Five Tips for Going to an RV Show

Derrek Sigler
by Derrek Sigler
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It’s almost here. It will soon be time for civic arenas and other large municipal buildings to fill up with the latest wares from all the local RV dealerships. It’s time to talk about your local RV Show.


They’ll have prices slashed, and financing offers in hand, just waiting for you to walk in the door. And you will, too, because you’ll be stir crazy by then and anything that gets you thinking about camping will get you out of the house. But going to one and not spending money you don’t want to part with can be hard. Here are some tips that will help get you through an RV show without spending money you don’t want to spend.

Know What You Want

Do your research and know what you want before you go. If nothing else, have a good idea of the features you would need in a new RV. It’s also important to know what you don’t need or want before you go. It may sound cliché, but it’s very easy to get blinded by things you don’t really intend to buy and make an impulse purchase that you may later come to really regret. It can happen to everyone. Check out RVGuide.com and look over the style of RV you want and get some solid ideas before you go.

Get Your Own Financing First

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It may sound a little silly, but you should always check with your local bank that you do business with already, before you make a purchase. If you’re already established there, chances are good that they will have a great rate and you might then have a little extra to spend on the RV itself. Putting yourself into a pre-approved loan status will also give you greater bargaining power.

Set a Hard Budget

This one is the hardest to do, trust me. If you’re pre-approved at your local bank, you already know what you can spend. If you go in and are going to use the dealer financing, have a set budget in mind so you don’t overspend. It is just like buying a new car, and those options and extras may look sexy at the time, but down the road when you’re struggling to make the payment, was it really worth it? My wife and I set a budget with our RV and we both decided to back each other up. I’ll admit I was the one who tried to overspend, too. Thankfully she stepped in.

Look Around

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Ever go to buy a car and buy the first one you see? No, you check out some other ones and test drive a few. The same goes for buying a new RV. When you get to the show, check everything out. You may find that your needs and wants change as you shop. Plus it gives you an excuse to keep looking and think about that purchase. It never hurts to ask the sales people if they have any used models back at the lot, too. You may want to buy that new one that day, but there might be a used one for way less just down the road.

Have Fun

I have an RV and have no intentions of buying a new one any time soon. That doesn’t stop me from going to our local RV show to just look around and see the new stuff. It’s fun and, like I said at the beginning of this story, anything that reminds me of camping during a time when I can’t go camping, is a winner in my book.

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