Car Dealerships That Take RV Trade-Ins: 5 Options Listed

Loren Eaton Headshot Loren Eaton
Verified & Updated Oct 30, 2020

Short Answer

While there aren’t many car dealerships that take RV trade-ins, a few national chains like AutoNation, as well as some regional purchasers and cash-for-car companies like CashForCars.com, will allow you to trade in your RV. Below, we have the information you’ll want to know when you’re planning to trade in your RV.

Car Dealerships That Take RV Trade-Ins

While policies may differ by location, we confirmed that most locations within the following regional and national chains accept RV trade-ins:

AutoBuy

  • RV trade-in policy: Accepts most RVs, as long as they are drivable[1]
    • Note: AutoBuy isn’t technically a car dealership; the company purchases vehicles but doesn’t sell them.
  • Find an AutoBuy location (in Florida or New York)

AutoNation

CashForCars.com

1-800 Cash For Junk Cars

What to Do Before You Trade In Your RV

Before you attempt to trade-in your RV, you’ll want to determine its condition. You should check the mileage and inspect the windows, roof, walls, ceiling, cabinets, plumbing, and furniture — look for damage, scuffs, and/or scarring. Check the engine, battery, generator, air conditioning, and furnace. Finally, make sure to test everything in your driving compartment.

After identifying any issues, you can decide to fix them yourself, have a local mechanic do the work, or factor the problems into a lower trade-in value for the RV. To price your RV, you can use a website like NADA Guides. This site functions much like Kelley Blue Book, but for RVs. Be sure to accurately enter all of your RV’s functions and add-ons for the best possible quote. Keep in mind, most dealerships will not offer you the full quoted amount; according to RVSleuth.com, most dealerships only offer 85% of a NADA quote.[5]

Why Many Car Dealerships Won’t Accept RV Trade-Ins

Most car dealerships do not accept RV trade-ins because they cannot sell RVs without the proper licensing.[6] Additionally, many car dealerships simply don’t have the space to park and show RVs.

However, some car dealers understand that they can still take an RV as a trade-in, even if they can’t resell it themselves. The dealer can contact a number of RV purchasers and get a “buy bid,” which is a signed agreement to purchase a vehicle at a particular price. After securing a buy bid, the dealer will take possession of your RV, sell it to the purchaser, and apply the funds to your account — just like any other trade-in. Still, some dealers will avoid the hassle and potential financial risk of taking in an RV; undisclosed RV defects can lead to canceled buy bids.

Note that most RV dealers will accept RV trade-ins; these are typically the best options for trading in an RV.

For more about RVs and car shopping, see our articles on how to buy an RV with bad credit, and general guidelines for how much you should spend on a car.

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