Thinking of selling your FWC ? - Now might be the time to sell

[RC Pilot Jim]

As some of you have read last week we sold our 2013 Tacoma and 2012 FWC Eagle shell as a package for 92% of what we paid for them in 2012-13...in 4 days...at full asking price...No negotiation from a referral from Four Wheel. Did not list it....yes I left money on the table as the Tacoma is selling (June) for 5 grand more than I sold it for...Still I'm very happy with the results as we can purchase a new Subaru for the sale price,

Reason: If you are looking for a FWC, delivery on the new ones are 12 months. The shell model I HAD equipped the way ours is, now sells for $17,500 (35% increase in 9 years).

Advice from an old guy.

If you are thinking about changing the type your camping in, sell now then wait 18 months to replace it. Reason: Because of pent up demand to travel and not by airplane the RV market is nuts. In 18-24 months it will be a buyers market as the folks who bought the "fantasy" will discover the payments, storage costs, maintenance is eating up all their disposable income and will sell in the fall before that Christmas season.

For now we will rent and save our money for the camper van we may purchase depending on what my body will let me do after hip replacement. next year.

So save your money and pay cash when the market turns.

Update
I took the comments into consideration and edited the original post to just apply to Four Wheel campers. As that is where my experience lies.

 

[lqhikers]

Must disagree
In 18 months i will be able to look back at all the great days and nights we enjoyed.
And we will still have the correct set up that we built and continue to enjoy.
That being said i am also someone who have changed rigs many times over the years.
But have never worried if money was made or lost.
None of us "need" our campers they are just a disposable toy.
Just my thoughts, yours may differ.

Les, lqhikers

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

What I picked up from Jim’s post was that if you’ve been considering selling for whatever reason, now is a seller’s market. We have an ‘05 Class A we bought used, currently with 90k miles on it. I, too, have joked with my wife that we should sell it for 2X what we paid 14 years ago, wait 18 months, and then buy a much newer model with very few miles on it when the original buyers wake up and finally realize what they got themselves into. Yup…a buyer’s market is coming for those who are patient.

 

[cgsmith]

As some of you have read last week we sold our 2013 Tacoma and 2012 FWC Eagle shell as a package for 92% of what we paid for them in 2012-13...in 4 days...at full asking price...No negotiation from a referral from Four Wheel. Did not list it.

Reason: If you are looking for a FWC, delivery on the new ones are 12 months. The shell model I HAD equipped the way ours is, now sells for $17,500 including tax (35% increase in 9 years) Who says we don't have inflation.

Advice from an old guy.

If you are thinking about changing the type your camping in, sell now then wait 18 months to replace it. Reason: Because of pent up demand the RV market is nuts. In 18 months it will be a buyers market as the folks who bought the fantasy will discover the payments, storage costs, maintenance are eating up all their disposable income and will sell in the fall before Christmas season.

When to buy and sell? Sell in the spring or summer when Demand is high (Tax refunds) . Buy in the fall or winter when demand is low.

So save your money and pay cash when the market turns.

Jim, I don't think you fundamentally understand what inflation is. This is a free market and manufacturers are free to decide what their price is and FWC (among others) have been valuing their product higher and higher each year and selling. That would say they historically undervalued their product, as you've also seen by selling your FWC/Taco package for nearly retail after 7 years of use as well as the increased price and 12 month lead time.

The idea that in the future buyers will reap the benefits of a better used market is also a fallacy. You're basing that on the speculation that people will change their minds about their purchase and flood the market with used campers/RVs. You probably own like 12 bitcoin and have millions in the stock market knowing you can predict markets. Whatever you're drinking, pour some of that kool-aid in my glass as well. There is absolutely no way of knowing what the future RV/camper market looks like.

What I think you miss are several things. People have saved money in the last year and the people with extra income are also those with flexible employment, this might include boomers, Gen X, and millenials and have realized they want to travel and experience the world differently than in the past; hence the demand for RVs and campers.

Want to know the best time to buy something? When you can afford it is the answer. So, as I feel for your sudden windfall of cash from the sale of the truck and camper, for everyone else, if you want a camper and have the money, keep looking, don't wait. Just live your life and enjoy it.

 

[craig333]

I kind of think there will be a selloff of campers in the next year or two but I base that on nothing other than a gut feeling. I really don't care if I'm right or wrong. I"m neither selling or buying. Nice to know I could get some money out of my camper if needed to.

 

[BrianG]

I have to agree with RC Pilot it’s a great time to sell (obvious) and I do think in two or three years there could be some really good RV values. Maintaining an RV properly is often underestimated by new buyers. Having said that, there is no way I’d sell my Hawk, it’s just to much fun! Plus, sitting at home for the next couple years waiting for that great deal isn’t appealing.

Oh, and off the subject, Zero Declination in Reno did a great job on my Battle Born 100ah lithium battery upgrade!

Brian

 

[Sleddog]

I agree that now is a seller's market for recreational vehicles in general and for Four Wheel Campers specifically. If you're looking to sell, now is a great time to profit with the high demand on top of production delays running 12 to 18 months.

I also agree that a buyer's market is in the future. It will take 12 to 18 months to take delivery. The first year of ownership everyone will give the camping thing a try, this first year will help weed out a percentage of newbies who quickly find that they don't like the setup they bought, that they don't have the time to go camping, that they can't afford the payments, or that they don't actually like camping at all. The second year of ownership, the camper will sit and sit, those who did not have fun the first year will not use it at all. The third year after delivery is when the camper will go up sale.

Personally, I enjoy camping and love my Tundra and remodeled Fleet combo. Neither is new or pretty, but both are functional and paid for. I could make a tidy profit selling, but would never be able to replace what I've got for a reasonable price.

 

[Vic Harder]

Huh, to add a slightly different flavor to this discussion, I agree that it is a great time to sell. Not sure if it WILL be a great time to buy in 2-3 years, but I sure HOPE it will be, because then maybe the crowds will dissipate too. Just hope, no prophetic powers here...

 

[billharr]

Huh, to add a slightly different flavor to this discussion, I agree that it is a great time to sell. Not sure if it WILL be a great time to buy in 2-3 years, but I sure HOPE it will be, because then maybe the crowds will dissipate too. Just hope, no prophetic powers here...

+1 for the crowds dissipating. I sold my Tundra and Hawk in January for $34K may have gotten more now. But I am happy and got my Class B van about 20% off MSRP, that would not happen now.

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

Thanks Richard,
That is what I meant to say.

Les I agree with you too. I have enjoyed just about every camping/traveling day I have been lucky to have in it the past 9 years. Unfortunately I got old and couldn't physically do it anymore. Good timing on getting a very good price for it.

CG I agree mostly with you too. However I have observed two people. A friend who bought a 4 Wheel 2006 Kestral ( now called a Hawk) for $7,500 in 2013. Put $2,000 in it used it 3 years and sold it for $9,500 in 2016 in 45 minutes re-cooping 100% of his investment. I re-read my original post and FORGOT to say that I meant "4 Wheel Camper" products. I have owned different types of RV's and campers over the years. So far the old Coleman tent trailers and 4 Wheel are the only products that were/are so much in demand. The used tent trailer we bought in 1979 for $800 we sold 4 years later for $1,000. then we bought a used Southwind motorhome...but that story is for another time....As that was an expensive ownership experience.

Thanks everyone for contributing.

 

[goinoregon]

who knows ? i bought first ATC in Mar/21. the only thing i wonder/regret, is that i should have put most of the purchase price on a vehicle loan. vehicle and home loan rates are incredibly low. i just bought a 2019 midsize suv, and car loan was 2.3%. sheesh.

 

[grandiodyssey]

Our Tacoma w/ Swift Four Wheel Camper is now for sale: https://austin.craigslist.org/cto/d/austin-overland-built-2019-toyota/7370681771.html

 

[moveinon]

I certainly agree it is time to sell if anyone is thinking about it. I decided to sell a month ago but did not get to it until a couple of weeks ago. I bought my 4WC 9 years ago for $13,000 thinking I got a slight deal at the time but basically a fair price. Two weeks ago I sold it for $15,000 and could have sold for more if I had wanted to. I got multiple full price offers the first day, sight unseen. The only upgrade I put into the camper was a new battery and nothing else. Over those years I put over 70,000 miles on camper and truck and a lot of nights in the camper, it worked great for me with no repair or maintenance except replacing the screen door latch at $8.00. It was a great camper that took me to many remote places and fishing spots. I think that the new ones are overpriced, but think housing is overpriced too and they continues to go up so who knows. I have always expected to loose money when buying an RV(have owned a lot of different ones) and never bought one as an investment of any kind, but the last three, a VW Syncro, VW Eurovan Westfalia and 4WC have all made money, amazing. I do think that as wild fires make more remote areas less fun, the rookie campers decide to not keep camping, and covid hopefully returns life more back to normal that there will be some sell off for RVs. I do not know if 4WC will be in the group of sell offs or not, but may be. But know it is definitely a good time to be selling one, and not a good time to be buying one.

 

[billharr]

FWC and ATC are still a niche market. Because of the crowds in State and National parks that market is getting bigger. But inflation may be the biggest reason for the increase.

Bought a home 11 years ago for $200K, homes in area are now $550K

Bought a 2001 Hawk for $3,500 in 2009 sold for $7500 3 years later

Bought a 2013 Hawk shell for $10K, did a build and sold 7 years later for $20K

Nice to make some money on an RV but not good in the long run. New prices on almost any RV make you just say WTH. I did move from the FWC to a Class B. But don't expect to make money when I sell it. The "B" cost more than my first two home combined. Inflation may cost us all in the long run.

 

[Joel Deutsch]

RC Pilot Jim,

We have a 2018 Four Wheel Camper Hawk Front Dinette with the Silver Spur interior upgrade, thermal pack, 160WT Solar and controller, dual 6 volt batteries, and a lot of other options, including an 8-ft side awning. This is our second Four Wheel Camper and we love it! The camper is mounted on a 2018 Ford Lariat F-150 4x4 with the off-road package and a 6 1/2 foot bed. It has Ranch Hand rolled steel powder coated bumpers front and rear. But, my wife and I are no longer spring chickens. Since her rotator cuff surgery last year camping has stopped being fun for my wife. And, when your wife’s not having , but, I digress… We’d like to sell the truck and camper as a combo.

Where did you post your rig to get such a fast result? Thanks for your response. JD