Reconditioning previously owned RVs for resale is an issue on many dealership owners’ minds these days. The gross profit generated from previously owned RV sales is vital to the bottom line, as many dealers report that used sales are responsible for between 20 and 40 percent of total dealership gross margin. To stay in the black and achieve the maximum earning potential, RV reconditioning needs to be taken seriously. After all, proper reconditioning of used inventory can create an overall increase in margins as much as 3 percent.

The difference between a good dealership and an OK one is the amount of time it takes to complete the Three “R” Cycle – Receive, Recondition and Resale. The faster a dealer gets a trade-in resold, generally higher the margin.

Unfortunately, the progression from receive to recondition to resale gets progressively more difficult going from one step to another. The first two steps take only a couple of days, but the resale time for a used RV can take months, if not more. The dealership that can shrink the Three “R” Cycle stands the best chance to reap the most profit.

For decades, dealers have done in-house RV detailing, which has tended to work well. It uses the second step of the cycle (recondition) to speed up the third (resale). RVs come in oxidized and unattractive, and through a complete exterior detailing (including buffing and waxing) they were made presentable for resale. After a while, the right customer would come along and purchase the clean pre-owned RV.

While many dealerships reconditioning trade-ins themselves, there are a number of issues that come with the territory, such as employee recruitment and retention, initial and on-going detailing training and maintaining a high level of workmanship and quality.

Dealers that recondition their own units, or are considering doing so, should be mindful of eight key reconditioning mistakes that can cost them money.

1. Lack of training: Oftentimes, dealerships hire a kid, give him the cleaning supplies and say “make it pretty.” Training is provided to sales, service and parts departments, but the detail department that has such impact on first impression, enhanced margins and initial satisfaction is often neglected.

2. Incomplete exterior wash: In an effort to save time and energy, technicians will sometimes bypass washing the roof of an RV. It is virtually undetectable from the average buyer’s point-of-view on the ground, but as soon as it rains the shortcut will be obvious, as evidenced by ugly black streaks down the side of the RV. Not a good impression for someone who just bought awnings.

3. Use of harsh brushes on paint: This technique leaves fine “spider web” scratches on the exterior of the vehicle, and is especially noticeable on darker-color paint schemes and in direct sunlight. These brushes allow for a very quick cleaning, but the clear coat and paint of the RV suffer considerably. Fixing these fine scratches requires advanced buffing techniques that are expensive and often cause more damage than they fix.

4. Incorrect buffing techniques: When operated correctly, a buffer is an inexpensive way to repair significant surface oxidation and scratching. When operated incorrectly, a commercial buffer can cause significant surface damage and expense to the dealer to fix. If not fixed, customers will notice swirl marks, fine scratches, and decal burns that are a trademark of amateur detail technicians. This could make or break a sale on a darker-colored RV. This is the No. 1 cause of damage to new and used RVs during detailing.

5. Avoiding buffing completely: Whether it’s due to lack of training, inadequate equipment, or liability avoidance, many in-house detail technicians do not use commercial-grade buffers on an RV. This reconditioning tool is absolutely essential, especially on older, more oxidized units. Buffing (as done by a professional) can restore the most oxidized, faded, and scratched exterior to a like-new appearance. A properly buffed RV can add up to 10 percent in “curb appeal value” than the same faded oxidized unit.

6. Leaving body and paint work unrepaired: Deeper scratches, dings from road debris, and simply having an accident are all reasons to get paint touch-up and body work done. These problems will not be covered up by merely buffing the exterior; in most cases buffing will enhance the damage.

7. Incorrect product usage: Some tire dressing has been linked to premature tire cracking – causing RV buyers to have flats and blowouts sooner than expected. Additionally, knowing which type of waxes polishes and compounds work best on each particular finish is critical for the long term life on an RV.

8. Not using tire dressing: This finishing touch is applied after a complete detailing, and will catch the eye of potential customers. Although simple, the use of tire dressing is an often overlooked step that greatly increases visual appeal. An RV that shines will attract many more looks and walkthroughs than one that doesn’t.

The most successful dealership realizes the positive connection between better-than-average detailing and better-than-average used RV sales. To remain competitive in the new and used business, each dealership must find its own competitive advantage, or a way to complete the Three “R” Cycle faster than the competitor.

For those dealerships that don’t have resources or desire to do reconditioning in-house, there is an alternative – outsourcing. For dealers that are seriously considering using an outside source for RV reconditioning, several questions should be asked of candidate companies seeking to do the work on behalf of the dealership, including:

1. How long have you been in business?
2. How much liability insurance does your company currently carry? Are you bonded?
3. How much experience does your company have reconditioning RVs?
4. Do you have any references available? Pictures?
5. When can you do a demonstration?
6. What quality control checkpoints do you have in place to ensure quality, not only today, but a year from now? Two years from now?

Of note, being bonded does help, but it shouldn’t automatically be a deal-breaker, either. In some cases detailing companies in smaller towns are unable to acquire bonding from a local insurance agent.

The major qualification is that the company has extensive experience working on RVs. Most detailers have most of their experience working on cars, but very few have extensive experience detailing RVs. When someone does not have extensive experience detailing RVs, they learn on your inventory.

In terms of the expense of hiring a reconditioning business, the answer is “it depends.” The most common method of contracting RV detailing is paid per foot of unit serviced.
An average dealership rate is $20 per foot. A very large dealership might be paying $15 per foot, while smaller dealers might be paying $25 per foot.

It’s worth noting that even at that rate the dealership can still realize increased profits on the unit. For example, detailing a 40-foot RV at a cost of $20 per foot would cost the dealership $800, but if the dealership sells the unit for $3,000 more than it would have otherwise the dealership still nets an additional $2,200 in profit.

Another lucrative profit avenue for the dealership is to utilize the detailing company by marketing its’ washing and detailing services to the dealership’s customer base. Oftentimes another avenue of business will allow the detailing company to lower the sales unit detailing cost.

This is a relationship that must work for all parties or the relationship will fail. Both the business doing the reconditioning work and the dealership must be able to make a profit.

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Is the lifestyle a fit for me?
There is an undeniable romance to the idea of going on an extended road trip in an RV. The freedom, the changing landscape, the lack of a lawn to mow… It all sounds pretty good to us when we are sitting at home looking at the same four walls. But it does not come with challenges. Even the hardiest of happy wanderers sometimes find the RV lifestyle does not fit their personality. So, before committing to owning a travel trailer or fifth wheel it’s a good idea to try it out. If you have a relative or close friend with one who is always inviting you to go with them or, better yet, borrow theirs for the weekend take them up on it. If not then talk to your local RV dealer about the possibility of renting one. Only after spending some time living the RV lifestyle can you honestly answer this one.

Will I need an extended warranty?
The answer is not necessarily yes or no. If you are buying a used model find out if it still has the manufacturer’s warranty. If so then find out how much time is left on it and what it covers. You might find that new or used models that already come with warranties don’t cover everything that you think they should or for as long as you would like. Your dealer will have warranties available but it might be a good idea to shop around before committing.

What kind of insurance coverage will I need?
This is an important cost consideration for new travel trailer or fifth wheel owners. RV insurance has to cover a much different type of product than does home or auto insurance. Before visiting your RV dealer, stop in at your insurance agent’s office and see what packages are available. Odds are your RV dealer will have some insurance options available, too, but it will be good to arrive with your own information.

What extras or add-ons will I need?
Choosing a new RV can be a dizzying experience. The big luxury models come with an amazing array of designs and gadgets and one can get lost in the forest of extra goodies. It is good to plan ahead and know what extras you want before stepping on the lot. If you have spent some time in an RV you will already know what you missed from home while on the road. If you cannot get to sleep at night until you have watched the ten o’clock news then you will need to make sure that you are happy with the television options. Do you need an electric wine cellar to be happy? Is a surround sound, high def entertainment system important to you? These are questions you will have need to have answered for yourself before visiting the dealership. Otherwise you may very well be dazzled into spending more than you wanted to!

These four questions will help you decide which RV, fifth wheel or travel trailer is right for you. Take your time, be deliberate and you will find the perfect RV for you.

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There are three main functions a charge controller does:

1. It keeps your batteries fully charged
2. It prevents your batteries from being overcharged
3. It prevents your batteries from being excessively discharged

Batteries are a key component in your RV solar powered energy system. Without batteries, you can only use the power your solar panels generate when the sun is out and you won’t have any power at night when you could really use it.

Since RV solar panel systems almost always gather power and store it in batteries, nearly every system is going to require a charge controller. A solar charge controller is designed to protect your batteries from being overcharged by your solar panels and it will block any reverse current (from the batteries) as well.

Solar panel charge controllers are specified by both amperage and voltage. For example, if one module in your 12 volt system produces 3. 5 amps and you’ve got four modules then you’re producing 14 amps of current at 12 volts. Because of light reflection and the edge of cloud effect, power output can spike above expectations. For this reason you need to increase the controller amperage by at least of 25% making the minimum rating your controller to 18 amps.

Don’t worry about ever getting a charge controller that is rated 2 or more times higher than your solar panel array. It’s not in any way a bad thing. In fact it’s actually better for two reasons:

* Your system will always be protected
* You can add more solar panels in the future without having to change your controller.

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Air-rides – Proprietary name for spring assisters fitted to the rear axle, said to improve motorhome handling characteristics.

Black Water – waste from toilet holding tanks.

Cassette Toilet – A very common type of toilet where the waste is held in a removable container, which you carry to a CDP to empty, see below for more details on toilets.

CC – Caravan Club.

CCC or C&CC – Camping and Caravanning Club.

CDP – Chemical Disposal Point, for emptying toilets.

CL – Certificated Location, small sites often on farms that are limited to 5 caravans or motorhomes, open to CC members only. The Motor Caravanners’ Club also uses this designation to identify sites approved by them, usually open to all motorcaravanners.

CS – Certificated Site, as above, but open to CCC (Camping and Caravan Club) members only.

FSH – Full Service History.

Grey Water – Waste water from sinks and showers.

GVW – Gross Vehicle Weight as marked on the vehicles VIN plate. It means the maximum amount the vehicle and all its contents can weigh. GVW is now usually referred to as MAM or MTPLM. It is illegal to operate a vehicle in excess of the maximum weight marked on the VIN plate.

LWB – Long Wheelbase.

LPG – Liquified Petroleum Gas, comes in two types: Propane, good for all season use; butane, no good in the winter as it won’t produce gas below 0°C.

MAM – Maximum Authorised Mass, see GVW.

Marine Toilet – Toilet with a fixed waste holding tank, see below for more details on toilets.

MTPLM – Maximum Technically Permitted Laden Mass, see GVW.

MVWP – Motor Van Waste Point, a road level dump point for motorhomes with on board grey or black water holding tanks.

PAS – Power Assisted Steering.

Payload – The weight of the extra items that you can carry in the motorhome after an allowance has been made for driver, passenger, water, fuel, gas and certain other essentials.

PIR – Passive Infra-Red, security device that detects heat sources.

RV – Recreational Vehicle, used in the USA to mean any type of camping vehicle, often used in the UK to refer to the large American motorhomes.

Silver Screens – Proprietary name for insulated covers for the cab windows.

SOG – A forced ventilation system for cassette toilets, see below.

TD – Turbo Diesel. The engine is fitted with a turbocharger which uses energy from the exhaust to power a turbine which forces extra air into the engine air intake. This gives an increase in power. Many diesels are fitted with a turbo as standard, those without can be fitted with them by specialist companies.

Top Box – A, usually plastic or fibreglass, storage box fixed to the roof of a motorhome.

Zig – Proprietary name of a company that produces caravan and motorhome electrical equipment, often taken to refer to a mains powered charger for the motorhome 12V battery.

Feel free to browse our selection of motorhome articles including reviews, buyer’s guides and news at Sureterm Direct. Obtain a competitive Motorhome Insurance quote from one of the UK’s most competitive insurance specialists.

If you are looking to buy a Eurovan, Vanagon or Westfalia camper you can steal one this time of year especially with the state of the economy. I’ve talked to the owner for JDB Imports the biggest supplier of pop top campers in Colorado and he said sales are slightly down from the year average and now is certainly a great time to buy. “If you purchase a Eurovan this time of year you will get the most use of it (about 7 months) and dealers or owners or pop tops might be willing to cut you a deal” says Mr Bigelow. He also said that buyers usually wait too long to start looking for VW campers because once the weather gets nice sellers are less likely to sell at a discount because the demand is high.

Besides the economy, weather, and optimal use it is a great time to buy a VW camper because its ability to be used as a camper and a vehicle. Maybe your child is turn 16 or your family is just in the market for adding a vehicle. Have you been thinking how great it would be to be able to go camping with the family as well? A Eurovan, Vanagon or Westfalia is great for individuals in situations like this. VW Campers are great for tooling around town for groceries or errands and always bring excitement to the weekend.

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In addition to my Flair motorhome, I also have a 302 Dutchman trailer with practically no miles on it, but recently had to replace the tires due to dry rot. The tires had great tread and yet were basically useless! These tires are not cheap either. They cost me $580 to replace all 4. I have learned my lesson the hard way. Ozone in the atmosphere and ultraviolet beams from the sun will reduce the lifespan of your tires.

Ozone in the atmosphere induces tires to dry rot and deteriorate, and ultraviolet beams from the sun cause it to happen faster. This is especially true of the tires sidewall. Visually, inspect your tires for cracks in the sidewalls. If you observe any damage have the tires inspected by a tire expert.

There are essentially 2 methods to protect your tires from these elements.

Covers – Keeping tires protected with covers that will obstruct the sun when not in use is a good idea. These covers are available at most RV outlets. They may also be available in Walmart, Target or other discount stores and are usually less expensive there. They will run you about $20 per pair.

Storage – For long-term storage take off the tires and stow them in a cool dry space away from the sunshine.

RV How To Tip

Ok, the problem with commercial covers is that in time the same elements that ruin your tires will eventually ruin your commercial covers. Expect to replace them every three to five years.

If you do not want to shell out $40 – $50 bucks for these commercial covers, Here is a relatively simple and cheap trick. Large, heavy ply, lawn bags will cover the tires adequately and will only set you back a few dollars. They are cheap and you can cut them off whenever you move the RV and replace them when you get to your destination. Buy these at Home Depot or Loews. A large box will provide quite a few changes.

Simply place the bags over the tire before you set the trailer in place. Back, or pull, the trailer up so that the tire rolls onto the plastic bags. This will hold them in place during high winds.

I also recommend that you position a piece of wood between the earth and the tires. Make certain that the blocks of wood are bigger then the footprint of the tires. This will keep your tires out of standing water.

Don’t make the same costly mistake I did. Learn from this simple RV How To tip and many others that can save you time and money!

My name is Michael Trotter and I have been living in my RV practically full-time. I am a contract technical writer and my RV serves as my residence/office while away from home.

My business takes me to a lot of interesting and desolate places. Sometimes there is no adequate housing, so my RV suits me well. I just find the nearest RV park/campground and set up. Most places now have internet capabilities, so I can use my RV as an office as well.

I have learned a lot of things about RVing from my fellow enthusiasts, as well as out of necessity, about shortcuts and saving money while enjoying a most rewarding lifestyle.

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Below are several points that can make help you find them at low auction prices and save several thousand dollars.

How to Find Repo Travel Trailers

There are several ways for you to find repo travel trailers at auction. One way to find repo travel trailers is to search local newspapers classifieds and specialty RV selling guides. Another possible way to find an auction location is by checking with local lending institutions and that regularly issue loans on RV travel trailers. You can start with the company currently financing your RV or ask a few dealerships who they would recommend for RV financing. (Tip: There may be one department dealing with RV and car foreclosure. Not every one at the bank will know how to help you. Persistence my be required) The last, and most effective way to find out when and where travel trailer auctions occur is to develop a relationship with a small RV dealer and ask them when, where and how often these take place. Many times these RV dealers go to these auctions on a regular basis. If you are lucky they may even teach you more about how auctions specific to your area work. Your state may require a license to bid (most don’t), and an rv dealer may be ready to help bid at auction in exchange for a small fee.

Another important tip when you go to bid on a used travel trailer is to know how much the trailer is worth beforehand. Also make sure you know the ceiling amount you are willing to bid because you don’t want to become to emotional when you bid. The number of bidders at auction fluctuates greatly depending on the season. Even if it takes you a few auctions to find the perfect travel trailer, it could be well worth the wait because it could literally save you 1000s. Best Luck on finding your next travel trailer at a local auction.

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While smaller 5th Wheel Toy Haulers are available, most people own them for their massive roominess and unrivaled luxury. They are the most expensive of the conventional Toy Haulers.

First the good news: The 5th Wheel Toy Haulers I saw had fabulous kitchens, snack bars, full size pantries, and impressive woodwork and flooring. The kitchens were well lit and housed a full-sized microwave, refrigerator, range and oven. I was very much taken back by all of the counter space and ample cabinets. These certainly do provide a dream kitchen for the open road. A 5th wheel can come equipped with up to three slide-outs and a raised forward master bedroom making this the undisputed king of spaciousness. The overstuffed king-size bed and plush sofa quickly invite you to sit back and fire up the home entertainment center. Now someone, please make another Margarita.

What really sets the 5th Wheel apart in the Toy Hauler world is the availability of a totally enclosed cargo area, or as they are often referred to, the garage. Larger units have a solid wall and sealed door separating the toys from the living space. I even found some with a separate outside door to the garage. This feature is two-fold. One is for keeping the mud out of the living room, and the other for keeping the wife happy. If you are like me, and carry way-to-many tools, you’ll appreciate having all of those garage cabinets.

Now the other news: A 5th Wheel Toy Hauler can be really heavy; up to and exceeding, 17,000 pounds. You guessed it, that means a g big powerful tow rig. I’m not a huge fan of diesel pickups. However, I’ve found that if you want pulling power and something vaguely resembling decent mileage, then a diesel is definitely the way to go. Fortunately diesels have long lives, and there are plenty to be found in the used market.

Towing these very large barn doors can be challenging in high winds or when an 18-wheeler passes by. The 5th wheel hitch will help to maintain control and minimize white knuckles in what might be a hairy situation with a travel trailer. It also can be helpful when maneuvering these monsters into tight RV spaces and through downtown traffic.

Unless you have big rig experience, you will no doubt find towing one of these a little different from your basic rear hitch type of trailer. Because they are so large and tall, and so close behind the driver, they will keep you on your toes, especially driving though town. If you are not careful, to your dismay, you could look in your rear-view mirror just in time to witness the trailer laying a stop sign flat! I’ve been there, and done that.

Finding the right Toy Hauler for you is ultimately a personal decision. But if you require lavish accommodations with a separate toy garage, the 5th Wheel Toy Hauler may be exactly what you are looking for.

Jerry Siegel maintains an informative web site about recreational vehicles know as Toy Haulers, http://www.iToyHauler.com. Simple put Toy Haulers are RV’s with a cargo or garage space. If you have big boy/girl toys and want to take them with you when you travel, this is your RV. Find out what all the fuss is about, visit us at http://www.iToyHauler.com and sign up for our newsletter.

(C) Jerry Siegel All Rights Reserved Worldwide

To get a discount or buy a great RV for cheap, the next step is to understand RV’s market value. The most common is way to evaluate RV value is the NADA guide. But even using the NADA there are several different values for the same RV. These RV values range from cheap to expensive, but are all over the board and yet they are all accurate. Find the value you want to pay and stick to that price.

The truth is that the NADA works for the dealerships. It is important to understand this up front. Dealers pay about $1800 a year to use the NADA for evaluating trade in’s. It isn’t cheap.

The NADA likes receiving this money so they have a tendency to under value trade ins and over value retail. As consumers we only have access to private party NADA values, which is the middle ground between the too. This service is offered for free at NADA dot com. You can also purchase the RV invoice value from them or check with the manufacturer.

To get a great discount on a new RV, try to find out what the wholesale or invoice value is for the RV. Some dealers will show you the invoice if you ask them. This is the price the dealer paid for the RV. Typically they try to sell them for 30-50% above invoice. If you get a get discount, by buying a new RV 10-20% above invoice. Some times the Rv may be even cheaper, if it has been around a year or two already.

RV discounts are also commonly given in the form of manufacturer’s rebates. These discounts range from $50 to $10,000. It never hurts to ask which model come with rebates. This may also help you find out which RVs the dealer is most anxious to sell for cheap or at least for a great discount.

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Since I travel a lot, I often find myself in places where the water quality is barely adequate to say the least! Now when it comes to water, the wife and I are sorta squeamish about what we put into our bodies. If it “looks bad, smells bad or tastes funny, we don’t do it….period!” So, in order to obtain good quality drinking water, we mostly depend on store bought water. But we still need water in the RV to do the necessities of life; bathing, washing, cleaning and for toilet flushing.

Sediment Filter – Just because the water is not murky (or maybe it is), or you cannot visibly see anything floating around in it, this does not mean that there are no contaminates in the water. Even if murkiness is not your complaint, a sediment filter will protect your downstream equipment from premature failure by removing the gunk that could otherwise cause a problem. Not sure if you have priced a water heater lately, but they are not cheap! Sediment filters work by straining out the sediment and holding it. Therefore replacement of the cartridges is required once they become plugged.

Carbon Filter – Have you ever been to a place where the water either tasted funny or smelled bad? The contaminants that affect the taste and odor of water will go right through a sediment filter, so you’ll need to add something else to remove them. Carbon has an uncanny ability to grab onto the bad stuff in water, leaving the water very clean-tasting and odor-free. Just like sediment filters, carbon filters require replacement once they become clogged, however they will not plug up as quickly as sediment filters.

Combination Units – Rather than purchasing two sets of filters (sediment and carbon), combination filter elements are manufactured that remove sediment and make the water smell and taste good. They are compact and relatively inexpensive, and made of carbon-powder-impregnated paper. The downside of these units is that they have a limited carbon component, so the taste-and-odor improvement is much less than you would get from a dedicated carbon filter.

Biological Agents – Biological agents include protozoa, bacteria, viruses, and cysts and spores. The most prevalent are very small (2-4 microns in size). They can be removed with a ultrafine filter that has a rating of 0.9 microns. This removes all pathogenic microbes, however there are still viruses to consider, which are even smaller than can be filtered.

Total Purification – There are two methods that can produce virtually pure water and are suitable for use in RVs. One is distillation; however it is quite expensive to operate and produces a low volume of clean water. The other, and most recommended for RV owners, is Reverse Osmosis. I will cover reverse osmosis systems in a later blog.

OK, have I totally made you panic? My wife often starts itching and scratching about this time in our discussions….lol. So how do I filter out water so as not to contaminate my hot water heater and plug my system?? Well, for now, I use a double cartridge filter unit. The first cartridge is a sediment cartridge and the second is a carbon cartridge. Make sure you get the units that do not use the clear canisters, as they have a tendency to accumulate algae over time.

Like I said, I usually buy my drinking water, however I am about to install a reverse osmosis unit and when I do, rest assured I will share the installation, as well as the result, with you on my website.

Until then, happy RV’ing!

My name is Michael Trotter and I have been living in my RV practically full-time. I am a contract technical writer and my RV serves as my residence/office while away from home.

My business takes me to a lot of interesting and desolate places. Sometimes there is no adequate housing, so my RV suits me well. I just find the nearest RV park/campground and set up. Most places now have internet capabilities, so I can use my RV as an office as well.

I have learned a lot of things about RVing from my fellow enthusiasts, as well as out of necessity, about shortcuts and saving money while enjoying a most rewarding lifestyle.

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