Importance of Planning Ahead

Just as we accepted our new position in Pennsylvania, I thought about trading in our Keystone Sprinter 300kbs travel trailer for a new or used motor coach. We currently have the trailer and tow car, an 06 Ford Econoline 250, which has enough power to tow the trailer and was left over from my now-closed construction business. We also have a second vehicle for daily driving, a 2008 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (very good car). I thought it would make it easer for us not to have to drive two vehicles from one assignment to another, also having one vehicle we would spend less on gas. I calculated what I am currently getting (between 8 and 10mpg) versus what I have been told to expect from a motor coach (between 6 and 8mpg) and I would save an average of $27 on a 500 mile trip. Also, we would save some money by replacing two separate insurance policies with one new policy. I calculated the savings to be roughly $200 a year, not a dramatic reduction although in the long haul the savings add up. There are also other savings by trading – for example, time, maintenance, and cleaning. However, my favorite aspect of this trade-in would be that I would have more time with my wife to discuss and plan outings – exploring and sight-seeing - once we arrive to our locations. And to just be able to have conversations with one another to pass the time as we drive.

I took some time to research a few rvs online by going to the manufacturer’s website to get an overall idea of price and construction of new units. I also wanted to get a sense of where a two or three year old unit would stand in comparison. From there I took a look at dealership websites before going to their lot so I could browse their inventory and prices and compare them to other dealers in the area. I was hoping to avoid the pressure and speeches from sales people who don’t like shoppers (but they sure love buyers, don’t they). I came up with some pretty good alternatives that would allow us to have the same, if not more, comfort as our trailer. It was very important that we at the very least have the same length (32-35ft) and to have at a minimum one full length slide or two smaller slides. We found that what we want was available in both Gas and Diesel pushers, although a new diesel would be out of our price range. Taking into account my skills in construction we made a decision to stick with a used model that was 1 - 4 years old to avoid taking a hit on the depreciation.

After we looked at the few models that were on the maybe list, we did some number crunching and found which unit would work best for us. We contacted the dealer to try and get a range of what they would offer us for our trailer, knowing that most likely they were only going to offer us wholesale for the unit. They gave me a number that was a bit low but fair, considering that the economy isn't all that stable. Taking that number into the grand picture, we saw that the difference in the numbers would negate any other monetary benefits from trading our unit.

Before I bought my trailer, I thought about buying a motor coach for a brief moment but never thought it through and the trailer turned into an impulse buy. This time around I learned the importance of planning ahead on any purchase - by taking it slow, and making the decision based on money, practicality, and forethought about the future.