How to Buy Your Dream RV Without Losing Your Shirt

I received an email from Christina this week that I hear all the time:

"We're retiring in April and plan to purchase our RV just before we hit the road. We've looked at several models and like fifth wheels, but prices are over $100,000. How do you go about selecting the right RV? Should we travel to neighboring states to see what dealers have on their lots?"

Here's what makes this question so stressful: you're not talking about a $100 mistake. You're talking about potentially tens of thousands of dollars if you buy wrong and have to turn around and sell it. Or worse, you sell it and go back to the house because RV life didn't work out.

I've bought 10 RVs now. Made money on every single one except the Newmar gas motorhome. I bought so many our first year of RVing that they told me if I bought any more, I'd need a dealer license.

So let me walk you through exactly how I'd approach this if I were starting over with a $100,000 budget for a fifth wheel.

The Trap Most People Fall Into

Most people think the solution to avoiding a costly mistake is finding the PERFECT RV.

They narrow their search to one specific brand, one specific model, one exact layout. They want the 2025 Grand Design Reflection 367BHS with the second AC, the U-dinette, and the slide toppers.

They figure if they're precise enough, they'll protect themselves from making the wrong choice.

But here's what actually happens: the more specific you get, the fewer options you have. The fewer options you have, the worse deal you're going to get.

And when you finally find "the one," you can't walk away during negotiations because the salesman can smell that you're in love.

The Three-Phase Strategy I Use Every Time

Phase 1: Open Up Your Options (Before You're Ready to Buy)

Start at either the largest RV dealers in your area or, even better, an RV show.

At a dealer, you might have a few hundred RVs to choose from. At an RV show, you could have fifteen hundred.

Your only goal here is to put your feet on floors, your bottom on toilets, and stand in as many showers as possible. Walk through dozens of layouts and imagine yourself actually living in them.

Don't go to buy anything. Go to learn what you like and what you don't.

Here's why this matters: When you've only looked at five RVs, you think in absolutes. "I NEED a rear kitchen." But when you've walked through fifty RVs, you realize, "Actually, I could be happy with three different layouts. And now I have options."

More options = better deals.

Phase 2: Learn to Separate Quality from Marketing

This is where most people get tripped up. They think brands are everything.

"Don't buy Forest River, buy Brinkley."

But here's what they don't understand: every brand has different quality tiers within it. Forest River makes the entry-level Wildwood, and they also make the Riverstone, which is built for full-time living.

Those aren't the same thing.

Same with Grand Design. They make the Reflection (good for weekenders) and the Solitude (built for full-timers). The Influence sits right in between — 95% of what's in a Solitude but not quite as heavy duty.

You need to learn these differences because this is where the deals hide.

Here's what to look for if you're sniffing out a full-time ready RV:

Wide-body construction (typically means built for full-time living)
High-end options (even if you don't choose them) like slide toppers, dual pane windows, and full body paint
Four-season insulation

Once you know this stuff, you can spot when a used Riverstone is a better deal than a new Reflection, even though one's a Forest River and one's a Grand Design.

Phase 3: Search Smart and Be Willing to Walk Away

Once you know what you're looking for, this is where the real work begins.

I use RV Trader because it has the largest inventory. I set my search radius to 500 miles because when you're talking about saving $10,000 or $20,000, I don't care about driving eight hours to pick it up.

Here's my search strategy:

Start with new units between $80K-$110K just to see what's available
Then search used (2022-2026) in the same range
Compare prices across different models to learn what's a good deal
Take 3-6 months to really understand the market

If you're not buying for several months, that's perfect. You have time to learn what things actually sell for.

I once bought an Open Range 5th Wheel that someone listed in the horse trailer section because they didn't know what it was.

Repo guy. Got a great deal on it.

That's the kind of deal you spot when you've been watching the market long enough to know what you're looking at.

I remember when we were buying our second RV, the Sandpiper. I found one I liked from a private seller, but he wanted $5,000 more than everyone else. I sent him comps from around the country showing what his RV was actually worth and said if he'd match them, I'd come pick it up today.

He said no.

So I contacted him every week or two for a month.

Finally, about a month later, he came down to my price. I had to be patient because I wasn't in love. I had options.

The key to negotiating anything is being genuinely willing to walk away. They can smell it if you're faking.

We didn't buy a new RV until six years into full-time living. Less debt means less stress, which means more confidence when things inevitably break.

What I'd Do With $100,000 Today (If I'm buying my 1st RV)

Months 1-2: Hit every RV show within driving distance. Walk through everything. Take notes on layouts I like. Don't buy anything yet.

Months 2-4: Get on RV Trader weekly. Study prices. Learn the differences between models and quality tiers. Save listings of RVs I like and watch how long they sit and what they eventually sell for.

Month 4: Start making offers on used units (1-4 years old). Look for signs they've been taken care of — inside storage is a huge plus. Check the couches for wear. Look at the pictures closely.

My targets:

Something wide-body, built for full-time living
1-4 years old (let someone else eat the depreciation)
Multiple layout options I'm happy with (not just one)
500 miles away or less (up to 1,000 miles if a Motorhome since I can fly in and drive it back)

And here's my non-negotiable rule: I want to be able to use this RV for two years and sell it for what I paid, or close to it. That's always been my goal. It keeps me from stretching my budget or falling in love with something I can't afford.

One Last Thing

Someone will probably tell you this whole process sounds like too much work. That you should just go pay full price at a dealer and be done with it.

If that's you, go for it. Not everyone wants to spend three months learning the market and negotiating deals.

But for us? This approach saved us tens of thousands of dollars over the years. Money that turned into experiences, repairs when things broke, and breathing room when life got hard.

Your first RV doesn't have to be perfect. It just needs to be in the right direction. And if you buy smart, it'll be the start of something amazing instead of an expensive mistake you have to undo.

Bonus time! If you want to see a raw, in-depth, unedited 35 minute version of this email response, you can check it out here: