Why is it so Difficult to Find a Used RV?

Traveling in the RV quickly became the vacation of choice in 2020 as pandemic concerns made air travel less attractive and shut down the cruise industry entirely.  By the end of the year, RV dealerships had put a total of 430,412 units on their lots (6% more than in 2019), even though RV production was closed for nearly two months due to COVID-related issues.  Those RV’s aren’t sitting idle on lots, either.  Throughout the year and into 2021, people sought out new and used RVs as a safe form of travel and leisure activities with their families.

To give you an idea of just how hard it is to buy a used RV, I’ll share the experience my family had selling a 20-year old model.  It was well-cared for but far from new. Initially, they considered donating it because of its age but then thought it was worth a few minutes to post it on Facebook Marketplace in the hopes of getting maybe $2,000 for it.  They posted it around 9 AM with an asking price of $6,000.  By lunch, the RV pulled out of their driveway with its new owner, who showed up with full-price cash in hand.

When is the craze for RV’s going to end?  It’s now August 2021, and recreational activities have opened up and vaccines are readily available.  Airlines are welcoming passengers, cruise lines are back in business with solid safety measures, and even Disneyland has opened its gates to masked guests.  With all those options, some people have started looking for a good deal on a “previously-owned-COVID-purchased” RV that many thought would return to the marketplace.  Yet, RVs, new or used, continue to be extremely difficult to find.

Here are a few reasons its difficult to find a used RV:

1. RV campers aren’t tired of camping yet.  Out of all of the people who bought new and used RVs last year and ventured into the wilderness for the first time, three out of four of them said they loved it and planned to do it again.  That means most of those RVs that were purchased aren’t hitting Facebook Marketplace or consignment lots anytime soon.
2. Happy RV renters are deciding to buy.  The RV rental industry experienced tremendous growth last year, and the numbers are still steady.  As a result, more consumers enjoyed the experience and are choosing to purchase their own motorhomes.
3. Production can’t keep up.  It’s not feasible for the industry to produce enough RV’s to keep up with the demand.  Some sources estimate that 9 million Americans are interested in purchasing an RV in the next 5 years.  If that’s true, the industry would have to quadruple its manufacturing capacity to meet the demand.
4. RV values are escalating.  Because demand is growing without a corresponding increase in supply, the value of used RVs is going up, not depreciating.  Some owners are finding that their motorhomes are worth more now than when they purchased them years ago.  If you can find a used one for sale, you’ll likely pay a premium for it.

Instead of finding more used RV’s to choose from, here’s what you will likely see:

• When the pandemic hit, many people decided to retire, including those taking early retirement. It’s unlikely that trend will end soon.  More retirees are choosing to spend the retirement years venturing around the country and parking their RV’s in campsites that fit their interests.
• COVID created new work-from-home opportunities, and people aren’t limiting what’s considered “home.” More people are working remotely on-the-road.  With increased investments in remote working technologies, employees can work just as easily from Yosemite National Park as in their suburban home or urban apartment.
• There will be more campgrounds to choose from, but boondocking will be more limited. Since camping has gained so much popularity over the past year, many investors are buying land to create new vacation experiences for campers.  There are almost 58,000 new campgrounds under development this year.  Conversely, due to misuse, many sites that were open to boondocking are now restricted.

When you do find your dream RV, protect it with mud flaps from DuraFlap.

Of course, before you head out on any road trip this year, make sure your RV or motorhome is ready with a new set of RV mud flaps from DuraFlap.  We manufacture the highest quality custom RV mud flaps.   RV mud flaps protect your RV, your TOAD, and the vehicles around you from being damaged by road debris.  Using curved corners instead of square corners, our RV mud flaps are resistant to the tearing that typically occurs at sharp corners.  Give us a call today, and let’s get your RV ready for your next family adventure.