Motor homes are typically purchased by families and retirees who want to answer the call of the open road--and have a cozy place to sleep at the end of the night. A purchase of this magnitude calls for some careful research. The Kelley Blue Book price guide is a common place to look up the value of many different makes and models of motor homes. The guide will give you the information you need to determine whether the price is appropriate for the vehicle.
Narrow down the type of motor home you want to price. Also known as recreational vehicles (RVs), motor homes are available in numerous different forms. Types include the typical self-contained coach recreational vehicles, bed-mounted truck campers (attached to the truck bed) or chassis-mounted campers (mounted to the truck frame).
Refine your options further by deciding on a coach design. The coach designs are related to the size of the vehicle and are represented in the Kelley Blue Book by standard abbreviations. In addition to the basic motor home design (MH), you can choose from the following options: a mini-motor home (MMH), a micro mini-motor home (MMMH), a towing vehicle (T), a van (V) or a self-contained recreational vehicle (SC).
Determine how many axles are on the motor home you are investigating. You will need this information when you look up the price in the Kelley Blue Book, as it can help you choose the correct model. The Kelley Blue Book also further classifies motor homes by the weight of the vehicle and its length and width.
Find the correct section of the Kelley Blue Book in which to price the motor home. Use the tabs on the side of the pages to locate the beginning of the section labeled "Motor Homes."
Search for the correct vehicle. Vehicles are alphabetized by make (manufacturer), sorted by year from oldest to newest and then broken down by the available models.
Utilize the cross-reference section of the Kelley Blue Book if you are unsure of the make. This section lists motor homes by model and matches them to the correct manufacturers.
Read the notes above each make and model to glean important information that may affect your purchasing decision. Notes include things such as the fact that a particular model is no longer manufactured or is a limited edition. They will also include listings of the standard equipment if it's different than that of most of the other vehicles by that manufacturer.
Review the columns of information on the motor home you've selected. Follow the columns across the page to learn the trade-in, private party and suggested retail value of the vehicle. Trade-in values are what a dealer would give you in an upgrade transaction, while the private party and suggested retail prices are the amounts you can expect to pay in a private or dealer sale.
Check the Mileage Schedules and Optional Equipment sections to get a more accurate sense of the motor home's value. Depending on how many miles the vehicle has, you may need to add or deduct worth, while extra equipment increases the value of the RV.
