You’ve been enjoying your RV for several years now. You love your rig and you take it on weekend road trips, family vacations and camping adventures. In fact, you love it so much you think you might be ready to make it a bigger part of your life. Maybe that means taking a vacation for a few weeks or months. Maybe that means trying out some more extreme camping scenarios like boondocking. Maybe you’re ready to upgrade your RV so that the time you spend in your rig is even more comfortable and enjoyable. No matter your reasons, making the decision to upgrade your vehicle is a big step and you want to make sure you’re ready. Read on for five signs that you’re ready to graduate.
- Not enough space – Are things getting a little too cozy? Space limitation is a fact of life when you’re an RVer and feeling like quarters are a little too tight from time to time is natural – it can even be one of the fun aspects of traveling in your rig! But if you are expanding your family, starting to travel with pets, want to take longer trips, or are thinking about bringing along friends for a few trips, you may start to feel like the limited space is a true limitation on how much fun you can have. If this is the case and you see yourself using your RV for years to come, it may be time to upgrade to something larger such as a fifth wheel or a Class A model rig.
- Your RV is too old – Whether you bought a new or used RV, it’s inevitable that you’ll need to make some fixes along the way. From plumbing issues to tire replacement to air conditioning repairs, constant maintenance is simply part of RV ownership. However, if you find yourself making constant repairs due to the age of your RV, or if your RV is old enough that you are finding it difficult to get replacement parts when you need them, it may be time for a newer model.
- You want more amenities – As any RV owner knows, the term “amenities” is relative and could mean anything from a flat screen television to a larger capacity black water tank. Plus, doing without some of the comforts of home (and getting rid of some of the stresses of home) can be half the fun of RVing! However, if you find that you’re ready to upgrade to features like solar panels or larger appliances, it may not make financial sense to make these “add-ons” to your current RV when newer RVs come with the features you want, as well as a warranty.
- You’re thinking of becoming a full-timer – If you’re thinking about living in your rig 24/7-365, then you may need to consider whether your current vehicle has everything that you’ll need. To live full time in an RV, you will likely need a fifth wheel, travel trailer, or Class A motorhome to truly have enough space to be comfortable, depending on the number of people that will be traveling. Traveling full time also puts a lot of wear and tear on the rig, so be sure your vehicle is new enough that it will not require constant and costly repairs.
- You want the maximum sale or trade-in value – If you know you’ll want to upgrade your RV at some point, sooner is generally better than later. RVs, like any other vehicle, lose value as they get older. Getting an estimate on the resale value of your RV given its age and condition will give you a better sense of what you’ll be able to afford when you do upgrade. If it looks like the depreciated value of your RV in one, two or three years won’t allow you to make the investment in an upgrade, you may want to consider purchasing a newer or more spacious rig sooner than you had anticipated.
Be sure to contact us if you’re thinking about selling your current RV to upgrade!
