How to find a Camper Bargain

Buying a Camper is easy… but finding a bargain takes time, patience and a little knowledge!

Are you a NEW buyer or USED buyer? The difference being; a new buyer will most often loose money on the eventual sale of the camper, whereas a used buyer, if done right and timed well, will probably make money on the sale of the camper, at worst, the used buyer will retain much of their purchase price on the eventual sale. The old adage is true; “You make your money when you buy”

This article is about maximising your return on investment and buying below market value is the most obvious way to achieve this. You’re also correct if you buy a new camper far enough below market value that you can sell it for more at a later stage.

Here’s an important tip: Be careful you don’t get so caught up in finding a bargain that you miss the greatest opportunity! The freedom of camping is a great opportunity. To have fun that the whole family can enjoy is priceless especially with kids. What Im saying though is, getting outdoors doesn’t have to be expensive AND can even be profitable.

Now let’s get down to bargain hunting! Sellers basically fall into one of three categories;

those that are seeking to upgrade or change
those that are cashing out.
those that have already upgraded or changed and haven’t yet sold their old camper

The second and third categories are where you will find the best buying opportunities because they have not taken the option of trading in and prefer the DIY selling method. If they have already upgraded and still have to sell their old camper, they are more likely in a position where they need to sell and have the “dont want it” mentality. It’s often the case that people who purchase new and wont have it any other way, also expect to loose money on the resale of the item. After all, we are talking about depreciating assets. That’s why its important to buy the best available for much less than market value, if you want to avoid loosing money on the item when you sell it.

To find a good deal on a camper the first place you can eliminate is “Dealerships” or advertising by dealerships”. Caravan dealers who sell used CV’s, have priced in their margin. The brand name dealerships will usually come by their used campers by trade-ins and are capable of giving the seller a higher perceived price for their CV. (CV meaning: Camper Vehicle = RV’s, Camper Trailers, Campervans, Caravans). If you were able to get to the seller before they trade in, you might have a better chance of buying at the “right price”. There are also tricks to be aware of when buying a used CV from a dealer. For example; they will often remove the jockey wheel and annex from the sale and offer these separately for increased price. It stinks, because every camper needs a jockey wheel and an annexe will give good resale value if you buy it with the camper. These items cost about $60 and $1800 respectively! Better in your pocket than not.

Now, focusing on category 2 and 3 sellers, you will find that most will place an advertisement, some will rely on word of mouth. The type of CV will largely determine where you will find the For Sale ads. For example; Motorhomes of the Winnebago or Swagman type are best exposed via RVPoint.com.au because the potential buyer will be looking in all states and prepared to travel to pick up the vehicle. The site also provides detailed description with photos that can be enlarged and direct contact with the seller. If the site was not “buyer friendly” it would not work as well for sellers.

Ebay Advertisement

The same is true for camper trailers of the Jayco, Coromal and Goldstream pop top type. The best place to find these types of CV’s is Ebay.com.au and Trading Post. You will also find these CV’s in newspaper classifieds where there is a strong classified section for major capital cities. I prefer Ebay and Trading post because if you know what you are buying a good camper can be purchased online using photos and communication with the seller over the internet and email. I did just this recently with great success.

Using these sites first will allow you to make comparisons between price and different models of CV’s which is a fast track method to educating yourself in preparation for finding a bargain. Ebay has excellent photo options for viewing items for sale, and communication channels that allow easy transfer of additional photos should you need to see more.

Trading Post Search Results

Trading Post is popular with sellers because it’s a well known publication Australia wide and has good representation in its camper categories for CV’s. Both websites have an essential search bar to the left of the screen that allows users to enter the particular make of the CV to produce a current list of available CV’s for sale. People seeking a camper will mostly look in their own state and within a radius of 1-2 hrs travelling time.

You might want to think about buying interstate if you live in Queensland since CV’s seem to be valued less in New South Wales and Victoria than in Queensland. A Qld Camper Checklist customer recently purchased in NSW and paid far less than what they would have in Qld. They made a trip out of the return journey taking a week to get back, in the process ironing out any bugs and getting their camping list together.

Now that you know the best places to search for CV bargains, make a habit of checking these sites regularly as new listings come online daily all over Australia. Be prepared to travel interstate if necessary, getting directions is easy using Google Maps or satellite navigation. By using the Camper Purchase Checklist you will have all the tools needed to help you identify the best deal then secure it on favourable terms between the seller and the buyer. Also, if you sit around and predetermine the outcome without calling upon an advertisement or making an enquiry, you will not find the best opportunities. If you are serious about saving money on the purchase, then you need to be making enquiries and maybe even offers over the phone and upon inspection.

Best of luck, and remember to be patient.

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