Are RV Auctions Worth It? (How Do You Buy an RV at Auction)
You have heard of junkyards, for sale by owners, motivated sellers, and even new and used dealers for RVs. But sometimes the best place to get the best deals possible is at an auction. You never know what will appear on the auction block and you can go home with a winner.
In more ways than one, buying an RV at an auction is worth it. The biggest aspect that makes it worth going to an RV auction is that you can save a lot of money. The key is not to allow yourself to get in a bidding war and have the price higher than you want to pay.
To learn more about RV auctions and their value, just continue to read our article. It has the information you want to know about so you can decide if this route is best for you and your budget. There are a lot of good RVs sold at auctions at very low prices.
Are There RV Auctions?
Yes, there are and it is a great place to find a good deal, if you are lucky, on a newer RV. You may get a few good deals on older RVs as well but be prepared to do a title search or repairs on the older models. Newer or used, they are not always going to be perfect.
There are salvage auctions, regular RV auctions, and possibly police auctions where the RV has been impounded for whatever reason. Then sold off cheaply. It will take a good internet search to find one near you.
In our search, we found that different states have their style of auctions and you may have to find one by doing a state-by-state search. The ones that came up in our search were located in Georgia, California, and more states.
Most will not be state run but private auction houses that have been in this business for a long time. National Liquidators has handled over 30,000 auctions, etc. in its lifetime so far.
There are also repossessed auctions held by banks and different financial institutions that just want their money back. These are the ones where you can get some great buys and save a ton of money.
Take some time and hunt down those auctions near you and see which one would be best for you. But go in with your eyes open as auctions are not always going to be a good deal or cheap.
Can I Buy an RV At Auction?
Yes, you can but you may have to be more definitive than that. The question is a bit generic as there are two ways the word ‘can’ can be defined. The first way is can you walk into an auction house and just pay some money and drive out with the RV?
No, that is not how auctions work, unfortunately. Everyone gets a chance to make a bid. That leads us to the second way that word ‘can’ can be defined. Yes, you can walk into an auction and buy an RV BUT you need to follow the rules set out by the auction house.
Also, you need to register and then make your bids when it is time. When the bidding starts, you have to be careful as some people may drive the bid up to a level you do not want to or were prepared to pay. Make sure you do not fall in love with the RV as that works against you, not for you.
Also, do not go in with unrealistic expectations either. Auction houses are businesses and they are there to make money. Watch your hand movements etc., so you do not make an unexpected bid, either.
The best thing to do is read up on auctions and how they work so you can be prepared for what really takes place inside these auction houses. Being prepared is your best defense and protects you from overspending.
RV Auctions For Dealers Only
There may be several of these but they all do not turn up in a simple search. One that did is called ADESA and they have locations throughout the US. This auction house is also in the UK and Europe so our international readers can find one near them. Just click here to get to their website.
These auctions are usually lower in price to allow the dealers to make a profit, even if they have to make simple or complicated repairs. Usually, all auctions sell their RVs, trucks, cars, and more in ‘as is’ condition. They do not make repairs, repaint vehicles, and so on.
Once you buy the RV all repairs, etc., are on your shoulders. There is no harm or shame in buying an RV that needs some repair. It is a way to lower your costs and make sure you get the floor plan you want.
Dealers are the same way. They get the floor plans they know their customers would like and the low cost of repairs helps them save money while making a tidy profit.
Or there are different dealers who are buying wrecked RVs to get needed parts. Many RV brands and models have gone away and getting parts for those vehicles is difficult at best. It is an option you can consider when you own a vintage motorhome.
RV Auctions Open To Public
Fortunately, there are a lot of these in different countries. Capital Auto Auction is just one of the many. Their website is an online-style auction. That means you just have to have a good internet connection to make your bids.
Their landing page shows what type of vehicles they have, their make, model, and year they were built. In their current list, there are 2 pop-up campers for sale. These auction houses will auction off anything that fits their goals and purpose.
They also have photos on their landing page to give you a good idea of the vehicle’s condition. One of the things you have to be careful about is that these public auction houses may not have the color, floor plan, or other important to you features you want.
At least not yet. That does not mean that they won’t have them in the future. You can check different auction houses or their online forums to see if they have what you want in the color and design you want.
There are no location restrictions for bidding for most auctions. People have been phoning their bids in for decades now. But check the rules to make sure before you sign up so you know what to do and where you have to be to bid.
How do You Buy An RV At Auction?
There are several key steps you need to take to be able to make your bids on a specific RV up for auction. The first step is to register at the auction house you want to participate at.
Without registering you will not be seen as a valid bidder and you may miss out on a good deal. The next step would be to learn the rules of the auction house you registered at. Different public auctions have different rules and o not assume they will be the same everywhere.
Step #3 is to arrive early and begin your walk-throughs. Other people will be arriving early and if you delay you may lose out on a great deal. If you are going to be physically present at the auction, this is the best way to see if the RV is a lemon or not.
The next step will be to do your research. After you register do some research on the different RVs the auction has available. Then make sure you have a second and third choice. People who go to auctions can be tough and sneaky. They can outbid you when you are not looking.
That is why a second and third choice is important. You may miss out on one deal but you may get the next one. The research also helps you understand the blue book value.
This knowledge should keep you from over-bidding. Don’t forget to read reviews and other information about the auction house itself. knowing what other customers have said will help you avoid a bad business. But be careful, that may be one sneaky trick by experienced auction goers to lower the competition.
After all this is done, you get to do the fun part. You get to bid. be careful as the excitement of an auction can overwhelm your common sense and you will get caught up in the action. Watch yourself as you do not want to overbid.
Finally, make sure you have a plan. You do not have to bid on every RV on the lot but you should know what to do if the RV you want is sold to someone else. Have a list of different RVs that are worth bidding for. That way you can still get what you want although it is not your first choice.
Make sure to set your price limit and do not go above that restriction. You do not want to pay more for a used RV than it is worth. You have to be firm with yourself and stop yourself from bidding too high. Avoid bidding wars as well.
The key to an auction is to know when to stop bidding and move on to another RV.
RV Auction Prices
This is something you will have to check with the individual auction houses. They may have minimum bid rules and start their RVs off at that price. This is standard practice for many auction houses so you need to be aware of this and set your strategy accordingly.
As for the prices of the RVs that sell, well, those vary. Some RVs go for as low as $16,000 while others go for as much as $40,000. One 2007 model went for $129,000 approx. while a 2000 model only went for $16,000.
You will never know where those prices will end up or if anyone is interested in the model or not. But if you know the blue book value, then you can protect yourself and refrain from bidding when the price gets too high.
Again, do some diligent research before you sign up. That way you know that you will be getting a good deal. Expect the Class A RVs to be very expensive even if they are 15 to 20 years old. We saw a 2013 Itasca Ellipse 42QD sell for almost $200,000.
Of course, it helped that it only had about 25,000 miles on it and an 8.9 Cummins diesel pusher under the hood.
Vintage RV Auction
We saw a lot of dealers advertising that they had vintage RVs for sale. However, that does not mean they will hold an auction. They have one sale price and it is up to you to negotiate a good deal.
While we did not see specific vintage RV auctions in any of our searches, that does not mean that they do not exist. Many auction houses will auction off Vintage RVs along with the newer models. We saw one go for just under $2000 at the same place those higher-end RVs were sold.
If you are looking for specific vintage RV auctions, you may have to look into those auction houses that deal in salvage vehicles. Every week or month is different as auction houses do not always know when unique models will come in.
You just have to keep checking if you are searching for a specific make and model. There are plenty of salvage auction houses around the country and in different nations. Checking them out will only cost you a little time.
When it comes to vintage RVs, sometimes the best deals will be if the owner is motivated.
RV Auction Websites
We have given you two already and in this section, we will give you a few more to get you on the right track. It will be impossible to put all the auction house websites here in this little section.
To start off, and the links will be in the names, Auction Time.com is one leading auction house. The list of RVs on their lot is to the left of the landing page. Copart is a salvage auction hose and you can explore their website and see the rules and different auctions they conduct right below their brand name.
RV Auctions is a California-based auction house. Their landing page doesn’t mess around and tells you upfront that you have to be registered to bid. Finally, there is RV Auctions in Georgia and the Carolinas.
Their landing page offers tips as well as links to how their auctions work. They also tell you that if you missed one, more will be along in a short while or a bit longer.
Keep in mind that auto auctions will not always include RVs. The two are often different and may have different rules. These few websites should get you started on the right path as well as provide you with great auction advice and information.
Are RV Auctions Worth It?
If you do your research well and come prepared to back off if the bidding gets too high, then yes they are worth it. Especially when you get the RV you want and save a lot of money at the same time.
There are no guarantees when it comes to RV auctions. You may get a lemon if you bid incorrectly or do bad research. Or you may walk away with the golden egg. You just have to plan well and make sure you do your walk-throughs to avoid buying something better suited for the junkyard.
The key is to not let the excitement overwhelm you and cause you to make bidding mistakes. Auctions are all business so fooling around can land you in bidding trouble especially if your bid is accepted. Just watch what you are doing and you should be fine.
There are a lot of RVs out there so you do not have to buy the first one you see.
Some Final Words
To help protect yourself at these auctions, make sure to check out the auction houses and see what reputation they hold. Like any business, there are ethical ones and there are unethical auction houses.
Good research should help you avoid the latter. Then make sure to set a firm budget. This protects you from going too high. Never be afraid to back off as an RV may come along at another auction in the near future and it may just be the perfect one for you.
Auctions can be fun until you are stuck with an overbid.
