Never buy new again

[manna54]

Bought a solitude 377 MB brand new in 2017. It was like almost 80 thousand dollars. Here we are less than 4 years later and I can't even get half that on a trade in or selling privately In excellent condition mind you. I thought because I was buying one of the best 5th wheels in GD it would have a better resale value. GD is not any different than any other RV company. For the amount of money you pay you would think they would be better built. Save your self a lot money and buy a used RV and let the person who bought it new take the loss.

 

[Txfivver]

That's got nothing to do with it being a Grand Design product. The 4 yr residual value on an F150 leased new is in the 40 - 45% range and that's on the best selling vehicle of any kind for over 40 years in a row. It's normal depreciation for any vehicle, car, truck, or RV.

 

[manna54]

You bring up a valid point, that's why I bought a 3 year old f150.

 

[TwoBallScrewBall]

There is a lot of peace of mind in a new unit. And not all of them depreciate like that, but any unit is going to depreciate. We are picking up a new 2021 265BH this weekend, for what I think is a good price right now. We are selling our 2016 Jayco which we bought new in 2016 for $18,200. We are selling it for $13.200 so it's a 27% loss in depreciation, which I think is pretty good. The way I look at it, is we paid $1000 a year to live and camp in a brand new camper that we were 100% sure was not abused or neglected. We had a couple of used units before this and you never know how they were taken care of or what is being hidden.

They all have issues. There is no brand or product line that is consistently perfect. The first year in a new unit should always be considered the shakedown year, where you find all the loose screws, things that weren't installed right, and that's what the warranty is for if it's something expensive or if it's not something you're comfortable with fixing yourself.

50% depreciation does sound like a hell of a lot, but dealers always go low on the trade, as part of their business is to flip it for a profit. Have you tried to sell it privately? Have you checked Nada/Kbb for values?

Definitely understand your frustration.

 

[huntr70]

Bought a solitude 377 MB brand new in 2017. It was like almost 80 thousand dollars. Here we are less than 4 years later and I can't even get half that on a trade in or selling privately In excellent condition mind you. I thought because I was buying one of the best 5th wheels in GD it would have a better resale value. GD is not any different than any other RV company. For the amount of money you pay you would think they would be better built. Save your self a lot money and buy a used RV and let the person who bought it new take the loss.

Average retail on a 2107 377MB is $57k if you want to sell it on your own.


Trade in is obviously less.

 

[alkbch]

Bought a solitude 377 MB brand new in 2017. It was like almost 80 thousand dollars. Here we are less than 4 years later and I can't even get half that on a trade in or selling privately In excellent condition mind you. I thought because I was buying one of the best 5th wheels in GD it would have a better resale value. GD is not any different than any other RV company. For the amount of money you pay you would think they would be better built. Save your self a lot money and buy a used RV and let the person who bought it new take the loss.

How much off MSRP did you buy your rig for? That's also a factor to consider.

 

[MBT^02]

Average retail on a 2107 377MB is $57k if you want to sell it on your own.


Trade in is obviously less.

You are spot on here. I happen to own a 2018 377mbs and they could be negotiated into the 50k-60k range when we purchased.

Depreciation is a major bummer on it’s own, but depreciation and a marginal sales deal makes things really painful.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Dakota]

We looked at used. Decided to buy new. We found that almost every RV depreciates 20% the first year. I always figured my new cars drop 10 grand the minute I drive it off the lot. Perhaps you should have done your diligence before buying new.

 

[Aridon]

If you get soaked at full or close to full MSRP that depreciation curve is really nasty.

If you get 30% off MSRP, the pain is less and if you sell on your own as opposed to trading it in even less.

Grand design is no different than any other RV maker.

 

[Rgkeaney]

I’m curious. Is the 2020 run on RV’s coming to a close? Last July I sold a 2018 POS (it was horrible) Starcraft 5th wheel for almost what I paid for it. I couldn’t believe it. Phone was ringing off the hook and the second guy that called offered 19k on a unit I paid two years earlier for 21k. That was in July and it feels like that was right about the time everyone i. the world (it seems like) was buying campers. We ended up with a new 2020 31mb and what a difference. At twice the cost mind you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RV Sailor]

I’m curious. Is the 2020 run on RV’s coming to a close? Last July I sold a 2018 POS (it was horrible) Starcraft 5th wheel for almost what I paid for it. I couldn’t believe it. Phone was ringing off the hook and the second guy that called offered 19k on a unit I paid two years earlier for 21k. That was in July and it feels like that was right about the time everyone i. the world (it seems like) was buying campers. We ended up with a new 2020 31mb and what a difference. At twice the cost mind you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

To early to tell I think. I think this year May level off with next year a glut of people getting out to pursue other non socially distanced venues again

 

[Dadeo6472]

We bought our used 2019 18RBE (actually built in August 2018), for about $20,000 in February of 2020 at the Syracuse RV show. MSRP for a new one was $28,000, but you could not find one. They were a limited production unit for a couple of years and only a few selected dealers got one. There were no special orders. And while I doubt anyone paid MSRP, the bluebook value of our used unit was $23,000 when we bought our 2020. The differences between a 2018, 2019 and 2020 were minor. We felt good about the price we paid, and we could find little evidence it was used much. Most important was the condition of the tires and underbelly. We found a few faults that any normal owner would have found if he actually used the thing. So yeah, I'd say that buying a recent production unit is a good deal. Who knows if 2021 will be as crazy as 2020. I can tell you that the ski area I work at is building an RV park, due to demand from customers. So signs are that its going to be a busy year.

 

[RobWNY]

Sell it yourself. People are overpaying for New and Used RV's now. Dealers aren't going to give you much in a trade.

 

[GeoffnCheri]

Bought a solitude 377 MB brand new in 2017. It was like almost 80 thousand dollars. Here we are less than 4 years later and I can't even get half that on a trade in or selling privately In excellent condition mind you. I thought because I was buying one of the best 5th wheels in GD it would have a better resale value. GD is not any different than any other RV company. For the amount of money you pay you would think they would be better built. Save your self a lot money and buy a used RV and let the person who bought it new take the loss.

Welcome to the forum. The manufacture does not set aftermarket used prices. Demand and supply do. GD does hold resale to a point. I agree that if you are planning on a trying to sell a used RV, the market can be very volatile.

 

[Grammy&Grandad]

Bought a solitude 377 MB brand new in 2017. It was like almost 80 thousand dollars. Here we are less than 4 years later and I can't even get half that on a trade in or selling privately In excellent condition mind you. I thought because I was buying one of the best 5th wheels in GD it would have a better resale value. GD is not any different than any other RV company. For the amount of money you pay you would think they would be better built. Save your self a lot money and buy a used RV and let the person who bought it new take the loss.

Based on this and the rest of your post history in this forum so far, it sounds like you will be perpetually frustrated unless you decide to unload your unit and pursue perhaps a full custom trailer - which are substantially more expensive (largely due to the fact that the really high end companies sell far fewer units and the markup just has to be higher.) The truly handcrafted units are super expensive by most folks’ standards - but their owners are generally much more satisfied. I think not so much because the overall quality of components is higher - because what you see in them is essentially the same as mass produced units - but folks have more confidence in something special that relatively few owners opt for / can afford. RVs of any type are definitely not investments. But sure, we all hope that we are buying trustworthy, durable units with components that offer good service and value.

Overall, we are very happy with or Solitude. We took a long time looking at floor plans, assembly quality, fit and finish, and other owner experiences compared to units of comparable construction and price. We wanted a roomy, 3 season or better fifth wheel that was a step up from our previous entry-level unit. We also knew we were not going to spend north of $150 - 200 k or more to own some of the higher quality trailers out there that have residential grade custom cabinetry, plumbing, etc. As experienced owners, we know the difference in component quality, and I am just handy enough to be comfortable replacing things that break, like cheap electrical outlets, switches, plumbing components, etc - and generally upgrade to at least residential grade when I do replace something that has failed. These things run down the road at 70 miles an hour. They are going to have stress and failures. What really distinguished GD from others for us was the reputation they had for customer service. We have had our share of new trailer woes - but each time, GD and dealers have stepped up to help, including some pretty incredible turnaround times. I feel like we made a good choice with GD.

Do I wish that some components were beefier? Absolutely. Do I lament the fact that there probably is not any way to obtain a wiring or plumbing schematic accurate for my actual unit? Yeah. But I won’t find that from any manufacturer at the price point that I am willing to live with. The one big improvement I would have like to have seen at this price point was more deliberacy and effort put into keeping wiring and plumbing organized, even if not labeled. To me, that is a hallmark of craftsmanship and pride that I think GD could adopt easily without sacrificing too much more volume or margin. I would gladly have paid closer to “MSRP” to have that level of craftsmanship. But did I have that even in my $350 k bricks-and-sticks home? Big NO. Anyone in the housing industry can can you a thousand stories about bad experiences with contractors, trades, low material quality and failures. Build quality and true craftsmanship exist in very, very limited manufacturing sectors. It’s sad, but that’s reality. (The automotive industry generally has impressed me compared to 1970s and 80s, tho!)

So that is my rant on this topic. I think most folks’ expectations are way too high for what they are willing to pay for. There are machines out there that meet those expectations. But not without much greater expense. In comparison to their competition, though, I am sold on GD and will recommend them to anyone who doesn’t have unlimited resources.

 

[goducks14]

Bought a solitude 377 MB brand new in 2017. It was like almost 80 thousand dollars. Here we are less than 4 years later and I can't even get half that on a trade in or selling privately In excellent condition mind you. I thought because I was buying one of the best 5th wheels in GD it would have a better resale value. GD is not any different than any other RV company. For the amount of money you pay you would think they would be better built. Save your self a lot money and buy a used RV and let the person who bought it new take the loss.

Welcome to the world of RV's.
Pick a brand and copy and paste your post on their forum. It will fit right in on any brand forum but Airstream.

 

[Dadeo6472]

Welcome to the world of RV's.
Pick a brand and copy and paste your post on their forum. It will fit right in on any brand forum but Airstream.

And why is that? Seriously, why does Airstream have the cache that nobody else seems to have?

 

[NB Canada]

And why is that? Seriously, why does Airstream have the cache that nobody else seems to have?

Because of their construction

Escapes that are built in Canada would also hold tremendous value


2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew

 

[goducks14]

And why is that? Seriously, why does Airstream have the cache that nobody else seems to have?

Look at the resale values of Airstreams. They don't depreciate like the Indiana ones do.

Also when was the last time someone wanted to restore a 1970 Terry travel trailer?
I'm not saying they are immune to problems, but their construction offers a better chance of being used in 25 years vs the Indiana stuff.
Buyers are aware of that. I see it as almost cult like. kinda like back in the early 2000's when Harleys were getting a premium. You could literally buy any HD and at the end of the year sell it for what you paid for it because HD couldn't keep up with demand.
The three Airstream dealers near me have a total of 4 trailers between them.
It doesn't really matter if most people can't afford them or don't like their design. Fact is they can't keep up with demand.

 

[Scott'n'Wendy]

Buy any consumer product on wheels brand new and you take a hit once you leave the lot. Cars, trucks, RV's. Longer you keep it, the better it works with an RV. At least in my experience.