9 Tips to Get Motorhomes or Old Travel Trailers for Free
Everyone likes a good deal, especially when that good deal does not cost them a lot of money. The phrase ‘if it is too good to be true then it probably isn’t’, does not apply when you can get an RV for free. These free deals can be and are true.
One of the best ways to get a free RV or motorhome is to ask a friend. Sometimes friends give away their older RVs because they need the space, do not want the storage hassle or for other personal reasons, like a divorce give a way by an angry ex-wife.
To find out the different ways you can get an RV for free just continue to read our article. It explores the issue and sets you on the right path to tracking down your free RV. Getting an RV for free is not a bad thing as long as you do it right.
Free RVs 101
Tip 1: Make sure you let friends, family, and co-workers know you are looking for an RV. They may know someone you don’t who is looking to unload theirs as quickly as they can.
Tip 2: Another place to try is your local RV dealer or repair shop. They may have been in contact with an RV owner who does not want to make the necessary repairs and will get rid of the rig without any money changing hands.
How to Find Free Motorhomes on Craigslist
Craigslist is an old and tried method of getting a lot of items, products, and services for reasonable prices. You can find an RV for free on Craigslist in their free section. All you have to do is a daily scan of their free section or RV section and you should be able to come across a free rig, eventually.
The problem with scouring Craigslist though is that you need to be quick. Not only do you need to beat other people who have the same quest, you need to beat the people who run the list.
It has been known that the people in charge will flag and remove free RV ads. Why they do it is unknown. One probable reason is that they may be thinking it is some sort of scam.
There are a lot of reasons why these ads disappear so a daily run through of Craigslist is probably the best way you are going to find a free RV.
Tip 3: check the classified sections of your local newspaper and the nearby towns. You never know when someone has tired of their RV life or wants to make an upgrade. The classifieds are easy to go through and you should find a good RV for nothing in them.
Other Ways to Find Free RVs Near Me
To find a free RV near you, there must be someone willing to part with it for no cash in return. That may take some time to do and patience is something that is needed for your search.
Besides checking with your friends, co-workers or family members you can try local classified papers that sell for very cheap and have no news in them. These newspapers are strictly made to sell items including RVs.
You can check the local laundromats, supermarkets and post office bulletin boards as some people do not have the money to advertise their free RV and look for cost-free alternatives.
Another way to find free RVs near you would be to do an internet search or a Facebook search. People post their vehicles on these outlets as they reach more people.
Also, the different RV forums may have some leads for you and some have message boards that may include postings for free RVs. Once you put your mind to it, there are a lot of different ways to find a free RV near you
Tip 4: You can place an ad stating that you will remove old RVs from someones’ property for no cost to you or them. The only thing about this is that some you remove may not be in fixable or livable condition.
Are Free Motorhomes Worth The Trouble
Yes, and no. If you like tinkering on older vehicles including RVs then a free one may be just the ticket to make a little extra money. You can fix it up and resell it at a cheaper but profit-driven price.
They can also be worth it if you are homeless and need a place to stay until you get your life back together. There are endless possibilities that make getting a free RV worth it. There are also endless possibilities that make it not worth your time and trouble.
With older RVs you may not be able to get the parts you need to fix it up. Or there just may be far too much damage to the frame. The money and time needed to rectify that issue won’t be worth it in the long run and you could get a used RV for the same cost or less.
Or the RV has just too much mold and mildew behind the walls. Removing both would be too time-consuming and you may ruin a wall section or appliance, etc. Just trying to get to the mold and other contaminants.
Then determining if the free RV is worth it or not is ultimately up to you. This is an issue that may split the husband and wife with both taking opposing sides. It is best to have your spouse support you before you take the project on and bring the old RV to your home.
Some things to consider also will be storing the RV. Do you have the space in your yard or driveway? Are you allowed to store your RV on your property? How ugly is it? And other questions you need to answer before taking the plunge.
Tip 5: or you can place an ad in different locations saying you are looking for a free but livable RV. You do not have to accept bad RVs because you made it clear that the unit has to be livable.
Old Travel Trailers For Free
Looking for a free older travel trailer is the same as looking for a free RV. You have the same sources and resources to use and you will still have to use a little patience as you may be told about some really bad ones before you find that pearl.
There are lots of places you can go look and an RV dealer may be one good place to go. They may have taken an old travel trailer in on trade but can’t resell it. They may let you take it off your hands for nothing.
Like the old saying goes, ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained’. There is no harm in asking people either. Dealers and private owners may want to just get the old thing off their property. It looks ugly and neighbors may be complaining.
Plus, you may have to be willing to travel a little distance to retrieve those old travel trailers. They may not all be in your neighborhood but in a town or city a few miles away.
The key is to know where to look and who to ask. There is always a free travel trailer somewhere in the country at some point in time.
Tip 6: There is an old saying’ you get what you pay for’. When you are paying nothing for an RV you may get the worst of the worst. Be careful of those RVs that come from hurricane areas. They may be filled with mold and other harmful contaminants.
How to Drive an RV For Free
One of the best ways to drive an RV for free is to get a job driving new models across the country to their new homes. There is a high demand for these transportation drivers and you can make a fairly good salary if you are careful.
Here are some benefits of becoming a transport driver:
- Your schedule is flexible - you can drive when you want or customize your driving schedule around your normal on.
- You can work for a variety of employers - you are not tied down to just one RV company. If one company doesn’t a rig ready to go another may.
- You do not have to drive fast - normally the company gives you lots of time t get the RV to its destination. This allows you to go slow and see the country as you drive.
- It is a good way to earn a second income - help prepare for the future and get your bills paid off faster by driving as a second job. It certainly beats selling for multi-level marketing companies.
- Make it a family affair - some companies may allow you to bring your wife along with you as well as your kids. This gives them a break from normal life and introduces them to a new way to travel.
- It's a great job - for those who like to travel.
- It's for spontaneous people as well - transporting an RV can be done on a whim when you feel like getting out of the house for a while.
Here are some of the negatives that come with driving an RV for a relocation company:
- You have to get yourself to the company and back home again on your own. The company doesn’t pay for these parts of your employment.
- You cannot change the driving window. These are set in stone and cannot be changed. You have to complete the task before that window expires.
- You have to pay your personal expenses including food and other necessities.
- You need a good driving record and possibly a commercial driver’s license and experience.
- Each company comes with its own set of negatives.
Tip 7: You can always enter a contest if you want to get an RV for free. Of course, this may take several entries and a little extra money to do but in the long run, you may beat the odds and bring the grand prize home.
RV Relocation from Chicago
There are companies in Chicago, Illinois is the RV capital of the world, that need people to help them relocate their RVs. The pay is set and you may have to pay some of your own expenses but the opportunity to see the country can beat that negative with ease.
There are also rental companies that are looking for people to drive their RVs back to another location. They trade a lower rental fee in lieu of payment and you can drive the RV from Chicago to LA in no time.
What creates this need is a glut of one-way rentals that have left the final destination outlet overstocked and other outlets understocked. You can get some great deals driving one Way RV rentals back to their point of origin.
Tip 8: expand your search to include RV forums, online RV companies and more. Use the internet to your full advantage to get that elusive free RV. Also, keep an open mind and look at other states that are far from home.
RV Relocation From Phoenix
Phoenix is the same as Chicago. There are many rental and other companies, like dealers, who need someone to drive an RV to their new home across the state or the country.
All you need to do is get on your computer and do a little research. There are tons of companies that are looking for people to take advantage of their cheap offers to get an RV back to its starting point.
It may take a little time to find the right company to go with but that time is well spent when you get to save money on your RV expenses.
Tip 9: You can also make some trades for your RV. These trades can be antiques or other items of value that makes sure you do not spend a lot of money out of pocket.
How to Get a Cheap RV Tips
Just about everything we have said up to this point applies to this category. You can talk to friends, co-workers and family members to see if they have or know of someone who has a cheap RV for sale.
Or you can use Craigslist, Facebook and other social media outlets, and even RV forums to find that once in a lifetime RV deal you can’t pass up. On top of that, you can talk to dealers who have taken in older RVs and want to get rid of as quickly as possible.
Then since RVs are alike a traditional house except they have wheels, you can do some creative haggling and make nice trades for a cheap RV. You may have a spare vehicle you do not need. You can make the offer and hope the seller likes your creativity.
There are lots of possibilities to get a great RV for a cheap cost. All it will take is a little brainstorming on your part to get the right idea that should work for you.
Are Free RVs Junk?
This is a good question to ask yourself before you start your search for a free RV. Some people will get rid of junk passing it off as a livable unit and even disguising the bad sections to make it look better than it should or does.
When you start your search, you have to be prepared to face this reality. There are a lot of junk RVs out there whose owners would love to get rid of as quickly as they can and they are not all honest or ethical.
But, and it is a big but, you will find a lot of good RVs among the junk. They may need a few repairs and some engine fine-tuning but they are out there waiting for you to take them home.
You just have to be patient and know which ones you can fix and which ones you need to pass by.
What to Look For in a Free RV
Before you start your search for a free RV, you need to make up your mind about the purpose of your search. If it is for personal use, then you need to know what to look for when you come across free RVs.
If you have to put a lot of money into refurbishing the rig, then you are defeating the purpose of your search. Here are some things to look for when trying to find a decent free RV:
- 1. Engine - does it turn over or start when you turn the key in the ignition. If you hear a clicking noise then the only problem may be the battery or generator. You may not want to rebuild or replace the engine as that will take a lot of money if you can get parts.
- 2. Parts availability - you may want to strike some older models off your list because parts just cannot be found for them. Free is a good deal until you learn you can’t use the RV for anything but a paperweight.
- 3. Licensing - you should talk to your local DMV and see how much a temporary registration and driving permit will cost. That is if the RV is drivable. Or if it isn't checked into the cost of towing or hauling the RV from its home to yours.
- 4. Hidden expenses - we have just mentioned 2 hidden expenses that come from picking up a free RV. You will need to do some research to find more hidden costs to make sure the free RV doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg.
- 5. Appliances - what kind of shape are they in? Do they still work or will you need to repair them as well? Parts for the appliance may be hard to get if the RV is too old. You can replace them if you remodel the interior.
- 6. Remodeling costs - is the RV in good enough shape and is it worth the expense of remodeling. You can change the floor plan to fit your specific needs but again, is it worth it or will it cause a divorce?
- 7. Holding tanks - what kind of shape are they in? Will they still work or will you have to make some parts repair or replacement? Holding tanks are vital to an RV and you need these in top shape if you want to use the vehicle.
- 8. Tires - can you still drive on them or do you need to replace them before you leave the location of the RV? Tires are not necessarily cheap when it comes to RVs.
- 9. Purpose - a free RV may be worth it if you want to turn it into a recording studio for your son’s band or a guest house for your mother in law. But still, it needs to be in fairly good shape for those activities.
Some Final Words
People like free stuff. It makes them feel good, and it helps them keep their finances under control. With the expense of a new RV looking for a free one will make someone feel really special, as long as they get the one they want.
To find these little gems, there are lots of avenues you can use to track them down. Some are free, just ask people, and others may cost you the price of an ad. It will depend on you which avenue you choose to use.
Don’t forget that the internet can save you a lot of time and money if you look in the right places. All you have to do to guide your search is to know exactly why you want the RV in the first place.
