We know firsthand how stressful it can feel to sell your RV. We did it twice within just a few years while, and after, RVing full-time. Whether your RVing days are a thing of the past, you’re upgrading to a new rig, or downsizing to a smaller camper, selling an RV can seem daunting. Chances are, you want a quick and easy sale that returns the highest value on your asset. But, as with any vehicle, depreciation can be high, and it can happen quickly. So, how do you sell your RV efficiently and effectively? Here is everything to take into consideration when selling an RV.
Where to Sell an RV
Thanks to the internet and brick and mortar dealerships, there are several ways to sell an RV. Depending on what’s most important to you, such as sale price or sell time, a specific path to the sale might be best for you.
Sell RV Online - Private Sale
One way to sell an RV is privately through online listings. This means you advertise the rig, you manage showings, and best of all, you set the price. There are a number of places to promote an RV for sale online. Sites such as Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist are great because listings are free. More than 800 million people use Facebook Marketplace each month, so it’s a great way to reach your potential buyer. Chances are your town or city has a local yard sale group on Facebook that can further extend your reach. To set up a FB listing, you’ll need photos, a description, and of course, your asking price.
To reach a more targeted audience and better ensure those in the market for a new camper are seeing your rig for sale, listing your RV on an RV specific classified website is a must. Websites such as RVT.com are for RV sales and RV sales only. Sellers can create detailed listings with filterable options not available on platforms such as Facebook. Want to highlight that your rig is a fifth wheel with a mid bunk? Or that the RV has 4 slides and sleeps 8? These are features you’re able to specify on your listing, making it easy for your buyer to find you. While RVT isn’t free, reaching millions of people actively in the RV market for as little as $30 is definitely worth it!
You can do things to maximize your odds of selling your RV privately at the price you want. Something to think about is timing. Buyers usually start thinking about their summer plans after the holidays in January and February. This is when online RV sales peak. Another thing that’ll generate more inquiries is your photos. Make sure images are bright, staged, and detailed. If picture taking isn’t your strength, consider calling in a professional photographer. Nothing is going to deter a searcher quicker than bad photos.
There are many pros to privately selling your RV and using online listings. Probably the biggest pro is you, as the seller, choose the ticket price. If you are looking to pay off a big loan or even make a profit from your RV, selling privately is the best option. Other pros to selling privately include you control where your RV is marketed, you don’t have to deal with dealerships and contracts, and in the end, you decide who buys the rig and what they pay. From start to finish, the selling process is yours!
As for cons to selling privately, well, the selling process is yours from start to finish. You have to get the RV ready for selling, you have to advertise, and you have to handle showings. Selling privately could also shrink your buyers’ pool as the buyer would generally need to pay cash rather than finance.
RV Dealer Sale or Trade-In
Another way to sell an RV is through a dealership. This could be with a trade-in if you are in the market for a new RV, or cash payment. If you are purchasing a new rig once the old one is sold, this option might be a no brainer. You get money towards your new home on wheels and can handle the paperwork of selling and buying at the same time with the same person—no need to hassle over two transactions.
Regardless of whether you’re buying a new rig or not, selling to a dealer might be the easiest and quickest way to offload your RV. Chances are there are at least one or two dealerships near you that are always in the market for rigs to turn around and sell. Even if they don’t plan on selling your rig on their lot, if they are part of a nationwide network of dealers, they can send it elsewhere. Working with a dealership such as Camping World is an excellent option for this and many other reasons! Besides taking the RV off your hands right away, other pros to selling to a dealer include the fact that they are going to handle the paperwork, and they are going to get the RV ready to sell to the final owner. You don’t have to worry about the purchase paperwork, as you would with a private transaction, which can save a lot of headaches and maybe even some legal issues. And, while you want the RV to look its best to get the biggest payout possible, no need to worry about detailing the camper. The dealership will get it looking brand new for you!
While the dealer option might sound like the way to go since it’s generally super quick and easy, there is one major con. The price you are going to get will be substantially less than you could get when selling it privately. We have experienced this first hand, twice! When looking to trade in our 2011 fifth wheel for our new 2021 rig, the dealership offered us nearly half of what we’d ask for on the private market. We turned down the trade-in and ended up selling the RV ourselves for precisely what we expected to get. Now in the process of selling our 2021 rig and contacting dealerships asking what they’d give us for our basically brand new fifth wheel, we are being told prices that are $10-$15,000 less than what we’d list it privately. But, we are looking to offload our current RV ASAP, so selling to a dealership just might be the best way to go.
RV Consignment
Another way to sell your RV that combines a little bit of both private market and dealer options is consignment. Consigning your RV means using a third party to handle the actual sale of the rig, but you remain the owner. You are in control of the RV but don’t have to hassle with some of the details of the selling process. A larger dealership such as Camping World is, yet again, a great company to work with if you decide to consign your RV.
There are several pros to selling an RV through consignment. Many times the dealer will help you get the rig ready to sell. They can assist with the cleaning and any maintenance issues that need to be taken care of. Once the rig is ready to go, they handle marketing efforts such as professional photography and advertising. Having access to a place like Camping World’s marketing efforts (and budget) is priceless! Once the RV is on the market, a dealership partner will handle showings. With your rig being on the sales floor also means more foot traffic than if you were selling privately. Then, once the new owner has found your camper, the dealer will handle the paperwork. You simply wait for your check!
With the pros of consignment come the cons. One of those is the commission you’ll pay to the dealer for selling the camper. Since you are the owner, you have a say in the listing price. You and the dealership will look at the market value of the RV as well as its condition and determine a fair price. The dealership will then either take a percentage of the final sale price or a flat rate commission fee. Commission fees usually range from 10-15%. So, if you’re selling a motorhome for $100,000, you might walk away with just $85 - $90,000. Another thing to keep in mind is there is usually a consignment window determined by the dealership. Meaning if the rig doesn’t sell in one to three months, you’ll need to sign another contract or figure out another way to move forward. Since you are still the rig owner when consigning, but don’t have physical possession of the RV, you’ll want to make sure your asset is protected. You’ll want to have consignment insurance. Check to ensure your current plan would provide coverage while the RV is in consignment or change your plan to consignment specific coverage.
Prepare RV to Sell
There are steps to take to make sure you get the most money out of your RV sale. You want to ensure you get at least the fair market value, if not more!
Clean the Camper
Walking into a dirty, lived-in RV will make it hard for potential buyers to imagine living or vacationing in that space. Make sure the rig is fully detailed before you start showings. Even if you decide to go the dealer route, tidying up the RV is going to help get the best price possible. Ensure no space is forgotten from the RV toilet and shower to the basem*nt storage area and exterior. Get a wash and wax that leaves the rig shiny. Make sure the roof is top notch with rubber roof cleaner. Even clean your freshwater tank with a cleanser and deodorizer.
Fix What’s Broken
Whether you use your RV part time or full time, you know that things break. Even with a new rig, you’ll find things like screws go missing or finishing fixtures break. Before listing your RV for sale or handing it off to the dealer, fix anything that is broken. Call your RV manufacturer for assistance with parts or find a custom option that works. If you are looking to save time and effort and plan on selling to a dealership, they can take care of fixes for you but remember: this will bring down their offer price.Did your awning rip like ours did? Replace your RV awning fabric like we did!
Check the Mechanics and Systems
In addition to making sure everything is good to go from an aesthetic standpoint, you also need to make sure everything on the inside is running smoothly. If you are selling a motorhome, fix any major mechanical issues. Remember, you aren’t just selling an RV, but also a vehicle. For all campers, take care of concerns with systems including the furnace and AC unit, water pump and water heater, pipes, and holding tanks.
Don’t Forget Your Upgrades
If you’ve made any upgrades to your rig, you’ll want to ensure those are in working order and accounted for in your asking price. For example, we upgraded to lithium batteries and installed a solar system. On the private market, we will make sure the price we list at includes those items. If selling to a dealership, they may be hesitant to offer more for upgrades and modifications. If they don’t want to consider new batteries and solar panels, we will remove those items and sell them separately from the RV.
FAQs
What is my RV worth to sell?
To determine what your RV is worth, check its MSRP and NADA value. When using the NADA guide, make sure to account for all features, amenities, and upgrades. If there are issues with the rig, lean towards the low retail value, and if the condition is good, lean towards the average retail price. Remember, you can always ask for less but not more!
When is the best time to sell my RV?
January, February, and into early spring is the best time to sell your RV. This is when online RV sales peak. Listing your RV for sale towards the beginning of the peak selling time is best. Into the winter and through the holiday season is the least desirable time to sell.
What is the best way to sell an RV?
Many factors are going to determine what is best for your circ*mstance. If you want the highest payout, selling an RV privately online is best. If you need to get the RV off your hands ASAP and time is more valuable than money, selling your RV through a dealership makes the most sense.
How do I sell an RV quickly?
Usually, the quickest way to sell an RV is with a dealership. This is selling directly to the dealer, with or without a trade-in, rather than consignment. Selling to a dealer might get you less money than a private sale, but it’ll be speedy!
Can I sell my RV without a title?
If you’ve lost your RV title, you’ll need a new one to sell it. Each state has different requirements to obtain a new title, but having the bill of sale and the VIN is a good place to start. Contact your local DMV for exact requirements and steps to take to get a new title for your RV.
No matter the reason you are selling your RV, or the outcome you are hoping for, it can be a stressful event. Just determine which path to selling is right for you and do the work. Also, know if one approach doesn’t work, you could try another. If your rig sits on the private market longer than anticipated, try consigning through a dealership. If consignment doesn’t work, consider selling outright to the dealership. One way or another, it’ll all work out!
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Jessica Baker
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