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Frequently Asked
Questions
Feel confident when you are buying, Selling, or Trading an
RV, have a written professional appraisal in your hand. You can justify your
offer or validate your asking price. Being prepared will reduce your Stress
and Save you Time and Money.
Have RVHelpnet appraise your RV-----have
another qualified company do it------but don't attempt a sale, trade or
purchase without one.
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Learn to
be accurate when doing your own RV appraisals.
For those of you who have access to a "Kelley
Blue Book", or the "NADA Book", and want to Do-it yourself here are a few
tips to help you avoid common mistakes made by Do-it yourselfers and professional appraisers.
IDENTIFY: Improper identification of the exact RV you are
appraising is responsible for most costly errors. Most of the appraisals we
do require information from both books to insure proper RV identification .
Please use the information below to assist you with your
evaluation.
- CLASS/TYPE: This
information must be accurate to insure you are accessing the proper book
and/or section.
Below are common abbreviations of Class/type
Class A Motor Home=MH Class B Van
Conversions=VC Class C mini Motor Homes=MMH Class C Micro Mini Motor
Homes (Toyota Etc.)=MMMH 5th (fifth) Wheel Trailers=FW Travel Trailers=TT Park Model
Trailers=PM Truck Campers=CO for Cab Over and NCO for Non Cab Over. Cab
Over is the portion of the camper that extends over the truck cab, usually the
sleeping area.
- MANUFACTURER, MAKE AND
MODEL/SERIES: Identify, Identify, Identify
Just as an Auto can be built by General Motors
(Manufacturer), at The Chevrolet plant (Make) and may be a Camero (Series), RV's
can be built by Fleetwood, at the Southwind Plant, and be called a Storm. A
lot of RV's are built by much smaller companies and will be listed as Make and
Series only. Duplicate Series are known to exist, built by different
manufacturers with tremendous differences in value. If you are not sure, double check your
information. Referring to multiple guide books will help.
- YEAR: You must not make
an error on this section.
Registration papers are usually a reliable source
for year confirmation. Manufactures dates of Origin are stamped on many RV's.
Be aware that most Dates of manufacture starting in September will be
considered the following year model. Example, 9/02/94 will often mean a 1995
model. I have seen units built as early as June registered as the following
year model.
When dealing with Motorized units we have to
separate the Coach information, from the Chassis information. The Chassis is
usually built by Chevy, Ford, Dodge, John Deere, Oshkosh, Gillig, Freight
liner Etc. The Coach is built by the RV manufacturer (Winnebago,
Fleetwood, Beaver, Bluebird, Coachmen Etc.).
Motorized Coach V.I.N. numbers can be on a placard
inside near the drivers area, on the inside of closet doors, on the exterior
by the entrance door, or the left front corner. These placards will often give
you dates of manufacture, model numbers and Coach identification numbers
(VIN numbers).
Chassis VIN numbers are often stamped on the left
front frame horn as well as the front side of the engine firewall. They can also be
included on the coach placard. The chassis VIN includes a letter or number
that identifies the year model. You will need to the contact the proper
dealership or reference one of the after market repair
manuals to read these codes. It is not uncommon to find an earlier year
model chassis under a later year model Coach. Example; a 1986 chassis under a
1987 Coach can be titled as a 1987 motor Home.
Travel Trailers and 5th Wheel VIN numbers can be
found on the exterior walls (usually on a decal that fades from sunlight), on
the inside of a cabinet door or stamped on the steel tongue .
- LENGTH: Choosing the
improper length from the listings will make thousands of dollars difference in
your figures.
Model numbers do not always represent the length of
the unit. Model numbers such as M-340 can refer to 34.5' whereas M-345 can
refer to a 35.5' and M-360 can refer to a 38.5' Etc. (Examples from Coachmen
Motor homes)
When licensing, your State Department of Motor
Vehicles will often round the length up to the next whole number, making your
registration a poor source of information. The lengths used in the NADA book
are usually the lengths supplied by the factory. Kelley book in most cases
does not include the length of the hitch on Trailers. Referring back and
forth between guidebooks (Kelley and NADA Etc.) will help you sort out which
unit you are looking for. Hitch weights and overall weights can be helpful
when identifying Trailers and 5th Wheels. Pop-Up trailer listings refer to
open lengths and closed lengths. Some Guide books refer to the closed length
and some to the open length. Experience is most helpful when identifying
Pop-Ups.
Truck campers are measured at the camper floor. A
9' camper would have a 9' floor length and usually a 4-6' Cab Over. The Cab
over is not included in the length. Non cab over Campers do exist.
- WIDTH: There are fewer
width choices but choosing the figures for a light weight model when you have
a full size can be costly.
Some units are wider or narrower that 8'. The NADA
book gives us length and width. Most light weight units are less than 7.5'
wide. The wider units 8.5' are referred to as Wide Body. By using all the
information and referring between books you can usually identify your unit.
- CHASSIS: The type and
brand of a chassis must be identified accurately. The following is a list of
types of chassis. Determining the proper chassis is essential.
Gas Diesel Front engine Rear wheel
drive Front engine Front wheel drive Rear engine Pusher Tag
axle
Hybrids - Motor Home chassis are often built
by specialty companies. Names like Gillig, John Deere and Oshkosh can have
Ford , Chevy, Cummins Diesel or Caterpillar engines. Identify, Identify,
Identify.
Referring back and forth between multiple books
can be very helpful.
- COACH-WORK: Proper
identification is a must.
Wide body is indicated by WB, Slide-out is
indicated by SO and Basement model is indicated by bsmt. If all models built
under a Brand Name are wide body , slide out or basement there will be no
reference to those options in the book . The option is considered standard.
Coaches can have optional types of siding . Be sure
to verify the type and check for adds or deducts.
- FLOOR
PLAN: Abbreviations are used to aid in identification and
can vary according to manufacturers.
Some floor plans are just not good sellers . The
books will not separate the bad floor plans from the good. Experience is
the only thing you can rely on in this case. |
BH- Bunk House CB- Center
Bath CD- Center Dinette CK- Center Kitchen DB- Double
Bed DSO- Double Slide out FB- Front Bedroom FD- Front
Dinette FK- Front Kitchen FL- Front Living room GT- Garden
Tub KB- King Bed RB- Rear Bed or Bath |
RD- Rear Dinette RG- Rear Gaucho RK-Rear
Kitchen RL- Rear Living Room or Lounge RQB- Rear Queen Bed SA-
Slide Aisle SB- Side Bed or Bath SD- Side Dinette SK- Side or
Split Kitchen SO- Slide out Room TB- Twin Bed WB- Wide
Body QB- Queen Bed
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- $ FIGURES: Headings are
shown across the top of each page.
The "books" have columns for Suggested New
List, Used Wholesale and Retail figures. These figures are referred to as
"First Figures". All adds and deducts for Optional Equipment, Mileage,
Condition and Marketability must be used to adjust these numbers. Used
wholesale figures are sometimes referred to as Trade-in or Loan
values.
Kelley book uses the term "estimated Dealer asking price" when
referring to used retail figures. NADA says their used retail ( High Book)
reflects the retail value of a used unit "ready for resale".
- OPTIONS: Know what
should be added to the "First Figures" and what should not.
Make sure you determine whether to use the Standard
Equipment option tables, or the Alternate Equipment option tables (Kelley).
Check at the beginning and the end of each Manufacturer and Year section for
Asterisks and notes (NADA). It is common for manufacturers to use their own
system for these notes. Read the instructions carefully in each book to
determine what equipment is standard and what equipment, if absent, is a
deduct. Make sure you add only the equipment that is listed as an add-on, in
the book you are using. Nothing works better to master this process than
triple checking all instructions and notes. More errors are made in this
area than any other.
- CONDITION: Make a
thorough physical inspection of the RV.
Exterior: Look for de-lamination (bubbles or soft
spots in the wall), excessive corrosion or rust, excessive fading, damage and
signs of the unit having been rebuilt. The estimated cost of repair must be
deducted from the Value.
Interior: Check for Excessive wear, odors, water
damage/stains, dry rot and soft floors. Deduct for estimated costs of repair.
Chassis: Follow the rules you would for any
automobile. Check for exhaust noises, rust, oil leaks/consumption and
excessive wear. Deduct for estimated repair costs.
Glass: Check for Chipped, cracked or broken glass.
Cracked or broken means replacement. Deduct for estimated costs.
Tires: If you have less than 40% rubber left
replacement must be considered. Deduct for estimated
costs.
The books tell us Mileage may be considered
when evaluating an RV. If I am going to invest my money in one I certainly
want it considered.
The mileage on Gas and Diesel Chassis are handled
differently. In the Kelley Book the Diesel chassis value is increased by low
miles but not reduced by higher than normal mileage . NADA tells us not to add
or deduct for Diesel Mileage's. Gas chassis values are reduced or increased as
indicated by the Books mileage charts or formulas .
When following these steps you will have the
accurate figures you need.
Thank You.
Ted Dansereau Buffalo Boy
enterprises/RVHELPNET
About the author: The author, in the
course of his 30 year RV career, has been an RV Dealer, Dealer Consultant, Sales
manager, and Business manager. Included in his resume is 30 years as a
Professional RV appraiser. His experience and knowledge qualifies him to be an
trusted authority on RV values. Jim Hilbourne, CPA. Retired RV Management Consultant,
Author of several RV Help Books. -- Yuma AZ.
Ted can be reached at his web site www.rvhelpnet.com
or E-mail __appraisals-1@rvhelpnet.com
Yes:
Use your written appraisal from RVHELPNET to
satisfy the requirements of Private Parties, Lenders, Insurance companies, Dealers, and
all Government agencies. Our over thirty years experience as a recognized
authority on RV values assures you accurate figures that we stand behind.
TYPES:
of appraisals available
Here are some of the ways we can learn the value of our RV's.
- You can call your Banker or local
Dealer. They will give a high and low "First Figures". These figures
do not include adds or deducts for options, miles, condition or marketability.
Their supervisors require them to account for their time and do not allow them
to spend the time required to prepare accurate numbers for you. -----No
charge.
- You can contact one of the book
publishers. They will offer to sell you a "consumer addition" book (
not the official one the dealers and lenders use ). They offer Ball Park
figures that can vary by thousands of dollars. They do not include the instructions as to what
options should or should not
be
added (included in the Books Dealers and Lenders use).
They do not ask about the condition of the RV or offer Marketability advice.
They do not offer a written appraisal that you can take with you to a Lender,
Banker, Insurance company or a negotiation session.
- You can take your RV to a reputable
dealer. They will spend the time required to inspect your unit. After
compiling the collected data they will use their years of market analysis
experience to provide you with an accurate realistic figure. -------Expect to
pay $100.00 and up.
- You can collect your own data,
fill out our printable "Comprehensive Data Collection Form" then submit
the form to RVHELPNET
Appraisals. We will combine the data you
provide with our years of market analysis experience and send you an accurate,
realistic, professional appraisal. We use the same books the Dealers and
Lenders use. Our appraisals are accepted by Lenders, Dealers, Insurance
companies and all Government agencies. ---$14.95 and up.
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