Used Motorhomes

Where to find used motorhomes and how to buy them.

I often get asked where the best place to buy used campers is. There is no best place as every way of purchasing has its pros and cons. If I had to choose one I would probably go for seized auctions as that is where the real bargains can be found.(It is also where you can loose the most if things go wrong).

Here are the main places you can safely find used motorhomes for sale.

Seized Auctions or Police Auctions - These are normally government run auctions where seized vehicles are sold off to the public. The vehicles have been seized for a variety of reasons but mostly for non payment of debts or through bankruptcy seizures. Most of the vehicles on offer are in very good condition and have low mileage - most seem hardly used.  bidding usually starts at around $100 and on occasions incredible bargains can be found. At other times the bidding is intense and prices shot up to and over the recommended market price for the vehicles. Great care should be taken when buying from police auctions and you should know exactly what you are doing as far as the bidding goes and as far as vetting the vehicles you will be bidding for to assure you don't get ripped off. for more information on this see my article 'Used Motorhome' where I outline some of the major points to look out for.

There are a couple of websites that have databases of all of the local police and seized auctions across the country. They regularly updated with the vehicles that will be available. These sites are Auction Pass and Seized Vehicle Auctions.

Private Sales - If you don't think you are quite up to buying from an auction then you can often find pretty good deals when buying privately. Private sellers advertise in the local press and in the specialized RV magazines. Due diligence needs to be taken but if you are careful, take with you a mechanic and even someone who already owns a motorhome to help you look over any prospective vehicles then you should be able to assure a safe purchase. Make a note of any repairs that need to be undertaken, (there will always be something) and use this later to negotiate a lower price.

Used Motorhome Dealers - These offer the best choice of vehicles and will have motorhomes of all shapes and sizes, ages and conditions. They will possibly offer a guarantee of some sort and will normally also have available some sort of financing or payment plans available. The prices will be more elevated than vehicles in a private sale and definitely higher than auction but there is a certain amount of security involved. You do however still need to be careful that you don't get landed with a vehicle that is nothing but trouble. Take all of the precautions you would when buying privately or from an auction.  (Also see Campers For Sale)

For more information and ideas on how to find used campers for sale and how to value them see our web http://americanmotorhome.net