I Live in SW Arizona. When Might Be the Best Time of Year to Shop For a Used 5th Wheel?

[Goose55]

In Arizona, when might be the best time of year to purchase a good used 5th wheel? And, from a dealership or privately?

 

[yrraljguthrie]

August

 

[Timsdually]

Private. The dealers are all snakes.

 

[Dean2]

Other choice is to wait for winter and shop for one in the snow belt regions. You can also check Canada as the U.S dollar is worth a 1.35 north of the border.

 

[yrraljguthrie]

Here I'm not going to mention which, but in my opinion, the rv options will be nicer and cleaner in some states. Better taken care of.

 

[Riccochet]

Actually, right now. Dealer's aren't moving inventory. No one is buying. They're making smokin deals on new and used units just to make room on their lots for 2024 units.

I would find the make/model you are most interested in and shop dealers as far from you as you are willing to drive. You might even find a 2022 left over for less than you'd pay for a used one.

 

[yrraljguthrie]

Riccochet, that might really be correct, but that paragraph is exactly what a dealer is going to tell you as a come on.

 

[Riccochet]

Riccochet, that might really be correct, but that paragraph is exactly what a dealer is going to tell you as a come on.

You can do your own research. I know several people that have bought 2022 leftover units in the past couple months for under invoice. Lots are packed with units, manufacturers have ceased production and the used market is flooded. All those covidians who bought during covid, that thought RV'ing was for them realized it's not.

 

[Tulecreeper]

You can do your own research. I know several people that have bought 2022 leftover units in the past couple months for under invoice. Lots are packed with units, manufacturers have ceased production and the used market is flooded. All those covidians who bought during covid, that thought RV'ing was for them realized it's not.

Yep, we are in the market for a new TT. There are plenty of 2022 units left on all the lots in our area, at prices 50% or less of MSRP. I think it will be this way for another year, or so, then eventually everything will settle down. We're not going to be buying for probably another 6 months, and I fully expect there will still be a few 2022's on the lots and a whole bunch of 2023's left to move.

 

[chopperman1]

I would try and buy one from the midwest area, rt 66 belt. Weather is more moderate there. Units won't take a beating from the Arizona sun.

 

[Jane S]

In Arizona, when might be the best time of year to purchase a good used 5th wheel? And, from a dealership or privately?

Is this a trick question?

 

[Tulecreeper]

I would try and buy one from the midwest area, rt 66 belt. Weather is more moderate there. Units won't take a beating from the Arizona sun.

Chopperman1, isn't that backwards? I'm thinking that if he bought from a dealer in his area (Arizona), or from a private party that bought it from a dealer in his area, he would get a unit that is built to take the sun exposure better there. If he buys from a dealer in the Midwest, the units manufactured for that particular area aren't built so much for heat as they are for cold. I live in AR, and although we get temps well into the 90's regularly during the summer, sometimes our winter temps can drop to 0 degrees for a few days at a time so units built for this geographical area are built more for cold than heat.

I'm in the market for a TT and have hit all the dealerships within 100 miles. It's difficult to find units with 2 A/C's, which will definitely be necessary in AZ.

 

[HEMIMANN]

Yep - we just bought a leftover '22 TT for all the reasons listed above. Great deal, couldn't find one in the size we wanted used.

 

[chopperman1]

Chopperman1, isn't that backwards? I'm thinking that if he bought from a dealer in his area (Arizona), or from a private party that bought it from a dealer in his area, he would get a unit that is built to take the sun exposure better there. If he buys from a dealer in the Midwest, the units manufactured for that particular area aren't built so much for heat as they are for cold. I live in AR, and although we get temps well into the 90's regularly during the summer, sometimes our winter temps can drop to 0 degrees for a few days at a time so units built for this geographical area are built more for cold than heat.

I'm in the market for a TT and have hit all the dealerships within 100 miles. It's difficult to find units with 2 A/C's, which will definitely be necessary in AZ.

I'm referring to the physical shell/roof of the camper. One that has been baking in the AZ sunshine for X years will be more "worn" than one from a more modest environment. All campers are really built the same way and design. Some are built with cold climate packages, most if not all larger ones are "prep'd" for a 2nd AC unit. Those are all simply "bolt-ons" that are added for the specific market they are sold in.

 

[yrraljguthrie]

RVs built for the heat or for the cold aren't going to be any different. Heat and cold both require the same things mostly insulation. A particular RV brand is either going to be well insulated or not. Look for a brand advertised for the winter weather and it should be well insulated. I don't think any RV manufacturer is going to make different models for different weather. Also, a used RV bought at a dealer is most likely not going to have any warranty. Again, where ever you buy an RV make sure the AC is on and has been for hours and is doing its job. Even if you buy it in the winter. Ditto the ******. Stick your nose into the ****** and see if you can smell ammonia. Go outside and open the panel where the ****** is located. If so the ****** is leaking. Get a non-contact (laser or infrared) thermometer. Take the temperature by pointing at the wall inside in various positions. The temperature will vary from place to place depending on how well insulated. Also measure the temperature of the air coming out of an AC vent. Also how cold the ****** and freezer is. Look at the wear on the tires. If you have a crew cab pickup with a 5.5 foot bed it going to be problematic to tow a fifth wheel. Even if you get a sliding hitch that will work in that short bed you are likely to dent the cab of the pickup at some time when turning a sharp corner.

 

[Tulecreeper]

RVs built for the heat or for the cold aren't going to be any different. Heat and cold both require the same things mostly insulation. A particular RV brand is either going to be well insulated or not. Look for a brand advertised for the winter weather and it should be well insulated. I don't think any RV manufacturer is going to make different models for different weather. Also, a used RV bought at a dealer is most likely not going to have any warranty. Again, where ever you buy an RV make sure the AC is on and has been for hours and is doing its job. Even if you buy it in the winter. Ditto the ******. Stick your nose into the ****** and see if you can smell ammonia. Go outside and open the panel where the ****** is located. If so the ****** is leaking. Get a non-contact (laser or infrared) thermometer. Take the temperature by pointing at the wall inside in various positions. The temperature will vary from place to place depending on how well insulated. Also measure the temperature of the air coming out of an AC vent. Also how cold the ****** and freezer is. Look at the wear on the tires. If you have a crew cab pickup with a 5.5 foot bed it going to be problematic to tow a fifth wheel. Even if you get a sliding hitch that will work in that short bed you are likely to dent the cab of the pickup at some time when turning a sharp corner.

I have found that a lot of the manufacturer websites ask you to pick the part of the country where you will be buying the RV - Midwest, Southeast, etc. The difference I have found is that the same models are not offered in both the Southwest and the Southeast. For example: I am looking at the Forest River 26RBS. It is offered in the SE, but not the SW. Matter of fact, there are none in the size range I am looking at with a rear bath. Apparently, in the SW you need to do your business in the front half of the unit.

 

[yrraljguthrie]

Out of curiosity, I looked on rvtrader limited the location to Arizona and found 5 models of a trailer from 19 to 32 feet with rear bathrooms. I only looked through about 10-12 models. Seemed like most were rear bathrooms.

 

[yrraljguthrie]

I wonder why r e e f e r was censored? In case they do it again, I meant the naval term for refrigerator. Ah...I bet because it sometimes refers to marijuana. Need to have a smarter censor.

 

[ramffml]

I wonder why r e e f e r was censored? In case they do it again, I meant the naval term for refrigerator. Ah...I bet because it sometimes refers to marijuana. Need to have a smarter censor.

Your post clearly demonstrates the stupidity of this forum's censorship; 90% of the time they censor stuff that shouldn't be censored (like "tr anny", "virg|n" and a million other words like this), and if somebody really wants to write the word they're trying to write, they'll write it anyway. Like "sh|t", or putting spaces between letters, or writing "r3efer" or "reef3r" or a million other variations that the bot won't pick up, and yet where everybody knows exactly what the word is supposed to be.

/end rant.

 

[Tulecreeper]

I wonder why r e e f e r was censored? In case they do it again, I meant the naval term for refrigerator. Ah...I bet because it sometimes refers to marijuana. Need to have a smarter censor.

On an RV forum I belong to, their bot censored out the middle of the word "wristwatch" because of the order of the 5th thru 8th letter.