🚗 VS 🚌: What’s the Real Difference Between Buying a Car and Buying an RV?

Thinking about buying a new RV instead of a car?

Or maybe both? Before you hit the dealership, there’s a LOT you should know.

Even though both car and RV dealerships sell vehicles, they’re totally different beasts when it comes to how you shop, how you negotiate, and how they make their money.

And trust us—understanding the differences can save you a lot of time, stress, and 🤯 surprises.

Let’s break it down.

🛒 Buying a Car vs. Buying an RV: It’s Not the Same Game

🏪 Dealership Vibes

• Car dealers are everywhere. You’ve probably got 10+ in your city. Walk in, test drive, maybe buy same-day.

• RV dealers are way more rare. You might need to drive a few hours or wait for a big RV show to compare brands.

⏳ Timeline & Process

• Car buying is usually fast. Test drive, sign, drive off.

• RV buying takes more time. You’ll probably need to:

  • Schedule a delivery or pickup

  • Get a full walkthrough of how it works

  • Buy or install extra stuff (like a hitch or stabilizers - critical pieces to fun Rving)

🧾 Paperwork

• Car: One and done.

• RV: Multiple steps, maybe a few days, and lots of optional add-ons to review (insurance, accessories, warranties, etc.)

🤝 How Negotiation Works: Car vs RV

💵 Markups & Discounts

• Cars have lower markup. Maybe 5–10%. You’re working with factory rebates and hidden dealer incentives.

• RVs have HUGE markup. Like 30–40% or more. That means you’ve got a LOT more room to negotiate—but you better know what you're doing.

🧠 Smart Tips

• Car: Know the process and get that all mighty OTD price and leverage competition, rebates and trade-ins to your advantage.

• RV: Ask for the “out-the-door” price. Watch out for surprise fees like prep, delivery, and doc fees (some are $1,000+ 🤯).

🗓️ Timing Matters

• Cars: End-of-month or end-of-year can bring better deals.

• RVs: Shop during the off-season (fall/winter) or at the end of an RV show to get deep discounts. But they sell less units.

💼 How Car & RV Dealers Make Money

💰 Car Dealers

• They make money in several ways:

  1. The front-end: Profit on the vehicle price

  2. The back-end: Warranties, financing, insurance, add-ons

  3. Service department

• Salespeople usually earn commission or a "mini" (Set low price for low front end profit vehicles - example $250 per car no matter what.)

💸 RV Dealers

• BIGGER margins. RVs can cost $30K–$150K and up, and some sell for double the dealer’s actual cost.

• RV salespeople usually get 15–20% commission, but on higher-priced items. That adds up fast.

🔍 Transparency & Financing Differences

🏷️ Pricing Clarity

• Cars: You get a Monroney sticker. There are websites that show invoice, rebates, and average selling price. Pretty transparent.

• RVs: Not so much. Dealers add crazy fees, and MSRP can be very inflated. Always negotiate below sticker. Always ask for everything in writing. They also are known for INSANE discounts like 39% off! So it's hard to know if there is still room to negotiate and there is!

🏦 Financing

• Car loans are everywhere—banks, credit unions, dealers.

• RV loans are longer (10–20 years!) and usually have higher interest rates. Fewer banks offer them, and approval may take a few days.

🧾 Licensing, Rules & Paperwork

🚘 Cars

• Require a basic license. State-by-state fees and taxes. Pretty standard.

🚍 RVs

• Most states don’t require a special license unless you go HUGE (over 26,000 lbs or 40 ft). But check your state DMV just in case.

• Paperwork can be more complex, especially if you’re buying a towable RV or a Class A motorhome.

🎯 What You’re Really Buying

🏁 Cars

• Daily driver.

• Functional.

• Focused on performance, tech, gas mileage.

🏕️ RVs

• Lifestyle purchase.

• About freedom, travel, and nature.

• Buyers are dreaming about future road trips, not just commutes.

👥 Buyer Culture & Expectations

• Car buyers want speed, convenience, and solid service networks.

• RV buyers often want:

  • A slower, more relaxed process

  • Personal attention

  • A long-term relationship with the dealership

They’re not just buying a product—they’re buying a lifestyle.

⚠️ Final Warning for First-Time Buyers

Don’t walk into either dealership without doing your homework.

RV buyers especially get tripped up by:

• Inflated MSRPs

• Prep and delivery fees

• Overpriced add-ons

• Misleading financing

The key with both? Negotiate the full out-the-door price and always compare multiple dealers—even if they’re hours away.

⚡️Chase’s Final Word

Most people don’t realize that buying an RV is way more like buying a tiny home than buying a car.

And yet, the dealership hustle is alive and well in both industries. If you don’t come in prepared, you’ll pay way too much—or worse, buy something that doesn’t fit your lifestyle.

At Deal Guard, we help people buy cars, trucks, and even RVs the smart way.

That means:

• Negotiating the real price 💪

• Skipping the hidden fees 😎

• Avoiding the dealership runaround 🤬

• Saving time, avoiding stress, and adding FUN back to buying cool things like RVs!

We’re not ex-car salespeople—we’re trained consumer advocates who know how both games are played.

💻 Visit GetDealGuard.com to learn how our car buying concierge service makes car and RV buying less stressful, less confusing, and a whole lot more fun.

See you on the road!

— Chase