Buying a Used RV on the Internet

Posted by Thomas Alan Gray Apr 29, 2009

Thinking of buying an RV on eBay or one of the other auction or sales sites?

Here's a story, taken from the RV discussion pages back in 2006:

I was wondering where we could get a replacement canvas for Jayco pop-up camper, 1988 jay series 1006. My husband got it on eBay and we were told that it didn't leak or anything but it leaks horribly and the canvas is not in good shape. This is the first time we ever owned a pop-up and don't know what is a good price. We've got price quotes from $1000.00 to $1600. Is this about right for a canvas? Thank for any help.

If the buyer paid a low price for that folding trailer, and the rest of it was in good shape, it was probably still a fair deal, though the misrepresentation should have sent them scurrying to file a claim under eBay's Vehicle Purchase Protection program.

Here's another story. Some folks I know, Tom and Linda, bought a used motor home on eBay, I think in 2007. Linda had shopped around, found what she thought was a good unit going for auction. Just for fun, she put in what she thought was a really low bid. To her surprise, she won.

She sent off a deposit, then she and Tom were off on a plane to Florida. The unit had some delamination and fading. "It sat out for years in the sun and the rain. I think Florida is not the place to buy a used RV! Maybe someplace dry like Arizona," mused Tom.

Aside from some minor issues, the rig seemed mechanically sound, so they completed the purchase. They stopped at Wal-Mart for some basic necessities and had a happy time driving back to Canada. Tom did some little fixes - replaced some washers, fixed some defective lights.

The plan was to use it for the summer then sell it at a bit of a profit. They've still got it, and last I heard was running okay with no significant issues.

So I guess you could call that a successful transaction.

Anybody else with "I bought an RV on eBay and...." stories?

More advice: eBay Guides