FMV).
While this is not always the most reliable method of determining a selling price, it is convenient and easy.
You could also use the RV Blue Book.
The reason the NADA guides and RV Blue Book aren’t always the best resources is that they often give sellers an unrealistic expectation of profit.
If you use the guides to help determine your asking price, focus on the “Low Retail” or “Used Wholesale”, instead of the higher numbers, which are often far less realistic.
The same would go for buying or selling a car if you are more familiar with that.
I’m looking for the value of my 1987 Econoline 350 & Club Wagon. It is a small motor home (22 feet) with 65,000 miles, 460 engine, Onan Generator and pretty much everything that comes in a motorhome. I would like to sell it but have no idea of what to ask. It is in good condition.
Hi Jeff, PPL Motorhomes lists their sale prices on their website. Maybe this would help you arrive at a number? http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/sold/fifth-wheel-trailers.htm
I can’t seem to find ANY calculator on line that will tell me a fair trade-in value for our 5th wheel RV. In lieu of one, is there a general % that is commonly used – for example Low Retail minus 20%?
We have a 1979 Holiday Rambler – Center bathroom floor model, 32 foot. It only had about 20k miles on it when it was put up. it was running up until a few years ago, but now will need to have work done to get it running again, but not sure what it will need. Interior is in great shape – cushions need to be replaced due to age, but carpet, fixtures, closets, bathroom, cabinets and appliances still like new. Has refrigerator, microwave, ice maker, stove and oven – only refrigerator & microwave have been used, and very little. AC still works. Exterior shows age – not stored under cover for last 10 years or so. Can you give me an idea how much it would be worth if selling, excluding the work to get it running again? i have someone who will give me an estimate on the mechanical repairs. thank you.
Hi Donna,
This article has a nice checklist of items to go through (first part of the article). Cleanliness is arguably the most important. You’ll get the most bang for your buck now that you want to sell by making sure your rig is spotless. Don’t sink more money into it now, just spiffy it up. http://donbobbitt.hubpages.com/hub/SELLING-YOUR-RV-The-BAD-NEWS
hi i am getting ready to trade my rv in on an up grade, what can i do to improve the trade in value?
Hi Daniel,
The Cruise Master brand was by Georgie Boy. It is now a brand owned by Coachmen. In your searches you should look for a 2002 Georgie Boy Cruise Master! Hope that helps!
I am looking at a Cruise Master 2002 model 3600 DSL VIN # 5b4mp67g23346850 serial # 46850, I cant find it listed any where ! Can you tell me who is the mfg?