New or Used

I will retire in about a year and will start full timing. Right now my choice of rig is the 3055RL. Anyone have any advice regarding purchasing new vs used? Many people on RV Forum strongly suggest buying used to avoid the instant depreciation. PPL does have a 2008 for $x, which seems high (I'm not sure of the add ons) since I was quoted $x at the recent Houston RV Show (again not sure of the extras). Thanks.

Camping World in Houston had a couple of used Bighorns the other day. Call Joe French he will work with you to get at the price range your looking for.
Bill

Sorry - I had to remove the price from your post per the forum rules.

It is true - an RV is generally not an appreciating asset. The 3055 RL was our top selling Bighorn so there are a lot of them out there.

In order to test the pricing you are getting on that used unit, I suggest you go to NADA and check on values. Here's a link for a 2008 Heartland Bighorn 3055 RL on nada.com. Just click on the options the unit you are looking at, has on it. Be careful to not click on options that are already factored into the base value on that site.

Other resources for used RV values is eBay. And merely Googling Heartland Bighorn 3055 shoudl yield some results.

A used unit can be a great value if the price reflects the features and condition of the unit.

You can also get great pricing on a new 2009 model year Bighorn 3055 RL. Some dealer somewhere should still have one. To find out where, call Heartland at 574-262-5992 and ask for Coley Brady. Coley can pull a dealer stock report and direct you to where one may be.

And now our 2010 model year units are out. And there are a couple of nice changes that you may have an interest in. Primarily, the new slam latch baggage doors and the new laminated roof system to match our laminated wall and floor systems.

Best of luck to you and keep your questions coming. A lot of decent folks are here to give you feedback.

Jim

I seen a new 08 3055 here locally for over $x less than what you were quoted. If you look around you can save a lot of dough. Lately it seems if you find a good deal on new it isn't much different than used. If you are financing it you get a better rate on new so for us it was about the same after the diffrence in financing.

Greg

It can also depend on how you will be using the trailer. We are full timing, so we would not compromise on any options. We knew exactly what we wanted and my DW found RV Capital Wholesalers in Elkhart, IN that got us our dream unit $x less than K&C RV in Longmont, CO would sell us one without all the options we wanted. This was a no brainer for us. I got to go to Elkhart and pick up the unit. I toured the factory and saw the motorhome and RV hall of fame. I have seen units on Ebay that are a year or two old that are priced higher than what we payed for ours. If you can find a used one with the options you want and save some money go for it, but do not be afrade of ordering a brand new unit the way you want it to be equiped.

They are right because of the economy ,if you make a reasonable offer and are willing to travel you can get a great deal. Make sure to oder what you want now ,because it will cost you more to add on later.

Thanks for the info.

Another question, how easy/expensive to upgrade items on a used or new rig that doesn't have exactly what you want? For example, upgrading to double pane windows.

John
isitime in Houston

isitime said:

Thanks for the info.

Another question, how easy/expensive to upgrade items on a used or new rig that doesn't have exactly what you want? For example, upgrading to double pane windows.

John
isitime in Houston

Click to expand...

It is MUCH more expensive to upgrade later. Read this thread for a discussion on upgrading to dual pane windows later (it is later in the discussion, keep reading)

//heartlandowners.org/showthread.php?t=8671

if you can't find exactly what you want on a lot, it is esay to get a quote for a brand new unit built just for you.

Our plan was to wait a couple of years and pick up a used Landmark at a good price.

We changed the plan when we found a brand new one at National RV Direct for the price we figured we would pay in 2011.

Just couldn't pass it up!!!

2010augusta said:

It is MUCH more expensive to upgrade later.

Click to expand...

The costs of upgrades are not necessarily more expensive (not referring to the double window bit...I checked on those and merely screamed!).

1. What I consider expensive might be chunk change to you. The same with difficult. We got a couple of users here that change coaches like you change socks! He just keeps trading because he finds something he likes better. I've ragged on him a couple of times about more money than sense. Hey, it's his money...and he enjoys spending it...and I'm proud for him. Wish I could.

2. What upgrades you want done. Some upgrades would probably never be available from any dealership. And, some upgrades should never be done! Right now, an engineer is looking into adding a hydraulic tag axle for my 3055 RL along with necessary frame reinforcement. Push a button, I got 6 wheels...push another and I got 4. Believe me, it can be done and made to lood good. He did it on another RV. Only time will tell on this one.

3. Ray comes up with changes just for the fun of it. SmokeyBare is about the same. Have nail, will hammer. When they get finished less than 5% of their trailer will say Heartland on it. It's been rumored that they are opening up their own company.

4. There's a lot of satisfaction on making something your own. I'm doing mods to my trailer. A couple of which I won't talk about until they are complete. But, I'll bet next year you find out a bunch of people have done it because they got the idea from me. And, believe me, I've ripped off a bunch of ideas from Ray, Smokey, and JimB. JimB's recommendation is currently hanging on the toilet wall right now. IT WORKED GREAT JIM. BUT, I DID IT ON ALL 3 SIDES. Never did figure out where to put the ashtray.

5. I'm having stuff done to make all of my storage floor level. I need it. Ain't figured out what to do with the empty cabinets yet. There will not be a couch, table, recliner or chair in this place when I'm done...well, no chair unless it has wheels.

There is a place here in Norfolk, that will take an RV and completly redo it to customers wishes and will work with the you to keep you within the trailers weight class.

Like lefty says it depends on the upgrades some cost about the same and some of them forget about it. Most of them come with the majority of options you might want. The dual payne windows were something we wanted and didn't get but that turned out to be not that big of a deal. The dual payne are nice but don't make nearly as much difference as you might think not like your house.

Greg

Shadowchek said:

Like lefty says it depends on the upgrades some cost about the same and some of them forget about it. Most of them come with the majority of options you might want. The dual payne windows were something we wanted and didn't get but that turned out to be not that big of a deal. The dual payne are nice but don't make nearly as much difference as you might think not like your house.

Greg

Click to expand...

Greg, I have to disagree with you on the dual panes. We have had numerous RV's and our 3670 is the first WITH them and I might say we will never have another without them. Our largest thought on them is how QUIET the rig is with them.

We really wanted dual pane windows not only for the better insulation value and soundproofing, but also to cut down on moisture. We lived in a house for 7 years that had single pane windows and the windows were constantly wet, and we were regularly cleaning mould off of the frames. Nasty!

I would never buy a trailer that only had single pane windows. A friend has a tt with single panes, and he has major condensation problems.

My $0.02.

Chris

boatdoc said:

Greg, I have to disagree with you on the dual panes. We have had numerous RV's and our 3670 is the first WITH them and I might say we will never have another without them. Our largest thought on them is how QUIET the rig is with them.

Click to expand...

I may stand corrected on that. That is what I had heard from an owner of an sob and since I don't have them myself I jumped right on board telling myself see it really isn't a big deal. Sorry if I was wrong about that.

Greg

Thanks for the input. I think I'll get a list of factory options that I think I want and then run them by this list - or has all that been covered before?
John

The list of factory options is available here on the forum. Jim B posts a PDF of the MSRP for all of the units. If you do a search, you'll likely find it.