Have you ever walked into an RV show with absolutely no intention of buying anything, only to find yourself standing in the kitchen of a beautiful fifth wheel wondering whether you could convince your spouse that you really needed a new camper?
Come on, admit it. We’ve all been there.
There is something about an RV show that gets the imagination going. Maybe it’s the smell of a brand-new camper, the beautiful countertops, or that enormous television mounted across from a pair of comfortable recliners.
Perhaps it’s the salesperson telling you that the particular model you’re standing in has been one of their most popular sellers.
And then come those four little words.
“Today Only! Show Special!”
Suddenly, the camper you had no intention of purchasing begins looking like an opportunity you simply cannot pass up.
Well, before we get carried away, let’s talk about something.
The best RV purchase isn’t necessarily the one with the biggest discount. It’s the one that still makes sense after you’ve brought it home, loaded it with your belongings, and headed down the highway.
And with January’s winter RV show season approaching, now is a good time to begin thinking about what you really want.
An RV show offers plenty of opportunities to compare campers, but finding the right one begins before you arrive.
There’s Always Another RV Show
Every fall, RV dealerships begin making room for the next model year. Sometimes that means attractive discounts on remaining inventory.
But what happens if you missed those fall clearance sales?
Nothing terrible.
You haven’t missed your last opportunity to purchase an RV at a reasonable price.
January brings another round of opportunities as winter RV shows begin appearing across the country. Manufacturers introduce new floor plans, dealerships compete for customers, and buyers get the chance to compare several different brands without spending weeks driving from one dealership to another.
For those of us living in Michigan, there’s something particularly appealing about walking through a building filled with campers while winter is doing its thing outside.
You might have snow on your boots when you arrive, but after stepping inside a few campers, you’re already thinking about spring.
Where would we take this one?
Would it fit in our favorite campground?
Could we spend a few weeks traveling through the mountains?
And before long, we’re discussing places we haven’t visited yet.
That’s part of the fun.
But it’s also where a little preparation can save you from making a rather expensive mistake.
Walking through an RV show is exciting, especially when you’ve already identified the features that matter most.
Before We Walk Through Those Doors
My bride and I have spent more than a few hours looking at RVs over the years.
And one thing I’ve learned is that an RV show can be overwhelming if you haven’t already decided what you’re looking for.
There are travel trailers, fifth wheels, toy haulers, motorhomes, and campervans. Some are small enough to fit into places larger campers could never reach. Others have kitchens and living rooms that rival those found in a house.
It’s easy to become distracted.
You might begin the day looking for a 30-foot travel trailer and find yourself standing inside a 45-foot fifth wheel admiring the fireplace.
I can appreciate that temptation.
Our own 2024 Forest River Rogue Armored 373BS13 toy hauler is approximately 45 feet long. It’s a wonderful camper for the way we travel, but I wouldn’t recommend that everyone rush out and buy something that size.
We have specific reasons for owning a toy hauler.
Someone who enjoys visiting smaller state parks or traveling narrow mountain roads might be much happier with something considerably shorter.
Before attending a show, I would encourage you to think about the kind of camping you actually enjoy.
Not necessarily the camping you dream about doing someday.
The camping you’re likely to do.
There’s a difference.
If you enjoy spending weekends at Michigan state parks, campground length restrictions and campsite availability deserve serious consideration.
If you’re planning extended trips across the country, storage, comfort, water capacity, and the ability to travel without constantly rearranging everything become more important.
And if you’re bringing motorcycles or a side-by-side along for the adventure, garage dimensions and cargo capacity are going to influence your choices.
A beautiful camper isn’t much good if it won’t accommodate the things you purchased it to carry.
The Tape Measure Might Be Your Best Friend
I know what you’re thinking.
A tape measure?
At an RV show?
Absolutely.
Especially if you’re shopping for a fifth wheel or toy hauler.
Our Silverado 3500 HD Duramax handles the towing duties for our fifth wheel, but that doesn’t mean every fifth wheel is automatically compatible with our truck.
There are several things to consider beyond whether the truck has enough power to pull the camper.
Payload capacity, rear axle ratings, trailer weight, hitch weight, and the relationship between the truck bed and fifth-wheel overhang all matter.
That last one is particularly important.
You need adequate clearance between the fifth-wheel overhang and the truck bed rails, along with sufficient clearance between the trailer and truck cab during turns.
A tape measure can help you begin evaluating those dimensions, although the final determination needs to account for the trailer’s actual towing attitude, hitch adjustments, suspension movement, and the manufacturer’s requirements.
The same thinking applies to travel trailers.
It’s easy to look at a trailer’s advertised dry weight and conclude that your truck or SUV can handle it.
But that’s not necessarily the weight you’ll be towing.
Add propane, batteries, water, food, clothing, camping equipment, and everything else that seems to find its way into an RV.
Before long, the numbers look considerably different.
For travel trailers, tongue weight is particularly important because it contributes to the load carried by the tow vehicle.
For fifth wheels, the pin weight can consume a substantial portion of the truck’s available payload.
And don’t forget the weight of the passengers, hitch, tools, and other belongings already riding in the truck.
Just because a vehicle can pull a camper doesn’t mean it can safely carry the weight that camper places on it.
That’s something worth remembering long after the RV show is over.
Toy Haulers Come With Their Own Questions
When we look at toy haulers, the garage is one of the first places I want to investigate.
Not the television.
Not the kitchen.
The garage.
Our camping adventures frequently involve bringing along equipment that allows us to explore beyond the campground.
For someone carrying motorcycles, ATVs, or a side-by-side, the garage needs to accommodate more than the advertised length of the vehicle.
Lessons we’ve learned about organizing our toy hauler.
You also need to consider its width, height, and the space required to secure everything properly.
Will the doors open far enough?
Are the tie-down locations practical?
Can you safely load and unload your equipment?
What happens when the garage is occupied? Can you still access the bathroom, refrigerator, or other necessities?
And here’s something buyers sometimes overlook.
The garage may be large enough for your equipment, but does the camper have sufficient cargo-carrying capacity to transport it?
Those are two different questions.
A 13-foot garage doesn’t automatically mean you can load 3,000 pounds into it.
You must account for the trailer’s total cargo capacity, garage-specific limits, axle ratings, and how the load affects the trailer’s weight distribution.
It’s also worth asking about the generator, fuel station, ramp-door patio, and other equipment that may be optional rather than standard.
A toy hauler advertised at an attractive price can become considerably more expensive once you begin adding the equipment you expected it to have.
Sometimes an older model with a less popular garage configuration can represent a good opportunity.
If your motorcycle fits comfortably into an 11-foot garage, for example, you may not need to pay extra for a larger layout.
The important thing is knowing what works for you before someone starts explaining why you need something bigger.
The Price on the Window Isn’t Always the Price
Let’s talk about those enormous discount signs.
You know the ones.
A camper with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $125,000 suddenly has a show price of $89,995.
That’s a pretty impressive difference.
But is it a good deal?
Maybe.
Maybe not.
The MSRP alone doesn’t tell us very much about the camper’s actual market value.
Before attending a show, I would spend some time looking at comparable models advertised by dealerships around the country.
RV Trader can be a useful starting point.
Pay attention to the model year, floor plan, equipment, and whether you’re comparing a brand-new unit with another brand-new unit.
Two campers that appear identical might have different suspension packages, appliances, generators, or other options.
Those differences can affect the price considerably.
I would also take screenshots of the advertised prices and bring them along.
Not because I want to spend the day arguing with salespeople.
I simply want to know whether the price being offered is competitive.
And while we’re talking about price, don’t forget to ask for the complete out-the-door figure.
That means the selling price, preparation charges, documentation fees, taxes, registration, and any other applicable costs.
A dealer advertising a lower price may not necessarily be offering the lowest final price.
You can certainly ask about the dealer’s invoice cost, but don’t assume the dealership will provide it or that the invoice alone reveals its true cost after incentives and other arrangements.
Comparable market prices and a complete written offer are usually more useful.
A good deal should still look like a good deal after all the numbers are written down.
Thursday Morning or Sunday Afternoon?
Here’s something worth considering when planning your visit.
Not every day of an RV show offers the same experience.
If you’re serious about comparing campers, a quieter weekday morning may be your best opportunity.
Thursday or Friday mornings, when available, often provide a little more breathing room.
You can spend time examining the camper without feeling as though you’re holding up a line of people waiting to get inside.
And if you have questions about the frame, suspension, electrical system, or construction, a knowledgeable representative may have more time to answer them.
On the other hand, there’s something to be said for visiting near the end of a show.
Dealers sometimes become more motivated to negotiate on particular display units rather than transport them back to their dealerships.
But don’t assume every camper will be discounted simply because it’s Sunday afternoon.
Transportation arrangements, inventory ownership, manufacturer incentives, and dealership policies all influence what a salesperson can offer.
If you have your heart set on one specific floor plan, waiting until the final afternoon could mean watching someone else purchase it.
Personally, I would rather spend the first part of the show learning and comparing.
If I found something worth pursuing, I would return with the information needed to make a thoughtful decision.
There’s no shame in leaving without purchasing anything.
In fact, sometimes that’s the smartest decision you can make.
Let’s Talk About Financing Before We Fall in Love
One of the easiest ways to get distracted during an RV purchase is to concentrate on the monthly payment.
A salesperson might tell you that a particular fifth wheel can be yours for a payment that sounds surprisingly manageable.
But there’s more to the story.
How many years will you be making those payments?
What’s the interest rate?
How much will you pay in total interest?
Are there additional products included in the financing?
A lower monthly payment stretched over a longer period can cost considerably more in the end.
Before attending an RV show, consider talking with your bank or credit union about financing.
Having a preapproval gives you something to compare against the dealership’s offer.
The dealership may be able to provide a better rate.
Wonderful.
But now you have a way to evaluate it.
And if you’re trading in your current camper, do a little homework on its value before arriving.
A generous trade-in allowance doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting a good deal if the selling price of the new camper has been increased to compensate.
I prefer looking at the entire transaction rather than becoming attached to any one number.
That includes considering how much the new RV might depreciate and whether the financing could leave you owing more than the camper is worth.
After all, we’re purchasing something to enjoy.
We shouldn’t have to spend the next several years worrying about how we’re going to pay for it.
Who’s Going to Fix It When Something Goes Wrong?
Now we’re getting to something I consider particularly important.
Service.
We’ve owned enough campers to understand that even a brand-new RV can require attention.
Sometimes it’s something minor.
Other times, it’s a problem that requires a trip back to the dealership.
Some of the maintenance lessons we’ve learned along the way.
Our own toy hauler has provided a few lessons along the way, including problems with aluminum wheels that eventually led us to replace them with steel wheels.
Experiences like that remind me why having a dependable service department matters.
We’ve been fortunate to develop a good relationship with Price Right RV here in Michigan.
And I can tell you that having people you trust when something needs attention is worth a great deal.
Imagine purchasing a fifth wheel at an RV show from a dealership several hundred miles away.
The price is fantastic.
You bring the camper home, begin preparing for your first trip, and discover something isn’t working properly.
Now what?
Will a local dealership perform warranty repairs on a camper it didn’t sell?
Possibly.
But you shouldn’t assume it will.
Manufacturer warranty authorization, dealer participation, service capacity, and the availability of replacement parts can all affect where and how quickly repairs are completed.
Before signing anything, ask where warranty work can be performed and whether the selling dealership will help coordinate repairs if you’re traveling.
Ask about the manufacturer’s warranty, including what’s covered, what’s excluded, and how long coverage lasts.
Different components may have different warranty periods.
The roof, frame, appliances, electrical system, and other equipment may not all be covered under the same terms.
And remember that warranties generally don’t replace routine maintenance.
Roof inspections, sealant maintenance, wheel bearings, brakes, tires, suspension components, and other systems require attention throughout the life of the camper.
That responsibility doesn’t disappear simply because the camper is new.
The relationship with your dealership shouldn’t end when you pull out of the parking lot.
A beautiful camper can catch your attention, but the best floor plan is one that works for your everyday camping needs.
Don’t Forget to Sit Down
This might sound like strange advice, but hear me out.
When you’re walking through an RV show, everything looks beautiful.
The beds are made.
The countertops are spotless.
The cabinets are empty.
Nobody has left their shoes in the middle of the floor.
And there certainly aren’t any dirty dishes in the sink.
But that’s not how we live in our campers.
So before getting too excited about a particular model, sit down.
Really.
Sit in the recliner.
Can you comfortably watch television?
Can someone walk past you when the footrest is extended?
Stand at the kitchen counter and imagine preparing dinner.
Is there enough room to work?
Open the refrigerator.
Think about where you’ll store the groceries.
Step into the bathroom.
Is the shower large enough?
Can you comfortably move around?
And here’s one of my favorite things to check.
What can you access when the slides are closed?
That beautiful kitchen might not be quite so convenient when you’re stopped at a rest area and can’t open the slides.
Can you reach the refrigerator?
Can you use the bathroom?
Can you get to the bedroom?
These are the little things that become important after the excitement of purchasing a new camper wears off.
And don’t forget to look at the storage compartments.
An RV may have beautiful cabinetry, but if there isn’t a practical place for your tools, hoses, electrical cords, and camping equipment, you’ll eventually notice.
Our campers become our homes away from home.
They need to work when we’re actually living in them, not just when we’re admiring them on a showroom floor.
Take Pictures, But Make Sure You Know What You’re Looking At
I can’t tell you how easy it is to forget which camper had which features after spending several hours walking through an RV show.
Was that the fifth wheel with the larger refrigerator?
Or was it the one with the separate bathroom?
Which toy hauler had the garage we liked?
After you’ve walked through a dozen campers, things begin running together.
Here’s something that works.
Before entering a camper, take a picture of the manufacturer’s name, model number, and floor plan information.
Then photograph the features you want to remember.
When you move to the next camper, repeat the process.
That way, when you’re sitting at home later reviewing your photographs, you won’t have to guess which camper you’re looking at.
I would also make a few notes about what you liked and, perhaps more importantly, what you didn’t.
Sometimes the things that bother us during a five-minute walkthrough become the very things that frustrate us after owning a camper for several years.
And don’t be afraid to ask questions.
If the salesperson doesn’t know the answer, ask whether someone from the manufacturer can help.
You shouldn’t feel embarrassed about asking how something works when you’re considering spending tens of thousands of dollars.
With so many RVs to compare, good notes and thoughtful questions can make the buying process much easier.
Around the Campfire: A Few Questions Worth Asking
Is January really a good time to buy an RV?
It certainly can be.
Winter RV shows bring dealers and manufacturers together, sometimes creating opportunities for competitive pricing and incentives.
But don’t assume January automatically offers the lowest price of the year.
A leftover model purchased during fall clearance might be less expensive, while a newly introduced floor plan may carry a premium.
The better question is whether the price is competitive for the exact camper you’re considering.
Should I buy at the show or wait until afterward?
That depends.
If you’ve already researched the model, confirmed your financing, compared prices, and know the camper meets your needs, purchasing at the show may make sense.
But if you’re still deciding between several floor plans, there’s nothing wrong with going home and thinking about it.
Ask whether the dealership will honor the quoted price after the show and get the answer in writing.
A good purchase shouldn’t depend entirely on making a decision before you’ve had time to consider it.
What if this is my first RV?
Welcome to a wonderful lifestyle!
My advice would be to begin with the places you want to visit rather than the camper you think you want to own.
Consider how many people will travel with you, how long you’ll be away, where you’ll store the camper, and whether your vehicle can safely tow it.
You might even consider renting a similar RV before purchasing.
A weekend spent camping can teach you things that an afternoon walking through a showroom never will.
Are manufacturer representatives worth talking to?
Absolutely.
They may be able to explain construction details, available equipment, warranty coverage, and differences between model years.
They can also clarify whether certain incentives or upgrades are available.
Just remember that not every factory representative has the authority to approve a special discount or equipment change.
Any promises should become part of the written purchase agreement.
Should I purchase an extended warranty or service contract?
That’s a decision worth researching carefully.
Ask what the contract covers, what it excludes, whether deductibles apply, and where repairs can be performed.
Compare that coverage with the manufacturer’s existing warranty.
Also consider the cost of the contract against setting aside money for future repairs.
Not every additional product offered in the finance office is necessary for every buyer.
Final Thoughts: The Best Camper Isn’t Always the Biggest
I’ve often thought about how much our camping lifestyle has changed over the years.
There was a time when having a place to sleep, something to cook on, and a few camping chairs was all we needed.
Today, campers can have residential refrigerators, multiple bathrooms, fireplaces, enormous televisions, and enough technology to make you wonder whether you need an instruction manual just to turn on the lights.
And I appreciate many of those conveniences.
But somewhere along the way, it’s easy to forget why we started camping in the first place.
It wasn’t about having the biggest camper in the campground.
It wasn’t about impressing the neighbors.
And it certainly wasn’t about how much money we could spend.
It was about getting away, spending time together, exploring new places, and enjoying the journey.
I sometimes wonder whether we spend so much time comparing rigs, mileage, destinations, and travel styles that we forget why we bought an RV in the first place.
An RV show can be a wonderful place to discover what’s new, learn about different campers, and perhaps find the one that will accompany you on your next adventure.
But remember that the camper is only part of the story.
The memories you make along the way are what really matter.
So if you’re planning to attend an RV show this winter, take your time.
Walk through the campers.
Open the cabinets.
Ask questions.
Take pictures.
Sit in the recliners.
And yes, go ahead and imagine where you might travel next.
Why we enjoy planning our camping adventures almost as much as taking them.
Just don’t let a shiny new camper or a bright red sale sign convince you to leave your common sense at the entrance.
After all, there’s always another RV show.
And there are plenty of Cooper Shortcuts waiting to be discovered.
We’re not trying to get there first. We’re trying to enjoy getting there.
The Cooper Shortcut Camping Journey Trio 😊 PlusOne!
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