Even though gas prices are going up, owning an RV is still a lot of fun. Even as late as August 2005, rising gas prices had a very small effect on sales of recreational vehicles. In 2004, there were more RVs sold than at any time in the past 25 years. Recreational vehicles are still very popular and don't seem to be going away any time soon. In fact, Elkhart, Indiana is home to an RV and MV (Manufactured Vehicle) hall of fame.
The motor homes and RVs of today have all the comforts of home and more. Recreational vehicles are stylish and comfortable homes away from home. They have leather recliners, granite floors, washers and dryers, plasma TVs, and rooms that look like they were professionally designed.
RVs are a broad term for a number of different kinds of vehicles. The first is a truck camper, which is a unit that is attached to a pickup truck's bed or chassis. Then there is the pop-up or folding camping trailer. A travel trailer is a piece of equipment that is pulled behind another car. A pickup truck is made to pull a travel trailer with a fifth wheel. A motor home, also called a Winnebago, is a vehicle that looks like a bus and is often called that.
Buying a new RV is similar to buying a new car. A dealer of RVs will sometimes take advantage of a customer who doesn't know what they're doing. All dealers put huge markups on recreational vehicles. Doing your research before you buy is the only way to get a fair deal.
When you're looking at new RVs, there are a few prices that don't change. The price from the dealer, taxes, and any fees for the car. Just like with a car, the dealer's only choice is to play with the profit margin. Since dealers of recreational vehicles sell a lot less than dealers of cars, they must make a much higher profit per vehicle. Used recreational vehicles lose a lot of value very quickly, so you don't want to pay too much for yours.
