- Use NADA Guides for Used RV Value - Thomas Alan Gray
The buyer of a private-sale used RV often wonders, "Is that a fair price?" One common way of researching a used RV value is a reference such as the guide provided by NADA (the National Automobile Dealers Association) at nadaguides.com, which offers pricing on used RVs from 1975-2009
The NADA guides are printed in yellow and black, but are still referred to as "blue book" price guides, a generic term that has been used for years to refer to any periodically issued price list. They are not to be confused with the Kelley Blue Book (a trade name; kbb.com only lists cars) or the Canadian "black book" for autos.
How to Get NADA Guide Used RV Values
The NADA site at nadaguides.com is simple to use.
- Click on the Recreational Vehicles section in the main top menu
- Select Used RV Pricing from the sub menu
- Select the type of RV from the list
- Click the first letter of the manufacturer
- Choose the year of the RV
- Select the series or model and trim package
- Examine the list of available options and accessories (see below) and click any that are an exact match with the sale unit
- Click "Get Used Value".
NADA Guide RV Prices
The NADA site gives three prices, all in US dollars:
- Suggested List – the approximate MSRP of the unit when it was new, excluding freight.
- Low Retail Value – For a unit with extensive wear and tear; may require cosmetic and/or mechanical work. "Low retail vehicles usually are not found on dealer lots," says NADA but will be found in private sales.
- Average Retail Value – Clean unit with normal wear-and-tear. Tires and glass should be in good condition. "Carpet and seat upholstery should be clean, and all power options should work."
NADA Guide Used RV Values vs Local Pre-Owned RV Values
Where do the NADA prices and mileage figures come from? "NADA guides are based primarily on a percentage of the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (M.S.R.P.). These guides may be nowhere near the actual current resale value," claims Nina Romanov ("New and Used Motor Home RV Values - Blue Book and NADA", buzzle.com, 12/17/2006). NADA says their figures are based on "information received from the automotive marketplace."
The NADA RV Buying Guides may be a good starting place, but are not necessarily the most accurate gauge of local prices. Although overall condition and accessories can be taken into account by nadaguides.com, many other factors will influence the selling price of a used RV in a specific locale.
- mileage
- unit popularity
- availability of maintenance records
- local supply and demand
- unit upgrades
- season (and even weather!)
Local Resources for Used RV Pricing
There are numerous cross-country online sources for used RV sales. Local print sources for used RV sales are one reliable source of comparison shopping. These will include:
- Local newspapers
- Local editions of sales list magazines such as RV Trader.
Online sources with local listings are another good source of comparative used RV values. Examples are:
- RV Trader Online
- Kijiji
- Craigs List.
And, of course, the adventurous buyer may even turn to eBay for an RV auction.
A unit in good condition that comes in at a price considerably lower than the comparable NADA blue book pricing may represent a bargain, but it pays to shop around.
Thomas Alan Gray - Tom has been both RVing and writing for over 30 years; his curiosity leads him to dig into a wide variety of topics.
