Which Deal Would You Take?

Outlaw Pilot · 09-29-2018, 03:52 PM

Hi all. We're working on getting a Hymer Aktiv 2.0 and have negotiated ourselves into a couple of possible deals. I'm curious which you'd take if it were you.

Both vehicles are equipped exactly the same. The only difference is the year, mileage, and price, however for pricing I'll only refer to the difference.

1) 2019, new, 208 km on the odometer. In service date would be Oct. 2018 (when we would pick it up). Chassis manufactured Sept. 2017.

2) 2018, "used" (though seats and cushions are still wrapped), 6500 km on the odometer. In service date Jan. 2018. Chassis manufactured Apr. 2017. Price is $6,000 less than #1.

Hymer says there's no difference between the two aside from the '17 vs. '18 chassis. So it becomes 2018 vs 2019 for $6,000. What say you?

Outlaw

markopolo · 09-29-2018, 04:21 PM

I vote for the newer coach. The used coach is not discounted enough. Some purchaser along the way will take the biggest depreciation hit. You could volunteer but why?

I bought a nearly new Roadtrek years ago. It was less than 1 yr old IIRC. The price difference compared to brand new was more than $30,000 less.

booster · 09-29-2018, 04:36 PM

I agree with Marko, not big enough discount on the used one, which is probably a show/demo unit so higher wear rate besides. We bought a similar, new but older, model Roadtrek in 2008 at 26% off retail. At the time, the best current model price we could find was less than 10% under.

markopolo · 09-29-2018, 06:09 PM

It just occurred to me that the depreciation hit will happen with either unit and I'm not sure which one will suffer more.

These RV's might be depreciating at the rate of $1,000 per month! It's a sobering thought. I don't mean to depress anyone.

I guess the monthly depreciation rate range on new B vans would at best be $500 and at worst $2000 or $3000 per month on the close to $200,000 coaches in the early years.

I still vote for the newer unit in this example.

Outlaw Pilot · 09-29-2018, 06:09 PM

Just to help clarify the numbers, I'd already negotiated a 24% discount off retail for the 2019 (about $30,000!). The 2018 would be a savings of an ADDITIONAL $6000.

avanti · 09-29-2018, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Outlaw Pilot

Just to help clarify the numbers, I'd already negotiated a 24% discount off retail for the 2019 (about $30,000!). The 2018 would be a savings of an ADDITIONAL $6000.

Sure, but you have to assume that if you were buying the 2018 new, you would have been able negotiate a similar 24% off, so that is neither here or there. The question is whether $6K is enough of a savings to pay for a used vehicle. I have to say that my initial reaction was the same as others: Not much of a discount given the presumed "drive off the lot" instant depreciation that somebody presumably already paid.

If it were me, I would make an aggressive offer on the used unit (say, $20K off rather than $6K). If they say no, buy new.

markopolo · 09-29-2018, 06:21 PM

Avanti makes his point well.

25% off MSRP is almost expected now on a brand new unit. It used to be a bit different for some brands but I think it is normal now.

An additional 10% to 15% off for the used and very soon to be 1 model year old RV would make it more attractive.

Outlaw Pilot · 09-29-2018, 06:32 PM

Thanks for the insight guys. DW was insistent (understatement!) on the 2019 despite at first being on board with the 2018. But that was before the dealer for the 2019 further increased the discount to the point where it is now.

I was of two minds on the thing, and I'm one who regularly buys vehicles as demos for the extra savings. But with my eyes opened a little further and the wife no longer being okay with the 2018, we decided to sign for the 2019!

Thanks again for the help. Looking forward to getting to know you all a bit better now that we're in the "B" club! We take delivery on the 17th!

<<B-Guy>> · 09-30-2018, 01:59 AM

I'd be inclined to go with the 2019 just in terms of resale consideration.

We looked at the Aktiv 2.0 at an RV show in Toronto last Fall and I quite liked it - especially the warrantee!

My wife did not! We were downsizing from a 31 ft Airstream trailer and she was not thrilled at all with going smallerand found it way too cnfining.

But at my age, it was important to me if we were to continue R'ing for a few more years to get something more easy to deal with in many respects!.

When she saw a Pleasure-way Plateau FL with European cabinetry etc., her eyes brightened up a bit, so that was the price I had to pay to make the change!

We picked it up last week from the dealer, and now getting ready for a maiden voyage to camp with out two daughters and their families (with their own camping rigs!) on the Thanksgiving weekend as a dry run before our annual snowbird trip next Feb.!

Seems pretty plush, and that will hopefully make up for less space - hoping it works out ok!
It will give us much more flexibility ad I thing will get more use that our larger RV.

So far only enjoyed it in our driveway for the last few days!

Brian.

Bud · 09-30-2018, 12:07 PM

Hi Outlaw,

My situation was a little different than yours, but yet very similar (another story). IF you knew of a fact that you would keep the B for 20 years, it is 2018 vs selling it after a year or two.

Bud

Outlaw Pilot · 09-30-2018, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bud

Hi Outlaw,

My situation was a little different than yours, but yet very similar (another story). IF you knew of a fact that you would keep the B for 20 years, it is 2018 vs selling it after a year or two.

Bud

We don't keep anything that long. If I had to guess reasonably I'd say we'll have it for at least 3-5 years. I suppose if a new model with a floorplan or features we couldn't live without we'd consider trading up. If year-over-year changes remain minor I'd think 8 years+ is possible or even likely.

teck13 · 10-04-2018, 06:48 PM

Make sure you look into the warrantee differences between the two.

JPMcG · 10-05-2018, 01:54 AM

I like vehicles 'slightly & lightly used" boats, cars and RV's all seem to have factory warrantee issues during the first year. Its sort of like put it out there before QC and let the customer find any problems for us.

avanti · 10-05-2018, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPMcG

I like vehicles 'slightly & lightly used" boats, cars and RV's all seem to have factory warrantee issues during the first year. Its sort of like put it out there before QC and let the customer find any problems for us.

I feel the same way. But it only makes sense at times when things aren't changing very much from model year to model year. With cars, the new active safety features are evolving so rapidly, that if you buy even slightly used, you risk missing out on features that could save your life.

Whether this applies to the current RV market is a matter of judgement.

Monica998 · 10-13-2018, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Outlaw Pilot

Thanks for the insight guys. DW was insistent (understatement!) on the 2019 despite at first being on board with the 2018. But that was before the dealer for the 2019 further increased the discount to the point where it is now.

I was of two minds on the thing, and I'm one who regularly buys vehicles as demos for the extra savings. But with my eyes opened a little further and the wife no longer being okay with the 2018, we decided to sign for the 2019!

Thanks again for the help. Looking forward to getting to know you all a bit better now that we're in the "B" club! We take delivery on the 17th!

Congratulations! If I were you, I'd prefer the new one 2019. Because it's still in the service date, and then you can save a lot of maintenance and repair cost. And the price of 2018 seems a bit unreasonable for so many miles already.

You may also like: